filterway

Hi All,

I'm new here. I want to buy a jeep cherokee from 1998 to 2000 and i want to know what i have to check on the car before buying it. Is there particular parts, area i have to look, known problem etc.

Is there a kind of checklist on this forum to help people who want to buy a Jeep Cherokee?

thank for your help

Jerome

RoyalXJ

dont buy a 2000 or a 99 that was manufactured after 10/99. 0331 head castings were bad. they also have the lp30 front axles that are no good as well. make sure yyou get something with the 8.25 rear, not the dana 35

filterway

how to check date of manufacture? with the VIN?

The Desert Fox

rear main seal leaks, rusted out floors, electrical gremlins.

CodeXJ

Honestly the late 99 and all 00-01s have the only 'gotcha' that I really know about, the weak head casting that leads to cracks when it overheats. Almost as bad as aluminum heads that warp! That's not to say you should avoid these engines, other than the heads they are just fine. Just be aware that, at some point, you may have to replace the head with one from an older Cherokee.

Other than that, just the normal stuff. Keep an eye out for rust! Everything electrical should work, if it doesn't, there should be a good reason for it. If the owner says, "I dunno why that doesn't work, it just stopped one day" you should really consider if you need that part. Electrical gremlins can be a PITA.

Fluid leaks are probably going to be a given, considering the mileage on these things now. But it shouldn't be a lot. At 195k my Jeep leaks power steering fluid, but that's it. When I bought it there was a bad valve cover leak, easy fix. Rear main seals on the tranny are also a common leaky spot.

Did I mention rust? Rust is bad.

When test driving, hit a pothole or something at a good clip, like over 45mph. It doesn't need to be anything big, just something your likely to hit while driving. The Jeep should not go into "crazy, OMG WTF is going on, HOLYSHIAT!" death wobble. If you test drive it and don't know what 'Death Wobble' is afterwards, you didn't experience it.

If there is Death Wobble, this isn't a 'walk away' problem. 99% of the time it's something simple, a worn bushing, maybe a bad alignment. If it's really bad you may want to consider walking though. At the least it's a good, "Hmm, well that's not right, you should lower the price" issue.

Gauges, watch them while driving. The voltmeter should be between 12v and 14v all the time, oil pressure should be slightly above the 1/4 marker when warm and idling, and over 40 when warm and at highway speed.

Listen for knocking. You will hear rattling from the passenger side and top of the motor. This is the valve train, it should go 'ticktickticktick' quite quickly. If it goes 'TOCK TOCK TOCK' or 'CLANK CLANK CLANK', something else is wrong. If it's clanking, don't test drive it, because if it blows the owner will blame you.

Check the unibody for rust, rust is an XJ's worst enemy!

The AW4 automatic is not your grandma's transmission. It will not kindly and politely slide into the next gear. Gear changes will be firm and noticeable. There should be no funky clunks, bangs, or any signs of slippage. It should just calmly and without fuss slide into the next gear, and you will know when it does it. Also, once you are up to cruising speed, don't be surprised if you feel a '5th' gear kick in. That's just the torque converter locking up. Unlike a Caddy, you'll feel every shift in a Jeep.

The inline six should be nice and smooth. It should not be shaking and shimmying like an exotic dancer. If it's booty shakes more than Amber down at the local strip club, something is wrong. Power transmission should be relatively linear with no big flat spots or bogging.

Beware 2-Door hinges. The larger doors are heavier and tend to put a lot of stress on the hinge, my 2-door has 2 really saggy doors because hinges broke. If you are looking at a 2-door, inspect the hinges!

DO NOT ENGAGE 4WD PART-TIME ON PAVEMENT. It will clunk, bang, and make all sorts of horrible screeching noises. Engage Part-Time only on gravel or dirt! Then floor it to make sure it works.

Oh yeah, and check for rust.

rweaver138

Well, that pretty much sums it up.

/thread.

The Desert Fox

did he mention rust? lol

nate15

This is all I have for input since most of everything else has been covered. Check the fuel gauge. If it is pretty low you may ask them to fill it up, try and look the tank over as best as possible, whatever you want to do. I had to replace my gas tank. I didn't think much of the fact that there was only a quarter tank in something that was being sold. Found out I had a leak when I got home and lost $25 in gas. Oh well. Solved that problem shortly and fairly inexpensive but a pain to change it out though!

filterway

[QUOTE=CodeXJ;645422]Honestly the late 99 and all 00-01s have the only 'gotcha' that I really know about, the weak head casting that leads to cracks when it overheats. Almost as bad as aluminum heads that warp! That's not to say you should avoid these engines, other than the heads they are just fine. QUOTE]

i just begin to learn on cherokees (year/engine etc...) and i'm asking, theses aluminum engine are typical on model 99-00-01 or in theses year there is different choice of engine?

oh, thanks a lot for your complete post, it makes a lot of thing to check for my next test drive!!

tj40

Cherokee's have rust? I would look for 97-98 only if you're into the modern interior. I like the 94-96 myself. I say 97-98 just to be safe cause my friend bought a 99 with that garbage head, maybe is was a late 99? The best way to identify a 8.25 for me is looking for the extra large lip edge at the bottom of the center diff. sticking out behind the diff. cover, looking from the rear.

CodeXJ

[QUOTE=filterway;645668]Oh, no, the 00-01 engines are Cast Iron, as are the heads. I was making an analogy, aluminum heads tend to warp when the engines overheat, at almost a drop of a heat. Same with the 00-01 cast iron heads, except they crack.

The only engine worth getting is the 4.0L, in 00-01 the engine may give you many many years of service. Well beyond 200k miles if taken care of. But if it overheats, well, you stand a higher chance with the 00-01 engine of it cracking it's head than any other years. Honestly I don't think the '99 has the 'newer' style head, unless it was made at the very end of the model year.

rich

Yes the later years towards 2000 the 1999-01 had the weak head casting. But as far as rust issues the old er xj pre 97 has rust issues floor boards unit-body etc,The early 1997 had wiring issues bad they got most of them fixed by the end of 1997.I also think 1997or 98 was the wierd xj I think its like a stand alone jeep.Oh yeah rear mains will be leaking on the earlier models.After the renix years almost all jeeps except early 1997 are good choices they all have flaws that pretty much are all balanced out,In my opion I would find a late 99-01 and swap the head right off for a aftermarket head and you'd be all set till other small stuff developes this will happen in them all anyways.The early years are called renix and I dont think you would be interested in them and I;'m not bashing renix guys I have an 88 too g/l