Davesxj
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Orlando, Florida
I hope this is not innappropriate for this forum section but I can't quite put a finger on where I should be. My logic for being here is this post has some modified tech but there is a bit of classifieds and a whole lot of nonsense. Basically I need some knowledge and some comforting words from some seasoned XJer's and I have no where else to turn... feel free to direct me elsewhere however.
To begin...I began my relationship with my 2000 Jeep Cherokee Classic 4x4 that was donated to me by my father (swell dude huh?). We started out in the late summer of 2006 with about 104,000 thousand miles on the ticker. I have since run the meter up to 154,000. For the longest time I was absolutely enamored with my truck... I'm sure most of you can feel me on this one. Constantly waiting and looking through catalogs til I had enough money to buy her a lift, or a bumper, or a roof rack, or all three plus more.
My first step toward having a formidable trail rig was some temporary mud terrains... enough to get me into some FL mud. This was the beginning of the end for the XJ. After filling every nook with the funkiest smelling mud on planet Earth... I blew the ol trusty 4.0. Nice big crack in the 0331.
From that point on(13,000) I've been running a Titan Engines built 4.6L stroker. The teardown and reinstall performed by yours truly. I was incredibly stoked to have been able to do the surgery on my own. However the total business took me an entire summer due to traveling, lack of proper tools, know how, and memory loss.. and many many cigarette runs. In all honesty, I've still got a baggy full of bolts and nuts that I didn't start with. Pretty damn comical... but she ran without them for a while atleast. When I was down to my last virgin knuckle, I finally got her up and ripping. I felt like I had finally learned how the engine and necessary components worked... we were closer than ever. She ran like a champion... she even made a few coffee-can exhaust Civics retire. However we've had a few stumbles along the way but nothing more than haywire TPS in the blizzard that just hit Ohio a month or so ago... common right.
That was until about 2 weeks ago. I had just finished my shift at work and was looking forward to a nice 20 minute session with her on the way home. She wasn't having any of it... no start. I let her be for a day and she decided to let me get one last cruise. Since then she either won't start (turns over for me but I cannot get her fired up to save my life), won't stay running for longer than a couple minutes, or overheats. When she does run she acts more like a popcorn machine(pinging? I found no carbon build up on spark plugs) on wheels than a 4x4. So now I leave her parked for days straight in undesirable neighborhoods hoping one day she will have disappeared. I feel terrible about it but at the same time she is a complete PITA.
Insert GNR "I used to love her, but I had to kill her."
So here we are today. I trailered her home from college to see if I could make amends. I checked all the fuses, all the sensors of the manifold type and checked the spark plugs for carbon build-up. In doing the latter I had to remove the spark plug rail? and its associated wires. I put it all back together afterward to see if perhaps it was something simple. Upon turning the key, sparks flew from near the fire wall... seems to me from the spark plug rail? Now she won't even turn over... all accessories still work though. The battery is a fairly new red top so it should be A1. At this point I am absolutely over this vehicle.
And now here are my questions. Would y'all keep the XJ and continue to pour time and money into its resurection? Or would you just sell it? There's tons of fish in the sea right? At this point I'm torn between old love and needing something f-ing reliable.
If I were to sell it... what should I ask for it? Since I'm not in any forseeable mood to diagnose and repair, of course I'd sell it as is unless there would be an enormous price difference. Titan Engines was even so kind as to not be able to tell me anything about the stroker parts used in my engine which is very frustrating during diagnostics. Anyways..the interior is immaculate. All my power windows work now.. Rear hatch is the best working item on the truck. AC is well.. non existent but only a rigid hose and recharge away. There are also a few dings and dents around... I would say typical of a 8 year old vehicle. No rust. Tires are easily 90% tread left. Aftermarket Class 3 Reese hitch. I'll even leave the stickers. Feel free to ask for anything else that would give a better estimate for price... pictures upon request. I'm just looking ball park here.
