• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Question on Cheap Jeep

AggieZ71

NAXJA Forum User
OK, im not sure where this might belong so i stuck it here, i apologize if it needs to be in performance although i dont think its really performance related. Anyways, here's the deal. Im looking for an XJ to build and play with. I found this XJ for sale for $300. Owner states "1990 Jeep XJ Cherokee 4x4 was has locked up motor. The body and transmission and transfer case and axles and everything in between is good! The interior could use some work. The tires are 30x9.5x15 All-Terrain and are fairly new. THE MOTOR IS NO GOOD! The tires are worth $200 atleast by themselves. So think of it as your buying $200 tires and I am giving you a jeep for $100. If you want it and you understand the motor is bad, as in not good as in doesnt work"

I set a 800-1000 budget for myself but im tempted to go pick this guy up and tow it back to College Station where i live. Im a college student on a college budget and wanted yalls opinion. If everything else is working great (and i have already emailed him asking on axles and transfer case) then could i find a 4.0L for around 500 to swap in? I know they are out there, but do you think its worth it? Also thought about pulling the stock motor and having it rebuilt/stroked but i havent checked much into that to be honest. Im just looking for some opinions from those that have worked with XJ's. Thanks!
 
well, I don't know about getting a stroker built on a 500 dollar budget but I'll say this: 300 bucks is dirt cheap and you can almost def. find a working engine for under 500. If you got the time to work on it, do it.
 
Yeah thats my thinking, Craigslist ad as usual says that he needs "cold hard cash asap" and it seems like if everything else is truly working as it should then with some work it could be a hell of a deal
 
I say if you have a place to put it/work on it and the money for it is there, Why Not? 300 bucks isn't bad if its in good shape other than the motor!
 
Well, i live in an apartment, so it would sit for just a bit until we move and then it will have a home on jackstands in a 2 car garage while she goes under the knife. My buddy/roomate has a ZJ so we are looking for a place to keep and work on both, but i figure it can sit at my apartment while i save for a motor. Ill just buy a car cover for it and park it next to my truck.

Its from the Houston, TX area and i know a lot of them got flood damage so im wondering if the motor is hydrolocked and pulling a bit of the top end might show that i can replace a few parts and crank it right up. I kinda doubt it, but some people go to start an older car, see its dead and assume its a 3500 piece of scrap
 
i bought a 92 bronco a few years back and the guy swore up and down the motor was locked up...i looked at it and tried to start it and all i heard was a "click"... payed 800 for it, towed it home, put in a new starter selenoid in, and never had another lick of problems...i say go take a look at it and if you can try to turn it over. In my case im guessin the guy figured since all it did was make a click in the engine bay when the key was turned he figured the motor was locked up and never checked anything...sucked for him but great for me!!!
 
Back
Top