BSmithers24

Hey guys! New to this site, but ever since I got my license I've always wanted a Jeep so I've always seen posts on here. Love the discussions. One big family!

Anyways, I just picked up my first Jeep! It's a 2002 Grand Cherokee with the 4.0L PowerTech. 91k miles, rides like a dream. I love it. Whole family has Jeeps; Dad has an 09 Rubicon. Mom has an 06 GC.

I'm looking for advice on what to do to prepare for the winter. Connecticut can have some pretty harsh winters. Cold, rainy, and of course snowy. I'm planning on getting all of my fluids changed at the end of October.

Any recommendations on your personal favorite oils, oil filters, tranny fluids, etc? Coming from an 06 Saturn... Lol. So glad I upgraded big time. I'd love to get feedback on personal best oils and what not.

This spring I plan on lifting it a bit, not too much. Also planning on getting nice new rims and tires. So much potential with Jeeps and I love it. Within the next year or two I also plan on buying my dads Rubicon as he's getting a new SRT-8.

Thanks guys! Let me know suggestions on oil types and weight, tranny fluids, etc. Take care!

SHELBYGT NSM

Congrats on your first jeep. Number one thing i would do would be paint the frame, snowy conditions calls for alot of salt. Good way to keep your jeep in good shape, atleast the under cariage. You may have to sand some places down if there is already rust there. 2.I have always been told for spark plugs and spark plug wires to get them at the dealer and put on yourself. 3. Grease the front end. 4. Buy a repair manual very nice thing to have. 5. Check your antifreeze make sure it is able to handle below zero temps. Some have more water than antifreeze, that could be a huge problem, 6. This is what i do in the cold months some people may not agree but i change my oil with 10w 40 just a little thicker oil. 7. Make sure you have good durable floor mats to protect your carpets from snow, salt etc. 8. Get a little tool set and keep it in the jeep the whole time, wrenchs, screw drivers, etc. 9. Keep extra fuses in your glove box just in case. 10. The most important rule of all, enjoy your new jeep. Jeep on Dude!!

BSmithers24

Thanks Shelby! I was planning on getting a coolant flush and putting in some Mopar HOAT when I get my oil changed too. I have a nice little tool set in my spare tire compartment as well. Thanks for the input dude! Appreciate it.

dave1123

I own a 2000 WJ 4.0 with 145K on it. I changed from 5W30 syn to 10W30 syn in the summer because I thought it could be a better lubricant in higher temperatures. However, now that it's getting cooler, my pressure is a LOT higher and I'm not happy with it. I'm going back to 5W30 and staying there. In the cold, heavier oils tend to get stiff and put a strain on the starter. Mopar designed the engine for 5W30 and unless your idle pressure is really low, I won't recommend any heavier oil.

Good tires are necessary in the snow. I put General Grabber AT2's on mine and absolutely love them. I've pushed her thru snow up to the headlights and all it did was require more throttle. I would recommend front and rear recovery points because WJs have nothing to attach a tow strap to besides the axles. A trailer hitch is easy to mount. Front tow hooks are a PITA to mount. Also, a military folding shovel is a good thing to have aboard. I even have a couple of glow sticks. If you carry a normal flashlight, the batteries will leak if frozen so be aware of that. I've already ruined 2 Maglites before I knew this. I've been told rechargeable batteries won't do this, but I haven't tried them yet. I've seen people use a cell phone's light to change a tire! Even a couple of road flares is a good idea.

I always carry a good blanket or quilt for the worst case scenerio. My dad always said "Dress like you had to walk, because you may have to." Good advise. At least have a heavy coat in the car.

This advise comes from a guy that has lived in upstate NY for over 40 years. I've been buried in a snow drift in the middle of the road once, not with the jeep though!

BSmithers24

haha love the quote from your dad! He's right, but with the jeep I'm praying I'll be fine. I'm definitely changing my tired end of October along with an oil/oil filter change of course. I know that Napa Gold is the best filter, and I've always used Mobil 1 in my cars, but what do you recommend? I have a little "survival kit" set up in my trunk as well. Some water, granola bars, and my backpack as I'm a college student.

dave1123

Just remember, your water bottles will freeze! Those aluminum foil survival blankets don't take up much room and work very well. Even the Navy SEALs carry them, although theirs are camo.

I have the 242 Selectrac transfer case and I find that part time 4WD works better in snow than full time 4WD. My T-case doesn't have a viscous coupling so in full time, if one wheel slips, it tends to not go anywhere. It handles much better in part time.

I'd just like to pass this on. When I got stuck in the snowdrift with my Camero, We were two couples returning from a party. One of the girls was wearing a fur coat and complained she was cold. After 20 minutes, we convinced her to take it off, turn it inside out, and put it back on. She was amazed at how much warmer she was. The fur created a boundary layer of air next to her skin. That's survival training at work, thanks to the US NAVY.

SHELBYGT NSM

How are you liking your jeep?

