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what to look for when buying an XJ...

alwaysready

NAXJA Forum User
ok now i hav looked at 5 i think xj's
and i have learned some things and need to know a couple things...
THings i learned in loooking
1 xj's leak oil..
the rear pinion leaked valve cover leaked and the transfer case leaked out the front output shaft.
2 all xj's i have seen so far have door rust if you get on the ground and look at the bottom..
3 if dealer says its clean look it over good..
this low mile one i looked at had bubbles of rust under the paint that were ready to pop on both front fenders and had shopping cart marks on the one side.
4 when one has death wobble youll know it..
drove one with a rustys 4.5 on it and wobbled all over.. and there was issues with the range shifter not going into 2wd not staying in 4 lo etc..
5 what at one second seems like youll buy it drive it further..
drove one at a dealer(they got in from auction) looked ok doors forward had been repainted a while ago. otherwise good shape..
test drive..
5 miles down the road check engine light comes on..
i notice temp is at 210 mark sometimes a little higher..( is that about the right place??
so we baby it back to the shop.
mechanic finds vaccum line off idles much better now..
i look at the temp again but the oil catches my eye. it was at like the lowest mark before 0. if igure well its idling while im watching it. the check gauges come on now the oil is at like 0. mech runs compuiter onit scanner says oil pressure is 6-7 says its prob a sender.... i take a look under the front, i looked under the middle checking the unibody for damage earlier, and see there is a new oil pan under it. I walked away quietly....
so on to my next one that make 5 xj's ive looked at and keep on learning..
monday i look at another..
what temp should the gauge be at when running..?
 
Around 210* Oil pressure 13psi no lower when idling, and it will take quite a while for the oil to get completely hot. At least a 5 mile trip. What years are you looking at?
 
well i would look for a later model low rust, if your gonna dd and commute in the winter and full time 4wd is important you should look for a 242 full time transfer case, though if you find a mint condition XJ with the standard 231 transfer case, a swap is very easy.

I would look for 4.0 1998 or newer aw4 tranny, check under the floor above the muffler for rust thats where mine rusted. Mines a 1995 cherokee country no rust on my doors, only some rust above the muffler. Be sure you put a heat shield on the muffler after you get your XJ. My jeep only has rust on one rocker (the other one is mint and rock hard, a few dings and 11 years of salty detroit winters got the best of the rocker .... under the rocker is fine though i can weld in a new surface no biggie)

Also a new door shouldnt cost you a fortune ... usually its the doors people open onto curbs and bushes etc so that bottom edge is messed up on lots of makes of the 6 years or older in winter salty states. You can grind it out and rust treat it, or buy a mint door from a southern state junkyard on car-parts.com.

I would just be looking for leaks and rust as your main concerns. My jeep is 95 % rust free and older likely than what your looking for and i doubt the salt more in illinois than we do in detroit.
 
oh im just tossing this thread out there to get more info and to pass this info onto others that might search about looking for anew jeep.
I have had many cars the xj's are new to me so ive learned its quirks already. im looking at 2000-2001 since im trying to locate a silver one..
going to look at another on monday night..
hey REV. im down in Wilmington. i looked at an xj out in plainfield just off 59. clean but asking alot for the miles 7000 for 105,000
im going to look at a woman owned asking 6490 and has 85,000 on it..
ive got it handle but thanks for the advice of having someone else look at it.. if i was a total newbie to cars etc id take someone up on the offer though.. besides after 5 cars ive learned quite a bit. :)
 
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