brother bought another lemon jeep

[[email protected]]

Well, it's a disease within the family... no one's happy unless they've got a few cars in the yard that don't work. As for myself, th 240 keeps running, as long as dad is "running" too! so, also wanted to note..... never mind, wrond place to write it.....

 

[IH82BL8]

I had an '81 CJ5. It was a mechanical nightmare. I had problems with the engine that I'd never heard of before. One morning driving down the interstate at 55 the fiber timing gear on the cam broke. One evening driving home the rotor button shattered. For a while it wouldn't re-fire if the engine wasn't given time to cool down first. I used to get sweaty palms in the afternoon wondering if it would get me home from work. Finally the engine blew. I don't know what happened. I never even opened the hood to investigate. I sold it as-is and good riddance.

 

[dirttracker18]

Had a couple of jeeps now. They all seem to be on the junkie side. That being said they are a whole lotta fun to drive.
I would buy another if the right deal came along.
There is just nothing like driving down the highway, no top, no doors, foot out on the running board.

 

[sirsloop]

lol... get a samurai as long as you can deal with starters that only work half the time! HAHA!

 

[ddawg16]

I have an 84 CJ....have had it for 16 years.....it's been a very good vehicle.....

I have never seen a 'lemon' jeep....only a jeep that that has been ignored and/or abused.....

 

[TAftw]

^^^I agree. They have their electrical problems, but nothing that would render them inoperable, undriveable, or dysfuntional. They're just "Jeep Problems".

 

[WVBrady]

My brother bought a WWII jeep many years ago for $100. It would turn over very slowly, but eventually start. He took an evening course in auto mechanics and rebuilt the carburetor; then it wouldn't start at all. He eventually sold it for $100.

 

[Mario]

^^^I agree. They have their electrical problems, but nothing that would render them inoperable, undriveable, or dysfuntional. They're just "Jeep Problems".

Yeah! My ZJ has a push button for the starter to override the key, the heater control is defective, the dash lights are intermittent, the check engine comes ON regularly and the tach is about 2000RPM off!

I love it!

 

[Cummins_Powered]

I have an 84 CJ....have had it for 16 years.....it's been a very good vehicle.....

I have never seen a 'lemon' jeep....only a jeep that that has been ignored and/or abused.....

I agree, i loved my old XJ. nothing beat that inline 6. easy to work on and was reliable.

 

[FoMoCoPower]

It works both ways,the 4.0 I-6 is one of the best motors ever made period. 300k-400k+ miles are not uncommon.

 

[alamerang]

I had an '81 CJ5. It was a mechanical nightmare. I had problems with the engine that I'd never heard of before. One morning driving down the interstate at 55 the fiber timing gear on the cam broke. One evening driving home the rotor button shattered. For a while it wouldn't re-fire if the engine wasn't given time to cool down first. I used to get sweaty palms in the afternoon wondering if it would get me home from work. Finally the engine blew. I don't know what happened. I never even opened the hood to investigate. I sold it as-is and good riddance.

I'm assuming you had the 2.5 Liter Iron Duke engine???

 

[Shadowdog500]

My '53 CJ3B runs like a top and never let me down once. However it does drive like a lawn tractor. I'm on my second Grand Cherokee and love it as well. Some say they are not good vehicles. If you maintain them properly they are great vehicles.
I will always own a Jeep, it gets in your blood.

Chris

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ilr-1M-Uj8E&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ilr-1M-Uj8E&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

 

[PCO6]

It works both ways,the 4.0 I-6 is one of the best motors ever made period. 300k-400k+ miles are not uncommon.

303,000 km on mine and it's running fine.

 

[jeepnut24]

I have never seen a 'lemon' jeep....only a jeep that that has been ignored and/or abused.....

This....

Mine is 16 years old with almost Zero problems. However, there is now less Jeep to it than there was 16 years ago.....Part GM, Part AMC Jeep, Part Ford....


The 4.0 and its baby brother 2.5L are bomb proof.

