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How do we like the wj?

i've been looking at WJ's recently. whats the MPG difference between the 4.0 and the 4.7?
 
Bryan C. said:
The 4.7L in the WJ is a decent engine with good power. However, the head gaskets are prone to leak, like you said valve seat and guide issues, the radiators tend to blow up repeatedly on certain rigs, blend door issues with the auto temp control HVAC system. I have been working on the WJ at dealerships since it came out, the 99-01 aren't worth buying, the 02-04 got a minor redesign and are a bit better to own.

I had a fully loaded 2001 that I bought new, kept it for 8 years, the ex wife got it in the divorce and it had nothing but problems after the 60,000 mile mark. She sold it for a loss, $1000, with engine problems a few years ago. Pretty crappy return for a rig that had a $40K price tag.

That being said, IF I were to buy a WJ it would be a 2004 and it would have a 4.0L. If you want the 4.7L, look for the HO version as the engine seems to be a bit more reliable. Shy away from the auto temp control unless you are able to fix the blend door issues yourself.
Click to expand...
I have a friend whose family has had problems with the tranny in every V8 WJ they've owned, but it might be their treatment of them.

One of my coworkers has that dream WJ you mentioned, 04 4.0. Somehow it has almost no rust on it, just a few spots on the floorboard that we wire wheeled down and painted when we pulled her carpets due to a plugged up HVAC box drain soaking them. Speaking of which, chrysler cheaped out on those, some of them have a rubber hose elbow that directs the water down and away from the firewall where it comes out of the barb, others don't. Hers was one of the latter, the foam seal around the barb was dried out so water would flow out the barb, down the outside, and back in through the hole in the firewall then into the carpet. I grabbed the right angle rubber hose off the front CCV port of an XJ 4.0 at the junkyard and it fit perfectly, problem solved.

srmitchell said:
I love our wj's... And yes that is plural.

I daily drive a 2004 Special Edition...4.7, 247case. 3 inch IRO lift, Rubicon take offs, addco sway bar, kevins DW kit... Superchip... thats it. Keeps up with my xj in the snow, gets 3-5 mpg better mpg on average, and it is a blast to drive. Super comfortable, looks awesome, and drives 100X better than my xj on the freeway.

photo (11) by Sean Mitchell 707, on Flickr

I've had to replace the radiator, had the dealer replace the vacuum harness in the quarter panel... Spark plugs... fluids... a starter... thats it in 40K miles and 5 years.

My dad and I recently drove to Napa from humboldt county, and bought this beautiful thing- A 2004 Overland... Totally loaded and in the super rare Onyx Green Pearlcoat. Got it at a great price, and we plan on doing the exact same 3 inch/rubicon take off's. I'm in the process of replacing all the chrome with black and onyx.

photo (19) by Sean Mitchell 707, on Flickr

Long story short- Find a clean 2002-04, drive and be happy. We have two beautiful wj's, and they still cost us less than what it would be to go buy ONE wk these days. The wj is my favorite jeep to live with every day. The xj is now a weekend toy.
Click to expand...

That green looks familiar... is it paint code PJR? Coworker's WJ is that color, has two dinged doors from being sideswiped on the highway and can't find replacements anywhere. I spotted a pair of the right color donors at a local pull-a-part a month ago but both were rolled or something, not a single straight body panel. Go figure it's a rare color.
 
Damnit. That one's gonna be hard to find. :laugh2:
 
Dad has had two of them.

The first an 01 Limited 4.7. Had it from 70k to 120k. Put a motor in it at 111k. Had all kinds of issues, tranny was a little funny shifting, HVAC doors, burn oil, then he ran it out of oil for the final straw of the motor. The oil pan also rusted out on it. Heated seat quit. It was a pile. Finally it was wrecked and totalled.

The 2nd one is an 04 4.0 w/242 and got it this spring with 50k on it. Its a Freedom edition with tow hooks and some decent looking rims. I have drove it a couple times and it has very nice power for a 4.0. Also has manual HVAC...which is nice. After his first one, I said I would never own one, but I've changed my mind after this one, this one should definitely last a long, long, long time.

My buddy has an 02 with a bit over 100k. Limited with a v8. He's had the solenoids replaced in his transmission so far.

mac 'still too new for me' gyvr
 
kmanxj5050 said:
Is the difference in HVAC simply a knob vs. A digital display?
Click to expand...

I'm not positive but I don't believe so. There are more motors and crap that control the auto stuff that breaks. The manual stuff I believe is vac controlled and the auto is electric motors. Almost ALL the WJ's with auto hvac have issues...

mac 'ZJ doesn't have as many issues as the WJ' gyvr
 
The automatic hvac is, I think, a whole other dog and pony show than the manual. The auto stuff has issues, the manual doesn't.
ZJ is a more reliable rig down to the transmission, from what I gather.
Oh, Mopar...
 
I hadn't noticed this thread until now, and ironically I'm selling my WJ. The 4.7 definitely has a bad rep, but mines at 205k with no issues at all, been my DD for three years. Same on the 545rfe. good maintenance makes a world of difference.

The blend door issue on the auto-HVAC is a pain in the arse, but I did mine with the aftermarket aluminum doors, and no issues since. I agree that the WJ stock axles are less than optimal, and I sure wouldn't swap them into an XJ... I guess that's why I swapped JK axles under mine.

I wouldn't be afraid of a WJ, it has been my favorite Jeep to drive, but make sure you get a well maintained one, or there are a litany of problems that will follow -- pretty much like any used auto.
 
I now DD the overland my dad bought. He doesn't like the color as much as the metallic grey, so when he has to buy a vehicle, (retirement= no more company car) he will buy a grey overland.

So I've been building my overland now.
3 inch IRO lift, jk rubi wheels/tires. Love it. Quadradrive is unreal for a stock 4x4. Amazing.


Nature Bats Last by Sean Mitchell 707, on Flickr


Untitled by Sean Mitchell 707, on Flickr


Untitled by Sean Mitchell 707, on Flickr

Even with the 32's and high output, fuel mileage is at least 4 mpg better on average than my cherokee. Hence the DD duty.
 
check out: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/jeep-cherokee/844410-blue-submarine.html

he has an amazing super built wj and throughout his thread he talks about some of the common problems with the 4.7 and the auto and honestly he loves them as his dad i think owned 3 wj's and he has his...

if i were to get a wj i would go with the 4.7 its rep is better then the wj 4.0 which likes others have said piston skirts just like to say see ya...a well maintained 4.7 lasts a long time my buddy has a '99 4.7 122k miles and its all original runs and drives great apart from needing tires and shocks...and the easy upgrade for d44a is a small fab company that makes a mini truss and pinion guard that make that axle as good as a d44...clayton offroad did a customer wj with jk 44's atlas tcase and beadlocks check it on their facebook...

i have seen a wj 4.0 with 9*,*** well maintained miles just start ticking not low on oil tear down to find a broken skirt, another one the #1 piston just grenaded out through the oil pan there was even a chunk in the intake manifold...
 
What's the deal with quadra drive? What is it, factory auto lockers or LSDs or something?
 
my mom's WJ has had the drivers side head replaced TWICE and the pass side once, all under warranty but still... it's a known problem.
 
People swap LSx into XJ/MJ .. why not into a WJ?
I would.
 
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