gomerkfx700 said:
Hello to all. I have finally found me an xj after several years of looking for just the right one. Its a 1990 model 2door 4.0 5speed. With 150,000 miles on it. The ole thing looks great no rust and only one bad dent. But it has a few querks i would like to ask the experts about. The guy at the car lot says the rear main seal leaks. i read the post on how to replace it but i just dont have time to do that. Could anyone tell me the average price to have that fixed. Also the thing idles high all the time between 1800-2000 rpm. it never did drop below that while i was test driving it. it looked like the valve cover was leaking some oil aswell but there is definatly oil coming fron the rear o the engine running down the transmission and driping on the ground. also is the 5 speed in this xj one of the stronger ones i have a magazine hear at home that says the 90 models has what they call a "puke-a-lot" transmission in it but according to this site that trany was droped in 89. any input on this would be a big help in my decision to buy this jeep or pass on it. thanks alot ohh and one more thing what type of gas millage should i expect to see since it will be a work vehicle.
If it has been setting up a while (Many Months), driving it will help slow the rear seal leak. Also some aftermarket oil sealer additives might buy you some time. Avoid all synthetic oils until you replace all the orings, gaskets and seals all over the engine. Use dyno oil only! Synthetic will turn a small oil seal leak into an oil gusher!
Replace the valve cover gasket, clean the CCV tubing system attached to the valve cover and fix any vacuum leaks in it, locate and fix any other vacuum leaks, pull and clean all the ground wires, 5 major locations under the hood for the ground wires, and not real hard to do (all this will help reduce the high idle), then recalibrate (simple digital multi meter & mouniting screw adjustment) the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) and your high idle should be gone. If not a few other low cost parts, like the TPS and MAT sensors might be bad, but do the other stuff first. The TPS and MAT sensors can be tested with a $10 digital multi meter!
How much are they asking?
How does the engine sound?
I have seen jeeps like that go for $500 to $2500, depending on the location and situation. I would not pay more than $2,500 for it, and probably buy it as is where is (if I was shopping) if it was $1,500 or less. I just paid $450 for an 87 with no engine, tranny, or radiator. In fact nearly everthing under the hood had been stripped already. The body and interior are real nice, low milage. Got the entire rear end, steering column, front end and gear box, drive shaft (2WD) and nice tires and alloy wheels in the deal. The engine had blown due to a large oil leak the prior owner missedjudged.