BCP

I am new here looking for some general advice. I have owned a CJ-5 and CJ-7 over the years but after being away from off roading for a while I find myself looking for a XJ Cherokee. I know every vehicle made has its problems but I want to find out if possible, what to look for or look out for when shopping for a XJ. Also any improvements I should consider making after purchasing that are recommended to head off problems that are known with the XJ. Thanks

Bustedback

My advice is to find a clean, rust free XJ with stock suspension. You don't want somebody else's mistakes. The 1999 model year seems to be the Holy Grail of the XJ line. It still has the high pinion D30 front axle and most have the Chrysler 8.25 rear axle. Rust is the biggest issue with an XJ from any year. If you see any rust at all, you can bet there will be a lot more in places you can't see. The cooling system is also kind of a weak link. Look at the condition of the hoses and radiator. Fortunately parts are pretty inexpensive, you can replace the whole cooling system for around 200 dollars. These are just a few things to look at, I'm sure more will expand on what to be prepared for. Good luck with your search.

abodyjoe

buy the cleanest one you can afford. like stated parts are pretty cheap for these things. i'd looked at th wiring and make sure no one hacked it. kinda a pet peeve for me.

BCP

Thank you both for taking the time to reply.

Fred/N0AZZ

Rust is the major problem that can't be fixed in the chassis area and floors are know for it also, poke around with a screwdriver to see how deep any of it is.


Year wise the most desirable are the 97-99 with the 99 the best of all the years. The 00/01's have issues with engine heads and a weaker front differential to name a few there are others.


Welcome and good hunting for YOUR XJ!!

BCP

Thanks for the advice on the 00/01 issues.

salad

Yup you can't swap the tubs in thse guys or easily patch the frame lol. Rust is the biggest problem, everything is cheap and plentiful.

That said, an overview:

1984-1986 have a carbureted GM 2.8L V6. A lot of guys find these hard to keep running and they're not very powerful. The 2.5L is the AMC I4, also carbbed of course. The rest of the drivetrain is spotty with weak Aisin Warner sticks, the not so good transfer case, and Chrysler slushbox.

1987 really begins the XJ Legend. The 4.0L, NP231 and AW4 automatic show up here. The early computer system is more "electronic" than "computerized", if you will. It's very adaptable and quite simple, but, unless you have a special tool, there are no codes to tell you what's wrong. 1987-1990 has this Renix setup. They have some wiring and ground deficiencies that are easily rectified. Kinda quirky as the only Jeeps with EGR. 1987-1990 2.5L were TBI.

Up until some time in 1991 there was a goofy vacuum disconnect on the front axle.

1991 is the first year of Chrysler OBD-I. So you lose the flexibility of Renix but you don't get the convenience of OBD-II lol.

In 1994 or 1995 a bunch of changes were made to the engine to fix problems. Additional bracing was added and non-matching pistons were fixed.

1996 is, put plainly, weird. Jeep division hated this year for some reason. '96 XJs look like the old model from the outside. Most of the interior is the same but there's an airbag now and digital stuff on the dash. 1996 is an oddball with the fuel system: they may be OBD-I or OBD-II, and the fuel parts themselves can be early style (vacuum FPR compatible with 1991-1995), 1996-only, or the same as a 1997.

1997 is the big change year. OBD-II was standardized, interior and exterior updated, and a steel hatch. Prior years are fiberglass. Part of the interior change is that the dash is much more like a Chrysler product at the time - instead of an early '80s AMC car - and there's less room for gadgets. Catalytic convertor finally got an O2 sensor.

2000-2001 got a bunch of changes as the model slowed down. 4.0L cylinder head is prone to cracking, mixing cooland and oil. Low pinion front axle as well. A bunch of extra emissions stuff, like 50-state models have 3 cats and 4 O2 sensors. Due to emissions regulations and how the PCM work its impossible to get rid of this stuff if the thing blows up.

The AX-15 manual transmission was finally added in either 1989 or 1990. The early 4.0Ls have a terrible Peugot BA-10/5, so if you're looking at a Renix Heep with that transmission, anticipate replacement. AX-15 was used up to and including 1999 in all the Jeep lines, NV3550 being 2000+.

AW4 is "the good" automatic. Feed them Dexron III (Dex/Merc) and keep them cool and they last forever. 1987-2001

Front axle is always the Dana 30. 1996+ and earlier years *with full-time 4WD* (check the transfer case) came with bigger U joints. Prior to 1991 the passenger side shaft is a two-piece and there's a vacuum motor to engage it. (junk, can be bypassed with one-piece shaft or an E-clip)

Rear axles are more interesting. Late '80s models COULD have had Dana 44 with some towing and offroad packages. Dana 35 was the standard, and the only axle that supported ABS. Starting in 1991 the Chrysler 8.25" showed up. The frst model has a narrow neck and 27 splines into the diff, making it about as strong as a D35. In mid 1996 Chrysler improved the shafts with a broader neck and 29-splines, making them comparable to the Dana 44 in these vehicles. D35 and C8.25 are C-clip.

They all rust the same. My personal advice is 1997-1999, or 1989-1990.

I am waiting for the wife at the doctor's office so I figured I'd give my thumbs a work out.

BCP

Salad


What can I say, WOW! a lot of great information. Thank you for taking the time to post.


Brian