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1992 Jeep Cherokee, 4.0 I6 Bone stock.
Initial purchase $800
I searched for a Jeep on Craigslist for over a year, I saw YJ's pop up on a weekly basis but were always out of my price range or not worth the price asked.
One day I walk over to the local coffee shop like I do most days and while on my way home my neighbor at the Harley shop has this 92 Cherokee sitting outside, I sit and talk story with him for a minute and
he says"you still looking for a Jeep?"
"Yup"
"this runs, is legal and $800 takes it"
"I'll be right back!"
Bank,Back,Cash in Hand....Left with the 92' Cherokee
Didn't even look at it first.
I had always heard Xj's were junk and figured it was why they were always so cheap, now I've got one and I'll see for myself.It's one of the best kept secrets, the XJ's are cheaper, more fun and easier to work on than the YJ. I see stock XJ's for $1500 every week here.
Even saw an 05' for $500 with a good body.
So far,
The fourth day of ownership my distributor pickup went out so I ordered a new one online and proceeded to uninstall the broken one.
The bolt broke off that holds the pickup inside the distributor, then I cancelled the order for the pickup and ordered a used distributor for $29 saving me about $40. I hope the rest of the build goes like this!! Break a bolt save Money!!
Named it after the famous Cherokee Pathkiller,(1749 to January 1827)
Pathkiller was the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, fought in the Revolutionary War for Britain and in the wars against American frontiersmen from 1783 through 1794. Pathkiller, a "fullblood," unacculturated Cherokee, became principal chief in 1811 and was the last individual from a conservative background to hold that office. Although Pathkiller remained principal chief through 1827, authority in the Cherokee Nation, after 1813, shifted to Charles Hicks.
Pathkiller was the mentor to John Ross, identifying the young Cherokee of Scotch-Irish descent as the future leader of the Cherokee people. Pathkiller is buried in New Echota Cemetery in New Echota, Georgia.
Future Upgrade list
Brakes
Rims/Tires
Lift
Bumpers/Winch
Roof rack
Snorkel
Repair list
Floor pans (THERE ARE NONE!!!)
Suspension Bushings
E brake line
Exhaust leak/hole @ header collector
New Distributor(pickup went out)
Headliner
Ac unit
Tranny line leak(from the quick connector)
oil adapter leak
valve cover gasket leak(guess)
Left speaker wiring either has a short or isn't connected.
Rust holes
rear hatch lift supports
Working on Photos, will have posted soon.
Last edited by Deltatech; Nov 8, 2015 at 02:18 AM.
Reason: Spelling corrections
Thanks, this is more to track my own progress ,but I am adding content as I go.
While it's down (parts come in on the 19th) I'm trying to find a short or disconnection in the left side speaker wires, neither the front nor back left side work, I changed out the Head Unit thinking it would fix it but It didn't, oh well , Now I have Bluetooth!!
While I'm at it I'll take some more pics tomorrow, I already took the console out to clean it, it's now sitting in my shower,I may take the seats out to clean the carpet tomorrow so that would probably be the best time to find the disconnection/short.
Last edited by Deltatech; Nov 8, 2015 at 02:37 AM.
Took a better look around Pathkiller today...Found a few things that need addressed before i can go mudding...
A great rust repair by the last owner....more holes than a golf course...
The rust is pretty bad but nothing that can't be fixed...
AAAND it looks like drag and dropping images doesn't work here!!!
While looking for floor pans on Amazon today I saw what I've been needing to find, there is a speaker connector under neath the drivers side carpet next to the tranny tunnel and I'd bet THAT is where mine are disconnected or shorted!!!
Last edited by Deltatech; Nov 24, 2015 at 07:52 AM.
Reason: drag and drop images only showed code
Didn't get pics today but I got all but one trim panel out today, my floor pans are non existent! Found out while sitting in the drivers seat waiting the rain out,I have a leak in the windshield and drivers side door top rubber seal. Got a little overwhelmed by the size of this project today. But If anyone can get this XJ put back in running order it's me and the guys on this forum!!! As soon as I get the seats and carpet out I'll post pics of the floorpans or lack there of!
Still didn't find the short in the left speakers....still waiting on the distributor, coming to a decision on what size lift and tires, flares and in what order to get them in, Logic states lift, flares,tires. but my tires are bald and I'm not sure they will last long enough to get the lift in.
I may as well go 4.5 with 32x11.5 with 5 inch flares.Ther are not many places to go mudding here and it will see more street than mud. But it's always nice to have options!!
