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XJ Ask the Question Thread
#3841
Originally Posted by Sideways99
you could possibly have an issue there
pull up the rear carpet an see if you have any holes back there
it is possible your tank has rubbed against the floor of you rig enough to where both have holes and the fumes are entering the cabbin
or more likely some mud/debris got on top of the tank and rusted through both over time
in any case don't smoke in your ride or use anything to make sparks till you get the carpet out n patched
ohh take pics to
#3842
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: backwoods preacher boy mountain hut
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Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 IL6
I'm trying to check to see if my TPS is bad...I'm backprobing it and can only get a constant reading of about 5.2 volts...which would be too high from what I've heard. Even when I open and shut the throttle it doesn't change...something sounds fishy here, either I'm doing it wrong or the sensor is completely shot...help would be appreciated. By the way I do have the key in with the ignition turned to on, but not running. Black lead is on the negative battery cable.
#3843
Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SoCal (Bakersfield, Rosamond)
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Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Rough Ride?
New guy here with dumb question. Recently acquired a 1996 cherokee (sport w/4.0 engine). I am assuming that everything is stock as it doesn't appear to have been raised or anything special done to it. I have went through the search function of this forum and have determined that all cherokees are a rough ride. That is fine and I can live with that but I can't believe that they are all that rough. In town driving is positively painful and I can actually feel my spine compressing making me shorter with each drive (I wasn't that tall to begin with). A speed bump is absolutely lethal unless traversed at a speed slower than what snail would cover it, literally. There are 166,000 miles on the jeep.
So my questions are: Would it be shocks or struts or both and how can I tell and what is the difference? If a shock sells for $40 (ball park) from someplace like JCWhitney, why does Midas want me to pay $250-350 per axle for shocks? Am I missing something? I am not a mechanic but have changed shocks and brakes and simple things of that nature before without problems on other vehicles. I can't figure out why shocks would be so much from Midas. Does the 1996 cherokee require something special to change them? I like the jeep but wish it was a bit smoother ride. Are all cherokees like this or am I just used to being coddled to much in my old age?
And yes, i know that they should have a stiff ride but seeing a pot hole ahead shouldn't make me wonder if my health insurance is paid up...
I am not affiliated with Midas or JC Whitney or any other automotive company or industry and was simply using them as examples.
Thanks,
Matt.
So my questions are: Would it be shocks or struts or both and how can I tell and what is the difference? If a shock sells for $40 (ball park) from someplace like JCWhitney, why does Midas want me to pay $250-350 per axle for shocks? Am I missing something? I am not a mechanic but have changed shocks and brakes and simple things of that nature before without problems on other vehicles. I can't figure out why shocks would be so much from Midas. Does the 1996 cherokee require something special to change them? I like the jeep but wish it was a bit smoother ride. Are all cherokees like this or am I just used to being coddled to much in my old age?
And yes, i know that they should have a stiff ride but seeing a pot hole ahead shouldn't make me wonder if my health insurance is paid up...
I am not affiliated with Midas or JC Whitney or any other automotive company or industry and was simply using them as examples.
Thanks,
Matt.
#3844
☠ CF Sheriff ☠
#3845
☠ CF Sheriff ☠
New guy here with dumb question. Recently acquired a 1996 cherokee (sport w/4.0 engine). I am assuming that everything is stock as it doesn't appear to have been raised or anything special done to it. I have went through the search function of this forum and have determined that all cherokees are a rough ride. That is fine and I can live with that but I can't believe that they are all that rough. In town driving is positively painful and I can actually feel my spine compressing making me shorter with each drive (I wasn't that tall to begin with). A speed bump is absolutely lethal unless traversed at a speed slower than what snail would cover it, literally. There are 166,000 miles on the jeep.
So my questions are: Would it be shocks or struts or both and how can I tell and what is the difference? If a shock sells for $40 (ball park) from someplace like JCWhitney, why does Midas want me to pay $250-350 per axle for shocks? Am I missing something? I am not a mechanic but have changed shocks and brakes and simple things of that nature before without problems on other vehicles. I can't figure out why shocks would be so much from Midas. Does the 1996 cherokee require something special to change them? I like the jeep but wish it was a bit smoother ride. Are all cherokees like this or am I just used to being coddled to much in my old age?