We drove a cherokee into the ground and it still wouldn't die...

 

[Bfoughty]

In High School I had an 76 renegade CJ 7. Loved it but couldn't afford it and sold it. Dad has two a jeep Cherokee and a Grand Cherokee. Son has an 89 TJ. It does get in your blood.

 

[PCO6]

... It does get in your blood.

You're right! I had a 1969 CJ during the early 70's. I went without for about 20 years then bought a new Cherokee Laredo in 1995. It was replaced by a few Volvo wagons (no regrets) but I always missed my Jeeps so I bought the one pictured above. It's a 1995 base model ... "power nothing" ... so apart from the poor ABS brake system I should be fine with it.

 

[383 240z]

OK I see there are a few Jeep guys in here!!, Just wanted to say that if you want to help out another GJ guy, I work at www.4wd.com we are an aftermarket Jeep supply company, If I can help out any of you guys with Jeep parts give me a call 1-800-333-5535 and ask for ext 862. My name is Keith. Just tell me your calling from GJ and I'll set you up with 10% off. Also I just want to say I'm not doing this to drum up sales, I am not a troll who searched for Jeep, I have been a member of this board for a very long time, I also am a member of the H.A.M.B. (Ryans other site), Im just a guy trying to help out a board, that has helped me many times in the past. Keith

 

[iamironman]

You do know what JEEP stands for don't you.

Just Enough Extra Parts.

Just Empty Every Pocket.

That said, I am definitely a Jeep fan.

I've had a '77 FS Cherokee Chief, 2 CJ-5's (a couple more if you count all the extra parts), and my current DD is a '99 XJ sport.

The XJ is a 4.0 with 190,000 miles and runs and drives like a new one. I keep saying when it gets wore out enough to replace I'll build it into a trail rig, but it won't wear out, dang it.

In my experience Jeeps, especially the AMC era and older suffer the same fate as many enthusiast cars and trucks.

Too many cooks in the kitchen, if you know what I mean.
Far too many people honestly believe they have the skills required to build one, but in truth don't.

My current CJ5 was so messed up when I drug it home it wasn't funny. I firmly believe that the last 1 or 2 previous owners should be thrashed severely about the head and shoulders with a Snap-on 1-1/4" combination wrench if they ever get within 3 feet of any car with any tool in their hand.

BTW 4Wheel Drive Hardware get's my endorsement, too. Great selection, good prices, good service.

 

[CrashTestDummy]

This....

Mine is 16 years old with almost Zero problems. However, there is now less Jeep to it than there was 16 years ago.....Part GM, Part AMC Jeep, Part Ford....


The 4.0 and its baby brother 2.5L are bomb proof.

We drove a cherokee into the ground and it still wouldn't die...

You forgot 'Renault'!! My wife's 89 Cherokee had a stupid pressurized coolant recovery reservoir that never seemed to want to stay crack free. When I'd go get a replacement from the dealer, it came with the familiar red-white-and-blue AMC emblem with the word 'Renault' written across the top of the label.

The truck ran great, and was great fun to beat people across the intersection when the light turned green in the rain (4 wheel-drive-low-range), but it had some issue that caused it to run hot. Summers were murder when I'd have to run the heater on the way home from work in Houston heat. I suspect a blown head gasket, but we never got water in the oil and it failed the CO in the coolant test. Oh well, we traded it for her 98 Dakota R/T. That's a nice truck, too.

Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

Oh come on, everyone knows that most jeeps from the 60s to 1986 where POS,....AMC bought what ever was cheap that year from what ever vendor and slapped in there. The Dana axles and transfer cases where about the only "solid part" on those years. Then came the Renault years, then the dodge years, which where an improvement, but not like over the top or anything, and thats said with a barn full of jeeps, and Ive long lost count of how many FSJ's and Cjs Ive owned, Ive been driving a Cj since I was 16, till today, I'm 43. As well there is a wrangler and a Cherokee in the fleet, both on original motors and trans just under 200k each for miles. But fit, finish, reliability, have never been there stronger selling points, but nothing else is a jeep.

