MAN00XJ

Watching

95XJ-PA

snowboard3r411 - Take a look at the pictures of the console comparo a few pictures back. It looks like the bend was about 1"-2" to the left. I just pulled it over until it operated without snagging the console. I imagine you could put a bend with the handle in a vise that it might be better, but my brake handle operates fine, plus didn't stretch the cable...

I am on the fence re the 97+ console. Biggest issues are the mounting (I used sheet metal screws and L brackets, 1 in the back and 1 on each side + one of the TC faceplate mounts line up) and the A/C vent alignment. The older console vent tube doesn't line up underneath the newer console and the new vent tube doesn't quite reach the A/C vent - not really liking the gap between the newer tube and the A/C vent and the gap in the plastic at the top of the console. Haven't seen any fixes posted...but! The 97+ console cup holders do beat the hell out of aftermarket "over-the-parking-brake" ones. Hope this helps.

Side note: I think that by cutting the old and new A/C vent tube near where they mount to the A/C vent that you could lengthen the new tube/old tube head using duct tape, then fiberglass cloth and resin. That still leaves a gap at the top of the console but you would at least take care of one of the problems....could probably something similar for the gap....

tactical40cal

nice!!!

95XJ-PA

So get up this morning planning on going to the local flea market with my girl, thinking I will get in some good points, all full of good intent and silently thinking that I will still have plenty of daylight to install the new O2 sensors, down pipe and cat. As we start off, I turn on the heat to take the chill out of the jeep and .....nothing! I figure its a fuse and decide to take care of it when we get back. Fast forward through most of today, checked each and every fuse in the jeep, some browsing through the forum for similar problems and I narrow my issue down to a bad relay or a bad blower motor. My friend/boss suddenly calls and is frantic for some help with his home network. Being as he is a mechanic with a fully outfitted shop (and that I work for him) I tell him about my issue and that I will trade him looking at my blower motor to fix his network issues. He agrees and I jet over to his house. I fix his network and we start to work on the blower motor. He removes the window washer reservoir and then has me put the ignition in start. Again, nothing. He taps the motor a few times on the rear cover and it grudgingly starts turning. He says we might as well replace it as it's not long for life. He removes the old blower motor and as he's cleaning the heater core bottom, he screams like a little girl and says "Is that a mouse?" I pull out my flash light and seeing a tail and little upturned feet, I confirm that it was indeed once a mouse. He starts making gagging sounds and says "I was pulling at it with my bare fingers!" Trying to stifle my laughter I pull the carcass out with a rag and toss it into the yard...


I finished cleaning out the heater core, he installed the new motor from Auto Zone ($28.00) and everything is working once again. Ya know, I remember about 2 weeks ago blowing out the condensation tube with an air gun, then having to do it about 3 days later after all this nasty smelling water came pouring out onto the drivers side floor....Mouse soup anyone???
Old blower motor

Below is a picture of the blower location with new blower installed - 2 bolts to remove window washer reservoir and 3 bolts to remove blower.

95XJ-PA

Finally got all the pieces together to put the rest of my exhaust onto the Jeep. Ended up using a head pipe ( to cat) Catalytic Converter (2.25" from http://performance-curve.com/magnaflowconverter22513.aspx on this forum) and a magnaflow cat-back system from http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WLK-17340/, plus two new O2 sensors. Also had to purchase a couple of exhaust pipe adapters to make it all work due to the distance between the aftermarket cat and the muffler. This isnt my first rodeo with exhausts and jeeps, but this time I did it in a buddies shop with a lift and tools - specifically a torch to make everything work nice together. Highly recommend a lift!

First shot is the new front pipe - used a sawzall to cut the old pipe just beyond the crossmember to get it out without removing entire exhaust, then slid new one up and in, bolted down, installed 02 sensor, very easy install, and then installed cat/modified adapter.






2nd shot is looking back from the cat to the rear. You can see the adapter pipe between the cat and muffler.




Sounds mellow until you romp on the pedal or deccelerate....the new cat made for better "seat-of-the-pants" performance as did the front pipe...Cant wait to hear/feel what a header does for it as well. Biggest bonus? Got rid of a check engine light and a surging/hesitation on acceleration

95XJ-PA

I replaced my TPS this morning. Wish it was that simple - picked up the tps from Autozone for a 96 Jeep Cherokee 4.0, 4WD and they sold me part number TPS318 - $34.99. I pulled the tps soon as I got back to the shop and found that TPS318 has 3 round pins. I needed 3 flat pins. So went back and asked for a 97 Cherokee TPS. TPS324 ended up being $7 more but had the flat pins. Installed this morning, could not use supplied bolts (used old ones), also used corn oil to lube O ring and with all this effort, I got rid of the hesitation I had on acceleration, smoothed out the idle, etc. Amazed that this little sensor took care of so many issues.

TPS 318


TPS324



Point is - if you have a late year model (mine was made in Sept 96) make sure you check your part(s). Could be a mix of following year....

95XJ-PA

Got home from crewing my nephew in the furnace creek 508 - road bike race around death valley ca, and found this waiting for me.


Cant wait to get started. Only issue with JeepinOutfitters was that the shocks are on back order so cant do anything till those show up

X1994J

^-- Looks like fun! Not cool about the shocks.

OverlandZJ

Nice... gonna look great with the lift installed. If you need help drop me a PM.

What shocks did you order? Maybe Jason can substitute them for a Bilstein?

95XJ-PA

Overland, thanks for the offer! Should be okay as I have a fully outfitted garage with 3 lifts available but if I run into something will shoot you a pm.

I ordered the DT 3000's (step below the bilsteins) Have an email to Jason, so will wait to hear from him to see what is next. Ordered on 9/15/2010 so this is going on a month.....

95XJ-PA

Thanks X1994J - Cant wait to get 'er up in the air!!!

I agree about the shocks...

95XJ-PA

Two emails and two days later to Jason West at JeepingOutfitters.com and still no joy with my shocks that I ordered with the lift kit I received on the 1st of October....I am going to call them on Monday to see if I can get some resolution. In the meantime, scored some hood vents. The Cherokee hovers around 185-190 most of the time, 210 in traffic but like the idea of venting some of the heat from the engine compartment. Friend of mine is a junk yard rat and he grabbed these from (I think) a Dodge truck. Looks like they will snap in so just have to locate on the hood and make some cuts...something to do while waiting for my shocks...


top side above

bottom side below



and where I am thinking they might do best...

95XJ-PA

Still waiting on my shocks for my lift kit...grrrr...but at the price I got all 4, I guess I cant ***** too much? Or can I? Anyway, had a little time and decided to install my hood vents.
First step was to look on the underside of the hood for a location. I wanted to be away from the distributor and any under hood bracing. I found the following location and taped off. Measured first side and transferred to opposite side.


Then began the cutting. Used a dremel with a metal cutoff wheel. I also cut the corners at a diagonal, then used the cutoff to grind the corners to my tracing.








and this is what I ended up with on the right side....



I then repeated the process on the left side and came to this....



This is what the underside or underhood looks like....



and after washing...



The neat thing about these particular vents (they come from a Dodge Dakota Door Frame) is that they are snap in - they have hooks on one side and depressable tangs on the other and they have a paper element in them. The heat should blow the element up - they come precut, and hopefully will keep most water out.....Took them through the car wash and did not flood out the engine or come out of the hood....!!!

duncan807

looking gr8 man nice to see u geting work done cant w8 to see how it looks with lift
its a 3.5 right?

95XJ-PA

Thanks Duncan807! Yeah its a 3.5 but its RE so might come out a little higher...