How to bullet proof your old Jeep Cherokee XJ

Рет қаралды 13,446

glen goodwin

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер: 112

@artardFTW 2 ай бұрын

the biggest problem is people think that bullet proof means maintenance free

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

Absolutely agree. You’ve got to keep things maintained. I try to do something on my Jeep every week. Just did new muffler, cat and tailpipe. Fluid changes will be next ( although it doesn’t really need it ) then suspension stuff.

@Amarillobymorning777 3 күн бұрын

Check the front brake calipers , they like to stick. Greetings from Toluca Mex. Keep jeeping

@mental8886 2 ай бұрын

I have two 93's and a 99, I took my lerners permit test in one of the 93's like 20+ years ago. Still have it. Still runs amazingly.

@mental8886 2 ай бұрын

Thank you for this video. As long as I've had the one jeep its been in storage. I have a 2wd country edition i drive daily though. Im going to go clean that ground off right now because I know its filthy!

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

Awesome 😎 I took my learner in my moms 02 Grand Prix 😂 Hang onto that Jeep , you’ll regret it if you sell being you’ve had it so long.

@wsbill14224 2 ай бұрын

Cherokees from the 90s are very reliable and if you change your coolant every 4 years or 40k miles your radiator issues will be few and far between. Old coolant breaks down and causes all the problems you experienced. Hang onto that one. If you sell it you're nuts!

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

That’s definitely a must on these old cherokees. The problem is not everyone that bought these things new or used back in the day took good care of them and did the proper fluid flushed and changes. I know that back in the day I had some of the worst luck with buying sub 50k miles cherokees and the coolant was literally brown. I did have this listed for $8500 a couple days ago and got cold feet as soon as people started to message me. I’ve decided that I will keep this one , which is very unlike my normal buy , restore , maintain and sell routine.

@wsbill14224 2 ай бұрын

@@glengoodwin7860 sounds like you're on top of it now but brown coolant means it's ancient. If you change it every 4 years it will never get brown.

@huib78 Ай бұрын

Best Jeep XJ video i have ever seen... and as a dedicated owner and XJ fan i've seen a lot. Thnx!

@glengoodwin7860 Ай бұрын

appreciate it ! 😎

@aspire0831 Ай бұрын

I have a jeep cherokee pioneer 1990 bought it for a $1000 spent over $700 flushing all the fluids and changed, b4 Driving it, then replaced the Radiator Coolant Overflow Tank Reservoir about every two years, and replaced the fuel pumps 4 times before I got a good one that worked!

@glengoodwin7860 Ай бұрын

Keep up the good work restoring that Jeep , you won’t regret having it around in the future 👌

@kuulapaa 2 ай бұрын

I was silly and installed 180 degree thermostat. Didn't get hot enough air from heater and fuel economy went crap. 195 Mopar OEM thermostat now installed and no issues, quick warmup and steady temperature control.

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

Glad to hear it’s running good 👍

@sparkie5571 2 ай бұрын

I did the same. Thought I was doing the jeep a favor but it only made my driving experience worse. Installed a new 195 thermostat and i have great heat, warms up perfect and fast now. Only thing I had to do was install the e-fan for my 5.9 instead of the mechanical fan that the previous owner installed, (and reconnect the temp switches for the fan relays.) The overheating issue was ONLY a thing because some idiot installed the wrong, or used (and incorrect) fan for the car, and disconnected the old fan wiring. Edit: oh, that and a proper coolant flush did help too (using proper coolant.)

@michaeldias4332 Ай бұрын

Great video. I have a 96 and recently have started working on it myself. Love learning the process.

@glengoodwin7860 Ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment ! I’m still going on this jeep getting things sorted but it’s running so good I’ve decided to take my time on the rest of the needed restoration stuff. Glad you’re enjoying yours , they’re such cool rigs and so easy to work on 👌

@rudybishop9089 2 ай бұрын

Cool Bro - don’t forget take the driver seat and switch it with the passenger seat - once you do it you will understand !

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

Ha ! Never done this.

