Mickey Bitsko
Adventurer
I don't see any Grand cherokee wj jeeps.
Anyone have any experience with them?
Anyone have any experience with them?
GC Wj
- Thread starter Mickey Bitsko
- Start date
ThundahBeagle
Well-known member
Sure! I had one for years, in between driving a couple of Big Blazers and my current GMC truck.
I found the 4.0 liter inline 6 cylinder engine immensely easy to work on. Plugs, coils, starter, oil changes. Did the fuel rail...Even doing the water pump wasnt bad. Then I reached out to KOLAK and added Iron Rock Offroad springs, new Crown Automotive spring perch isolators, Moog anti-sways, and Pro Comp 9000 series shocks. Then Wrangler wheels and tires. All done and it was a nice tight turning, camping-mobile! Two kayaks, dogs, gear and the little lady.
Having said all that, watch for a few things...
Door wiring at the hinge boots...Chrysler never gives enough wire at their connections. Over time the ground wire just snaps. This causes interior lights to stay on after the doors are closed and similar gremlins.
Same goes for battery cables. I changed them out completely finally.
The rear control arm is an interesting triangle type o had never seen before, too.
Oh, and the hvac blend doors. When the crap out on you, its easiest to remove the glove compartment door, reach to the back, cut a panel open there and replace them that way
Hope that helps
I found the 4.0 liter inline 6 cylinder engine immensely easy to work on. Plugs, coils, starter, oil changes. Did the fuel rail...Even doing the water pump wasnt bad. Then I reached out to KOLAK and added Iron Rock Offroad springs, new Crown Automotive spring perch isolators, Moog anti-sways, and Pro Comp 9000 series shocks. Then Wrangler wheels and tires. All done and it was a nice tight turning, camping-mobile! Two kayaks, dogs, gear and the little lady.
Having said all that, watch for a few things...
Door wiring at the hinge boots...Chrysler never gives enough wire at their connections. Over time the ground wire just snaps. This causes interior lights to stay on after the doors are closed and similar gremlins.
Same goes for battery cables. I changed them out completely finally.
The rear control arm is an interesting triangle type o had never seen before, too.
Oh, and the hvac blend doors. When the crap out on you, its easiest to remove the glove compartment door, reach to the back, cut a panel open there and replace them that way
Hope that helps
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ThundahBeagle
Well-known member
Mine was a 1999, and I JUST got rid of it a year ago. And that was only because it had been languishing the last couple years as I took my truck everywhere. Red headed step-child just sort of sat and rusted.
They can be got very inexpensively and wont break the bank for upgrades. Maintenance shouldn't break the bank because they are easy to work on, but if you get one from the rust belt or Northeast, beware. I'm sure midwest, southwest ones can be found with minimal rust
They can be got very inexpensively and wont break the bank for upgrades. Maintenance shouldn't break the bank because they are easy to work on, but if you get one from the rust belt or Northeast, beware. I'm sure midwest, southwest ones can be found with minimal rust
ThundahBeagle
Well-known member
Cool little feature: click the key forward 3 times, stopping on the 3rd forward twist without starting the engine...and any CEL codes will appear in place of the digital odometer.
As computerized and screen-filled as today's trucks are, they could be doing that to the nth degree, but they wont
As computerized and screen-filled as today's trucks are, they could be doing that to the nth degree, but they wont
Mickey Bitsko
Adventurer
Was looking for a older subaru wagon of some sort, all have really high mileage for what I can afford, a friend told me about a 01laredo, used as towd.
Assuming some of the high miage is from towing. I'll take it for drive this weekend. Are they freeway friendly? It will be a dd, how are mpgs?
Thanks for input.
Assuming some of the high miage is from towing. I'll take it for drive this weekend. Are they freeway friendly? It will be a dd, how are mpgs?
Thanks for input.
Weasel with a Diesel
Observer
They are getting rare- the last Grand model with solid axles front and rear.
I do have the pleasure to own one of the euro Diesel models, equipped with a 2.7L Mercedes engine. A torque Monster.
I do use it because I do like the comfort of the relative long wheel base.
I would be careful- examing the drivetrain closely. Check the fluids and the backlash in the diffs. Towing puts a heavy load on the drivetrain and steering components. It can get expensive and labor intensive pretty quick.
I do have the pleasure to own one of the euro Diesel models, equipped with a 2.7L Mercedes engine. A torque Monster.
I do use it because I do like the comfort of the relative long wheel base.
I would be careful- examing the drivetrain closely. Check the fluids and the backlash in the diffs. Towing puts a heavy load on the drivetrain and steering components. It can get expensive and labor intensive pretty quick.
ThundahBeagle
Well-known member
I, too, am ooking for a Subaru Forester. A newer one though, and was surprised to find the latest gen Forester dimensions and the WJ are near exact measurements in almost every way except rear cargo and that's only a difference of 5 or 10 cu ft. Not bad considering the Forester is 4 cylinder and is rated 33 mpg highway, and has similar stock ground clearance!
MPGs suck by today's standards. Something like 16/20 for the 6 cyl 4.0 liter. My full size GMC with a 5.3 liter 8 cylinder and AFM/DFM does better than that and has much more power and comfort.
