Platinum Member digger Posted November 7, 2021 Platinum Member Share Posted November 7, 2021 UkTJ is spot on about coolant. An awful lot of problems are caused because folk don't bother to change the coolant as often a they should and there's plenty of services done where they don't either! A common fault is a leaking heater matrix, usually spotted when a tiny bit of coolant starts dripping from one of the heater output vents. The bad news is that it is one of the first things fitted to the bulkhead in the factory. You've guessed it, the whole dash has to come out in order to change it. Not difficult but I seem to recall 11 hours work was what it said in my Haynes manual! The thing is, I fitted the best after market matrix I could get as at the time no original was available. It took only a year to fail and out it all came again. I went round to my local radiator repairer( there are branches around the uk] where I had had good service before. I wished I'd gone there in the first place! He said that the replacement wasn't up to the job of putting up with the tiny flexing etc that happens through the bulkhead especially with off road work. He made me an extra strong one for less than the previous one had cost a year before! i sold the XJ 65000 miles later and no more issues. Good luck with it , they are brilliant cars. I've had two and rate them right up the top of many makes /models I've had. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Member V Posted November 7, 2021 Platinum Member Share Posted November 7, 2021 If you do change the water pump, change the viscous fan clutch too and vice-versa. When one fails, the other usually does too shortly after. Chirpy pulleys: Both my '93 and '01 chirp on start-up if they have been left standing a while. My engines get muddy so I have corrosion from getting dirty and from cleaning. The chirp usually stops within a few minutes of running and disappears with regular use. If I have a can of 3-in-1 oil at hand, a drop of oil is applied at the pulley bearings when the engine is off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Member Vernon Posted November 8, 2021 Author Platinum Member Share Posted November 8, 2021 19 hours ago, UKTJ said: Hope the issues are resolved quickly. Sounds to me like you will be a very good owner for this super condition XJ! As a TJ owner I also regularly visit a US TJ (and LJ) specific forum. There is a guy on there who is on his second recent 'new to him' Jeep, but abot his 12 in total I believe. However well looked after the Jeeps are he says he always goes through them and replaces a bjnch of stuff, including much of the coolant system, so maybe your issue is not a bad thing in the long run. Yes I think you are right UKTJ - if I go thru’ the system(s) over the next year I should end up with a vehicle that’s reliable and good fun to drive. It takes a bit of time in my experience - and the biggest mistake is to immediately fear the worse when a problem crops up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Member Vernon Posted November 8, 2021 Author Platinum Member Share Posted November 8, 2021 Thanks guys for all the info and help - really appreciate it. There is a lot to do/check on the list and the viscous fan is one of them now V !! I’m not that happy with the radiator - it’s all there but you can tell it’s done a few miles. There is a local firm that re-cored my sons old Isuzu TF pickup (he should never have sold that…..) rad and did a brilliant job of putting in a bigger, more efficient core into the original rad. Also there is too much play or “slop” in the steering - not sure yet if it’s box or shaft related. Haven’t got round to looking at that but a mates popping in today so I’ll get him to move the wheel whilst I’m underneath checking where the slop is. I mention it because the steering box adjuster seems to be under the radiator shroud/cove? so if it is a simple question of nipping up the slack in the box (I know to do this in small steps!!) it’s a bit of a pain to have to remove the rad/fan cover. Any thoughts? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Member Vernon Posted November 8, 2021 Author Platinum Member Share Posted November 8, 2021 12 hours ago, digger said: UkTJ is spot on about coolant. An awful lot of problems are caused because folk don't bother to change the coolant as often a they should and there's plenty of services done where they don't either! A common fault is a leaking heater matrix, usually spotted when a tiny bit of coolant starts dripping from one of the heater output vents. The bad news is that it is one of the first things fitted to the bulkhead in the factory. You've guessed it, the whole dash has to come out in order to change it. Not difficult but I seem to recall 11 hours work was what it said in my Haynes manual! The thing is, I fitted the best after market matrix I could get as at the time no original was available. It took only a year to fail and out it all came again. I went round to my local radiator repairer( there are branches around the uk] where I had had good service before. I wished I'd gone there in the first place! He said that the replacement wasn't up to the job of putting up with the tiny flexing etc that happens through the bulkhead especially with off road work. He made me an extra strong one for less than the previous one had cost a year before! i sold the XJ 65000 miles later and no more issues. Good luck with it , they are brilliant cars. I've had two and rate them right up the top of many makes /models I've had. Interesting point re your replacement heater matrix. After hearing of shockingly poor aftermarket spares I try to get original stuff rebuilt. As I say above - the local guy to us that replaced my sons rad core did a tremendous job. And it’s good easier to refit a repaired original part than the poor copy parts that almost but not quite want to go in and that Cadbury’s supplied the material. