Milton's Other Jeep Build

**JeepN4KC** · 06-11-2012, 06:02 AM

Hello to everyone in XJ land!

Well, I'm not new to the forum but definately new to the XJ platform and subforums. I've spent the last better part of a year building and modding and wheeling a WK and I am about to embark on a new journey with a 2001 Cherokee Sport. My wife and I made an agreement that a true dedicated trail rig was in order if I was going to continue my addicted ways. As well, I was excited to join the SFA crowd. I found the XJ to be half the cost of most any Wranglers out there and I've seen Cherokees in action - very capable! As it stands I found a hell of a deal on Craigslist: 4.5" lift, Cragar steelies wrapped with 33s, Dana 30 front w/ factory SYE, Chrysler 8.25 rear with lunchbox locker, cb/antenna, custom front bumper/bull bar with d-rings.

The interior is what you'd expect from a 2001 vehicle - used but certainly not trashed. The exterior will go through some TLC. Looking forward to tinkering with this and learning the rig!

I have some crappy pics to post up:

Anthony92x · 06-11-2012, 06:12 AM

Yeah we definitely need more pics on your new rig. Any problems with it at all?

07 WK 3.7 Bilstein hds, bored TB, K&N filter, RC 1.25in spacers, Kicker audio, Trail lights, 4prong plugs. Cree 7w reverse lights mostly blacked out.

**JeepN4KC** · 06-11-2012, 09:14 PM

^^^I'm picking it up tomorrow and hopefully I'll have a chance to snap some more pics. Problems? Has a bad a/c compressor, looks like a bad pinion seal in the front. It could use a steering alignment, the exterior could use a little TLC. But the bones of it are solid and it has a practically brand new 2000 motor that was pulled from a salvaged Jeep the same year it was built. The seller had the original motor seize-up on him and it shelled. He found a 2000 4.0 I6 that had been sitting on the racks for 11 years - it was turned over every 3-4 months while sitting and to his surprise was pretty much a brand new engine waiting for a home. The body of the truck has 114K on the ticker. I'll need to throw some new meats on it - but it's a solid rig and runs and drives great!
I'm looking forward to having a toy to tinker with and wheel

Anthony92x · 06-12-2012, 10:45 PM

Sounds great man. Now you won't dent up the wk like I did today whoops. But I've seen a couple on CL around here that about like the one your getting. Even one that had a modified exterior for rock crawling full cage. Looked great. But anyways I like it. Everyone needs a I don't give a **** jeep haha

07 WK 3.7 Bilstein hds, bored TB, K&N filter, RC 1.25in spacers, Kicker audio, Trail lights, 4prong plugs. Cree 7w reverse lights mostly blacked out.

**JeepN4KC** · 06-12-2012, 11:13 PM

Alright, got it home today and spent some time cleaning it up:

I must have jinxed myself when I said it runs great because I drove it around the corner while my older daughter sat in the WK in the driveway so we could test the cb. While I'm sitting at idle talking with her on the cb (cool - cb works) the XJ sputters and dies.

I go to restart and it doesn't want to right off and then the check engine light comes on.

As of right now it will randomly hesitate to start, and when it starts it will randomly sputter, surge, and /or die. The thing is, it will start, it will run, and it will drive (around the school across the street is as far as I messed with).

Only things I did was clean the engine bay with degreaser and rinsed out. I let it dry for a good hour or so before starting it and it ran fine. Later in the evening is when the issues surfaced. I added some washer fluid and topped off the coolant resevoir after I got it home as well. It had no issues when I test drove it around the other day and none when I drove it home today. Not exactly what I had in mind when I decided to pull the trigger on buying it. I'll have to do some searching and tinkering and in the morn I think I'll go to O'Reilly's and borrow their code reader and have the alternator tested but that's about all for now.
We gotta get ready to hit the sands of Anna Maria Island, FL in a couple days.