As an example of the bad years, I bought my girlfriend a cherry little 82 Cj5, probably in 1987, it had under 30k on it (thing looked like it was new and ran smooth), the mayor bought it new for summer bombing around town. Anyhow the girlfriend asked me to sell it because the 4.2L six 4 speed would barely keep 55 mph in a head wind on the interstate. She traveled out of town with it regularly to see her sister, and was tired of getting "run off the road" on the Chicago-land interstates. I offered to drop a 304 or 360 in it, she passed on it and bought a car, that was her last jeep. Ive never bought a 6 banger jeep, except for the 1991 and later FI 4.0ls. They seem to be decent.

I'm always buying and selling jeeps, and I have a solid rule, I do/will not sell a jeep to anyone I know, even if everything is functioning perfectly, because I know its only a matter of when, not if, something is going to take a mentionable dump (I don't want perceived ownership of the problem). Anyone asks me what to buy to drive, I always recommend not buying a jeep, unless youre going wheeling, or have money to burn.

 

[[email protected]]

Hmmm, probably should have mentioned that my brother works ten hours a day and has a 3 and 18 month old kids. I suppose that cuts into the time you can work on a vehicle. He's rigged a light in his shop via a car battery. But, come on now... just not the right time for new/ OLD cars. I guess he just couldn't help himself!!! I told him, relax, stevie, In 19 years you'll be able to work on that jeep.... don't think he took that as a very good joke!!!! O well, what can you do?! cheers, bird

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I had an '81 CJ5. It was a mechanical nightmare. I had problems with the engine that I'd never heard of before. One morning driving down the interstate at 55 the fiber timing gear on the cam broke.

Thats not unusual at all. Ford 2.8 V6 used in Pintos and a few other models would shatter the fiber timing gear. Ford small block V8's had a metal cam gear with nylon teeth on them. The teeth would crack and fall off. Sometimes all the teeth came off and it jumped time and bent all the valves, sometimes a small piece would fall off first and get sucked thru the hole in the middle of the oil screen and jam the pump. Seen it both ways, more than once. '60's Pontiacs also used the nylon tooth cam gear, also bent valves when the teeth shed.

Pretty common engineering fault if you ask me.

Charles

 

[Brandon_K]

The 4.0 and its baby brother 2.5L are bomb proof.

Tell that to my 99 4.0 w/ (at the time) 125k on it with a rod going nearly all the way through the block It's actually far more common than one would think. Search on JU, quite a few of us has had the skirts break off on the #5 or 6 hole, promptly putting the rod though the cooling jacket at the least, some going all the way through the block.

Mine let go, rod through cooling jacket, bent the rod, a few push rods, 1 valve. Most of the pieces of the piston I pulled out were quarter sized, a few being half dollar sized.

A whole bunch of machine work, a donor block out of a 99 XJ, a crank out of 4.2L, some reman'ed short rods, some Keith Black hole plugs, Comp bump stick and she has been reincarnated as a 4.6L stroker.

I shouldn't say "she", the only parts that went back on was the head (with a new high performance valve train) and the accessories. I put mostly top end components in it, Clevite mains and rods, Sealed Power rings, Melling oil pump, etc etc.

BTW, building HiPo Mopar motors is just stupid expensive. Everything is 2-3x the cost of what a GM motor would have cost me. Do you have ANY idea how expensive Mopar Performance valve springs, retainers and titanium locks are? VERY. And no one else makes them in an 8mm stem, 8 degree lock.

