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New here, kinda fell into a great deal from a guy moving overseas

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scottydsntknow

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Discussion starter · #1 · (Edited)
He has a 1999 Grand Cherokee Limited (Maroon on black leather) that's been sitting in his driveway for 2 years. Has 157k miles on it and he's had it since 70k. Paying him $500 for it, that's what he was asking. Paint is actually great, no rust, interior is in good shape, nothing more than the usual driver's bolster tear and the door panel armrest area is cracked on the driver's side too. Needs cleaning and detailing but I know some ppl for that or I'll DIY...

Issues that need immediate attention:

-Front hubs are shot but he has replacements and new bolts he's throwing in.

-Needs front brakes so I ordered all 4 corners from Rockauto since its been sitting.

-Serpentine belt is shot and so is pulley, got these on order too.

-Needs battery, I took my Mustang's battery I have on a tender for the winter over and the thing fired right up after sitting for 2 years.


Other stuff I'm doing:

-Fuel filter

-Oil

-Air Filter

-Cabin air filter modification (calling dealer tomorrow)



Really doesn't need anything else. He says it has a very slight seeping oil leak and suspects a minor coolant leak from the water pump but I'll cross that bridge once I get it in my hands a few weeks and let it show me its quirks. Probably just run 10w-40 in it and change the water pump.

At any rate, into it for $750 at this moment and it runs fine. Not actually sure I'm going to keep it or not but I probably will.

Hope to get some good info from this forum and contribute when I can. Never owned a Jeep before but owned a LOT of other stuff and I'm an aircraft mechanic so I'm not some yutz with a $50 craftsman wrench set either lol.
 
#2 ·
if its been sat that long think about changing the gearbox, transfer and axle oils to be on the safe side. Rear Lsd live longer with regular oil changes and additive :)
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
Yeah that's on the list too for basic maintenwnce once I get it up and running 100%.

Can you drain the torque converter on these or do you have to put the trans cooler hose in a bucket and use the trans to "active flush" out the converter while you have a friend add fluid? That's what I have to do on the Expedition.
 
#4 ·
I think you have to do an active flush.
I just do the basic drain the pan, change the filter adjust the bands (if required on rear band) on the severe use schedule as I do a lot of long distance towing when on holiday and a lot of short journey's to and from work in traffic.
Done 177,000 miles now and only extra work on gearbox has been a governor valve and shift solenoid fitted.
So far rear axle has only had new diff and wheel bearings due to left hand carrier and inner pinion bearing's failing (may have been down to wear but I did try to extend oil change interval just before it failed, so now change axle oil on spec time).
I use 10w-40 semi synth (Mobil super 2000) and have had a slight oil weep since owning (67k miles). think leak is from the oil filter adapter/elbow so need to pull it and replace the O-rings. The other weep seems to be the rear main crank seal, but never have to put oil in between services :)
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
Ok cool good to hear. I just grabbed two 5 quart jugs of Valvoline Max Life Syn Blend 10w-40 on Amazon for $40 shipped so can't beat that. Parts from Rockauto all came in last night so hopefully she'll be in my driveway tomorrow evening or Tuesday afternoon. Just depends how stuck the front hubs and back rotors are...
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
Up and running today. Man he borked the driver's hub when he was trying to get it out. Not sure how you snap those bolts (without stripping the heads no less) but he did it. Thank god for air hammers. Other side I let soak in PB blaster for an hour and they came right out. No idea.

Anyway, engine and trans are GREAT. But the thing wanders all over the road. He did some steering work before parking it and seeing his handiwork on that driver's hub... I'm going to go through it all myself and its getting an alignment wednesday and I'll have my wheel/tire/alignment shop go through it too when they do it.

Other stuff... there is actually some body rust (not frame) on where running boards would attach to the driver's side. Like, not the floorpan area but that square sheetmetal piece. Hit it with a screwdriver and a bunch of it fell off. Good news is that NONE of the metal underneath rusted so I am going to cut it all out ASAP, spray the living hell out of it with rust preventative and then rivet in some sheetmetal over it, seal it and paint it. Rest of the rust should be easy to clear up as its just surface on the welds around the underside.

Think its going to be a good vehicle once I get the looseness in the steering sorted out. My Expy is nice and solid on the road, this thing feels like I'm floating all over. Again, sitting for almost 2 years and shade tree mechanic did some stuff up front so that'll be sorted. Still a steal for $500.
 