Anthony92x · 06-12-2012, 11:17 PM

Even if it does sputter it still looks good haha hope nothing to serious

**JeepN4KC** · 06-12-2012, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anthony92x

Even if it does sputter it still looks good haha hope nothing to serious

My thoughts exactly. But - it's a machine and machines break.

I just didn't plan on it the same day I brought it home

**Back_In_Black** · 06-13-2012, 01:32 AM

looks good.

fix the front trim job, and trim the rear.

Id like to see better pics of that front bumper if you have them.

subscribed.

millfire517 · 06-13-2012, 01:48 AM

We brought our xj home only to have it start to overheat at an idle. Going to put a new radiator in it to hopefully fix the issue.

cactus_jack · 06-13-2012, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeepN4KC

We gotta get ready to hit the sands of Anna Maria Island, FL in a couple days.

I go to Anna Maria Island almost every year and never knew they allowed Jeeps on the beach! Not like my poor XJ would make it all the way there anyway

New Jeep looks good man, get some meats on that rig soon those look like drag slicks!

**JeepN4KC** · 06-13-2012, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Back_In_Black

looks good.

fix the front trim job, and trim the rear.

Id like to see better pics of that front bumper if you have them.

subscribed.

As far as "fix" I was considering getting some Rusty's flex flares front & rear but I'm not sure what you mean. The XJ world is new to me so feel free to school me. I'll post up some better pics of the bumper after we get back from vacation as I plan to prep, prime, and refinish it - it's welded on btw.

Quote:

Originally Posted by millfire517

We brought our xj home only to have it start to overheat at an idle. Going to put a new radiator in it to hopefully fix the issue.

Yeah the temp stays just under 210 and the oil pressure seems to run around 35ish give or take at idle. Seems to build oil pressure with throttle just fine and the temp doesn't shoot up. So - I don't know. Glad it's not one of our everydayers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cactus_jack

I go to Anna Maria Island almost every year and never knew they allowed Jeeps on the beach! Not like my poor XJ would make it all the way there anyway

New Jeep looks good man, get some meats on that rig soon those look like drag slicks!

We're flying down there but that would be awesome to run a Jeep at the beach while there. We almost rented a Jeep while down there but settled on a Ford Taurus (could be worse but the price was right).
Def needs new meats! Probably gonna go with Mickey Thompson Baja MTZs in the 33x12.50x15 size. I'm not sure if I can, but if possible I'm gonna cut off the fake bead lockers on the steelies as they are just gonna trap $h!t behind that lip and be a pain in the @r$e to clean out. The wheels will get a fresh new paint job (rattle can some black and then a top coat of clear). If I can't remove the faux beadlock I'll pull all the bolts and run them through a grinder brush wheel to shine them back up, same with the center caps and lug nuts.

**JeepN4KC** · 06-13-2012, 08:52 AM

O'Reilly's couldn't test the alt w/o me taking it off and bringing it in because their handheld is out for repair. I got other loose ends to tie up for now which don't involve Jeeps so no time for that mess. But - the OBD code reader threw the following:

P1296

which according to my findings = No 5 Volts To MAP Sensor

Time for some more research.

cactus_jack · 06-13-2012, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeepN4KC

The wheels will get a fresh new paint job (rattle can some black and then a top coat of clear). If I can't remove the faux beadlock I'll pull all the bolts and run them through a grinder brush wheel to shine them back up, same with the center caps and lug nuts.

I did the same to mine. They turned out great! Pics in my build thread.

cactus_jack · 06-13-2012, 10:44 AM

Going to St. George Island this year, wonder if they allow Jeeps?

sorry...off topic I know, lol

**JeepN4KC** · 06-13-2012, 11:42 AM

Even though I have "other" things to do I couldn't resist. Did some looking around the internet and forums and did some tinkering. Took the old MAP sensor out and I noticed a crack in the "lid" part of the sensor. There was water coming out of it

hmmmmm that's not good.

Might be hard to see but there is moisture coming from the corner:

Got a new MAP sensor and popped it in - knoock on wood - everything is back to normal.

Guess I'll think long and hard next time I have the urge to wash the engine bay.