new guy

hi im new here but not to jeeps(74 cj5, 77J10) but im looking for a pre 97 cherokee and just wanted to know some things to look out for, iv ben looking on craigslist and have found 2 that are close.

one is a blue 96 that and has the black grill and bumpers but no trim around the bottem? the body looks ingood shape but it does not have the 4x4 emblems on the back, could it be 2wd?.

the otther is a silver 87 with a 3in lift and 31's and has the 4x4 emblems so its all good there.
prob gonna e mail them for more pics, but it said the watter pump is bad and has the new one but hasent installed it, is that gonna be a pain? i think its a limeted or some thing it looks nice,

i had planned to do a 3in lift and 31's and the silver one all redy has that, i have ben lurking around here for a few weeks and i know a few things but still need a lil help,

what do yall think,
John.

Of course any could be 2WD, even if they have 4X4 emblems (owner added). If it says it needs a water pump, it basically means that he has overheated it. How many times and how bad? And is the water pump really the fix? Search or look through the threads here and you will see that there are at least 6 possible causes of overheating. Check the oil for signs of water and the coolant for signs of oil as well as external leaks from the head gasket. You can also see if he will agree to let you or a mechanic of your choice check the cylinder compression. Search around more here for water pump replacement. If you don't want to tackle that, do you really want a Jeep?

why does a jeep that needs a water pump nessasarily been overheated...? it could just be weeping from age... or had a pulley start to wobble... who knows?

ive gone thru 3-4 water pumps in my jeep, and friends jeeps in the last 2-3 years, not one was because of an overheat....


water pumps are a pretty easy swap, but you'll need a strap wrench.



as far as whats better.... buy em stock, dont buy a lifted truck unless the deal of the lifetime is there... if it was lifted good, why's he selling it on craigslist? you dump money pits on craigslist.... not built jeeps....


AND YES, jeep made 2wd cherokee/comanches.... not sure if they did on any other make... easiest way to check is look for a shift lever inside... or the lack of a front differential in the front axle... its obvious

xcm said:

why does a jeep that needs a water pump nessasarily been overheated...? it could just be weeping from age... or had a pulley start to wobble... who knows?

Click to expand...

My point is to always assume the worst case when buying a used vehicle. It may not have been overheated. It may not even need a water pump. Maybe there is money under the drivers seat too.

well the blue one is gone, i guess im going to look at the other one in a day or so.

I bought an xj that had a new water pump fitted, turned out the head had warped, and as my mechanic said to me at the time, when these blocks do warp, they warp good! Not just a little bit! Because that purchase cost me a couple grand, id be cautious of any cooling part replacement purley because the majority of the public dont lift the hoods, dont spot the leaks, and dont watch the gauges until the car comes to a stop.