Vroooom

Im looking for EDUCATED opinions....
Ive got a 2001 4-dr XJ Sport 4wd 4.0 Auto 236,000 miles Power windows
No rust, Original Glass, no chips.
few dents and dings.
I removed the Factory front and rear bumpers and installed heavier after-markey bumpers I found at a salvage yard.
I've installed: New AGM Battery, New Plugs and wires, New multi-port injectors and Fuel Rail. New thermostat
New O2 Sensors, new EGR, new Throttle Position Sensor, New U-joints on the drive-shaft.
New Radiator cap (this might be important)
1" spacer/Adapter for 17" take-offs from a gladiator so that I could mount the 17" Firestone Destinations off of our KL.
A/C works. Heater does NOT work.
I'd say exterior is roughly a 5....Interior is roughly a 5.
That's the good news.

Now for the bad news:
It ran like a champ!!!!....until it didnt.
Still runs smooth....but....
On a short road-trip of about 60 miles, my tail-gunner radioed that she saw a puff come from my Jeep. A few miles later, I noticed it started getting hot...and quickly overheated.
We let it cool and limped it home with it heating up and stopping to cool several times.
To be clear, when I say "Overheating" I mean: hot on the temp gauge, blowing steam out of the Reservoir tank...and foam ooozing out of the oil filler cap.
When I check the oil with the engine cold...it still looks like oil...not milk.
When I do an exhaust gas test of the radiator I do not detect any exhaust gases in the coolant.
From a cold start, I can let the engine idle for 30 minutes before it starts to get hot.
But wait...there's more...
Odd sound coming from the drivers side rear-end....definitely drive-trail related. possibly the wheel-bearing or the sound matches the revolutions of the wheel during very slow driving/maneuvering.
Headliner is shot.
Misc electrical grimlins (power door locks and windows are fickle)

Ive got about $1500 TOTAL invested in this Jeep and it has been a hell of a lot of fun.

But now it is decision-time:
Do I fix it? How much?
So I sell it? How much?
Do I scrap it?

Y'alls thoughts?

Thanks.

4.3L XJ

OK, so you have a possible cracked head and bad wheel bearing and probably a bad ground somewhere

TrailerTrash

Do you want to put more money into it?
do you actually want to keep the vehicle?
can you do the work required to diagnose and fix the problems? Or would you be paying someone else to do it?
Would you be happier with an XJ in better shape with lower miles?

BlueRidgeMark

No rust? That's not a crusher in any sane world. At worst, if you don't want to fix the engine, it's "sell it as a project vehicle" time.


I don't see any deal breakers there.

Kuro89

Likely cracked cylinder head, 0331 head is a known issue in '00-01 xjs.
cost? Won't know until it's properly diagnosed
Bearings are easy just need a few specialty tool that most auto parts stores loan for free.

All I can say for sure is DON'T CRUSH PLEASE! Xjs are by no means rare but used prices are going up and there are less of them around.

Vroooom

Yup....that is the cruxt of the problem(s).

And when taken in the context of the totality of the circumstances it becomes possible to see all of the variables that weigh into answering the question(s) at hand.

If it were pristine....these relatively small issues would be a no-brainer. Drop another $2000-2500 into it and Rock-On.

Conversely....if it were a total P.O.S.....also a no-brainer. Hell-no you dont put more money into a box that MIGHT be worth $2k .

The overheating could very literally be as simple as a wrong radiator cap. I doubt its that easy, but it is ONE of the possibilities. ORRRRR....It could be a cracked/warped head. Or anything in between.

Ultimately....it has 236,000 miles. which means that it MIGHT mean its time for a new(er) engine. I just dont know. Hence my asking for opinions.

This is pretty much just a fun-buggy. I think I might be willing to drop another 1500 into it if I was relatively confident that I could get another 3-5 years of fun out of it.

Alternatively....we are just around the corner from hunt'n season. And even with the heating issues, its a perfect hunt-wagon.

All points to ponder....

Thanks, everyone. Keep the ideas coming.

Vroooom

BlueRidgeMark

If you send that XJ to the crusher I will personally hunt you down and beat you thoroughly about the head and shoulders with a large, unripe zucchini. With garlic sauce.

Joshua White

This, all day this...

frank.longo86

thats a no brainer KEEP IT and FIX IT. i had an 01 it was my favorite one so solid.. That thing will easily give you those years and more..

4.3L XJ

Shoot, I will make you an offer to buy it. You can get your money back out of it. I could use a spare XJ anyway

treemonkee

Sell it or fix it. I will get in line and take a number to give you whipping if you crush it.