1996 XJ close to 100K need advice

I have a 1996 XJ that will hit 100K before the end of the year. It has the 4.0 and am concerned about getting it to last forever. I really love it and just have a few questions.

1. Should I be worried that the ammount of water coming from the exhaust has increased in the past 6 months? What started as an infrequent thing has grown to a constant puddle whenever I park with the engine running.
2. I heard a nasty rumor about the transmissions going after 100K, any truth in this? Anything I can do to prevent it?
3. I was told the steering damper is shot by the guy who redid my front brakes in June. Should I be concerned?
4. Is there anything else I should know or do at 100K? My catalytic converter has a piece broken off in it somewhere and it rattles when I start and stop the engine, should I consider having it replaced?

Thanks so much. I bought this Jeep in July 2000 at 60K and it has been the best vehicle I have ever driven, so I'm always a bit worried whenever the issue of milage comes up.

Well, at 100k I would just do the usual maintenance.

-Drain/Refill Diff's
-Drain/Refill Tranny fluid
-New Distributor cap/rotor/plugs/wire
-New thermostat

And pretty soon youll probably need to install:
-3 core GDI radiator...

About the Cat, Id buy a high flo cat, cheaper than OEM and better

You have nothing to worry about... just get the worn out components you mentioned replaced as well as keeping up with the scheduled maintenance (fluid changes, etc.)

With regular maintenance, these things regularly last past 200k miles (my '87 Comanche has 198k, my '89 Comanche has 188k, my '97 Cherokee has 96k and my wife's '01 Cherokee has 48k, all 4.0 equipped.)

Enjoy your vehicle, just take good care of it.

Yeah yer just gettin it broke in Ive heard nothing but good about the aw4's they are really built well. And I have heard when them steering stabalyzers go out...youll know it...as the thing will jerk all over the place.

Mine has 165K and I have replaced alot of worn out stuff...but only when the parts wore out.

I second or third the AW4/4.0. I have 230k on the AW4, never had a problem with it. 223k on the 4.0 before I replaced it, yet I could have gone longer with just a slight tick when started. These are built to last. Change the fluid on a regular basis with quality fluids. Don't forget the diffs, and t-case fluids as well.

I would replace anything that is needed and call it a day. Juice

Thanks for your help, I guess I don't have too much to worry about. I was reminded about two other things though. My passenger side door rattles while I drive but whenever my passenger puts their arm on the little arm rest on the door it stops, any clues as to what it could be before I take the door apart to fix it? Also, my driver's side door leaks when I got hrough a car wash, is it just the weather seal or should I be more concerned?

I guess I must sound like a babe in the wods but now that I have this paid for I have gotten even more nervous than usual with it.

Mine's a 5-speed so I won't comment on the tranny, but I have an '88 with 238,000+ on the odometer. Head has never been off. Still delivers 23 MPG highway, 17 to 19 around town. And I'm still on the OEM steering damper.

Just do all the routine fluids, etc, at 100k. Replace thermostst, all belts and hoses, O2 sensor, and enjoy it.

First suggestion, get a factory service manual, $100, look for the phone number in the back of your owners manual or get it from a dealer.
All your fluids, coolant, engine, transfer case, diffs.
Plugs, cap, rotor, wires, air filter, thermostat, pressure cap.
Recommend OEM Mopar coolant, thermostat, pressure cap, plugs, wires come in both stock and a high performance parts, HP wires appear to be less expensive than the stock OEM wires. Might want to consider the belt too if it's never been changed.
When doing the cooling system use distilled water not tap water.
Grease it, invest $20 in a grease gun, $10 in a flexable hose extension and a tube or two of lube, grease it your self takes 4 minutes, 8 fittings.
Lube your door hinges, they sell a needle fitting for the gun to get in them.
Consider replacing the stock headlights with Hella E code H4's, improves the night driving alot.

Off hand from your posting you sound like you may not have alot of tools and you don't really need alot for normal maintenance, some straight and phillips screwdrivers, couple of torx drivers, a mix of 3/8 and 1/2 ratchets and some sockets. Sears has some pretty good tool kits for reasonable prices, you don't need the 1000 part one, the 100 will do you fine and then you add as needed, get a tool box to keep it all in though.
Maintenance is very easy on XJ's, they are high enough that you don't need to lift it to change the oil or grease it, the factory service manual will telll you 'when' show you 'where' and explain 'how' step by step. Don't bother with a Chiltons or Haynes they cover too many models, both are more or less just 'cliff notes' versions or the factory service manual.
Consider checking out your local vo tech or high school, they generally offer a pretty good basic auto repair course that will teach you alot if you have not done much on your own. Much better than pouring money into stuff that you can do yourself and then know it's done right.
LOL, my son has a YJ and it seems like you can almost take the whole thing apart with a 9/16" and a 1/2" wrench...

RichP said:

LOL, my son has a YJ and it seems like you can almost take the whole thing apart with a 9/16" and a 1/2" wrench...

Click to expand...

What, no Torx, Rich?

Seriously, though - I'll second what's been said here so far. 100K is nothing to this engine/tranny combo. The 4.0/AW-4 combination is as close to bulletproof as you'll ever need. A little regular maintenance, and it'll last as long as you want it to.

I've been nearly religious about the regular maint. on my '92 - oil every 6K (3K, now that it's not the DD), Tranny/Tcase/Diffs every year/30K, a can of combustion chamber cleaner (Mopar brand) periodically to clean the throttle body, and the usual tune-up stuff (plugs, wires, etc) about once/30K (though some go longer on their ignition components with no noticeable degradation).

(One caveat on the AW-4 - synth ATF seems to be a bit of a crap shoot as to whether the box likes it. Some use it and it's ok, others have had bad luck with it. Mine has dined exclusively on non-synth, and shifts like new. Those that had trouble with synth seem to have recovered with a switch back to natural juice. Do a little reading in the archives, and make your own decision.)

The result? A truck I bought in 1997 with 73,800 on the odo stands now at 203,000 and change, and still runs like the night I drove it for the first time. There's been wear-and-tear stuff along the way (brake parts, radiator, etc), but you'd get that with any vehicle.

Nothing lasts forever. But with a little regular care, an XJ can come damn close.


Rob