$500 xj budget build
01-02-2011, 06:58 PM
#1
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Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: flux capacitor
$500 xj budget build
Bought this 1994 country from a co-worker for $500. He bought it in 96 with 30,000 miles on it. His brother went to prison in 2006 so he ended up with his 2003 nissan maxima for a $3500 payoff. The jeep sat in his garage since 2006 until last saterday when I picked it up. The tires were flat and came off the beads, the battery was dead. I had a hell of a time getting it on the trailer due to the tires and cracked the fiberglass rear hatch using my powerstoke with a tire to push it on the trailer. This is how she looked on the trailer. Plans are- a 3" lift, 285/75/16 MT's, a rear lunchbox locker, some bumpers and eventually a gear swap
Last edited by knuckleduster271; 01-02-2011 at 07:08 PM.
01-02-2011, 07:24 PM
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Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: flux capacitor
Got it home, in the shop and on jacks. Removed the horrific running boards and pulled the wheels and tires. Heres a pic of the rear hatch damage also. Im gonna spend some time tomorrow trying to get it running and have the stock tires remounted and balanced just so i can move it in/out of the garage when needed for now. This thing is very solid with no body rust at all that I can find. It still had an oil change sticker in the windshield from 06 that has 2100 miles left on it. I did notice the tail pipe was rotted away from the muffler. More to come. Stay tuned
01-02-2011, 07:38 PM
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Year: 1999 XJ, 2000 WJ
Engine: 4.0 l6
if it hasnt run for 5 years I'd change the oil bud. Even if an oil change sticker says its got 2100 miles left. Pretty nice steal for 500 bucks! How many miles are on it?
01-02-2011, 07:55 PM
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Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: flux capacitor
107,000 The oil is clean and full, I wouldnt drive with it in there but it will do fine for initial start up and let it get to operating temp then change it along with the xfer case, trans and both diffs. I was just impressed that it was takin care of.
01-03-2011, 02:54 PM
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Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: flux capacitor
Got it running today
had a junk battery in the shop that still had a couple months left on the 3 year replacement warranty
so that was $80 saved. It was a little slow to start fired up quicker than I expected with 5 year old gas. The alternator is froze up, squeels louder than a stuck pig. oil pressure seemed low (no idiot lights, just moved the sweep on the guage a little) but I only let it idle for about 3 minutes. Picked up some pads for the front today ($23) and had the tires remounted and balanced ($24). Total investment so far $547
had a junk battery in the shop that still had a couple months left on the 3 year replacement warranty so that was $80 saved. It was a little slow to start fired up quicker than I expected with 5 year old gas. The alternator is froze up, squeels louder than a stuck pig. oil pressure seemed low (no idiot lights, just moved the sweep on the guage a little) but I only let it idle for about 3 minutes. Picked up some pads for the front today ($23) and had the tires remounted and balanced ($24). Total investment so far $547
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01-07-2011, 06:39 PM
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Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: flux capacitor
Went to put the bigger alternator in and had a clearance issue with the outer mount bracket. The alternator is physically bigger and hits the bracket before the alternator can seat into place. Did I mention it was a PITA to get in there? I got it though. My wife always told me I was good at fitting big things in small places
01-11-2011, 10:49 AM
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Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: flux capacitor
Jeep runs great! Purrs like a kitten even with 5 year old gas. Had to do quite a bit of grinding to make the durango alternator work. Got some stuff to do a Wal Mart brand synthetic oil change ($21.71), Diff gaskets front and rear, gallon of DexIII,transmission gasket/filter kit, and some lucas for the diffs ($32.16) Had a 5 gallon bucket of 80/90 in the shop so that saved me some $$ Total cost $636. Cant wait to get all this mickey mouse BS out of the way so I can start on the lift. Ive been searching the yards for some nice F150 coils 66-79 with no luck. Thinking of just buying a 4.5" $459.00 rough country kit from ebay since I have two holidays coming up on future paychecks
Last edited by knuckleduster271; 01-11-2011 at 10:53 AM.
01-15-2011, 06:02 PM
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Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: flux capacitor
Picked up some coolant for a flush & fill, an air filter and an oil pressure sending unit for $41.00-total spent $677.00
01-16-2011, 12:27 PM
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Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 EFI "Power Tech"
Hey man thats cool! I just picked up an '89 XJ on the 2nd, right after new years 
for $800
I need to start a build thread lol
Good luck with the build
for $800 I need to start a build thread lol
Good luck with the build