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Member digger Posted November 8, 2021 Platinum Member Share Posted November 8, 2021 (edited) Steering and 'chirps' Steering. Your steering is virtually identical to my YJ. You are taking the right approach. However the fact is they are sloppy , not modern a all. The YJ was awful when I got it. 15 inches (yes!) of slop at the wheel and it had a new ''MOT''. I replaced everything that was obvious. The slop reduced but I wasn't happy. The steering box was at the limit of adjustment so I had it reconditioned. Further improvement! By the time I had finished all had been replaced. It is now much better, only an inch or so but it still feels a bit woolly when I've been driving something modern. Its still brilliant fun though! ' Chirps' can't recommend what I do but V is right. 50 years ago cold,damp etc were a serious issue with points ign etc. We used to spray everything with a water repellant which helped a lot. I have kept up the habit. Today I spray everything , except the serpentine belt, after I have washed the under bonnet and its dry, with WD40 or similar. I do this again before I go off road, as some have witnessed at our events. Like V I also add a few drops of oil to all moving things like throttle linkages etc. It stops chirps and squeaks and, I believe, makes it a lot easier to clean off all the grooh! Edited November 8, 2021 by digger something missed out! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Member Vernon Posted November 9, 2021 Author Platinum Member Share Posted November 9, 2021 17 hours ago, digger said: Steering and 'chirps' Steering. Your steering is virtually identical to my YJ. You are taking the right approach. However the fact is they are sloppy , not modern a all. The YJ was awful when I got it. 15 inches (yes!) of slop at the wheel and it had a new ''MOT''. I replaced everything that was obvious. The slop reduced but I wasn't happy. The steering box was at the limit of adjustment so I had it reconditioned. Further improvement! By the time I had finished all had been replaced. It is now much better, only an inch or so but it still feels a bit woolly when I've been driving something modern. Its still brilliant fun though! ' Chirps' can't recommend what I do but V is right. 50 years ago cold,damp etc were a serious issue with points ign etc. We used to spray everything with a water repellant which helped a lot. I have kept up the habit. Today I spray everything , except the serpentine belt, after I have washed the under bonnet and its dry, with WD40 or similar. I do this again before I go off road, as some have witnessed at our events. Like V I also add a few drops of oil to all moving things like throttle linkages etc. It stops chirps and squeaks and, I believe, makes it a lot easier to clean off all the grooh! Yes - I am very much the same. Preventative Maintenance my old Dad used to call it. My two boys are well versed in this as I was by my Dad. Not everyone has the benefit of this “old school” approach tho’. A friend of my wife had a car that had the coolant warning light come on. She swore blind she kept putting water in - and when I checked she was! The windscreen washer bottle was full to the brim. Had no idea about the coolant system. My son tells the story of a mate whose oil light kept flickering on when driving round corners. They checked the oil for him and hardly any there. “Why didn’t you check before?” they asked. ”It says it must be done on a flat surface and I live on a hill” was the reply…….. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Member V Posted November 9, 2021 Platinum Member Share Posted November 9, 2021 2 hours ago, Vernon said: ”It says it must be done on a flat surface and I live on a hill” was the reply…….. Having recently moved to a house on a hill, I can appreciate the awkwardness for oil level checks. I have to drive to a nearby petrol station at the bottom of the hill to check mine now. I haven't done an oil change here yet, but I'm already thinking about making something that can level a vehicle on my driveway that has slopes in two directions. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Member Vernon Posted November 10, 2021 Author Platinum Member Share Posted November 10, 2021 Relays Hi - am I missing a relay? Looked inside the under bonnet fuse box and there is a gap where it looks like a relay should be. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Member V Posted November 10, 2021 Platinum Member Share Posted November 10, 2021 There is usually a component layout moulded or printed inside the Power Distribution Centre (PDC) lid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Member Vernon Posted November 11, 2021 Author Platinum Member Share Posted November 11, 2021 Thanks V - didn’t think to look there Will check it out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Member Vernon Posted November 17, 2021 Author Platinum Member Share Posted November 17, 2021 I had a good day today! Took the front seats out - all bolts/nuts behaved themselves and came out whole. I had used a power drill with wire brush attachment and WD40 - so that was a big result. Next out was the centre console - again no issues apart from the Rubber “lips” of handbrake cover falling to bits in my hands. But what I’m really pleased with is how well the carpet cleaned up with one quick go with our Bissell Carpet cleaner. I’ll be giving it another go as I was still getting dirty water out - but my goodness what a difference. Not sure the pictures do it justice. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Member Vernon Posted November 18, 2021 Author Platinum Member Share Posted November 18, 2021 On 10/11/2021 at 22:29, V said: There is usually a component layout moulded or printed inside the Power Distribution Centre (PDC) lid. Good shout V - finally checked and the lid clearly shows a blank. Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Member Vernon Posted November 18, 2021 Author Platinum Member Share Posted November 18, 2021 The Jeep is now with my mate whose welding skills are awesome to have the old floor cut out and new metal welded in. The sheet metal of the floor itself seems pretty “lightweight” - however the structural bits are very well preserved indeed. Meanwhile I shall be busy cleaning up the interior. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Member Vernon Posted January 8, 2022 Author Platinum Member Share Posted January 8, 2022 Passenger side done. Should get the drivers side done next week. Whats the betting on all the snow coming before we get her finished. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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