WahooSteeler Posted September 5, 2019 Share Posted September 5, 2019 1 hour ago, mjeff87 said: Thanks. We had a KIA back in the day and it was a tank. I got t-boned in it on the way home from work one day and totaled it....but I was still able to drive it home from the accident scene. ive been checking craigslist, but only searching for specific brands. I'll check out the Hyundais. Seems like a $500 XJ would be an option even if you had to do a Saturday's worth of work on it, at least you could do it all yourself since you know them inside and out and for next to nothing $$. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted September 5, 2019 Author Share Posted September 5, 2019 Frank, I'll give you $650 for it, cash money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted September 5, 2019 Author Share Posted September 5, 2019 Yeah Greg, that's the golden nugget I'm looking for. I'd LOVE a later model XJ.....but that damn cash for clunkers B/S killed the market Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WahooSteeler Posted September 5, 2019 Share Posted September 5, 2019 3 minutes ago, mjeff87 said: Yeah Greg, that's the golden nugget I'm looking for. I'd LOVE a later model XJ.....but that damn cash for clunkers B/S killed the market How long do you think you need something, worst case scenario? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted September 5, 2019 Author Share Posted September 5, 2019 I know where you're going with this....and I'm so humbled I could cry dude. I think I can make this work out, though. I've got a line on an 04 KJ about 45 minutes south of me and I'm just waiting for the seller to call me about it. Best case I can just run it as is, worst case I can swap the head off of it into mine. Its my mess I made, and my mess to fix, one way or another. (full disclaimer, I took off work today to deal with this mess and I'm about 37 beers in right now, lol). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted September 5, 2019 Author Share Posted September 5, 2019 Side note, we really need to get together for some food and beers. It's been too long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WahooSteeler Posted September 5, 2019 Share Posted September 5, 2019 2 minutes ago, mjeff87 said: Side note, we really need to get together for some food and beers. It's been too long. Yes, we do. I found your 15mm Kobalt socket that left with me all those years ago, so there's at least one good reason LOL. And you are quite perceptive, almost telepathic even LOL! A thought worth considering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted September 5, 2019 Author Share Posted September 5, 2019 Starr Hill brewery in C'ville next weekend (assuming I have something drive able that will get me there, lol)? I need a getaway day. I'll bring my wife, she can be the DD (for me, at least). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WahooSteeler Posted September 6, 2019 Share Posted September 6, 2019 1 hour ago, mjeff87 said: Starr Hill brewery in C'ville next weekend (assuming I have something drive able that will get me there, lol)? I need a getaway day. I'll bring my wife, she can be the DD (for me, at least). Might be headed to Morgantown to see my son and go to the WVU vs NC State Game.........I should know by early next week. You really want that socket back, don't you?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted September 6, 2019 Author Share Posted September 6, 2019 No worries, we can catch up eventually And I've replaced that socket 3x now...it's the most popular size on just about everything. Along with 10mm, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WahooSteeler Posted September 6, 2019 Share Posted September 6, 2019 2001 XJ in Hopewell...........$1200 https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1632592806885222/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJXJjeepguy Posted September 6, 2019 Share Posted September 6, 2019 9 hours ago, WahooSteeler said: 2001 XJ in Hopewell...........$1200 https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1632592806885222/ I wouldnt take any XJ from 2000-2001 it got 0331 head, bad head! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 There was a recall over the heads. Not all were fixed but most were. I doubt anyone who'd bored an engine out would've neglected to look at the head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted September 10, 2019 Author Share Posted September 10, 2019 Well, I'm partway out of the hole on this. KJ is home, sitting in my garage for now until I decide if I'm going to fix it or let a friend of a friend of mine do it for $900 (plus any parts needed, probably another $2-300, plus any machine work needed if the head can be salvaged). But, I'm picking up a spare vehicle....2006 Chevy (yuk!) Cobalt. Went to look at it yesterday with cash and plates in hand hoping to drive it home (it's about 1.5 hours north of me) and it needs a couple things fixed on it that I was planning to haggle with on the selling price. The seller said he would have them fixed and ready to go tomorrow, and by the time I got back home to Richmond he'd already texted me showing that he took the car to the dealership and had 2 of the 3 things wrong with it (airbag light and no inspection) fixed. Today he's taking it to the shop that just put in an entire new clutch system (clutch, flywheel, T/O, slave, clutch line and clutch/brake master) look at/bleed the clutch again. It just barely (and I mean barely) grinds going into first from a dead stop. Nothing to make it undriveable, but annoying enough to me to want it fixed. I'll go back up tomorrow and test drive it again after that and if it's good to go I'll give him full asking price and drive it home. I gave him $500 in hand money just to show him that I was interested in it. He's also just put brand new tires on it all the way around, new brakes, and had the inside detailed. Clearcoat is peeling in a couple spots, but that doesn't concern me in the least bit. It won't break any land speed records, that's for sure, but it is mechanically sound, 155K miles. Oh, and it has CRANK windows too Hopefully tomorrow afternoon I'll be (illegally) driving it back home to go to DMV and get all the paperwork done. Yay. Then I can figure out what to do with the KJ. I might just go down to the junkyard on Saturday and pull a new head to have on hand in case when mine finally comes off it's not repairable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted September 10, 2019 Author Share Posted September 10, 2019 and that's a big old NOPE sandwich...... guy texted me back and said the shop wanted $100 for a "diagnostic" on