terrawombat

I was going to offer $500 with a grand as my absolute limit. According to the mechanic, the engine is toast since he overheated it and continued to drive. He wasn't sure why it overheated, but could be a 0331 casting crack. Anyway, time will tell. Mechanic wouldn't give me the name or number of the guy probably because of privacy concerns so hope the owner calls me...

Got first pickin' on a '91XJ Briarwood at the yard today. Took front chrome pieces. The '92 is going to get some bling. Also took the woodgrain dash pieces, but I'm not going to use those in this truck.

A 2000 or 2001 4Dr XJ has been sitting at a shop down the street from my work for 3+ months now. Finally went down there today and talked to a mechanic about it. Said the guy overheated it and it needs a new engine and he's been debating on whether or not to put one in. Gave the mechanic my name and number and he's going to let the guy know I'm interested in buying it. Body is pretty straight. It's missing a drivers front fender flare and a couple nice sized dents in the hood. Has an aftermarket front brush guard, tail light guards, and a hitch. If the guy it willing to sell, I may throw another engine in it and sell it. Not sure if I like the brush guard enough to put it on one of my trucks.

This one is next assuming he didn't already scrap it: http://southjersey.craigslist.org/pts/2009062563.html

Yea, there are a bunch of hidden fees with Copart. I researched them a long time ago, but I tried finding them again on their website and it seems to be hidden. On the XJ I was looking at bidding on, I had up to $500 to spend, but it wound up going for something like $1500, so I just sat back and watched.

In addition to Automan's list: Bed - if you can haul/store it Headliner E-brake release cable Plastic vents behind doors Rear driveshaft Spare tire carrier Fuel tank/Sending unit Rear fender flares

Anyone ever use this site to find vehicles? I signed up for it a long time ago and put a deposit down so I could bid on the vehicles on there. I've got my deposit back in full, but I'm still able to log into the virtual online auctions just to see what some of these vehicles go for. It's pretty interesting to see who bids on different types of vehicles. Each person is listed in the auction by the state (or if you're not in the USA, the country) you're registered under. I just watched a couple of XJ's go for $650 and $700, both to a fellow (I assume it's the same guy) from the United Arab Emirates. It's also interesting to see where late 80's and early 90's Toyota pickups go. I watched a handful of those go to Costa Rica. The Afgan's seem to be fond of cheap, Toyota sedans like older Corolla's and Corsica's. Some of the vehicles on there go pretty cheap, but others have me scratching my head wondering why a Porsche Cayenne Turbo is selling for 15 grand when it doesn't look like it has a single salvageable part left on it. I guess these people know what they're doing, though...

Ah, I forgot about that sensor on the radiator. So, let me see if I have this straight. On a Renix-era vehicle, the temperature sensor on the radiator is to control the electric cooling fan (if equipped), the temperature sensor on the back of the cylinder head is for the instrument cluster gauge, and the temperature sensor on the block is for computer fuel adjustments.

Not too much to update and I STILL don't have any new pictures. In the last few weeks, I have removed the bench seats covers and washed them. They came out look like new, but my dog has made quick work of that. Installed a spare set of dome lights I had and also picked up some footwell lighting from an XJ at the junkyard - lights up like a Christmas tree now. Replaced the rear main seal and it hasn't dropped an ounce of oil since, however, I think there may be a slight leak in a transmission seal. On the to-do list: Fix clunking from front end - I suspect worn control arm bushings since everything has been replaced Adjust exhaust pipe so it stops clanking against frame Repair dings/dents in bed rails and rhinoline/herculine the bed (possibly install a cap?) Fix water leak on passenger side (Looks like it's coming in the antenna grommet hole Reupholster one of the spare headliner backings I have and install into the truck Replace mirrors Replace tailgate Replace drivers fender Replace front bumper Replace rear bumper If I can get the body straight, I may consider doing a repaint on the truck, although the paint on it now from the cab forward is in pretty good shape. This truck will remain a 2WD DD for me as I'm loving the 21+MPGs I'm squeezing out of it on the highway. I replaced the bench seat foam with a spare I had from a 78K mile MJ, but it's still pretty soft and uncomfortable. I'm considering doing a bucket seat/center console upgrade. Pictures will come, I promise...I need to get my digital camera back, although, my new iPhone takes some pretty sharp pics...

Hrm?

Yes.

Off-topic question: Whereabouts in Southern NJ are you? I'm down in Glassboro quite a bit, but live in Pennington.

My $400 XJ deal has seemingly fallen through. I went down to my GF's place, which was about 10-15 minutes from where the XJ was. Told the guy I was going down there and I wanted to meet up, look at the Jeep, and pay him for it in exchange for the title. He didn't seem to object to that plan, but never gave me an address to go to. Didn't have the time to play cat and mouse with him as it was my GF's birthday and we were going out to dinner and then to the bar. Contacted the guy today - said it's sold pending pickup. So much for holding it for me until Saturday like he originally said...

