WJ

[Disturbedxj]

Anybody here have a wj? Im getting a 99 tomorrow. 4.0 leather. lots of hiway miles but motor has been swapped to a lower mileage one. i already drove it and it does have minor used issues but nothing im scared of. i know the PO and if anything major should happen he will make it right. a few things for sure i want to fix right away is the speedo and tach dont work and the drivers door power window motor works but the window wont go up or down. any help greatly appreciated. just dont try to change my mind on buyin it cause i really like it and need a second ride so i can revive my 97 XJ.

 

[ehall]

http://www.nagca.com/forum/

 

[Disturbedxj]

http://www.nagca.com/forum/

Thot i had seen that posted somwhere on here before. i did check out mallcrawlin.com. Thanks.

 

[Talyn]

The 99 will have the 0331 head which can crack, but the engine may have been swapped for one with the changed casting.

The other thing that WJs are notorious for is HVAC blend door failure.

 

[ehall]

head should be from the 96-99 production; it was the block that changed in 99

 

[Talyn]

Huh? The WJ got the 0331 head and its own block from inception. Its not an XJ.

 

[ehall]

Oh the WJ was the guinea pig? Did it have coil-rail ignition from the start? The other not-an-XJ didn't get the 0331 head until 2000 either so the '99 WJ would have been really early

 

[Talyn]

Yeah, the WJ had the 0331 and dis less system from the start.

 

[Disturbedxj]

Im sure the wj's have issues. everything does. anything that pukes out on it can always be replaced with something better. do appreciate any heads up info tho. as for the head problem, would the motor need swapped to get away from that or just the head itself?

 

[Talyn]

Just the head if you catch it soon enough before too much coolant gets into it.

 

[5-90]

The XJ got the 0331 head for 2000, and the WJ and TJ got it for 1999.

 

[xjtrailrider]

Besides the heads, transmissions are not that good either. But the 4.0 is a better choice than the 4.7 for those years.

 

[Talyn]

I've heard that the 545RE behind the 4.7L was better than the one behind the 4.0L. The 4.0L still had the craptastic 42RE carried over from the ZJ.

 

[CMNCHE]

I've heard that the 545RE behind the 4.7L was better than the one behind the 4.0L. The 4.0L still had the craptastic 42RE carried over from the ZJ.

The 545 is definatly a better trans than the 42, however the 4.7L sucks from a repair standpoint so the WJ is a little rough either way. Too bad they couldnt put the 545 behind the 4.0.......

 

[WheelinJR]

I've got a WJ, but not of that composition

Mines a 2002 Limited Quadradrive with the 4.7L V8 (which I find to be a phenomenal motor for the WJ versus the 4.0L). The limited with the Auto Zone Control climate system are the ones that have the blend door issues.

The 99 will like to warp rotors, upgrade to the Akebono calipers to cure that.

By the way the ZJ/WJ section of jeepsunlimited.com forums is the most active grand cherokee forum versus nagca and mallcrawlin.

 

[CMNCHE]

The XJ got the 0331 head for 2000, and the WJ and TJ got it for 1999.

Now that I think about it in four years as a tech at the dealership Ive replaced 5 cracked XJ heads and 2 cracked WJ heads but no cracked TJ heads???? Kinda weird.

On a transmission note Ive replaced 1 545 and 4 42REs.

 

[Talyn]

Mines a 2002 Limited Quadradrive with the 4.7L V8 (which I find to be a phenomenal motor for the WJ versus the 4.0L). The limited with the Auto Zone Control climate system are the ones that have the blend door issues.

The 4.7L and 4.7L HO are both great engines in the WJ. The 4.0L just doesn't have the same feel as it did in a ZJ.

The 99 will like to warp rotors, upgrade to the Akebono calipers to cure that.

I was just about to say something about that.

 

[Bryan C.]

I work at a dealer as a tech too. 99's had tons of problems right out the gate, and I doubt I would own a 99. Not to say that they are a bad vehicle, I bought a brand new 2001 4.7 limited. The damned x-wife got it in the divorce. Really was a nice driving and riding vehicle with lots of power to pass and even tow. The later years, 03 and 04 with the 4.7L High Output engine are really the ones to buy. Any problems with the WJ platform were basically fixed at that point of production, well except for blend doors and window regulators.


The 4.0 42re combo isn't a great set-up, I would call it adequate at best.

Your window problem sounds like the regulator broke. The 99 needs the mounting holes elongated for the newer style regulator to work right in the older door.

 

[Prepmech]

I've got a '04 Special Edition that I use as my DD.

It has a OME HD lift, ARB bull Bar, Warn M8000, IPF 9000XDs, 17" JK wheels and 32" tires.

The 4.0L moves it around fairly well, even with the larger tires. I love it for a DD, you just have to realize its limitations. One of my good friends has one we built up as a DD/occasional trail rig. Its body is way too big for the tight trails around here, but he squeezes it through.

They like to loose their front springs if you take the sway bar off, there are no spring retainers to hold them in place.

The 249 transfercase is known to be troublesome, a 242 swap isn't too difficult if it goes out. I haven't had any issues with mine yet, but it will be swapped for a 242 as soon as it starts acting up.

The rear axles leave a lot to be desired. The 44 is aluminum, and prone to housing distortion. The 35 is well, a 35...

The front axle shafts are CV shafts, and the front driveshaft also uses a CV joint (not a double cardan). The steering is better than the xj. The front axle is a low pinion 30.

They are more prone to death wobble than an XJ, due to the lower control arm mounts on the axle being further inboard.

Fuel mileage ranges from 16-20mpg for me in the grand.

245x75R16 tires will fit on it stock, and also fit in the spare tire well. The wheels are 5x5 like the JKs. If you have quadradrive or quadratrac, make sure all the tires are the same size, including the spare.

 

[Prepmech]

My Buddies:

I'll try to get some pics of mine.