Xj ome

[Root Moose]

The advantage of the high pinion is clearance due to being higher, smoothness due to being higher and there being less driveline anglularity for the u-joints to operate through, and strength due to the ring and pinion gears being a reverse spiral cut.

 

[mc2az]

Nope

Just ran outside to check....nope -Low pinion. I guess my lucks not that good. But now that I know I'll keep my out for one.

 

[Root Moose]

Just ran outside to check....nope -Low pinion. I guess my lucks not that good. But now that I know I'll keep my out for one.

Your Jeep is high pinion - unless the axle has been replaced somewhere along the way (doubtful).

MY00 was the first year for low pinions in XJs.

 

[BIGdaddy]

Just ran outside to check....nope -Low pinion. I guess my lucks not that good. But now that I know I'll keep my out for one.

hmmm...can you take a picture? that would be an oddball setup. Like a 29 spline 8.25 in my 1992...

 

[mc2az]

I was wrong

out there first thing this am with a flash light it does have a 30 HP on the front, thanks guys

 

[mc2az]

thermostat

been running hwy with 210 degree's (12 oclock high) on the temp guage. Wonder if I need a different Thermostat installed for down here in the desert.

 

[BIGdaddy]

out there first thing this am with a flash light it does have a 30 hp on the front, thanks guys

:26_7_2:

 

[BIGdaddy]

been running hwy with 210 degree's (12 oclock high) on the temp guage. Wonder if I need a different Thermostat installed for down here in the desert.

hmmm...pretty sure thats normal, though with my new alum setup i'm runnin' abit cooler on the highway. traffic has me sittin' at 200, though.

 

[Root Moose]

been running hwy with 210 degree's (12 oclock high) on the temp guage. Wonder if I need a different Thermostat installed for down here in the desert.

That's about the right temperature. These engines run hot at the best of times and the 97+ even more so (to get through emissions).

There's not a lot of leeway on the cooling system. If you spot a problem deal with it immediately. The Jeep should be fine provided everything is working correctly. Straight up needle is good!

We don't have the temps up here that you guys have. I'd suspect a little bit of needle movement would be normal if you are pulling a trailer up a steep grade with the AC on. It should never go into the red though.

 

[BIGdaddy]

That's about the right temperature. These engines run hot at the best of times and the 97+ even more so (to get through emissions).

There's not a lot of leeway on the cooling system. If you spot a problem deal with it immediately. The Jeep should be fine provided everything is working correctly. Straight up needle is good!

We don't have the temps up here that you guys have. I'd suspect a little bit of needle movement would be normal if you are pulling a trailer up a steep grade with the AC on. It should never go into the red though.

x2, I jumped on my radiator leak like a cat on a june bug. The reason the xj is such a good rig is the motor. No WAY i'm letting this sucker overheat...:snorkel:

 

[ExpoMike]

As others have said, stay on top of the cooling system. This also includes an overlooked item, the fan clutch. Outside of the typical things like good, clean radiator, water pump, t-stat, hoses, etc., many overlook the condition of the fan clutch, which will show up as low speed overheating even when all the other items have been replaced.

210* is normal temp for most newer cars/truck and was done to meet emissions. Some will try to put in colder t-stats and such and find their mileage drops. This is because the computer thinks it is running cool and richens up the fuel mixture. Mileage goes down and you risk killing the catalitic converter.

I find if I am pulling a big grade or towing, it might come up to 215* and then the electric fan kicks in and it comes back down to 210*. I also find when pulling a big grade or towing, I put the tranny into 3rd gear and it helps keep it around 210*. Not a real noticable difference in gas mileage. On the highway, no trailer, I typically get about 21 mpg. Towing and using 3rd more often then not, I end up 18-19 mpg.

BTW, if you are running 245/75-16 on the stock 3.55 gears and the speedo sending unit gear wasn't changed for the larger tires, your mileage number may not be correct. I changed to 4.10 gears when I went to that size tire and changed the sending unit gear to the correct one for that gear ratio and tire size. Speedo is correctly reading and driveablity is exactly the same as when stock.

 

[mc2az]

gear ratio

I checked the milage with the GPS and seems to be about 21mpg hwy- so far so good. speedo seems to read about 2 mph slower than GPS at 60. How do I figure out if previous owner changed gears. I have great acceleration and can live with the speedo as is -since I have GPS on most of the time. BTW since I got home I have not experienced the coughing and catalytic back fire as before (huh) on take off. Still have engine light and will run codes soon.

 

[ExpoMike]

If you don't have a locker or LSD, then jack up one rear wheel and rotate it one revolution. Count how many times the driveshaft spins (might need to put a mark so you know each revolution). If you have a locker or LSD, jack up both wheels and do the same.

If the driveshaft spins about 3.5 turns, you have 3.55, if about 4 turns, you have 4.10. If in between 3.5 and 4 turns, then 3.73 but they are rare.

You also might want to do the front the same way, just to make sure both axles are the same gearing. You do not want to have them different if you ever use 4WD. You will destroy the transfer case. BTW, if you have a 231 transfer case, don't put it in 4WD while on pavement. It is designed for low traction areas (i.e. dirt, snow, mud) only, you will kill it very quickly.

 

[mc2az]

suspension

Well still working the bugs out of the new XJ. One thing thats really bugged me was the suspension system someone else did. It rides great and plenty of travel but the rear leafs are flat as pancakes with blocks under them and seems to have 2" taller front coils but shocks and all have no markings. So I took XJ Mike's advice this morning and called Dirk at DPG. He was very helpfull and I would recommend him to any one. I ordered with his advice an OME 2" system- HVY front/MED rear due to the ARB winch bumper. I can't wait till next weekend to break into it. My buddy even has an AC'd shop he said we could use. I was so excited when the wife said go ahead and order that I forgot to ask Dirk about rear bushings and Ubolts...got to call him back Monday. Yahoo, we wrenchin now!

 

[ExpoMike]

Congrats.

You will want to get bushing as my OME did not come with them. Stock ones are fine. Trick I found to help get them in (which you most likely will need the use of a press) was to take a couple flat blade screwdrivers and wedge them into the end of the spring wrap. This opens the hole for the bushing just a little, which makes getting them started much easier. I couldn't get them to start without doing that.

If you have blocks already, you will definitely want to get U-bolts too, since your current ones will be too long.

Good luck.