Buy another XJ or just fix this one up?

I have a 94 4.0 HO, but the paint job is terrible, and the windshield is cracked, no gauges work, but mostly im concerned about the motor, and its reliability, sometimes, i have to put it in neutral to start it, haha. I dont care about the other stuff not working or looking bad, but I was wondering how much it would cost for a new motor, or just to fix this one, or would it be better just to buy another xj, and just drive this one until it falls apart, haha. But also it would be nice to have a good xj, and another one just for a toy, and the parts would be interchangable to, when the other one quit on me.

my .02 is buy another for a dd and build this one for a trail rig.

yeah, but that cost more money, and if buy another one then i wont have the money to fix either one up, very much, and if i fix this one up for a trail rig, then i will wanna drive it more, cause i wanna take doors off, and do alot stuff to it, haha, so im stuck in the middle on what to do, haha.

haha

dont give up your XJ

i have a solution for your gauges

windsheild? mine is cracked to all hell - especialy after the cold Nebraska winter...

peeling paint? the vehicle is 12 years old... what do you think the origonal paint will look like?

motor - it works, just fix it...

yeah, i am seriously considering just keeping the one i have now and fixing it up, that would save a few thousand $ that i could use to fix up the one i got now, like fixing the motor, some tube doors, lights, new bumper, maybe a winch or a roll bar, cause then i would have all the money i was gonna spend on a new xj and the money i was gonna use to fix it up.

what do you think is wrong with the motor? You have to put it in neutral too start it? If thats the case, 9.9 out 10 times its your neutral safety switch on your tranny. YOu can pull them apart, clean them and have them work agai sometimes. Otherwise but on off ebay or through here. Do that, fix the gauges and have fun with it... good luck

well, the motor is getting kinda sluggish, it doesnt have the power it used to have, i am gonna put some kind of better exhaust on it, and some other things to get it back up and running good again, but im not sure what all else to do.

If you are having to put it nutural to start it, it is most likley your nutrual safety swich. Depending on the transmission a new one is between 30 and 300 $$$$. If I were you I would take it apart and clean it. that is what I did. this sounds like a good trail rig....

yeah it has been good so far, and the transmission is automatic

we playing the repeater in here: lol :laugh3: Anyhow, take it apart and clean it. I lookid into new swith's, there about at that 300 mark. As for the slugishness, I would check out the cat. they can clg up and kill it. Other than that, dunno. good luck

i had my cat cut off, but i think i have an exhaust leak

You can buy another Xj for what another engine would cost. About the sluggishnes, why exhaust? Have you tuned up the motor recently?

olivedrabcj7 said:

haha

Click to expand...

lol

kewlkatdady said:

lol

Click to expand...

A few mounths ago mine took on water water which cause a rod knock. I drove it until I had another one rebuilt. What I did is buy a core at the junk yard for $250. I had it torn apart the same day I got it and took it to the machine shop. They bored it to .30 over, rebuit the head with a 3 angle valve job, pressed the pistons onto the rods and did a basic clean up and checked everything for $408. While the motor was in the machine shop I got the gaskets, new pistons, rings, bearings, a small torque cam, high volume oil and water pump, etc. for $750. I did the asembly of the long block myself. When I was done with the assembly I pulled the motor and put the new one in. The exaust was an additional $125. My old motor had a manifold and my new from the junk yard came with a header for free. It took a month for everything. The actual motor swap took about 14 hours by myself.

If you can afford this, this is the cheapest way I could come up with. That is why I was able to afford a cam, the extra money in the head, high volume water and oil pump and to start with a completly different motor than what I had. My xj is an 89 non HO, I replaced It with a 95 HO.

I spent a total of about $1700 with the unaccounted for nickel and dime stuff (I hate that!). You could probably do it for around $1200 or less if you use your existing motor and don't buy all the bells and whistles.

Also, if you buy another xj, you will be buying someone elses problems. Stick with yours, you know what it needs.