Any of those new MJs have a good tailgate or two you'd be willing to get for me? :D

Perhaps there is no CEL because the wires needed for that to light up are not hooked up? It would seem incredibly odd that your "gauge" computer, which is receiving very little input from he engine, other than signals from a few sensors, would not throw a CEL. OR, maybe the "gauge" computer simply doesn't know that the engine is running and it's basically sitting in a similar mode to when the key is in the 'on' position (but engine not running) - where the gauges work and display their current reading, but the computer isn't actually controlling anything engine related.

Yea, I don't see the need for the newer style thermostat housing, which just adds an additional threaded hole for a temperature sensor. I believe the Renix-era engines had this temperature sensor in the block.

The rocker style buckets certainly do sit a lot higher and it takes some getting used to. I have them in my '88 Pioneer and I feel like a truck driver in that thing. Also, if you don't have a tilt column steering wheel, that could pose a real problem with the rocker style.

Unfortunately, I don't know of any good free (or even cheap ones). I cannot believe the price of the single VIN checks from the big two (Carfax and Autocheck). I can't imagine that the costs of accessing a database for a VIN check are that substantial that they need $45 from you to run it. I believe a big reason for their price gouging and policy changing (I don't think Carfax allows you to get unlimited reports anymore) has to do with the many car forums where people obtain the unlimited account and check all of their buddy's VINs for free.

Old photo, but this is when I first got all three up and running and on my insurance policy. I've since traded the YJ for a '92MJ and I still have two other Jeeps that weren't able to make the photo, although my '98XJ is running and driving, but is just buried in the back of my shop so it's not very easy to get it out.

Sounds a little like my '88 Pioneer (in the sense that a problem mysteriously appears and disappears without warning) with 4.0L and AW4. I've replaced the radiator, waterpump, thermostat, fan clutch and temp sender. No leaks in or around expansion bottle. I can drive it for the first 10-15 minutes and it stays around 200-210 degrees. Then out of nowhere, the temps start rising and it will stay hot (gauge is reading right before the RED zone) and nothing I do will cool it off. No evidence of coolant leaking into oil and vice versa. No idea what my MPGs are. If you can figure this one out, let me know. I attribute my problem to an incredibly finnicky Renix closed cooling system...

Sourcing '97+ body parts around me can get pricey so I need to see what is there and what isn't. Best case scenario all I need is a drivers door and fender. If it's still there, I can grab the drivers door from the '00XJ I found in the yard that looks like it has been sitting next to the Titanic for the last month. Would also need to check that thing for rust, though...

My parts Cherokee deal just went a bit sour. Thought I would be getting a complete XJ w/all body panels and interior, but looks like a lot of the front end stuff is missing. Truck was hit on the drivers door so that's likely trashed. Drivers fender looks tweaked, too...not sure if the header panel is even there, but the seller claims that a bunch of body parts are sitting inside of the Jeep. Trying to get him to let me look at it tonight so I can see what is and isn't there. Supposed to have a full interior and complete drivetrain, except he says the front differential is missing. I'm not sure if that means just the actual diff, or if the whole axle is gone. But, as it sits, he wants $400 for it. I think a complete Classic interior and 4.0/AW4/NP242 is probably worth the asking price. Hopefully I can see the thing tonight...he seems to be pretty shifty on allowing me to look at it and claims it's at his cousins house and wants his cousin to be home when I look at it. Understandable, but I'm always on defense when it comes to dealings like this...

To each their own. The tan interior is definitely unique...don't see too many of them in my XJ browsing on CL. There is one at my local junkyard that I've been pulling parts from for the last three weeks. Unfortunately, someone must have needed the pillar between the front and rear doors because it was cut out and the 6 inches of rain we just got was now sitting in the floorpan basically ruining about everything inside. Wasn't worse than the '00XJ with complete charcoal interior at another yard that looks like it was completely submerged in the river - no joke. I have never seen anything quite like it...every square inch of that interior was covered in mud.

Are the XJ and TJ gauge clusters plug-n-play interchangeable? My GF has an '06 TJ and I noticed that the cluster is very similar in size and shape - possibly even identical - and that the only differences I saw were that the TJ gauge doesn't use numbers on the smaller gauges, but a L and H for oil pressure, C and H for temp, etc. I think a couple of the smaller gauges are in different locations, too.

I'd say you should swap the charcoal interior into your Utility Comanche. I've never been a fan of the tan interior...gets dirty too easily and looks tacky to me.