If it was used to tow, I'd really put the hairy eyeball on that transmission. Feel for slippage. Sometimes it's just a valve, sometimes much worse. The WJ is not what I'd call a tow-beast. The 4.0 rating was, I think 3500lbs. I towed IT more than I towed WITH it. But it did carry all my camp gear, kayaks and stuff.
As @weasel said, last solid front axle in the GC's is the WJ.
For me, I chose the Selec-trac trans axle so I could move it in and out of 2wd, 4 hi and 4 lo. I did not want the quadra trac which is in AWD all the time
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Mickey Bitsko
Adventurer
I was not clear in my 'used as a towd'.
It was towed behind po owner's motor home, unsure of towed miles.
All Front end components replaced in last 2k miles n complete new Front brakes
Less than 100 miles. Says he has All receipts.
TB, I will research tow rating. Also has the 4.0 and selec-trac, I also prefer.
The seller suggested I drive it for a couple days and use it as if it were mine.
I don't beat on my vehicles, too expensive to repair.
One last question,
As for parts, repairs and regular maintenance cost, subaru or jeep cherokee?
Thanks again guys, good information ?
It was towed behind po owner's motor home, unsure of towed miles.
All Front end components replaced in last 2k miles n complete new Front brakes
Less than 100 miles. Says he has All receipts.
TB, I will research tow rating. Also has the 4.0 and selec-trac, I also prefer.
The seller suggested I drive it for a couple days and use it as if it were mine.
I don't beat on my vehicles, too expensive to repair.
One last question,
As for parts, repairs and regular maintenance cost, subaru or jeep cherokee?
Thanks again guys, good information ?
ThundahBeagle
Well-known member
I guess it depends what year range Subaru you are looking at. Boxer engines I've heard it's harder to change spark plugs but I've no experience working on boxer engines.
Dont forget, those boxer engines, the pistons run sideways. A simple valve cover gasket leak may take on a little more urgency.
My gut feeling is that Subaru would be more reliable and much more economical on fuel. You would go farther per gallon and get to 80% of the places the GC could go. And most people dont take the Jeep as far as it can go. The Jeep GC WJ 4.0 would be an easier engine to work on, but it would definitely need the work.
Dont forget, those boxer engines, the pistons run sideways. A simple valve cover gasket leak may take on a little more urgency.
My gut feeling is that Subaru would be more reliable and much more economical on fuel. You would go farther per gallon and get to 80% of the places the GC could go. And most people dont take the Jeep as far as it can go. The Jeep GC WJ 4.0 would be an easier engine to work on, but it would definitely need the work.
ThundahBeagle
Well-known member
Y-Yikes!
ThundahBeagle
Well-known member
The 4.0 liter WJ I had burned no oil. It may have leaked it as it aged, but it didnt burn any.
I wouldnt mind getting another one. But I have too many vehicles I would want: Forester Wilderness. Gladiator. 90's full size Blazer Silverado. 80's to 90's Bronco. XJ Cherokee. ZJ Grand Cherokee...too many to list
I wouldnt mind getting another one. But I have too many vehicles I would want: Forester Wilderness. Gladiator. 90's full size Blazer Silverado. 80's to 90's Bronco. XJ Cherokee. ZJ Grand Cherokee...too many to list
Weasel with a Diesel
Observer
28mpg with the Diesel.
The cool thing with the WJ is that it can be a capable overland/offroad rig and looking totally standard (unsuspicious) at the same time as an Daily driver. I built mine in that way that you can't see anything - expect the lift.
Jeep parts are expensive in the rest of the world.
Subaru parts? I'm pretty sure they take limbs in exchange... Have in mind that parts availability is a big thing- that means waiting for parts or getting them almost everywhere.
The cool thing with the WJ is that it can be a capable overland/offroad rig and looking totally standard (unsuspicious) at the same time as an Daily driver. I built mine in that way that you can't see anything - expect the lift.
Jeep parts are expensive in the rest of the world.
Subaru parts? I'm pretty sure they take limbs in exchange... Have in mind that parts availability is a big thing- that means waiting for parts or getting them almost everywhere.
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ThundahBeagle
Well-known member
Yep. Parts for a 20-25 year old Jeep in the US? All day every day. Check the Crown Automotive catalog or typical auto parts store, or even junk yard and you've got them.
I never went without a part. Just the desire sometimes to get under that Jeep yet again. Up in the Northeast, rust complicates every repair on a car more than 4 years old, but anywhere else in the US, turning the wrench ought to be easy
I never went without a part. Just the desire sometimes to get under that Jeep yet again. Up in the Northeast, rust complicates every repair on a car more than 4 years old, but anywhere else in the US, turning the wrench ought to be easy
Weasel with a Diesel
Observer
That's another difference between the european version of the WJ- it is named WG (because it was built in a city named Graz in austria, not Jefferson) and the second major difference is that the body is completley zinc plated. They simply do not rust. (Of course the axle components do rust the same as the WJ)
WG's are easy to identify- they don't have an external antenna...
WG's are easy to identify- they don't have an external antenna...