Hey folks, new member here. I am looking to get into a rig for light off-road and hunting (upland bird). I’m looking to get into something for $5kish, that brings me to the Cherokee (wranglers are way too much $$).

I’m finding several affordable Cherokee’s for @ $1,500(ish). Finding them 100k-150k, some with a few issues (burning coolant, rust).

What common issues should I be on the lookout for? I’m planning on buying something stock, then building to my liking. Thinking I’d go 3.5” lift, 33’s on steel rims to start. Looks like to should be able to make that happen within $5k....but I’m still looking, so we’ll see.

Anyway, I appreciate any input!

 

Let's start out with the two issues you mention. They both can be big issues when deciding on an XJ. Depending on the amount and location of the rust it can be a deal killer. If it's a '00 and '01 XJ with the 4.0 engine it has a cylinder head (0331) that is prone to cracking ( loosing coolant). Some say it's not if it cracks but when.

Best thing would be to let us know what you come across and post pics. Any particular reason you didn't list pre '95 XJ's?

 

Big things are similar to what EZEARL mentioned. You probably want to stay away from the 00-01 with the 0331 head. It turns your motor into a milkshake....You just don't want to deal with that headache. The other big one is rust... mainly because of the unibody construction.
There are several things to look for too.. cold and op temp oil pressure, etc., ball joints, tie rod ends...many things. Now minor things like a worn suspension wouldn't be a deal breaker because those are easy and fairly cheap to do yourself. But can be a negotiating point for the sale price.

 

Yeah, I’ve looked at a few, and been doing some reading. I have several that have varying issues, but would rather deal with mechanical issues than body/rot issues.

My two top candidates are:

99 w/known bad head gasket. Runs & drives, but the seller says he can see “bubbles” coming from the gasket. This one has good rockers, but the passenger side is needing a little work to catch it before it gets bad. I did some looking online, found a TUPY head for <$400, so that wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me (but a 99 should be too early for that issue as I understand it).

95 w/overheating issue. Runs and drives, but seller says it overheats. Seller had rocker done on one side, other side needs doing now. This one is particularly clean, and I’m partial to the color and look. I’m also partial to it because 95 gets me out of the emissions/OBDII test for inspection (big plus for me).

Suspension/tires aren’t an issue for me, as I plan on lifting and doing rims & tires as the first couple mods for the build.

 

Something you should know about the 4.0 XJ's is that the cooling system is marginal for what it is. The is due to the fact that the XJ wasn't designed for the inline 6cyl. So there's no room for a large radiator,the engine produces a lot of heat with an operating temp of 210 degrees,and it's crowded under the hood.. Having said that as long as the OEM cooling system is kept operating at peak efficiency there nothing to be concerned with. So if the '95 has an overheating issue (could be the sending unit giving a false reading) and as long as there is no engine damage replacing the cooling system should take care of the issue. Not really an expensive ordeal either. I did my complete system almost 3yrs ago for around $250. General consensus here is if you don't know the age or condition of a cooling system component replace it.

The '99 wouldn't have the 0331 head.

 

Awesome, so both of these options seem good then?!

one question, on the 95, is that model year injected? I know it sounds crazy, but a piece of me is wondering if it would carbureted...lol

 

If coolant got into the oil on the '99 it could be a deal breaker.

The '95 is injected. Here's a good link on Cherokee XJ specs you may find helpful.

http://forum.northeastjeep.org/index.php?topic=1419.0

 

Since your planing on bigger tires and using it off road make sure it has the Chrysler 8.25 rear axle and not the Dana 35. However if you do find a good deal on one with a D35 a Chrysler 8.25 is an easy swap if you can find one out of the junkyard.

 

Well I’ve narrowed the search down to my two top picks (the ones mentioned above).

Unfortunately the guy with the 95 is not responding to my emails. It sucks because I like that one the most!

The 99 is almost a 2 hour drive away. The up side is that this one has low miles (106k), and is in great shape. It’s red (which is my sons favorite color, so that’s his vote...lol).

Now I need to figure out what tools I need to drop the rear drive shaft so I can tow it on a dolly. Also, does anyone know how wide the front wheels are to verify it will fit on my dolly? I need total width, outside dimension at the front tires.


How do I identify that on these?

thanks for all the help guys!

 

You don't need to take the rear driveshaft out to tow it, just put the transmission in park and the transfer case in neutral. Here is how you identify the axle. https://www.offroadxtreme.com/news/c...he-difference/

 

Neglected head gasket job would be the deal breaker to me. How long did they drive it with a bad head gasket? 4.0 are bulletproof yes, but any engine will degrade sharply with anything less than good motor oil in the crank. For $5k you could get something very decent. I would keep shopping.

A little rust isnt too bad so long as it’s manageable. I’d take a couple holes in the floor pans over a “how long you been driving on a blown head gasket???”.

 

So I picked up the 99 today! Towed it home on my dolly (dropped the driveshaft just to be safe).

Ill get get a full set of pictures and post them tomorrow.

For now, I wanted to confirm the axle with you guys. It looks like this one does have the 8.25 axle. It has the “flat spot” on the bottom, so I’m hoping that’s the case.

pic of the rear diff.



Threw it up on my lift, gave it a good check over. I found that this rig has had all its brake lines and fuel lines replaced within the last couple years. Front bakes are all super fresh too, good pads and rotors up front. I’ll be pulling rears tomorrow to check them out.

i looked at the head job a bit, started soaking everything in penetrant. Looking from underneath I saw that this thing has (what appears) to be a header in place of the manifold.

Pic of (what appears to be) the header.



Anyway, I’ll get a full set of pictures up tomorrow for all to critique...lol.

 

You've got a lift ? ! ? ! ?

That's a C8.25. And that exhaust manifold is an OEM part. Pic is blurry but is that a crack in the weld at the collector? These are known to do it even though my 170K one hasn't (yet). Front tires look to be wearing evenly. Looking good so far.

 

I do! It’s been a lifesaver for me and friends/family that need it. In fact, my cousin is coming by tomorrow to do the front driver side bearing on his 08 Pathfinder.

I see the “crack” you’re talking about. I’m not out in the shop now, but I will give that a good look tomorrow for sure and check.

 

Here's a pic of a cracked one. Guessing it's due to weak mounts letting it flex.