@Laserman595 2 ай бұрын

I rode shotgun in my 97 for the first time in forever the other day and I legitimately thought about doing this lol! I might do it now I know someone else has done it...

@Soothsayer-rs5nb 2 ай бұрын

Why is this a good idea ?

@rudybishop9089 2 ай бұрын

Ahhhh ? Because a big ass getting in and out of one seat EVERYtime the car is moved - is blown out - while the passenger seat is like new ? Every driver seat can tell you heaps about the car. @@Soothsayer-rs5nb

@sparkie5571 2 ай бұрын

@@Soothsayer-rs5nb less wear on the seat, far more comfortable

@brucenichols540 10 күн бұрын

The difference between and XJ and a ToyTruck is repairability. Even a moderately experienced mechanic can repair an XJ, and there are very few 'special' tools required. A ToyTruck on the other hand is training and tool intensive. The Top Nail in the Toy's coffin as issues start to crop up is the Aluminum Cylinder Head. If you get it even moderately overheated, it's 'toast'. The Iron Head on the XJ's 4.0 will survive more abuse. My personal XJ that I purchased new in 1995 has 456,000 miles on the original Engine with only routine maintenance.

@glengoodwin7860 9 күн бұрын

Only done one or two major engine repairs on the XJs throughout the years and it was head gaskets. I’ve done quite a bit of maintenance stuff on both the 4.0 v6 and 5.7 v8 Toyota engines. From spark plugs , water pumps , radiators and other things they’re pretty easy to work on. Major failure is very very uncommon on those two engines. I’m not going to argue about the complexity of the Toyota/Lexus engines , because they’re definitely complex. But overall , I’d take a Toyota over a Jeep every second and minute of the day.

@jayman1601 2 ай бұрын

I've been daily driving a 2000 XJ for about 20 years now. No electrical problems or head issues. I did have to repair the wires going to the hatch a few times from normal wear and tear. I got stranded once from a blown water pump seal. A lot of the cooling system was replaced including the radiator, heater core, electric fan, hoses, and thermotat.

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

Glad to hear it’s been a good Jeep for you !

@boomerguy9935 Ай бұрын

I understand replacing the heater core is a very expensive nightmare!

@jayman1601 Ай бұрын

@@boomerguy9935 I did it myself so it was cheap but A LOT of work.

@boomerguy9935 Ай бұрын

@@jayman1601 I understand. I replaced a heater core on a Datsun back in the late 70's. Parts were cheap but it took an entire weekend - 2 days @ 12 hours each. Had to remove the entire dashboard. Never again!

@Mike-zl4zs 7 күн бұрын

Watching this as a proud new owner of a 1990 XJ also in Colorado, mines got about 260k miles but it runs pretty good. Ill definitely be looking into my cooling system and the electrical though. Just the other day it didnt want to start for some reason, just completely died, even the dome lights. After a few minutes I tried again and it fired right up, strange lol. Thanks for the video!

@mleeny1 5 күн бұрын

might want to check your termical connections. Sounds portentially like a bad bettery connection or ground.

@waltersheens1087 7 күн бұрын

Have a 96 XJ now for 10 years....also removed the heater valve as 2 plastic ones broke in a few years.....also recommend disabling the radio antenne motor (wire under passenger side caps in the dash) as my motor kept running....draining the battery. Also disconnected my Evap valve as it caused engine to idle very bad.....probably a vacuum leak somewhere.

@keno3592 Ай бұрын

Great video. One thing I want to echo.... crank shaft sensor. MUST REPLACE WITH OEM! The after market sensors most likely will not work with the computer.

@glengoodwin7860 Ай бұрын

Great input , totally agree. What I usually do is get sensors off parts Jeeps that are factory units. I have tons of throttle body and others for diagnosis and spares. Thanks for the comment !

@piston_pusher Ай бұрын

Happen to have a link to where I can get one? Rock auto didn't seem to have one.

@OIllllO 2 күн бұрын

@piston_pusher Unfortunately the Mopar CPS was discontinued years ago and the parts supply has all but dried up. I have one left and I wouldn't sell it. Used or aftermarket is about the only option now.

