AFARR

Got a 'replacement'...my daughter totaled the '95 Cherokee Sport (lost traction when going up a hill, fishtailed and hit a pole)....as far as I'm concerned, the Cherokee did it's job perfectly....she was only shaken up.

So...as it did such a good job, the replacement was going to be similar....

Found a local '97 Grand Cherokee TSi. 6 Cyl. Auto trans.

Overall pretty good shape...will need the headliner pulled out and replaced, and a few rips in the seat covered up (any suggestions on the vinyl side/leather top repair, and a GOOD fitted seat cover?).

Anyhow...190k miles. Runs smooth with a very few exceptions, could use a little direction on what to look at (I have the Haynes and Chilton manuals from the Cherokee Sport). I changed the brakes out all around...new rotors rear (the ones up front were new), parking brake shoes.

Rear end 'whirring/wooshing' noise. Seems related to engine power...give it power and you hear it, let off on the gas (and coast) and it tapers off. Not loud, but definitely coming from behind the driver somewhere...changing brakes didn't seem to change it. Did check the rear diff to see if it had fluid..it does to about 1/4" below the hole.

Did hear a rear end knocking...when doing sharp turns at slow speed...(don't recall if it was a left or right turn...but only seems to do it when turning in one direction).

I get an intermittent 'coolant temperature sensor' warning from the display (but no change in the temp gauge in the cluster and it goes back off occasionally).

Also a 'rear bulb' warning...but my daughter got out and said all of them (tail-lights, brake, reverse) were working...and it literally just passed inspection...so the mechanic didn't notice anything off either....


Finally, the radio (CD/Tape Deck) is having 'issues'...doesn't work...however, if you turn the power on, the clock displays for a few seconds...then it goes dead again. So power is getting to the unit, but nothing else is happening...as my teenage daughter is driving, I may not bother to fix it, but would like to have an idea what to do if I change my mind (the Cherokee Sport had a defunct radio...somehow, I never got around to fixing it.....).

Thanks for any help/suggestions.




I

dave1123

I had a 97 ZJ 4.0 and had the intermittent coolant temp sensor warning on and off for 2 years. After changing it twice, I ignored it. The rear end noise should probably be investigated. The D35 axle is not the strongest one out there and should be maintained. You may have pinion bearings that are worn and singing. It's not uncommon for that much mileage. Outside of replacing them, there isn't much you can do it silence them. My axle whined for over a year before it started to growl. If you have the 242 Selectrac transfer case with the 2WD option, the rear end does all the work unless you use 4WD a lot.

If it has a limited slip differential, the knocking may be a clutch pack that's sticking. You should probably open up the cover, clean it out, and look it over. That way you can see what you've got, check the gear wear pattern, and general condition of the guts. I personally would add a friction modifier (LSD lubricant) weither it has LSD or not. It can't hurt.

You might want to find a radio. I wouldn't want my daughter driving with ear buds in, would you. Get a bolt in Mopar radio of some sort. Don't go cutting up the harness to put something else in.

On the rear light warning, check the cyclops (high stop) light. It may have a bulb out.

You didn't mention your location, so I'm going to warn you about frame rust. My ZJ tore a lower control arm mount out of the body because the whole undercarriage was rotted out by salt. Not a spot of rust on the body except the bottom of the rear hatch. After checking it out, I put my finger through the inner rocker panels. There was also a hole in the floor under the rear seat.

AFARR

Location is PA (eastern, near Allentown).

Thanks for the info. I don't see any rust (anywhere)...as compared to the '95 Sport, it's a hell of a lot better (that was one of the things I looked at as I had to replace the whole floor in the Sport).

It is the D35 Rear Diff (checked it). Not sure on the LSD or not. I'll probably do what you suggested on it with the additive and cleaning it out.

Will check all the bulbs (someone else said to check the types of bulbs also...and the over the license plate bulbs).

AFARR

dave1123

Gotta love PA. My 2000 WJ came from Washington, PA and is white. Looking at the bottom before buying it, there was just a slight halo of brown on the floor's welded seams, like maybe the paint on the EDGES of the metal wasn't thick enough. Other than that, it was a cream puff. Even the bolts were still clean. It had 128K on it with immaculate service records. To me, a steal at $4200! I think it was a soccer mom's maul crawler. However, it took me 6 months to get a clear NY title. Gotta love the speed at which government works.

AFARR

Still have the coolant error...but I'm not willing to screw with it if it's going to be an ongoing problem....(someone mentioned being able to substitute in a windshield washer fluid sensor?...or if it's supposed to be a specific resistance, maybe a fixed resistor).

Light error went out....

My daughter started the car and noticed that the warning light went on once she touched the brakes....so I pulled the two side brake lights and replaced them (they both worked, but just to try it out)..cleaned the bulb socket out with electronic cleaner. Pulled the 3 bulbs from the high level stop light...had two different models (906 and 912?)...looked identical, but I had a spare 912, so moved the #906 to the middle socket and the 912s into the outer sockets (all worked prior to that).....one of those things appears to have done the trick.

Didn't have time to pull the cover and change the diff fluid entirely, so I pumped out just under 1 qt, then replaced with fresh fluid and some lucas oil stabilizer until I can get to change it out....NO change in the noise.

Anyone know of a good (reasonably well fitted) seat cover for the front seat? I'll patch the leather (and side vinyl) holes, but would like it to look a bit nicer...but it's not worth a lot of $$$ to do so.

Will work on the radio next.

Thanks!