Cherokee's BEST Year?

[heyhar]

I thought 96 was the bastard year. My son had one of those, and almost nothing he got for it was right on the first try.

The last of the '96's, the Classic model, are the oddballs to which you may be referring. We have one, build date of 9/96, well after the new '97's should have been on sale. I've seen build dates as late as October '96 in the junkyard. As they ran out of Gen l parts, Gen ll parts started to be substituted, especially under the hood. These are referred to in the salvage yards as 'Police Prep Package, at least in Harry's, in Hazleton, PA, where there's plenty of them. They were dolled-up Sports, to try to push the old iron off the dealer lots, when the 'new' '97s were due.

 

[birchlakeXJ]

I'm partial to the 98-99.

00-01 came from the factory with the "infamous" 0331 cylinder head, which has a defect between cylinders 3-4. Certainly not all of these heads will crack, but enough do that I answer multiple threads on them every week between this and three other XJ forums. Also a bit more heat soak problems come up with 00-01. Because of these reasons, I'd look for 99 or older.

 

[Matthew Currie]

The last of the '96's, the Classic model, are the oddballs to which you may be referring. We have one, build date of 9/96, well after the new '97's should have been on sale. I've seen build dates as late as October '96 in the junkyard. As they ran out of Gen l parts, Gen ll parts started to be substituted, especially under the hood. These are referred to in the salvage yards as 'Police Prep Package, at least in Harry's, in Hazleton, PA, where there's plenty of them. They were dolled-up Sports, to try to push the old iron off the dealer lots, when the 'new' '97s were due.

His was a Cllassic, I'm not sure what build date. It had the late style under-hood wiring and PCU, and I think it had the late style transfer case tail as well, but it still had a tin gastank. I can't remember whether it had the later serpentine belt setup as well. I don't remember what it had for universal joints, except that whichever type he got it was always wrong. Many parts listings for that one, for some reason, quoted the 96 as being unique even when it wasn't, so for some things (steering gear, for example) he had to specify a different year or pay a premium for a part that was supposedly rare.

 

[heyhar]

Some of the underhood wiring on my boy's '96 Classic is different than my '96 Country, including the injectors. The fuel rail is different, too. But his '95 Sport is just as bad. No ABS, but the front axle u-joints use ABS items. We were told it is because it was a police package. Full power (windows, locks, etc), but no console. We had to scrape stripes and numbers off it when we got it. Only paid $2700 for it , at eight years old, 80k miles, and almost nine years later, still going strong. We made a Waggy Limited out of it. I think the best part about XJ's is taking a stripper and loading it up with options, and making the top model out of it.

 

[nick86]

The 96 gets a bad rep, yes mine came with a 27 spline rear. Repaced w, 29 (thanks Cheeseman). But it has the larger front axle u-joints. soo when Iowa get's 10 or 12 inches of snow there is only one of my 3 Jeeps I'll be starting.

 

[xjtrailrider]

I love the 96 models and I'm partial to the RENIX years (87-90) for the simplicity.

Oddly enough, 96's are the most plentiful in our town, They sold a boat-load of them around here.

 

[heyhar]

'96 was the largest selling year by a good bit. Could be because it was in production for about sixteen months. Unfortunately, '96 is also the guinea pig year for OBDll, and mine is still having teething pains.

 

[Matthew Currie]

Actually one of my favorite features of the 96 is its split personality OBD.

It's always bothered me that with all that sophisticated hardware and software and digital displays built into these things they couldn't have incorporated a simple reader into the OBD2 system.

 

[heyhar]

I just looked under the hood of my son's '96 Classic, and it has the '97+ harness clip on the TPS at the throttle body. We're chasing no power to the power windows. Power door locks work, and it's the same circuit. So, it's probably a wire in the harness coming through the door jamb. Gotta figure out which wire. But it's getting late, and it's Christmas Eve...

 

[Miller88]

I like being able to splash through water puddles without getting ignition parts wet ...

 

[Ecomike]

Actually one of my favorite features of the 96 is its split personality OBD.

It's always bothered me that with all that sophisticated hardware and software and digital displays built into these things they couldn't have incorporated a simple reader into the OBD2 system.

I don't think they want most people knowing what is really bad, or how to fix it.

 

[Matthew Currie]

I don't think they want most people knowing what is really bad, or how to fix it.

Undoubtedly so, but knowing that doesn't make it bother me any less!

 

[DanMan2k06]

I had a 97, and there are TWO things right off the bat that I can think of that get confused. The TPS is the older style ('96), as well as the front axle shafts/u-joints. I previously put a newer style shaft on my 97. I guess they were a tad shorter than the older ones? The rotor was sandwiched against the knuckle and TRE mount, and made a total mess of things.

 

[ihscoutlover]

We were told it is because it was a police package. Full power (windows, locks, etc), but no console. We had to scrape stripes and numbers off it when we got it. Only paid $2700 for it , at eight years old, 80k miles, and almost nine years later, still going strong.

A true Police prep package would have included the Ext Idle switch. On the early models(pre 97), it is on the right side of the steering column, next to the rear defroster switch. It is tied into the computer, and kicks the idle up to 1k. On the '97's and later, it is in the center stack, within the three switches for the rear wiper, and rear defrost. Other than that, the power windows and locks mean nothing, cause I have found units in the JY that had the wiring for the lock solenoids and window motors, but didn't the motors or solenoids. There was no "heavy duty" other things, because unlike police cars, it doesn't appear that Jeep put any extra mounts or parts to make them any different. I have torn down 1 SE, and our PD has a 2k that's also setup for the police prep package, but someone that has gotten one straight from a PD(like in your case Heyhar), that could enlighten us a little further. I have the stuff from the '95 SE that I tore down to eventually put into one of mine, and I have my eyes on an FD one that actually has a column shifter. Not many XJ's had those, but I heard that the MJ's did. This is just from both my research and experience.

Jeff

 

[Matthew Currie]

Plenty of MJ's had a bench seat and a column shifter, but I've only seen one XJ with this setup. They do exist, though.

 

[heyhar]

The TPS is the older style ('96),

Uh, out '96 has the '97+ TPS. I hope they didn't go backwards on your '97...

As far as Police Prep stuff...When we tried to replace the axle u-joints, whatever should have fit didn't, and the guy at the counter found the right size ans said 'Police Package'. I don't know if he really knew what he was talking about.

Options? I'll bet the guys on the assembly line had a blast adding and deleting options as the cars rolled by. My '96 Country has the harnesses for the power windows and locks, but it doesn't have them. Most stripper models in the JY DO have power!