@paulanderson388 2 ай бұрын

Great video with lots of useful information. I had a packrat build a nest in the air cleaner box of my 96 XJ. I put some wire mesh over the front airbox intake hole to deny the little bastards access. Besides peppermint oil you can buy a couple cheap 120 volt plug in led lights and mount them on a board having them shine down on each side of the engine. They don't like the light and won't try to nest there. If you live in a place with some security, you can just leave the hood propped open and that will discourage their assault. I am amazed at what a great and versatile vehicles the XJ's are.

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

Those are great ways to combat mice ! Fortunately my neiborhood has some wandering cats 👌

@glennhales7302 2 ай бұрын

Great job! I'd add death wobble. Warn bushings, track bar for sure and also door locks, latches.

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

Definitely good things to look at ! Throughout the years I’ve maybe done one or two wheel bearings , some u joints and a ton of sway bar bushing stuff. Can you believe I’ve never had death wobble ? I’ve heard about it for ages but I’ve never really had a beat up XJ ( most are mint and low mileage ) so maybe my day is coming 😆

@v12alpine 2 ай бұрын

@@glengoodwin7860mainly an issue with oversized tires that are not balanced properly. At least in my case.

@artardFTW 2 ай бұрын

1987 to 1990 its crucial to add a short ground from the battery negative to the fender

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

Absolutely!

@johnsanford346 Ай бұрын

Could you explain why it's crucial to do so? I just purchased an 87.

@artardFTW Ай бұрын

@@johnsanford346 factory ground goes from battery negative, to the block, and then from the cylinder head to the firewall, through a braided ground strap. that's it. adding a ground to the fender will give the grounds a path of least resistance to the battery, you'll (most likely) see all of the accessories work faster & lights get brighter. on my old 89 I think I just grabbed the shortest eye-to-eye ground cable from Walmarts riding mower section

@V8AmericanMuscleCar 2 ай бұрын

You're right about cooling system. I have 97 with factory turbo diesel engine and I also had to deal with the cooling system. It's a Jeep thing. 😅

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

People just didn’t think of it as a maintenance item on these Jeeps when they were newer. The cooling systems on these XJs just aren’t aging well

@Paper452 2 ай бұрын

Love my station wagon, gotta do the oil filter adapter that leaks but another common problem with them. Good video

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

Thanks 👍

@TheRealestHi Ай бұрын

For the initial exorcism of the seats, it’s best to rent a rug doctor machine with the upholstery attachment. Nothing cleans better than that.

@glengoodwin7860 Ай бұрын

I’m way to much of a cheap ass to go rent when I can do a home brew seat cleaning 😂 I do agree , though. I bet the seats would have been that much better with a professional/ commercial style machine 👌

@Ryan-yp4hc 2 ай бұрын

All solid info, thanks!

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

@Billieprntmk6 Ай бұрын

Purchased a 1996 Cherokee XJ off a friend for $1000 that already had a 3.5" lift about 4 years ago that needed some TLC. Put about another $1000 into it e.g. fuel pump, starter, water pump and a few lines. Now its running strong and has been my daily driver for a while now. Starting to refresh all the steering/ supension. I will never sell it!

@glengoodwin7860 Ай бұрын

Sounds like you’re on the right track ! Keep maintains that Jeep and it’ll last you a lifetime.

@keithlea6804 Ай бұрын

I want it for my wife. I have a 96xj. Driveway looks better with 2 jeep than it does with one. Very nice looking rig. Wish I still had the stock rims like yours.

@v12alpine 2 ай бұрын

I'd add that most if not all cooling system "upgrades" are actually downgrades, confused by the fact you probably fixed something and think it's actually better. 100% bone stock is the way. Missing fan shrouds and worn fan clutches are the biggest offenders.

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

Right. Keep the vehicle stock. The triple Efan setups on these are ridiculous. Mechanical fan and one efan is definitely just fine for this motor

@TheRealestHi Ай бұрын

A Flokooler water pump is an absolute must. Look them up! They pump more at idle than a stock pump. It’s a lifesaver.

