Fix and Flip Jeep question

I found a 98 with a 4.0, auto, 4 door, nice body and interior. Owner said the radiator hose blew while his wife was driving it and she kept going and it blew a head gasket.

I looked at it today and the price is right assuming all it needs is a head gasket and a radiator hose.

I found the hole in the hose and the rusty residue all over the engine compartment confirms the story.

Something curios happened though and I dont know if it confirms the head gaket issue or something worse.

It cranks but will not start. While cranking though the oil filler cap shot off under pressure bounced off the hood, flew by my face and landed across the street. It stripped the threads right off the damn thing.

So if a head gasket is blown in just the right spot will that cause pressure in the valve cover or is this an indication of a cracked head????

Oil is clean, the radiator and bottle are dry but full of rusty residue.

The price is $1200. Miles indicated are 148560
Nothing special really about the Jeep except its in pretty good condition and was taken care of. Complete maintenence records and such.

Should I take the risk? Should I be worried about the bottom end if it got real hot?

Thanks in advance you all knowing Jeep Gurus you.

Scott

Hell, I'd grab it. offer them 1000 for it. Thats how I got mine, blown head gasket sitting in a field. worst case you put a motor in it around here I can get them off of CL for 3-500 all day long. say you have 1500 into it you could easily double that from what I've seen.

They are smoking something funky if they are asking $1200 for a Jeep with 148K, a blown head gasket, it won't start, and a stripped out oil filter that you saw fly off.

I've bought full running jeeps for less.

Begster said:

They are smoking something funky if they are asking $1200 for a Jeep with 148K, a blown head gasket, it won't start, and a stripped out oil filter that you saw fly off.

I've bought full running jeeps for less.

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So have I but not one this nice. Now if you could tell me WHY the cap flew off, we'd be getting somewhere.

I know you said it was maintained, but how well could the cooling system have been maintained if it's full of "rusty residue?" I'm not saying don't jump on it.....but maybe it hasn't been taken care of as well as it should. I bought my 98 2wd XJ Limited in December of 08 with 133k on it for $2900. I think the price is good, and Dweezel is right.....pick up a jy motor and swap it over in a weekend. Around here, post 97 XJ's go for around $3500-6500 with those miles.

98NWCherokee said:

I know you said it was maintained, but how well could the cooling system have been maintained if it's full of "rusty residue?" I'm not saying don't jump on it.....but maybe it hasn't been taken care of as well as it should. I bought my 98 2wd XJ Limited in December of 08 with 133k on it for $2900. I think the price is good, and Dweezel is right.....pick up a jy motor and swap it over in a weekend. Around here, post 97 XJ's go for around $3500-6500 with those miles.

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Likely the head is busted clean through allowing the engine to pump cylinder compression into the valve cover area.

I would check local engine prices as you are likely going to need one, then make an appropriate offer based on that cost.

i would have to agree with joe on this one, but i just bought a 94 2 door with a 4 inch lift 156k miles for 800 so on the other hand its up to you if ya want to put in the effort

Remember, too, that if the owner ran that thing until it essentially blew the head and stopped, it could also have other engine damage. Don't count on just replacing the head. If it won't start at all, consider the possibility that the rings are cooked.

Think I saw that one on Craigslist, I'm with the other guys, plan on a replacement engine. If we didn't already have a full stable I'd have thought seriously about loading up the trailer and heading out.

BTW guys you can't base what they're worth if you don't live in the area. Cherokees in the mountains CO are gold and priced as such. Just bought one each for my wife and I. I paid $4500 for my '98 with 103k on it and I think I stole it, paid quite a bit more for the wife's '00 and was glad to get it. Up here a good running, clean '98 with 150k can bring $4-5k and will shoot out the door at 3.5k

Another consideration is that if you can't drive it, you don't know what else could be wrong. Transmission, rear end, brakes, and so on. I hate ASS U ME tions. At least you CAN see the body/chassis condition rustwise. And that is the hardest fix.

$1200 seems steep for this area. Id offer $500 for what its got wrong with it.

I know this a steal, but I just bought a 1997 2DR w/ 172k in good running condition for $300. Just the interior needs to be fully steam cleaned and the paints got tons of surface scratches.

Matthew Currie said:

Remember, too, that if the owner ran that thing until it essentially blew the head and stopped, it could also have other engine damage. Don't count on just replacing the head. If it won't start at all, consider the possibility that the rings are cooked.

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Or you have a cracked cylinder. I would expect a trashed engine.

I would agree with Joe, Matthew, and Chris... that engine is cooked. Expect to end up cleaning it off and using it as a nifty coffee table at the best.

Either the head has a significant opening in it, or it threw a piston somewhere it wasn't supposed to go. Either way, compression is making its way past one of the cylinders somehow in significant enough amounts to severely pressurize the crankcase. I bet if you loosen the oil dipstick in its tube and block off the oil fill cap again, the dipstick will shoot out instead.

Price out a good running engine from a 91-99 or so and take its price into account when you make an offer.