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Sweet 98 Sport - A Question

RTFM

RTFM

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Southern I-De-Ho
Howdy all - my 89 is starting to show her age at 330,940 miles.
I've run across a 1998 XJ Sport - Auto - 83,000 mi $4500

The interior is spotless (Literally)
I know the "ins and outs" of the Renix - what are my stumbling blocks for the 98?

I think it's the 99 - 01 that I have to worry about Heat Soak right?
Just wondering before I move forward with the slap and tickle phase of the purchase which will come Monday or Tuesday evening.
 
RTFM said:
Howdy all - my 89 is starting to show her age at 330,940 miles.
I've run across a 1998 XJ Sport - Auto - 83,000 mi $4500

The interior is spotless (Literally)
I know the "ins and outs" of the Renix - what are my stumbling blocks for the 98?

I think it's the 99 - 01 that I have to worry about Heat Soak right?
Just wondering before I move forward with the slap and tickle phase of the purchase which will come Monday or Tuesday evening.
Click to expand...


Just spring for an OBD II scanner and a factory service manual.Check the underside for rust too.
 
My biggest gripe is they start like a Renix...this is cause the check valve in the gas tank fails and it loses pressure in the fuel line...so be ready for that. 97+ suffer from the instrument clusters getting dirty and corroded causing intermittent loss of the cluster...pulling it out and cleaning the contacts fixes this problem. Only other biggie I can think of is the turn signal switch...again 97+ issue. When they go out the symptom is that sometimes, when making a left turn only, the hazards will come on..but only in the rear. And it doesn't do it every time. Been there, done that with mine...and I see a lot of last generation XJ's around town doing it too.

Other than that, same quirky things the renix's do (TPS's from time to time, CPS's fail in the same way..etc etc).

OBDII Scanner like Rich mentioned....they pay for themselves the first time you use it!
 
UNCC_99XJ said:
My biggest gripe is they start like a Renix...this is cause the check valve in the gas tank fails and it loses pressure in the fuel line...so be ready for that. 97+ suffer from the instrument clusters getting dirty and corroded causing intermittent loss of the cluster...pulling it out and cleaning the contacts fixes this problem. Only other biggie I can think of is the turn signal switch...again 97+ issue. When they go out the symptom is that sometimes, when making a left turn only, the hazards will come on..but only in the rear. And it doesn't do it every time. Been there, done that with mine...and I see a lot of last generation XJ's around town doing it too.

Other than that, same quirky things the renix's do (TPS's from time to time, CPS's fail in the same way..etc etc).

OBDII Scanner like Rich mentioned....they pay for themselves the first time you use it!
Click to expand...


X2 my old jeep did the same thing with the hazards. I miss that Jeep but not its power window, turn signal, cracked header and other misc quirks!
 
98 no mini-CATs, I really can't think of a downside other than the 97+ seem a little more inclined to vibrations with a lift without a SYE, and that is not a big expense.
 
Awesome thanks all - looks like there is not anything I can't handle (at least with all your help as usual) no major issues - I'll see what comes of it this week.

RTFM
 
IMO, 98 is about the best year, before the head issues, coil on plug, and funky header/ cat setup, but also after the 97 model year electrical and first year issues. 98 FTW.
 
Nothing wrong with 99. You get a 0630 head (not the crack prone 0331), no mini cats, the new style intake manifold, distributor, and the HP D30. I'd say 99 would be the last good year.

However, I would get the 98 for that price and low miles. Maybe haggle the price down a bit.
 
Sometimes the blinker switch has a problem with not automatically turning off after you make a turn. I am only mentioning this because I have had two 97 XJs one which came with this problem and the other (current) that developed this problem shortly after purchase. The cuase of the problem is spring inside the blinker switch assy. that grows weak over time and snaps. Easy fix is buying a similar spring at your local hardware store and replacing it which is what I did and havent had a problem since and that was nearly 5 years ago. Other than that it seems everything else has been mentioned. Good luck!
 
joe_peters said:
98 no mini-CATs, I really can't think of a downside other than the 97+ seem a little more inclined to vibrations with a lift without a SYE, and that is not a big expense.
Click to expand...
Minor correction, that's 96 up.

98 is a fine year, I just bought one. 99 and 95 are probably the best, 84-86 and 96 are probably the worst. 96 really isn't bad except that a lot of electronics and fuel delivery parts are specific to that year and thus more expensive.

I'd buy it, though that price seems a little high. I paid 2400 (WAY too much for such a rusty beast) for my 96 two years ago with 107 on the clock.
 
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