the crunchy 1st gear shift. He doesn't want to spend any money on it to find out what's wrong and offered $100 off his asking price if I'd buy it tomorrow. All new clutch stuff is in and good/bled to death so none of that is the problem. I suspect that the 1st gear synchro (at least) is dead or on it's way to dead, and he already knows that but just not admitting it to me. I've been doing some google-fu on that trans/model year and it seems it's not an uncommon issue. The next model year GM changed the trans to a different model (which is a big flag to me, lol). Some owners said a fluid change to a good ATF like Royal Purple can "help" the hard shift problems, but I don't want/need another project on my hands right now. Guy is coming to Richmond on Friday for something, and said he'd bring back my deposit so I didn't have to waste another trip up there. At least that's good. The search continues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankTheDog Posted September 11, 2019 Share Posted September 11, 2019 I have had transmissions where it was hard to get in first gear. I found if you put it in reverse first then it would go easily into first and I was able to use that transmission until the end of the life of that vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted September 11, 2019 Author Share Posted September 11, 2019 I test drove it, and tried doing that. Also tried holding the clutch in for 5-10 seconds before shifting....nothing helped. My money is on worn synchros, and that means either a pull/rebuild, or a tranny swap, neither of which I want to do right now. Guy just texted me back and said he'd drop the price another $300 if I'd take it. Seems a bit too eager to me, but that's just what my gut is telling me. Going to look at a V8 WJ locally this afternoon (hopefully) that only has 130K on it for $2800. More than I want to spend on a temporary vehicle, but if it's as nice as the pics look I might just make it my primary DD and sell the KJ as-is for cheap. Decisions, decisions..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Chief Posted September 11, 2019 Share Posted September 11, 2019 7 hours ago, FrankTheDog said: I have had transmissions where it was hard to get in first gear. I found if you put it in reverse first then it would go easily into first and I was able to use that transmission until the end of the life of that vehicle. Same here. I had a TJ that did that. Didn't bother me much to just go in reverse and then it's fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WahooSteeler Posted September 11, 2019 Share Posted September 11, 2019 Is 2 wheeled transportation an option? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankTheDog Posted September 11, 2019 Share Posted September 11, 2019 5 hours ago, mjeff87 said: I test drove it, and tried doing that. Also tried holding the clutch in for 5-10 seconds before shifting....nothing helped. My money is on worn synchros, and that means either a pull/rebuild, or a tranny swap, neither of which I want to do right now. Guy just texted me back and said he'd drop the price another $300 if I'd take it. Seems a bit too eager to me, but that's just what my gut is telling me. Going to look at a V8 WJ locally this afternoon (hopefully) that only has 130K on it for $2800. More than I want to spend on a temporary vehicle, but if it's as nice as the pics look I might just make it my primary DD and sell the KJ as-is for cheap. Decisions, decisions..... Walk away from that car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted September 12, 2019 Author Share Posted September 12, 2019 I did, lol. And passed on the WJ too. Ended up picking up an 04 Honda Accord from a guy in my subdivision. It's not a panty dropper, needs a couple hundred worth of maintenance done to it, has a small dent in the passenger side front fender, and needs a good deep cleaning. But the driveline is rock solid, gets about 8000 mpg, and was only $2K. Plus, the owner lives just down the street from me so if crap goes sideways (it won't), he knows I'll be knocking on his door in a hot minute, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 Drill the plug and pick out the pieces, then use a Time-Sert kit to repair the threads. Just use lots of compressed air and a magnet to get as much metal out as you can, it sounds kinda sketch letting a little metal into the combustion chamber, but I've repaired dozens of heads like that with no issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89 MJ Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 13 hours ago, mjeff87 said: small dent in the passenger side front fender, You mean scientific and mathematic aerodynamic improvement to improve downforce and gas mileage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted September 18, 2019 Author Share Posted September 18, 2019 Well, change #54972683.....I took the Honda back to the guy, it ended up being a pile. Picked up another Focus (2001) from a guy for relatively cheap. It is immaculate inside and out, but needs a couple quick things done to it. I need to swap a new bearing/hub on the passenger front (I have 4 brand new sets of them sitting in the garage), which is why he was selling it. A shop quoted him $900 for the job, and he just had the radiator and e-fans replaced for $300 and didn't want to spend any more money on it. Works for me. I'll press a new hub/bearing into one of the spare knuckles I have sitting around tonight after work, then swap the whole knuckle out tomorrow night. We have to go out of town this weekend, so I probably won't get anything else done to it, but I got it titled/plated/insured this morning so it's ready to go. It drives fine now, but the bearing definately needs replaced and I don't want to drive much on it until I do, just as a safety thing. Now, on to getting the head pulled off the KJ (probably next weekend) to see what needs done to fix it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted September 18, 2019 Author Share Posted September 18, 2019 On 9/12/2019 at 12:04 AM, mnkyboy said: Drill the plug and pick out the pieces, then use a Time-Sert kit to repair the threads. Just use lots of compressed air and a magnet to get as much metal out as you can, it sounds kinda sketch letting a little metal into the combustion chamber, but I've repaired dozens of heads like that with no issues. That might have been an option, until the second shop got their Snap-on spiral extractor stuck inside the plug threads (which are stuck in the head) LOL. I'm just going to bite the bullet and pull the head off, along with about 2/3 of the rest of the engine to get to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now