Thoughts on this XJ?
 

Found this bad boy and hopefully am going to view it sunday. Looks pretty clean as well. just wondering what all of your thoughts on it were. Thanks!

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/4674913546.html

Looks pretty clean, lifted, looks like an aftermarket exhaust too. Only thing I don't like is the 242 transfer case.

what's wrong with 242?

More selections, too me it sounds like more **** to break. I love my 231 and if I even did need "AWD" i can go into 4hi at 45 no problem.

I prefer the 242 for a daily driver.

If you are going to do some serious offroading the 231 would be better.

Ok.. I'll bite...

It's a great deal since it's got the K&N kit... just kidding...:thumbdown:

I have beat the crap outta a 242 and loved it... I "did" later get a 231 so I could have the 2wd Low option...

Don't let a 242 discourage you!

Use your gut feelin

Check the oil for anti freeze and i would talk down the price a little if i could.

Be sure to check the oil for the presence of water and the coolant for presence of oil. Also take a look under the oil cap in the valve cover to see if you see evidence of coolant. This Jeep has the 0331 head, which is prone to cracking. Ask the owner if he's had any weird cooling issues that he couldn't explain.

If you do buy it, I would start putting aside money for a head replacement down the road. Hopefully you won't need it, but it's better to have the money set aside in a savings account and available if you do. Then watch that cooling system like a hawk.

You should also wear something you don't mind getting dirty and take a light with you so you can climb underneath it and look around to see if there's any rust or damage. And check to see if all the stereo speakers are working, because the stock Chrysler door speakers had diaphragms that disintegrate over time.

You might be able to get the price down, but that's not unreasonable if it hasn't developed a head problem yet. And ignore the 242 thing. There's nothing wrong with that transfer case. If you decide you want to do the kind of driving where the 231 would make a difference, you'll already be getting into the kind of modding territory where a TC swap would be just another weekend's tinkering.

Looks like a decent deal just go through all the proper checks!

how do i tell if theres water in the oil/oil in the coolant?

I have the np242 TC, and I like it for winter driving, and wet, slushy conditions. It's good for a DD. That's definitely a nice XJ. Good miles on it too. I paid $4000 for mine, and it has more miles than that one, but it was a rare police edition, had nice rims and tires, and a 3 inch lift. That price is pretty normal around me. I'd buy it if I were you.

It's not always easy.

If there's oil in the coolant, you may see oil in the reservoir bottle or in the radiator when you remove the cap to look inside. If there's water in the oil, the oil may take on a lighter color or look "milky." One of the telltale signs of a head crack is milky looking crap on the underside of the oil cap in the valve cover. You can also drive it around for a while, then look down in the oil filler hole and see if you can see coolant coming up between the #3 and #4 cylinders.

It may not be obvious. When mine was finally diagnosed, the change in the oil was just a subtle lightening in color, and I never got the milky crap under the oil cap. Also, if it has a problem and the current owner knows it, he may have changed the oil recently to hide it.

That's why what you need to do is ask questions and gauge the guy's response. Ask if he's had any unusual overheating issues. Ask when the last oil change was.

Another telltale sign is reddish mud in the reservoir bottle or in the neck of the radiator. People think that crap is rust, but it isn't. When coolant boils or evaporates, the water boils out of it and leaves the coolant behind, which then precipitates out of solution in the form of sticky red mud. If you have a head crack that is allowing exhaust gas into the coolant, the hot exhaust gas will boil the coolant at the location of the crack without necessarily overheating the engine.

You may see weird unexplained temperature jumps as the crack opens and closes under different loads, but it may not rise high enough to be considered overheating. Meanwhile that mud is building up. You flush it out, but it comes right back because you haven't solved the underlying problem. That's why I said you should ask questions about weird overheating issues, and you should take the individual clues and put them together to see if they add up to a head problem. And if you buy the thing and notice red mud in your coolant, you need to take it seriously.

The most reliable tests will take more time than you will have while trying to buy it. You can get an oil analysis done, which, if you buy the thing, you should do anyway to see what's happening in the engine. You could test the coolant for the presence of exhaust gases if you know someone with a test kit or can find a mechanic who will do it. You can test for the presence of a cracked head by doing a compression test on the engine. You can test the integrity of the cooling system by having it pressure tested, but mine actually held pressure even though the head was cracked.

I don't want to scare you off from buying the thing. You just need to go into it with eyes open and be prepared for what it might mean. If you don't see any ominous signs, I think I still might buy it. But like I said, given the history of the 0331 heads, I would start saving for a potential head replacement and have that emergency fund on standby just in case.

It looks good as far as I can see but rust can be an issue on these so look closely at the floor pans, rocker panels, inter fenders, etc. Take a small screwdriver with you to push with and see if it goes through anywhere in these areas. As well as any other places where oil or fluids are leaking under the Jeep and where is it coming from.

The low mileage is very good on it but the price may still be a little high, see if he may come down a bit $36-3800 range. The 242 trans would not be a deal breaker for sure one way or the other. I prefer the 231 but that's just me and for what I do and if you decided you wanted you did $200 and a weekend you could have a 231.

Ad is down now. Did you buy it?