Newbie 4wd questions (long)

Hey all ... my disclaimer is that many of you will with my questions so please bear with me.

I've never had/owned a 4wd vehicle. I've given up on this 2wd MJ and looked at a 90 XJ. It is a totally basic model, no power anything, etc.

It is a 5 speed with over 286 000km (178l miles). I haven't had a chance to drive it yet but the dealer is selling it for $1100. It has a small exhaust leak somewhere near the engine and needs the rear brakes looked at (about $500 worth of work to certify for roadworthiness, according to this guy).

Anyhow, he told me that it doesn't engage 4wd right away. He said something about all of the Jeeps needing their hubs serviced (greased?) once a year. It will engage right away if you go in reverse (again, according to him) or once you start moving.

Does this sound weird? I tried searching for servicing hubs, etc and came up empty.

Also, what kind of transfer case would this have? Where can I find more info on these things? Are there any sites that list options, drivetrains, general specs for XJs?

I plan on driving it tomorrow so if there is anything that I can pull, poke or prod while I'm out testing, please let me know.

Thanks,
Aldo

ok well i think he is cracked in the head about the greasin the hubs bit. that won't effect when your front shafts are engaged. you can find out what Tcase you got by lookin on it. there should be a round plaque type thing rivited to the tcase and stamped on it will be what it is. $500 to get it road worthy?? maybe make him comedown in price or do some of the work before you it??

Sounds fishy to me. A lot of the time there's a vacuum leak or problem that keeps the 4wd from engaging/disengaging. Greasing the hubs has nothing to do with that...

My advice? Find another XJ. There are plenty around and for 1500-2500 USD you should be able to find a 4.0 4x4 that is already road-worthy. Check some prices on Ebay to see what your money can buy then hit the streets and find a better XJ. (unless you really want to spend some time under the hood)

I paid 3500 bucks for my '88 Chief two years ago when used car prices weren't as low as they are now. Everything worked including the AC. The body was straight too. Only thing wrong with it was the paint was bad. I see way nicer XJ's selling for less now.

I suggest looking further for an XJ with more goodies. At least an XJ with a gauge package and windshield wipers. Otherwise you may be kicking yourself later.

I was dilligent, and I found my XJ Wagoneer for less than $2000.

did the 90's have vacuum disconnect fronts? if not, the reason it isnt ingaging right away has to do with the transfer case.

The front hubs are not serviceable. They are sealed -- run 'em 'til they die, then replace the assembly. And the hubs do not affect 4WD engagement.

A 1990 5-speed will have a 231 transfer case, and it will have a vacuum disconnect in the front axle. This is a sliding collar on a splined shaft -- it operates much like the synchronizer rings in a manual transmission. What's happening is that the transfer case goes into 4WD when you pull the lever, but there needs to be some slight axle rotation so the splines can line up and the collar slide into the engaged position.

This is normal, not a problem. If 4WD has not been used much or for a long time, the movement may be a bit "sticky," and occasional engagement and disengagement may free it up somewhat.

The "small" exhaust leak is probably a cracked exhaust manifold. Fairly common, but not cheap or simple to fix.

Also, the rear brake problem is also common, but not cheap either if you don't do your own work.

If you are handy and want to get good and greasy getting her back in shape, use these defect to really bargain the price way down (like half)

If you want buy something you can just drive away, look for other vehicle. They are plentiful. I would look in the '91 to '96 range for the beat value and reliability.

I agree with Eagle on the 4WD. If it engages quickly while moving, it's probably fine, but that "small exhaust leak near the engine" could also turn out to be a cracked exhaust manifold, so I would look very carefully at that.

It doesn't sound as if the thing has been very well maintained, and the price seems a little high for the amount of work you're looking at, although it does help if the bucks are Canadian. Unless you're planning to do all the work yourself, it seems a poor bet even so.

If you do test drive it, try to get it into 4WD for a while and make sure it not only goes in and comes out, but that it stays in when it's supposed to. Listen too for a noisy transfer case. You shouldn't hear more than a little more noise in 4WD. It shouldn't rattle or grind.

Look underneath very carefully for rust, especially in the floor above the exhaust system.

Try to check the front end - any play in the hubs = new hubs needed, and they're expensive. Also get down there and look at the front axle universal joints, and check them for looseness. The joints are cheap, but the job can be a bear.

If you do feel serious about this vehicle, it might be worth paying an independent mechanic to look at it.

The dealer sounds as if he went to the Radio Shack school of salesmanship (if you don't know, make it up, but never say "I don't know."). I wouldn't believe any diagnosis or cost estimate from him.

Great advice! Thanks! :cheers:

I am going Monday to check it out with a buddy of mine who has an old CJ. He is way more mechanically inclined that I am and knows stuff about Jeeps in general.

Aldo

Here's a useful post for general info on all year XJs

General XJ Model Year Info

Good luck

When I’m looking for a used vehicle one of the main things I’m looking for is how well the previous owner responded to the vehicles maintenance needs. I don't want a truck full of someone’s lazy fixes or ignored problems. One of the easiest ways to determine this is through casual conversation with the owner about what problems it has had and how they were handled. You can’t do this at a dealer. I would recommend that you keep looking there are tones of these thing for sale all the time. You may as well hold out for that sweet deal. This one sounds Stinky. Find someone who you cant tell loved the thing, and had a whatever it takes to make it right attitude. That’s worth a grand to me.