And yes, i know that they should have a stiff ride but seeing a pot hole ahead shouldn't make me wonder if my health insurance is paid up...
I am not affiliated with Midas or JC Whitney or any other automotive company or industry and was simply using them as examples.
Thanks,
Matt.
So my questions are: Would it be shocks or struts or both and how can I tell and what is the difference? If a shock sells for $40 (ball park) from someplace like JCWhitney, why does Midas want me to pay $250-350 per axle for shocks? Am I missing something? I am not a mechanic but have changed shocks and brakes and simple things of that nature before without problems on other vehicles. I can't figure out why shocks would be so much from Midas. Does the 1996 cherokee require something special to change them? I like the jeep but wish it was a bit smoother ride. Are all cherokees like this or am I just used to being coddled to much in my old age?
And yes, i know that they should have a stiff ride but seeing a pot hole ahead shouldn't make me wonder if my health insurance is paid up...
I am not affiliated with Midas or JC Whitney or any other automotive company or industry and was simply using them as examples.
Thanks,
Matt.
I will warn you however that the top bolts in the rear tend to...well...break off when you try to unbolt them - the fix basically involves taking an air chisel to hammer out the welded nut inside the framerail, then putting your own new hardware down through the hole.
If you are uncomfortable with the ride, i suggest looking into the causes of the harsh ride - possibly very sagging rear springs, blown shocks, etc. A full lookover by a mechanic should pinpoint components that are failing. A jeep will ride much harsher than a car due to it's nature, but it doesn't have to be terrible.
Look into OME springs/shocks if they need replacing. They're reputed to give "better than stock" ride quality,
#3847
Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Spokane, WA
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Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Originally Posted by Skyline
My liftgate will not open. How do I pry it open?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Sent using CherokeeFM
#3848
CF Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Mercer County, NJ
Posts: 12,692
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Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 HO
Shocks are very easy (depending on the mount of rust and age of the bolts) to change in an XJ. 3 bolts at each shock. They are not struts (strut = shock inside spring (one unit), used on cars only). Two decent shocks should run about $150 + install, but are so easy to install you should just do them yourself.
I will warn you however that the top bolts in the rear tend to...well...break off when you try to unbolt them - the fix basically involves taking an air chisel to hammer out the welded nut inside the framerail, then putting your own new hardware down through the hole.
If you are uncomfortable with the ride, i suggest looking into the causes of the harsh ride - possibly very sagging rear springs, blown shocks, etc. A full lookover by a mechanic should pinpoint components that are failing. A jeep will ride much harsher than a car due to it's nature, but it doesn't have to be terrible.
Look into OME springs/shocks if they need replacing. They're reputed to give "better than stock" ride quality,
I will warn you however that the top bolts in the rear tend to...well...break off when you try to unbolt them - the fix basically involves taking an air chisel to hammer out the welded nut inside the framerail, then putting your own new hardware down through the hole.
If you are uncomfortable with the ride, i suggest looking into the causes of the harsh ride - possibly very sagging rear springs, blown shocks, etc. A full lookover by a mechanic should pinpoint components that are failing. A jeep will ride much harsher than a car due to it's nature, but it doesn't have to be terrible.
Look into OME springs/shocks if they need replacing. They're reputed to give "better than stock" ride quality,
#3849
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Antigua, West Indies
Posts: 228
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Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Any links to write ups on taking the cluster out to check my fuel gauge connection? It's the only thing not working in the cluster and went from intermittent to reading E all the time. I had a mechanic check the ball level and the sensor on the tank and he said everything looks good. He told me to get a whole new cluster. I'm trying to find out if it's fixable without getting a whole new cluster.
On a side note, if I get a new cluster will the mileage read what I have now or will it read whatever the replacement cluster has? They are digital readings, so I'm not sure if that information is kept in the cluster or somewhere else in the rig. Thanks in advance.