BSmithers24

I'm absolutely loving it brotha!

dave1123

I also love Jeeps. This WJ is my second. I had a 97 ZJ before and I wouldn't buy any other vehicle. My boss has a Ford Explorer and a Toyota Rav4, both of which I've driven in snow. I feel a lot more confident in my Jeep than in either one of his.

When I went looking for a Jeep, I was looking specifically for a 4.0. When I worked at Valvoline, we had so many high-mileage Jeeps with the 4.0 as customers, I was impressed with their reliability. Let's face it. You don't see very many V8s with 200+K on them.

MCosta

Welcome to the world of Grand Cherokees from one CT resident to another!! What part of the state are you in? I have a 94 GC with a V8 and I wouldn't want to trade it for anything, during that lovely blizzard in February I was able to get through the 3 feet of snow that wasn't plowed on my part of the street, I was determined to get home after being on standby at my firehouse and plowing for 3 days straight while I may have went up my hill sideways with my foot to the floor, nevertheless I was impressed that at stock suspension height with just all season Michelin highway tires it made it through that much snow lol but as long as you drive smart in the snow you won't find a problem getting around...unless the tires are shot....like it was mentioned above about painting the frame, it may not be completely necessary if you keep your car clean in the winter after storms such as really washing it good and getting all the crap off but painting it is a good idea in combination...that liquid salt crap or whatever it is they pretreat the roads with is the worst here....I've had a lot of fun with my Jeep in the snow and hopefully you enjoy yours too!

BSmithers24

Ansonia, in NH county! And yeah I keep mine pretty clean, so I'm not too worried. My street doesn't get plowed at all, I love in a secluded part of my town, on a mountain basically. My mom has an 04 GC Limited, and it's great in the snow so I'd imagine mine would be great too! Now, when it's like really really bad, should I pop it in 4 part time? Cause I know 4 full time you can use whenever at any speed, but 4 part time is strictly for like very bad conditions, right? Cause I have the selec trac transmission. It has 2WD, 4 part time, 4 full time, Neutral, and 4lo. My best bet for getting out of bad snow and ice is part time right? And full time for just driving around in little amounts of snow? I'm a little confused on that! But yeah man thanks, I already love it! I can't wait for snow!!! I have a new set of all season tires as well!

BSmithers24

yeah dude, I've done my research before buying, and I found that the i6 4.0 engines are the best Jeep ever made. So I found mine, 90k miles, tranny rebuild, and got it! My moms bf owned the used car dealership it was at. The brought it without an engine from a Chrysler dealership in town and put a new engine in it. I'm so happy with it. I really can't wait for winter!! I'm hoping to have it throughout college, until I can afford to get a nice Wrangler or newer Rubicon! I definitely plan on keeping mine that I have now. Mint inside and out, only problem I've found is that when I take a right turn, the front drivers side wheel makes a high pitched humming noise that gets louder as I speed up. I've gotten it checked by 4 mechanics and myself, CV axel is perfect and so is the wheel bearing; no one knows what the noise is coming from. They said it seems to be just annoying and nothing to worry about. I just hate it! I have no idea what it is! OH and it sucks on gas, but I knew that!

MCosta

Oh nice, I'm only about a half hour up RT 8 from you, I'm in Waterbury. But as for the 4WD questions, from what I've heard and read, yes the part time is best for really messy situations like a lot snow. With my GC having a V8 it came with (the Np249 transfer case) just full time 4WD and 4Lo, as did all V8 GC's and going back to your question about the Full Time 4WD, yes it can be used on any road surface...but actually this weekend I'm swapping in a NP231 transfer case which has 2WD, Part Time 4WD, and 4Lo just because my viscous coupler in the 249 is bad and I was able to get the 231 for free from my cousin and I just had to buy the correct input shaft for $200 because the gear cut is different due to the year difference. And sadly the new input shaft is still cheaper than a new viscous coupler

dave1123

Okay, guys! Listen up! As you know, roads in the winter are sometimes snowy with spots where the plows and salters have made it bare and wet. This is when you want full-time 4WD. You don't want part-time when traction is equal on all four wheels because that puts too much stress on the driveline. Jeeps with the full-time 4WD like the NP249, have a viscous coupling to remove this stress by slipping the front drive to allow for this.

Also, when in part-time 4WD and you have u-joint front axles, don't go to full lock steering because it puts added strain on the u-joints. My 97 ZJ had the u-joint axles and I do a lot of u-turns on my route. After feeling the front wheels hopping when doing this, I changed to k-turns. My WJ has CV joints, but I still make k-turns when in 4WD.

BASICALLY, the 242 transfer has a differential in the case where the viscous coupling is in the 249. In part-time, this diff is bypassed so both axles drive at the same rate. I think the actual torque split is 60/40 with the front being the 60%.

I've found that if I'm in full-time and I stick my left front wheel into a snowbank, the tires will spin when trying to get out. It'll claw it's was out in part-time.

I've only owned 2 Jeeps so far, but this is what works for me. Both had/have the 242 transfer. I've only used 4 lo once to get out of a ditch.

BSmithers24

funny, I actually used to live in Waterbury. Judith lane to be precise, right near the Target shopping square!