FSM

At someone's suggestion I decided to get a factory sevice manual instead of using the crap Haynes book, which I've found gave bad info on serveral occasions

So this morning I walked into my local Jeep parts department and asked how to get one. The parts monkey looks at his boss, then tells me "There is no such thing..." avaliable to the public -- that dealership's service departments would get aone issue and that was it.

I wasn't going to stand there and argue with the guy (I need him to order parts in the future so I don't want to get him mad at me ), but I know I've seen reference to using an FSM on this Forum lots of times.

So if the dealer can't supply and FSM, where do they come from?

-BC-Handler

I got mine from a Jeep dealer. They had a whole bookshelf full of used FSMs.

Try here https://techauthority.gltghosting.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CustomerHome?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10051

Select service manual then take it from there.

Your dealer just has some not so frendly amatures working for them.

He did not lie really. It is my understanding tha FSM are gray market items. Manufacters don't want them sold to the public since it would give away their research and intectually property. Ones you buy are either from closed dealership, pirated copy, a dealer violating tos agreement, or down right stolen. It is a dealer/factory service only item. One reason they are so high. So techincal, A dealer is not allowed to sell one and the number they get must be justified. I am speak for most in general, primarily Amercian manufactuers. Others may be different.

Bill

AlabamaBill said:

He did not lie really. It is my understanding tha FSM are gray market items. Manufacters don't want them sold to the public since it would give away their research and intectually property. Ones you buy are either from closed dealership, pirated copy, a dealer violating tos agreement, or down right stolen. It is a dealer/factory service only item. One reason they are so high. So techincal, A dealer is not allowed to sell one and the number they get must be justified. I am speak for most in general, primarily Amercian manufactuers. Others may be different.

Bill

Click to expand...

closed dealership, pirated copy, a dealer violating tos agreement, or down right stolen

How do you know which it is and could it have missing info

With a new Jeep, there usually a form in the owner's manual you can use to order one. As the years pass by, they start to become scarce. Try on ebay, there are usually several for sale. Just be forewarned, they may or may not be inexpensive. The one I bought for my '93 cost me almost $90.00 when I first bought my Cherokee in "93. The factory manual is definitly the way to go. Best of luck.

You can also check eBay - that would be the "go to" place for anything past 10-12 years old.

There are also a couple of outfits that do reprints on older FSMs (legally!) you can try Books For Cars (www.books4cars.com, I think. Become wise int he Way of Google...)

If your rig is less than, say, 12-15 years old, try Tech Authority first. Even if you pay full price (~$90,) it's going to be money saved the first time you get serious use out of your FSM...

One other thing, I have read previously (IIRC) that it is better to buy the service manual for the year AFTER yours came out. So, since I have a 91' it would be better for me if i bought a 92' manual, so that it had all of the Factory Service bulletins and updates.

Any truth to this?

jesterbomb said:

One other thing, I have read previously (IIRC) that it is better to buy the service manual for the year AFTER yours came out. So, since I have a 91' it would be better for me if i bought a 92' manual, so that it had all of the Factory Service bulletins and updates.

Any truth to this?

Click to expand...

Depends. For 1991 and 1992, for instance, they are substantially similar (the format changed, but the information didn't. I happen to have both of those..)

However, if you're buying an FSM for a vehicle more than about five years old, it's already been revised and updated anyhow (the copyright date doesn't change, but the printing date damn sure does.) So, unless you're dealing with something spanking new - which an XJ is not - I'd not worry about that.

FSM breaks, in case you're wondering...

1984-1986 (Revised for the 4.0)
1987-1988 (AMC Production RENIX)
1989-1990 (Chrysler Production RENIX)
1991-1995 (Chrysler Production OBD-I)
1996 (Chrysler Production OBD-II, last year of "old" body style)
1997-2001 (Chrysler Production OBD-II, "new" body style.)

The break for the 1988/1989 model year is mainly a matter of formatting (Chrysler uses softbound FSMs, AMC uses three-ring binders,) and some wiring colour changes. However, that list holds rather well - and if you need specs a little quicker than that, I've been putting them up on my website as I get the FSMs on hand (link in sig.)