Would I do it again? Not a chance. The motor runs well, but I would have been ahead in money and power by doing a GM swap. I would have done either a LQ9 or an LT1, LS1, etc, possibly even a 4BT swap if it wasn't for PA's rediculous *** inspection / emission laws. They make it nearly impossible to swap anything into the vehicle that wasn't OE, at least if you ever want to drive it on the street again. The only thing I could have put in it and not have any issues getting inspected would have been a 5.7 Hemi, but even then... When the day comes that I get a Duramax for a daily driver, the stroker is going to come out (along with the NV3550 / 231 behind it) and it's going to get something like a LT1 / 4L60E / Atlas or Stak combo. Bow Tie power baby!

 

[joeswamp]

Oh come on, everyone knows that most jeeps from the 60s to 1986 where POS,....AMC bought what ever was cheap that year from what ever vendor and slapped in there. The Dana axles and transfer cases where about the only "solid part" on those years. Then came the Renault years, then the dodge years, which where an improvement, but not like over the top or anything, and thats said with a barn full of jeeps, and Ive long lost count of how many FSJ's and Cjs Ive owned, Ive been driving a Cj since I was 16, till today, I'm 43. As well there is a wrangler and a Cherokee in the fleet, both on original motors and trans just under 200k each for miles. But fit, finish, reliability, have never been there stronger selling points, but nothing else is a jeep.

As an example of the bad years, I bought my girlfriend a cherry little 82 Cj5, probably in 1987, it had under 30k on it (thing looked like it was new and ran smooth), the mayor bought it new for summer bombing around town. Anyhow the girlfriend asked me to sell it because the 4.2L six 4 speed would barely keep 55 mph in a head wind on the interstate. She traveled out of town with it regularly to see her sister, and was tired of getting "run off the road" on the Chicago-land interstates. I offered to drop a 304 or 360 in it, she passed on it and bought a car, that was her last jeep. Ive never bought a 6 banger jeep, except for the 1991 and later FI 4.0ls. They seem to be decent.

I'm always buying and selling jeeps, and I have a solid rule, I do/will not sell a jeep to anyone I know, even if everything is functioning perfectly, because I know its only a matter of when, not if, something is going to take a mentionable dump (I don't want perceived ownership of the problem). Anyone asks me what to buy to drive, I always recommend not buying a jeep, unless youre going wheeling, or have money to burn.

This is a pretty good summary of everything I've been told about Jeeps. Never owned one, but I'd expect it to be a part time job maintaining it if I did (used to own an International Scout and it was the same thing, although I still really liked that vehicle).

It's all about expectations. If you buy a Jeep expecting it to be more reliable than a Honda Civic, you will be mistaken.

Lots of the new Jeeps do seem to have problems with infant mortality. A friend of mine bought new Cherokee and went through like three transmissions in the first six months of ownership -- I think his current one will last forever though.

 

[PCO6]

This is a pretty good summary of everything I've been told about Jeeps. Never owned one, but I'd expect it to be a part time job maintaining it if I did (used to own an International Scout and it was the same thing, although I still really liked that vehicle).

It's all about expectations. If you buy a Jeep expecting it to be more reliable than a Honda Civic, you will be mistaken.

Lots of the new Jeeps do seem to have problems with infant mortality. A friend of mine bought new Cherokee and went through like three transmissions in the first six months of ownership -- I think his current one will last forever though.

I've put over 400,000 km on 3 Jeeps over the years and haven't found them to be any more or less reliable than other vehicles I've owned. They've been better than some and not as good as others. I've certainly found them easier to work on myself than many cars that I've owned.

 

[Brandon_K]

I agree that a Jeep isn't more or less than any other car. My now-ex bought a 08 Cobalt LT3. Within the first year, 2 bad gas caps (causing the remote start to fail since it was throwing a CEL), 2 bad blowers and the front rotors were replaced 3 times due to warping (and I know it wasn't the driving style). Oh, 2 door panel trim pieces were replaced due to paint peel and 1 sunroof switch was replaced because it fell out of the headliner. Bought the car in October 07, the last work was performed in September 08, haven't had an issue since.

The Tarus she had prior to the GM.. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone. What a horrible, wretched car.