On a side note, if I get a new cluster will the mileage read what I have now or will it read whatever the replacement cluster has? They are digital readings, so I'm not sure if that information is kept in the cluster or somewhere else in the rig. Thanks in advance.
#3850
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 848
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Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6
Hello again.
I'm in the middle of replacing my alternator, I am trying to loosen the serpentine belt... I know I have to get to the release and push on the bolt to release the tension and loosen the belt, but how do I get to it, I can see it and all, I just can't get a socket up there to push on it. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Jon
I'm in the middle of replacing my alternator, I am trying to loosen the serpentine belt... I know I have to get to the release and push on the bolt to release the tension and loosen the belt, but how do I get to it, I can see it and all, I just can't get a socket up there to push on it. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Jon
#3851
CF Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Mercer County, NJ
Posts: 12,692
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Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 HO
Originally Posted by Skyline
Hello again.
I'm in the middle of replacing my alternator, I am trying to loosen the serpentine belt... I know I have to get to the release and push on the bolt to release the tension and loosen the belt, but how do I get to it, I can see it and all, I just can't get a socket up there to push on it. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Jon
I'm in the middle of replacing my alternator, I am trying to loosen the serpentine belt... I know I have to get to the release and push on the bolt to release the tension and loosen the belt, but how do I get to it, I can see it and all, I just can't get a socket up there to push on it. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Jon
#3852
Do 97+ XJ seats sit any higher than the stock 96- cherokee seats? Even the power ones, i know the ZJ ones do, but i want to make sure i didnt just waste money again with seats that are going to sit high.
#3853
☠ CF Sheriff ☠
Hello again.
I'm in the middle of replacing my alternator, I am trying to loosen the serpentine belt... I know I have to get to the release and push on the bolt to release the tension and loosen the belt, but how do I get to it, I can see it and all, I just can't get a socket up there to push on it. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Jon
I'm in the middle of replacing my alternator, I am trying to loosen the serpentine belt... I know I have to get to the release and push on the bolt to release the tension and loosen the belt, but how do I get to it, I can see it and all, I just can't get a socket up there to push on it. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Jon
#3854
Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Spokane, WA
Posts: 212
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Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Originally Posted by Volcomroofus
Any links to write ups on taking the cluster out to check my fuel gauge connection? It's the only thing not working in the cluster and went from intermittent to reading E all the time. I had a mechanic check the ball level and the sensor on the tank and he said everything looks good. He told me to get a whole new cluster. I'm trying to find out if it's fixable without getting a whole new cluster.
On a side note, if I get a new cluster will the mileage read what I have now or will it read whatever the replacement cluster has? They are digital readings, so I'm not sure if that information is kept in the cluster or somewhere else in the rig. Thanks in advance.
On a side note, if I get a new cluster will the mileage read what I have now or will it read whatever the replacement cluster has? They are digital readings, so I'm not sure if that information is kept in the cluster or somewhere else in the rig. Thanks in advance.
Then again, if yours is the newer style jeep, I have no idea and just wrote that up for almost nothing. However the point is, no you don't need a whole new cluster, I think that's just my .02.
Sent using CherokeeFM
#3855
☠ CF Sheriff ☠
Any links to write ups on taking the cluster out to check my fuel gauge connection? It's the only thing not working in the cluster and went from intermittent to reading E all the time. I had a mechanic check the ball level and the sensor on the tank and he said everything looks good. He told me to get a whole new cluster. I'm trying to find out if it's fixable without getting a whole new cluster.
On a side note, if I get a new cluster will the mileage read what I have now or will it read whatever the replacement cluster has? They are digital readings, so I'm not sure if that information is kept in the cluster or somewhere else in the rig. Thanks in advance.
On a side note, if I get a new cluster will the mileage read what I have now or will it read whatever the replacement cluster has? They are digital readings, so I'm not sure if that information is kept in the cluster or somewhere else in the rig. Thanks in advance.