#7 ·
Take a good look at the lower front axle swivels, if they got any play in them it can cause havoc with driving in a straight line, and also check all the control arm bushes for wear :)
Would also be better to have a plate welded in and not riveted :) once you have dealt with the rust :)
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
Hmmm, I might take it to a welder then. Can't imagine it would be too much to have them weld in some metal.

Other stuffs today. Front right caliper is sticking. Its Teves... so... I ordered new slide pins for all 4 corners and am going to pull the left all the way apart and wire wheel all the brackets to get rid of any rust causing issues with the brackets aligning and do a full 4 corner bleed and then if not I suppose its Akebono time...

Going to have a shop look at the front end too when doing an alignment, this shop is really really good and they deal with lifted Jeeps regularly since being near a military base=shitload of lifted vehicles.

It does have plenty of power, shifts great, just needs some love and needs to be driven vs sitting for 2 years. I happened to go by a Chrysler dealer today by accident as well so I stopped and grabbed 2 quarts of Mopar transfer case fluid and 5 quarts of the Mopar specific diff fluid. Way cheaper than Mobil 1 syn stuff and they gave me 10% off for military too woot.
 
#9 · (Edited)
did you remember to get the additive for the rear limited slip diff if it got one fitted?
I know its strange that cars and trucks are welded and bolted together, yet planes use welds, fasteners and tons of rivits :)
just be careful when bleeding brakes not to air lock the ABS pump, as some pumps require the service tool to energise the pump solenoids to re bleed. I have never had a problem yet bleeding the brakes :)
I only Mobil engine oil as I get a decent discount due to working in the Engineering and motor trade. Use Moper oils for the driveline oils. Have even purged my power steering fluid :)
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
Yeah I have the additive. I have OEM fluids for the diffs and transfer case too. ATF+4 is way cheaper at wal mart (super tech) and I have had really good luck with Valvoline high mileage syn blend in my older vehicles plus its $19 for 5 quarts lol.

As far as planes and everything... plenty of panels on our jets that you would not want to worry about bolts. Yet... lots more panels are attached with high torque fasteners than you'd think. There are limits as to how many screws can be missing out of a panel, never one in the corner and getting those panels off is ALWAYS a ***** and a half.
 
#11 ·
ha ha :)
Loads of goodies to fit then :)
I have been trying Comma MVATF plus oil (£30 for 5 litres) in the gearbox, which seems to give better cold weather shifting and so far working well when towing :) and is a lot easier to get hold of in the UK than Moper oils :)
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
Also picked up a set of Akebonos, they'll be here Tomorrow and only $34 each after core. Hopefully rockauto takes back the Teves as cores... we'll see.

Hoping to do the back brakes tomorrow morning after gym (off till the 3rd woot). Take back the stupid $60 rental caliper tool and hopefully it'll drive well. Then oil in all 3 vehicles and doing the water pump/stat/tensioner in the Jeep as well as the front brakes.

Hopefully it'll track straight afterwards, the front left Teves was dragging the whole time so maybe that's why it kept going everywhere.
 
Discussion starter · #13 ·
Ah cool you're UK, love it there, been though when I was in grade school and then a few times also at the RAF bases (Mildenhall/Lakenheath). Hosted a few of your C-17 Globemaster crews here in New Jersey as well when your RAF jets roll through.

But stuff over there is REALLY expensive I dunno how you guys do it lol.
 
#14 ·
It is expensive over here, yet all we can do is grin and bear it :)
It is cheaper for me to get parts from America via a supplier in Poland, other wise the postage and import duties are horrendous :(
And fiat wont import early model spares as they think it will make us buy the new models, and not try to keep the better older models on the road :)
Enjoy your Holiday time :)
I am off now until the 28th :)
 
Discussion starter · #15 ·
Lol yeah imports are crazy. I used to bring stuff for ppl stationed in europe in on our jets for beer when I knew we were going. Also fun fact is if you bring fresh cold milk into Afghanistan the NATO guys stationed there love you.
 
#16 ·
My Dad got given loads of stuff when he done demolition work at RAF Greenham Common, when it was being used by the USAF.
It is now long gone and now an Industrial estate.
Have a good and happy New Year :)
 
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Brian-Emmons
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