Now if I were to keep it... any words of advice? What tips do you guys have to remain sane in these situtations? Strategies for taking on a 50 foot wave when your still rocking floaties?
Any ideas what the heck is going on here?
Sorry so long. Thanks for the read and response.
Dave
To begin...I began my relationship with my 2000 Jeep Cherokee Classic 4x4 that was donated to me by my father (swell dude huh?). We started out in the late summer of 2006 with about 104,000 thousand miles on the ticker. I have since run the meter up to 154,000. For the longest time I was absolutely enamored with my truck... I'm sure most of you can feel me on this one. Constantly waiting and looking through catalogs til I had enough money to buy her a lift, or a bumper, or a roof rack, or all three plus more.
My first step toward having a formidable trail rig was some temporary mud terrains... enough to get me into some FL mud. This was the beginning of the end for the XJ. After filling every nook with the funkiest smelling mud on planet Earth... I blew the ol trusty 4.0. Nice big crack in the 0331.
From that point on(13,000) I've been running a Titan Engines built 4.6L stroker. The teardown and reinstall performed by yours truly. I was incredibly stoked to have been able to do the surgery on my own. However the total business took me an entire summer due to traveling, lack of proper tools, know how, and memory loss.. and many many cigarette runs. In all honesty, I've still got a baggy full of bolts and nuts that I didn't start with. Pretty damn comical... but she ran without them for a while atleast. When I was down to my last virgin knuckle, I finally got her up and ripping. I felt like I had finally learned how the engine and necessary components worked... we were closer than ever. She ran like a champion... she even made a few coffee-can exhaust Civics retire. However we've had a few stumbles along the way but nothing more than haywire TPS in the blizzard that just hit Ohio a month or so ago... common right.
That was until about 2 weeks ago. I had just finished my shift at work and was looking forward to a nice 20 minute session with her on the way home. She wasn't having any of it... no start. I let her be for a day and she decided to let me get one last cruise. Since then she either won't start (turns over for me but I cannot get her fired up to save my life), won't stay running for longer than a couple minutes, or overheats. When she does run she acts more like a popcorn machine(pinging? I found no carbon build up on spark plugs) on wheels than a 4x4. So now I leave her parked for days straight in undesirable neighborhoods hoping one day she will have disappeared. I feel terrible about it but at the same time she is a complete PITA.
Insert GNR "I used to love her, but I had to kill her."
So here we are today. I trailered her home from college to see if I could make amends. I checked all the fuses, all the sensors of the manifold type and checked the spark plugs for carbon build-up. In doing the latter I had to remove the spark plug rail? and its associated wires. I put it all back together afterward to see if perhaps it was something simple. Upon turning the key, sparks flew from near the fire wall... seems to me from the spark plug rail? Now she won't even turn over... all accessories still work though. The battery is a fairly new red top so it should be A1. At this point I am absolutely over this vehicle.
And now here are my questions. Would y'all keep the XJ and continue to pour time and money into its resurection? Or would you just sell it? There's tons of fish in the sea right? At this point I'm torn between old love and needing something f-ing reliable.
If I were to sell it... what should I ask for it? Since I'm not in any forseeable mood to diagnose and repair, of course I'd sell it as is unless there would be an enormous price difference. Titan Engines was even so kind as to not be able to tell me anything about the stroker parts used in my engine which is very frustrating during diagnostics. Anyways..the interior is immaculate. All my power windows work now.. Rear hatch is the best working item on the truck. AC is well.. non existent but only a rigid hose and recharge away. There are also a few dings and dents around... I would say typical of a 8 year old vehicle. No rust. Tires are easily 90% tread left. Aftermarket Class 3 Reese hitch. I'll even leave the stickers. Feel free to ask for anything else that would give a better estimate for price... pictures upon request. I'm just looking ball park here.
Now if I were to keep it... any words of advice? What tips do you guys have to remain sane in these situtations? Strategies for taking on a 50 foot wave when your still rocking floaties?
Any ideas what the heck is going on here?
Sorry so long. Thanks for the read and response.
Dave
