ParallelRain

New owner of a 1998 2 door, manual XJ.

The owner of this XJ passed away from a heart attack at the young age of 36 nine years ago. The owner's mother inherited the XJ. She was not able to drive anymore due to blindness from diabetes. My good friend is the brother of the previous owner who passed on and son of the current owner(his mother) and he parked it in front his house for the last nine years.

My friend drove it around as a third car for his family when they needed it. The Jeep needed a lot of maintenance work. My friend moved out of state and I let him keep the Jeep at my house and I decided to purchase it. I want to restore it a bit for them in remembrance of their brother/son and keep the Jeep 'close' to the family and get better at wrenching on a car.

What I have fixed, replaced or upgraded-
Driver's seat frame was broken in three places. I took it all apart and brought it to a welder who welded it all back together. I put the seat back together and it is good as new.
The parking brake lever was no longer staying up. I got one from a junk yard and replaced it so the parking brake now works.
The two center console screw 'towers' were completely broken. I ordered a metal stand online and replaced that so no more center console moving around.
The horns were not working. I found that the wires were unplugged and that was easy. Not sure why they were unplugged.....
The throttle body was not closing fully and had sensors stuck in them. Got a 62MM TB and new sensors and gaskets. That helped the Jeep breath a bit better and you can feel it a little bit while driving it.
Replaced the valve cover gasket since it was leaking. Added a Newcomer valve cover spacer with two gaskets and installed Harland Sharp roller rockers. Might be a few HP added. They were expensive but I think it was worth it.
Cleaned the engine bay since it had oil residue on it from the leaking valve cover.
Cleaned the interior a bit.
Installed 4 port injectors from K Suspension. The Jeep had stock single port injectors that had been in there for over a decade.
Oil change.
Replaced the CCV/PCV valves in the valve cover.
Replaced spark plugs and wires.
Aired up the tires.
Banks power cat back exhaust-added a deeper exhaust note a little drone in the cabin
23.5 gallon ZJ fuel tank with new fuel pump. 23.5 MGP on the highway on stock size wheels and tires so it has over 500 highway range per tank.
Installed a Newcomer thermostat housing.
Installed a Mishimoto Thermostat.
Did a coolant flush and fill up.

Next steps-
Replace the intake manifold with HO one, maybe gasket PNP it.
Install a Banks exhaust header.
Water pump replacement.
Get the AC working.
New bumpers front and rear.
Swap out the wheel well trim.
Window tint.
Larger wheel and tires.
Flush the brake fluid and upgrade the brakes.

Old Man Minimalist

Wow, you have been busy! Nice!

Where did you get the metal tower for the console? Mine is cracked and I used some JB Weld to repair the crack but if I can get a better solution, I'm interested.

And welcome!

ParallelRain

Thanks OLM, I appreciate the welcome.

Here is what I got for the center console-

When you put in the screws to anchor the support, you have to push on the metal a bit to get it to flex so the holes line up with the holes in sheet metal of the Jeep. That was the only issue I had with it. It worked great. Once the center console is back in place and you open the arm rest compartment to put in the top screws, move the center console slightly side to side to line up the holes to get the screws in. My center console is pretty stable now.

BleepinJeep Video instructions ( I took the whole center console out but you don't have to)-

Ralph77

That one at the Amazon link is pretty cheap.
Thinking the JCR one cost more then double that.
I picked up a used one which I believe to be a JCR one but.....
It cost me $20 so no big deal if it is not.
I did not realize that mine was busted. Console was solid.
But when I removed the console to install the factory heated seats found this.

And the funny thing is I bought it from the guy who was parting out an XJ which my heated seats are from.
Just as I was leaving spotted it, asked what he wanted for it, he said $20 which I was pretty sure was a good price, and figured just have it in "stock".
Was glad I did when I removed my console.
LOL.

Old Man Minimalist

Ralph, JCR wants $90 for theirs. Yours's does look like the JCR one so you got a nice deal if it is!

I'll either stick with the factory or try another less expensive version. I found one on Amazon that looks like the JCR one. Brand: "We Hope". Wonder if that is they hope we forget where we got it when it breaks? Or maybe we hope your money is real since this is not? Or you can have hope in one hand and **** in the other...?

Anyway, I think for $24 I'll get one. It should make the console tighter.

That bleepin Jeep video was funny when he was removing stuff from the console.

ParallelRain

You got a good deal and good eye when you were looking at the part out Jeep. I hope you got the JCR one for 20 dollars. How are you liking the heated seats?

I was looking at the JCR center console stand and saw the price and thought can I live with a wobbly center console for that price?

I saw the Amazon one and took a shot at it after reading the reviews. Its fitment was not 100 percent and I had to push on it to get it to line up but it worked so maybe I got lucky.

ParallelRain

When he took out the cat and the weapons, I was losing it. My phone and wallet barely fit in there. I wonder if he got the Cherokee with the black hole arm rest compartment option.

I hope the 24 dollar stand works for you like it did for me.

Ralph77

I think it is a JCR one but....
It did go right in without any problems so....
And at the time I want to say they were about $57 for one.
It was just sitting on a table and caught it out of the corner of my eye when leaving.
Knowing what it was and what they cost when he said $20 I grabbed it.
Thinking at the time I did not need it as I mentioned earlier but.....
LOL.
Heated seats are great. If you get all the parts plug and play in '99 to '01.
Thing is they are Agate and my '00 is Camel.
But my CoverKing seat covers hide that for the most part.
LOL.

xj98utah

Ralph, exactly which seats do you have and which seat covers?

Ralph77

The seats are factory removable headrest leather power/heated seats.
That option was available in XJ's from '99 to '01 best I can tell.
If you can source all the parts and have a '99 to '01 it is plug and play cause you should have this under the passenger side front seat carpet.


The seat covers are the CoverKing Rhinohides.
Not leather. Some sort of PVC.
They are not cheap.
A few years back during a holiday sale and being able to use a promo code scored front and back for $320.
Which was not cheap but really wanted them.
Highly recommend them and not sorry one bit that I spent the money.
Problem is today think they cost double that.

xj98utah

Very nice. So these seat covers should fit the stock 98 seats right? I have a classic and want to protect my original cloth seats. OP, sorry for the threadjack!

Ralph77

Thinking any '97 and up removable headrest seats, no matter what material, those would fit.
Probably make them for the one piece buckets too but.....