Noah911

The project I am working right now is coming to an end. I have to be around for another week or so to finish up the small details. I will be leaving this area of South Georgia soon. I am taking a two week break most likely.. and that basically starts now. I want to take this time to really go over the WJ that I've been using here to work. I also want to fully go over a ZJ that I just picked up recently (new to me vehicle maintinance)

I run my Jeep hard! I do not abuse or mistreat it in any way, but I have been putting thousands of miles on it per month for some time now. I run it all day every day seven days a week in a hot climate right now (averaging 100* or greater some days). I put it thru a ton of stop and go driving, and it sits thru extended idle-times very regularly. It has also been used mainly driving on dirt, clay, and sandy roads lately. These are extreme dusty conditions! I try to maintain it as best as I know how. The WJ is pretty much upkept besides being dirty everywhere all over the undercarriage, engine compartment, and inside of the Jeep is filthy right now! All the WJ fluids are fresh at the moment. It's pretty much up do date on all maintinance. It's just super dirty! I'm going to clean it up real good inside and out. Maybe wax and shine it up real nice! It's time to replace the spark plugs again though. It's been somewhere around 30 - 40 thousand miles since when that was last done. I'll be putting Champion Copper plugs in it again.

On the WJ, is there any major locations on it or under it; anywhere where it could use a good greasing? IDK? Obviously, the door hinges are something simple to lubricate. But is there any other major mechanical linkages, or locations that should be cleaned and greased on the WJ? Or, on the ZJ for that matter too?

Plan for the ZJ is:

1. Going to be getting its second oil change and filter done since when I got it two weeks ago. I did it once already, but I consider the first one to be a flush on a new older vehicle. This time, it'll be getting Shell Rotella T-6 (I used a cheaper, but very good oil on the initial oil change using Chevron Delo...)

2. Drain the distilled h2o that I put in it from out of the radiotor, and fill it back up with a distilled h20/antifreeze (60/40) mixture.

3. Drain both of the differentials filling back up with 75/140 gear oil. Re-seal/RTV

4. Transmission fluid passively flushed. Filling back up with any ATF+4 (not thinking of dropping the pan right now for the filter. I understand they are really just a screen type of filter anyway for possible larger particles..? I know I won't be able to examine for any metal shavings etc, but I think getting it filled up with fresh ATF will do, and be just fine for right now. I can drop the pan and change the filter later sometime this year if I feel the need)

5. Replace the spark plugs with Champion Copper

6. Replace the spark plug wires

7. Replace the old battery terminals

8. Clean up all the grounds with a wire wheel. Snug and tighten them all back down.

When doing the plugs and wires on this thing, is it advisable to also change and replace the distributor cap & rotor (I am not really familiar with these two items. The cap and rotor.. with why to replace, how you know when to replace, if they have a reccomended service interval for replacement, or what types to replace them with - if there are better brands, or brands to avoid?).

9. Clean-up the throttle body & IAC

The belt and hoses all look good to me. The brake pads and rotors all look good to me. The air filter is clean and very new looking. I am putting off the brake fluid doing anything with that for now.. it looks generally okay and the brakes work fine and feel good to me. I will be looking over everything as I go along. Looking for the condition of wires and for vacum hose condition etc... Does a 1997 ZJ not have an easily accessible fuel filter? I think I heard it is actually part of the fuel pump, and that is located inside of the gas tank? Is it necessary do you think to change out the transfer case fluid, or is that for the most part not really a high priority fluid service to get done?

When the ZJ is all squared away. One of the last things I am going to do is pour a bottle of Techron fuel system cleaner into a three quarters full gas tank, and take a good long drive.

Can you think of anything else that I am missing? I want to have these Jeeps running well, and in top shape before I take off on another project...

Noah911

10. Replace the headlights on both the WJ and the ZJ with new units

11. Speakers upgrade and deck for the ZJ

dave1123

All the door latches on the WJ including the hatch latches. Use a good grade of oil like Hoppe's Gun Oil, getting it into the linkages inside the doors. The latch bodies are nylon, but all the linkage arms are just pressed steel and rust easily. Inside the body where the cam rotates to latch it, there is a catch on a light spring that rusts and fails, then it won't latch. My 2000 WJ is on it's 3rd set of latches, albeit junkyard ones, except for the driver's door latch, which still continues to function after 253K miles. Go figure. The worst ones for malfunctioning are the hatch latches and rear doors. You can lube the rear doors thru the "child guard" lever holes. The next time one of my front door latches gives me problems, I'm going to drill a hole on the edge of the door exactly where I need to squirt the oil and fill it with a push-in rubber plug.

About the transmission filter. They are actually a filter medium with a pretty good micron size that should be changed. There's a magnet in the pan to collect steel particles and the clutch material settles in the bottom of the pan. They also don't have drain plugs, so unless you disconnect a cooling line and flush it that way, you'll have to pull the pan. The dealer sells a reusable gasket that's a steel and neoprene sandwich that can be used repeatedly without sealer. I've already used mine 3 times with no leaks.