@glengoodwin7860 Ай бұрын

@@TheRealestHi never dabbled with flowcooler. I’ll give them a shot next go around for sure ! Thanks for the comment 👌

@yungliquid7053 2 ай бұрын

I just got my first jeep recently. Changed the fuel system and ran very good! Just the other day, my engine lost compression on cylinder 1. Just bought the engine, waiting to come in now. Definitely gonna refresh it with gasket and water pump.

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

Nice ! Good luck on the engine swap. Could have had a leaking inj that washed out the 1 cyl.

@yungliquid7053 2 ай бұрын

@@glengoodwin7860 thank you! yeah definitely sounds like it, im a little nervous to drive it to the shop. My foreman said to remove the connector to the injector so it doesn’t like lock up or something. It has like 60-90psi but still lol

@jerryphillips3425 Ай бұрын

I had that heater valve in my 01 xj

@glengoodwin7860 Ай бұрын

Then it was a swapped motor or hoses. 96 was last year for heater valve

@aaronerickson8878 Ай бұрын

The cooliing system works fine if you simply replace everything. Radiator, water pump, hoses, t-stat. Delete the stupid heater core valve. Make sure all of the gaskets are done right with clean surfaces and coolant compatable permatex. Do it right once and you wont have sny overheating issues.

@glengoodwin7860 Ай бұрын

Right ! For a 25-30 year old vehicle, replacing the entire cooling system is definitely part of routine maintenance.

@dantheman6931 2 ай бұрын

Nice Jeep! I have a 99 with an rpm surging issue I’m trying to track down

@user-sd8uu3zr3t 2 ай бұрын

throttle positioning sensor

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

Could be a ton of different stuff ! I’d start with cleaning the throttle body and grounds.

@pierreduy8838 Ай бұрын

Dude...103,000 miles is like new! Needed some love? What?

@glengoodwin7860 Ай бұрын

Wouldn’t pass smog in CA. PO had transfer case rebuilt and the guy who installed rebuilt TCase was an idiot. Speed sensor wasn’t installed correctly throwing a check engine light. Besides that “ the love “ was mainly my basic stuff as you see in this video and a tremendous amount of cleaning. It hadn’t been detailed in a very very long time. Had mold build up on the exterior and interior was pretty nasty.

@jonathanhgarcia71 Ай бұрын

I'm looking for a cluster panel for a 99 jeep Cherokee sport and a rear latch assembly, do you have any to sell?

@glengoodwin7860 Ай бұрын

I’d check your local marketplace for a jeep being parted out ! Good luck 👍

@tabunga4669 2 ай бұрын

I put a 195 thermostat in my jeep and it stays running at a cool 180 on the highway 200 on a stop and go situation

@ytelpeloncito5151 5 сағат бұрын

I hate when people say a 4.0 is bulletproof when they never redlined them for over 5 to 10 min trying to get out a hole

@glengoodwin7860 5 сағат бұрын

I hate when people comment with completely irrelevant BS. So I’m assuming you’ve redlined a 4.0 for 5-10 mins while getting out of a hole ? Wow , so outstanding 🥱

@bgreasy6318 2 ай бұрын

Where can you buy those factory fog lamps I need some

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

I’ve seen a set on eBay. I also saw a plug in set that are made for these old Jeeps , look there.

@eagleone5456 Ай бұрын

Shoutout to Dexjeeps hes a frickin genius, even if he is a hack job! Lol

@glengoodwin7860 Ай бұрын

Ha !

@Goopy_Joe Ай бұрын

i need to have a date with my car and do all this stuff ALSO, i have rust in the cooling system because it was abandoned for 4 years, should i chemical flush it???

@glengoodwin7860 Ай бұрын

Rust in cooling system is a hard one to get entirely rid of. Do a couple flushes ( lightly , don’t get crazy with the water pressure or you’ll damage the heater core ) and just keep flushing and exchanging coolant every six months. From my experience with rusty coolant , you’ll never get it all out of there and it’ll just keep rusting internally , so just keep up with coolant exchange and light flushes.