But as PCO6 mentioned, the Jeeps are usually quite easy to work on, from Wranglers to Grand's. That said, I haven't messed with those "new fangled" Jeeps like the Compass, Patriot, Commander, etc

 

[joeswamp]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Jeeps are horrifying money pits or anything like that, I'm just saying that if I bought one I'd expect to do some more work maintaining them then most cars. This tradeoff is worth it, because Jeeps can do things other cars can't and they are also easy and fun to work on.

There's more stuff to go wrong in a 4WD car than a normal car anyway. I once read an account of a farmer who bought one of the first civilian Hummers (this was when they were first released -- had a stripped down agricultural version in addition to the luxury version). He said the thing was a great farm vehicle but it leaked in about 47 places and you really had to keep on top of it -- was clearly designed to be constantly maintained in a military motor pool.

I think if I were in the market for a "new" traditional 4WD vehicle I'd look into one of these:

http://www.landrovercentre.com/usa/welcome.htm

These guys can rebuild 60's Land Rovers to "as new" condition in an ISO9000 facility -- they actually beat the Land Rover company in military contracts to refurbish UK military equipment.

 

[adam728]

Sold my 01 TJ yesterday. 128,000 miles, and like other's have said, no more or less reliable than anything else I've owned. Still ran and performed perfectly.

 

[TAftw]

I don't know about other areas, but around here a Jeep is by far the most common wheeling vehicle. I'd say 85% of the trail rigs out there are Jeeps, with over half of those being Wranglers, CJs, etc. Jeep must have done SOMETHING right if there are numbers like that out on the trails.

The I6 is one of the most bulletproof engines out there. Mine currently has 231k miles on it and it's been running without a hiccup.

 

[Hylke]

Got a 1978 CJ 7. Great vehicle with loads of work, so never a dull moment.

The electrics in jeeps weren't too good, but that 256 I-6 will keep on running. Mine has a T-150 gearbox and a Dana 20 T-case which works well. Furthermore it has a Dana 30 front axle and the AMC 20 rear axle with solid axles.
I'm currently rebuilding it completely and switching a YJ tub for the CJ, because AMC was pretty cheap on wiring, but on rust prevention too. And yes, it's almost dead simple working on these vehicles, but pretty much, unless I busts my knuckles....

And next time I might order through you Keith, might work out to know someone at 4WD hardware.com with the amount of parts I need!

 

[crewchief888]

most of the guys that i wheel with have a jeep of one kind or another.
most of us got rid of our full size trucks years ago, theres really no place locally to run a big truck anymore.
the small group that i wheel with has some varied "tastes" in wheeling trucks
79 cj, 36" swampers, lockers, toyota (forklift) 4cyl diesel / volvo turbo / propane injection, 727 torqflight/dana300, hyd steering, hyd winch
92 cherokee, 4" lift, 33" mud terrains, locked rear, 12K winch, on board air system
87 wrangler, 7" lift 35" BFG mud terrians, full cage, built SBC, MSD, turbo 350/207
94 full size blazer 6" lift, 39" irocs, locked front & rear mild SBC/turbo 400 3/4t dana 60 /14bolt 9000 lb winch
jeep tj 4 banger, 4" lift, 35" mud kings 8000 lb winch, cage
jeep TJ, I6 4" lift 35" BFG mud terrians
my 88 s-10 blazer 4.3 /700r4/207 full cage, fuel cell, narrowed front clip, dana 30/35 wrangler front springs, locked rear.

seems like we all have the same problems, electrical, mud, & water dont mix well with electrical connectors.

 

[filtered]

lol... get a samurai as long as you can deal with starters that only work half the time! HAHA!

All you got to do is add a relay to the starter and they work every time.

My 94 kicks over every time without adding a relay. It seemed to be a problem with the older ones.