In that case, desert cammo. Olive and tan have been done too many times on XJs, semi black has been done too much on everything, tiger stripe just sounds weird.
In that case, desert cammo. Olive and tan have been done too many times on XJs, semi black has been done too much on everything, tiger stripe just sounds weird.
Thinking chocolate chip or cookie dough....
*Engine and tranny mounts are broken-edit fixed the engine mounts
* belt squeak-Edit FIXED
* Back brakes
rear brake lines,Capped and not hooked up
*Header is cracked at the collector
*New floor pans-Edit FIXED
*take out and clean the fuse box and patch the hole behind it.
*Tranny line leak-Edit fixed
*oil change(seal leaking)-Edit FIXED
*rear main (leaking)
*valve cover gasket-(guess...)
*Stereo wiring-no power to accessory wire
*Harmonic balancer(rubber protruding)
*New Injectors( going to change to the Dodge Neon 4 hole)
fuel filter
remove seats and carpet, headliner-Edit FIXED
roof rack-Edit Built
4.5 lift
tires-Edit fixed
bumper
winch
cool ****
paint/body
Profit!!
The list-
*Engine- Edit FIXED and tranny mounts (broken bolt) are broken
- caused the header crack- fix before the header & exhaust...
* Back brakes..
-weren't even hooked up to the lines
& pull the wheels and inspect the components
Edit- inspected the drums-you've got to see these- I'll post pics
& wheel cycl are probably leaking
*Parts list
rear hose*
25 ft 3/16 break line coated-*
adapters*
rent a flare tool*
wheel cyl x2*
pads*
spring kit
drums x2
E brake cables-edit all bought from Amazon
Accomplished
#installed new headlight bezel
# installed new turn signal lens
Got a lot accomplished today, found out a lot about Pathkiller's quirks, the back breaks are not even hooked up, the hard line is plugged, I've been driving with only the front 's working.
Also found that my accessory wire to the stereo has no power while the key is on, the fuse is good, taking out the fuse panel tomorrow, on the same note the firewall is rusted out behind the fuse box, have to patch it as well.
As a quick fix I used some spray foam and calk to waterproof all of the rust holes, it's only till I have the time to cut out and weld or braze in new sheet metal, I haven't uploaded the pics yet, but will in the next few days.
Found a few XJ's for parts, If one of them has good sheetmetal it may become a doner.
Considering doing the break swap since I'm replacing all of the hardware on the back.
The doner is a 97 WJ, 318,with a bad tranny,If all goes right I should be firing up the grinder soon.
Last edited by Deltatech; Mar 11, 2016 at 10:59 PM.
Reason: updated content
A NOGO on the doner, they want me to take two XJ's, I don't have room for three, the price seemed good but they wanted too much of both cash and work. In stead of giving them away because it would cost over $300 to tow them both to the junk yard , they want me to PAY and put up with the hassle of towing them both.....
In the long run new parts are worth it. They wanted $600 for one XJ with a bad tranny, a v8 in it, and none of the body parts swap cause it's a Grand Cherokee,they also wanted an undisclosed price for the second, add about $400 to $600 for towing for both, we're looking at over $2000 I can fix everything that needs it with new parts for that amount and way less hassle.
My second Amazon order today,I put the console back in even though the floor pans are going to be tore out. and DUN TA DUN.... A NEW CUP HOLDER!!!!! WTF were the Engineers thinking back in 92, hey, It's a utilitarian vehicle... Why put a cup holder in it....FACEPALM.
Last edited by Deltatech; Dec 2, 2015 at 03:58 AM.
I've done a lot to Pathkiller since my last post, I installed a new distributor, replaced the floorpans, cut out all of the rust and daimandplated the panels, put in a new stereo, got new rims and tires. replaced both radiator hoses and the heater valve. Built a roofrack and a lot more.
starting to look like a decent XJ.
the roofrack is made of steel pipe and concrete mesh
235/75 15 with procomps all new
I cut and rivoted daimond plate after cutting out and rustproofing the rust holes.
currently waiting on one e brake cable from Amazon to start on the brakes. Should be here Monday. Edit: well the cable showed up on time but after I took the drums off I found out that all of the internals are missing so now I have to track down the
parking brake actuator levers for 9 inch rear drum brakes... OEM REAR PARKING BRAKE LEVER 1987-2006 DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP PLYMOUTH LH #4313811, RH #4313810 can't seem to find the RH anywhere online.
now to get a part number for the right side...
Last edited by Deltatech; Mar 19, 2016 at 10:36 PM.
Pathkiller
more holes than a golf course...