@3ricky13 2 ай бұрын

I have radio problems and display on the middle lower dash not working

@jonesy3002 2 ай бұрын

65 !!!!! Man save some for us ! 😂

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

They made almost 3 million XJs , there’s still plenty to go around 👌

@fluffycat6489 14 күн бұрын

I WANT ONE

@gregflores8959 11 күн бұрын

Sell it and buy a Tacoma, that’s how to ‘bullet proof it.’

@glengoodwin7860 11 күн бұрын

I love owned 5 Tacomas throughout the years from first gen to 3rd gen. Currently I daily a ‘19 Lexus LX570 ( it’s my 3rd one ) it’s definitely very reliable. Actually , it’s probably one of the most reliable vehicles ever made. I sold this Jeep last weekend. Currently hunting for a 2door 5 speed XJ.

@Amarillobymorning777 3 күн бұрын

My son got a ‘97 Toyota 4 runner , looks pretty sweet. I got a 01 Wj 4.0 L . But I think his truck turning more eyes than me . Jeep is an attitude. 😊

@TheJoePhoto 29 күн бұрын

I'm ready to give up on XJ's.. '96 died from Rust.. '99 has Death Wobble.. Top speed is 45 mph on the highway.. smh..

@VoidWalker9917 2 ай бұрын

Oh… I clicked thinking you meant literally bullet proof your jeep.

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

I mean…… I was a welder for 15 years and I’m about a hour from granby CO , you know where the killdozer incident happened. I could very easily make this thing bullet proffed ( quite literally )

@Free_Range_4x4 2 ай бұрын

@@glengoodwin7860 lmao what an awesome response

@DRT-81 Ай бұрын

Im sure even small caliber bullets will penetrate this factory armor where's the bullet proofing ? This will be a necessity the way things are going .

@glengoodwin7860 Ай бұрын

I was a welder for 15 years and could seriously accomplish that. It would take a ton of time , though. Especially the windows and doors. I’m sure that 4” thick glass is crazy expensive.

@DRT-81 Ай бұрын

@@glengoodwin7860 would need some beefy suspension work as well 😏

@hunterkai7178 2 ай бұрын

owned? my cherokees my 9th vehicle total and i though i was high body count

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

Keep buying and preserving these Jeeps ! Happy to hear you’re on number 9 , lots more to go !

@codered7453 2 ай бұрын

For one to upgrade an XJ, one must first upgrade to a ZJ.

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

If you want comfort definitely a ZJ. But there’s just nothing like the old design of an XJ. Design was started in 1978 so it truly holds that old school look and feel that some people want.

@artardFTW 2 ай бұрын

if the ZJ came with aw4 I'd be all about it

@codered7453 2 ай бұрын

@artardFTW AW4s are tough but they're very parasitic and require a good bit more HP to turn than do the 42re. Mine has 266k miles, and it has the factory auxiliary cooler which works fine. It still shifts perfectly. I keep hearing bad things about the 42re but if kept cool (like any automatic transmission) they'll run forever and I've not had any trouble from mine.

@artardFTW 2 ай бұрын

@@codered7453 I've heard countless stories and witnessed badly overheated aw4's and they generally don't quit (obviously there is a breaking point but it's way passed the breaking point of any other transmission) I had a 98 zj with somewhere around 170k and it refused to downshift without going to neutral, and holding the button straight into 1 so I sold it for an xj with more miles that drives better with worse looking trans fluid lol

@Free_Range_4x4 2 ай бұрын

@@artardFTWSome did, in the early years.

@Chito94 2 ай бұрын

Cap

@glengoodwin7860 2 ай бұрын

Cap ? Sorry you’ve got to speak in term that one would understand.

@Wolf4wdadventures.576 17 күн бұрын

Hreat video, i have a mint 96 XJ Classic. Done all the maintenance and preventative stuff... 290000 klms now and its my 4 th one and a keeper. Aussie fan 🦘🇦🇺