New guy with a couple questions

[machinisttx]

First, I'm looking into buy an XJ. I know where an '88 model is for $1500...comes with a parts jeep too. 4.0 powered with 188K on the clock. The body is straight. It needs a brake job and probably a new master cylinder. I haven't looked it over all that well, but it appeared to have been well maintained, and was recently given a camo paint job. The price seems high to me, but it does have a parts vehicle with it. Thoughts?

Second, I've got a huge list of XJ's and ZJ's pulled up on craigslist. A couple have blown headgaskets or other issues/non running/etc.. One or two have spark and won't start. I'm thinking cam or crank position sensor maybe?

 

[Swamprat]

do you have anymore inof on the 88'?

 

[machinisttx]

Nope, not right now. It is 4x4, and as far as I know is currently registered/inspected. I just glanced over it when I went stopped in last week. I need to go to town, might go look it over/test drive it.

 

[Swamprat]

exterior and interior in good shape? any rust? $1500 might be alittle high.

 

[machinisttx]

The interior was in great shape. The headliner wasn't falling either. No rust that I saw, but I didn't crawl under it either.

 

[Texas Twitch]

well, suprisingly enough, 188K on an '88 is kinda low for most XJs, and the fact that it is 4x4 and comes with a parts jeep means I wouldn't turn it down for $1500 or think that is too high a price. If it's currently tagged and inspected, and runs, I would go for it man.

On a side note, what part of Texas are you in? and Welcome!

 

[Crusher16]

Welcome!

x2 on what Twitch said. My '91 has 192K miles on it.

 

[machinisttx]

I didn't go over there today since the parts I needed for my wife's car weren't in(swapped a 2.7L for a 3.5HO in the wife's intrepid). I'll go over there tomorrow and give it a better inspection.

I'm about 60 miles north of you on 75, Texas Twitch.

 

[CamoChero]

Depending on the running condition of the '88, I would say jump at it. My '88 has 256,xxx miles on it so the mileage sounds really low for the price. The only issue I would have with the mileage is that it seams exceptionally low for that year model. When you go to check it out, ask for a test drive. Before you go, drive a route around the sellers location and check the mileage on you car's odometer. Then when you test the xj, drive the same route and see if the mileage matches. If not, then its possible you have a problem with the odometer or the gear running it. As far as the brakes are concerned, if it does need a new master, and you plan on lifting at all, just go ahead and get a bigger unit, since you are replacing it anyway. Save yourself some time and effort later, as well as keeping the jeep safe once you put on bigger tires.

 

[machinisttx]

Ok... I went over and gave it a little better inspection. The brakes are out...there is no pedal at all. He had to crank for a good fifteen seconds before it finally started. The tailpipe is really sooty, so I'm gonna guess it's running rich. It's also got a rattle while running that I think is either the water pump or the visibly fubar harmonic balancer(lots of wobble).

It's actually an 87 model and the parts jeep is an 88 model. Backstory is that he let his daughter's boyfriend drive it for a while until the boyfriend called him one day and said it just didn't have any power and wouldn't go over about 25 mph. Obviously, since it has no brakes I can't drive it to verify that the t case and axles are in good condition. On the one hand I think it's probably worth buying...on the other I'm...less than enthused...about working on another Chrysler product. Swapping the junk 2.7L out of my wife's intrepid has been a giant PITA.

 

[Jeepnube]

The XJ is alot easier to work on(IMHO), and since they are 80's models, there might be some AMC engineering hiding in there somewhere. I got mine for $1000, and no donor rig, sounds like a deal to me.

 

[Exxon Valdez Jeep]

I would keep looking. You can find parts rigs for ~$200 and good running and driving Renix XJs for about a grand.