Hey i know i posted an intro thread but id like to get some more knowledge...

i recently purchased a 98 Cherokee with 215k miles on it. Now im not sure at all what i need to look for or what i need to fix, ive never owned a jeep.

Right now i purchased it for a daily driver, winter beater. while my '13 dart is in storage. So i need this to be able to last me as long as possible. I do have future plans for it though, later on id love to be able to go wheeling, maybe a 3" lift with 33s. Right now its all stock (that i know of). All i know from the previous owner is that it has a 242 transfer case. Dont know anything else. Ive owned front wheel drive cars my whole life so this is all new to me.

At times i have issues with starting it, but if i press the gas pedal it fires right up, that is usually starter right? im also having an overheating issue, just had a scan gauge hooked up and it said 114*c which would be roughly 230*F i believe. Any help would be appricated idk what all to do with this but i want to learn. Dont know of any jeepers in my area to give me a hand

 

Put your location in your profile, I'm sure we have some members in Ohio. I'll repeat what I posted in your intro thread, investigate that rust before you do anything else. Living in a rust prone area, your cooling system needs to be inspected throughly. I've seen the impeller blades on the water pump totally rusted off before.
When you try to start does it turn over fine? If so I doubt it's the starter.

 

yea sorry i made multipule posts, but sometimes it starts right away other times it cranks for a bit then fires, other times it cranks and when i press the gas it fires up.

 

If it's cranking fine the starter is probably good. Maybe a fuel pump? Pressure loss somewhere? I'm not really sure there. Is it throwing any codes?
As far as the overheating, have you taken off the radiator cap? If it's brown liquid, if replace the entire cooling system (radiator, hoses, water pump, Tstat), same if it's new coolant because the PO was probably trying to hide the rust inside.

 

No codes, ill have to check it out. i havent messed with or checked anything other than the oil. supposedly the PO had valvaline do a cooling change, so they said. but i guess it wouldnt hurt. ill have to figure out priorities first cause i dont have that much money so ill go for the cooling system first and go fromt here

 

Valvoline huh? A small step above Jiffy Lube, which is the bottoms of the barrel in terms of know-how IMHO. Does the heater blow hot? If not you may have an air bubble in the system? Far fetched, but a possibility.

 

Yea it was a spir the moment thing and i wont be going back
The heat was hot hot, but now, especially this morning. i got like a step above cold/hot. its hot but not enough to make a difference

 

I woud certainly check/change all of your fluids... Does it seem to idle fine? Maybe need to clean the throttle body... could be bad gas... also check your air cleaner as these jeeps get alot of blow-by oil in the filter, and an oil clogged filter may be hard starting... I would change plugs/wires as well, and then you know what you have and how old they are...

 

address your cooling issues first.

then get yourself a moderate lift (3" is perfect) and some good all terrain tires (31s would fit without a lot of fender trimming) with some good siping for winter driving and get out there and wheel it!

 

They changed the filter. I was waiting for pay day to do plugs and wires. Idle is fine, on the gauge it looks rough but it actually is fine