 

[oldtiger]

Thats not unusual at all. Ford 2.8 V6 used in Pintos and a few other models would shatter the fiber timing gear. Ford small block V8's had a metal cam gear with nylon teeth on them. The teeth would crack and fall off. Sometimes all the teeth came off and it jumped time and bent all the valves, sometimes a small piece would fall off first and get sucked thru the hole in the middle of the oil screen and jam the pump. Seen it both ways, more than once. '60's Pontiacs also used the nylon tooth cam gear, also bent valves when the teeth shed.

Pretty common engineering fault if you ask me.

Charles

FWIW, I didn't know that the 2.8 was ever available in a Pinto.

I went through a couple of auto trans in my 97 Cherokee, but with well over 100K, I think the motor would go forever. As a matter of fact in 45 years of driving and changing oil regularly, I've never had an internal engine issue with any car or truck. Lucky I guess.

 

[new guy]

i think i heard of this "jeep" 4x4 you were referring to and i have seem a BUNCH around.. have you considered a scout ? international built them and the 75-80 all have dana 44 front and rears with power steering and power brakes (spring under axle).. also have a 345 international harvester engine.. that's good for about 900,000 or so.. they were in most of the school buses and dump trucks.. here's a shot of mine.. heading to work in a snow storm

 

[danv]

I just laid to rest my 97 Grand Cherokee at 404,000 kms. Picked up another 97 for a couple thousand $ with only 168,000kms. Hope it gives me the service and reliability of the first.

 

[Boiler]

You do know what JEEP stands for don't you.

Just Enough Extra Parts.

Just Empty Every Pocket.

That said, I am definitely a Jeep fan.

By the way its Just Enough Essential Parts. Extra parts?

The Just Empty Every Pocket is absolutely true. Either you're like me and spend a lot to maintain them with only the best and customize them spending all your money, or you neglect them and spend all your money for repairs. From what I've seen there are two main sets of people that buy jeeps. The first set is the group that should have a minivan or a ford escape / subaru forrester. Basically they need / want more room than a sedan, want some winter driving ability, and want to haul the kids yet not look lame. Jeep is about the worst vehichle to buy to achieve these goals (except the winter driving).

However, there is something special about Jeep. They are fun, can really get in your blood unlike something like an Accord...

I love my jeep and will always own one as long as they keep coming out with similar products. If they keep migrating to catering to soccer moms (which is where the money is...) that might change.

What I know for a fact is that it is a special thing to love your car. You take care of it so much better than you would a point a to point b'er. It is something special to be excited to take your vehicle for a ride, to want to talk to people about what you've done to it, and to want to do everything you can to make it last forever.

 

[jeepnut24]

Mine is currently getting a 5.3L vortec... The 2.5L finally died, sure took long enough.... The 4.0s will last forever if you take average care of them. Our XJ fell apart, but the motor kept on going...

Oh and I find time to work on mine with a 2 year old, and a second due in July...Not much time, but I still manage a few hours a week working on it.

 

[billmh]

Now I still don't know if I want one of the new Jeep Unlimiteds. The wife wants it. We go to the mountains some, and live in New Mexico where it snows often enough. So, I can justify it, and they look great. I just don't know. Ford Escape maybe.....

 

[crewchief888]

Now I still don't know if I want one of the new Jeep Unlimiteds. The wife wants it. We go to the mountains some, and live in New Mexico where it snows often enough. So, I can justify it, and they look great. I just don't know. Ford Escape maybe.....

about 10 years ago, the wife got rear ended in her car, while it was in the shop, she had been "wanting" a jeep for some reason
a friend loaned us his wrangler, she drove it back and forth to work for about a week, thats all it took.
she hated it. true, it was a 2.5 automatic and almost had enough power to get out of it's own way.

maybe it's me, but it's a jeep thing, and i dont understand.

 

[bobbyd]

Finished this transformation not to long ago. 86 CJ7. Took 2 months on the money to complete. Chevy 350/350, Dana's, Lot's of body mods, custom dash, custom console, custom rear spearker enclosures, new wiring, Complete rhino lining of the tub, etc. Got tons of pics of the whole process if anyone is interested.