Jeep Wrangler

tsjay · March 2003

Good deal! And, once again, CONGRATS!

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

johnshome1 · March 2003

What are most people using for oil? I'm thinking of using Mobil 1 Synthetic; I run it in both of my other vehicles and was wondering if anyone in this thread uses synthetic.

bamatazz · March 2003

Hello Jeepers..
  IM back from AWOL.. sorry been away..
i dont really have a good excuse.. Ive been thinking of one..
  Tazz is doing good.. 16,000 mines on him..
still looking showroom clean, I know that hurts all you off-roading jeep purist..
  welcome to all the new jeep owners. You will Love it..


  C YA!!
Terry
ROLLLL TIDE

tsjay · March 2003

Good choice! That's what Thelma Jane gets... Mobil 1 every 3K miles. I have used Mobil 1 for years in my various vehicles and firmly believe in it.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

mtngal · March 2003

oceantoad - Wow - they never closed the post when I was there. Must have been some awful storm, and I'm glad you made out OK. I had never thought about the fact that single troops living off post might have major problems dealing with their pets. Makes me want to go there and pick them all up (NOT!). If you spot a Newfoundland, let me know. A friend of mine lost his 13 year old one recently and would really like another one.

Oil - I've just used regular 10W30, but up until last year I was getting oil changes about every 2 months (3,000 miles). My '98 just passed 110,000 miles today (guess I should do something about the Taco one of these days, especially with the price of gas going up so).

Tazz - great to see you are still around! It's wonderful to hear from someone who doesn't get their Wrangler dirty. Mine had a bath today, so I guess tomorrow's hike will be somewhere less accessible than today's Mt. Pinos trip (paved roads to the trailhead, then a snowshoe trip beyond).

jutah - How did it go - did you pick it up? Are you still smiling?

x90071 · March 2003

hi guys, i have 98 wrangler with 45K miles. for the past 9 months it has been making squeaking sound under the hood while the engine is on. two mechanics told me it is the distributor! and it will cost $300+ to fix. I have been putting it off and the car has been fine (except the annoying noise!)

1- How long do you think i can put it off?
2- Is there a less expensive way to fix this?
3- What do you think caused it in first place?

mac24 · March 2003

It's not an unknown problem. The bearing eventually seizes and the shaft breaks, leaving you stranded. The Camshaft Positioning Sensor inside the distributor is often damaged as well.

A new distributor from the dealer is about $200, and you can easily fit it yourself.

I guess the answer to "How long can I leave it?" depends on how lucky you feel.

:-)

wheelerman · March 2003

hey tom, we had another good day at h.h. yesterday. and i laid my jeep on its side for the frist time. nothing bad happend . i just got one debeaded tire .it took like 30 min.s to get me going again. you can see photos over at www.gottrail.com under trail report in the m.b. ben

ears · March 2003

I use Moble 1 in all three of my vehicles (including my '99 Sport) and have been very happy with it. I try to go 5,000 miles between changes.

2001wrangler · March 2003

Another option to getting rear carpet would be to get some Herculiner and cover the rear section with it. Herculiner is basically like the Rhino liner stuff they use for beds of trucks. If you would use the Herculiner, you would never have to worry about the rear section of the Jeep being wet. You can get a can of Herc from quadratec.com for just over $100.

Just thought I would give you another possibility.

mtngal · March 2003

One reason to get something like carpet for the back is that the metal gets hot. I haven't had the back seat in mine for a year now, but I often haul a dog, so I'm glad I have carpet in the back. The back piece seems to get a bit mildewy when damp and I've looked at replacing it - quadratec lists all kinds of fitted carpets for a reasonable price.

tsjay · March 2003

'Bout time we heard from you, Terry! So, Tazz has 16K miles on him now? Well, Thelma Jane has about 28.5K on her, and she sure ain't "spotless." She looks good, but the trail runs have left her with some scratches and some mud stains in the carpet that will never come out. She is a happy Jeep, though, because she gets to go wheeelin'.

How come no one is posting in here lately? We did not get a single post yesterday, 3/3/03.

Let's hear from everyone!

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay · March 2003

Just thought I would pass along a warning, so that what happened to me might not be as bad if it happens to you.

I lost everything on my hard drive and had to reload my original software! My puter had been acting up for a while, and I should have taken that as warning and backed up the important stuff, but I didn't.

Finally, when I tried to boot up night before last, my puter gave up the ghost, and I had to reload the original software.

I lost some pics and my turbo tax files for the last three years. I have the actual returns printed, though, so I have hard copy of them. I will just have to type in a bunch of stuff next year that would have otherwise transferred automatically. Not that big of a deal, I guess.

Anyway, if there is stuff on your hard drive that you really, really want to keep, you'd better back it up.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

shill3 · March 2003

My TJ ('99 Sport) came with chrome hood latches (aftermarket) and the rubber that held them together has rotted from sun and heat. It was all cracked and allowed the hood to dance about at 60 mph or so.
I've temporarily replaced the rubber with backpacking straps and they hold well, but I was wondering if any of the stock latches experienced this?

mac24 · March 2003

The standard ones hold up well here in sunny Florida. In gusty conditions you can see some movement of the hood, but nothing damaging. My latches are the same age as yours, and are 'as new'.

div2 · March 2003

The stock latches on my 1999 Sahara still look brand new.

arh11 · March 2003

I thought I'd try this message board as maybe I'd get a little more sympathy for my emotional attachment.:)
Little background...I have a 2000 Sahara, dual tops, automatic, 30' wheels, "fully loaded". Problem is, I also have a lease through Bank One that's up 4/4. I want to buy my Jeep (until I can afford a Rubicon!!:). Bank One wants about $15,600 for it. I'm trying to negotiate it down, but they're not moving much. Would I be silly to pay this much for it? The original price I negotiated w/ the dealer was $22,450. What do you think?

Second...my door handles. Assuming I get to keep my "baby", I need to do something about the handles. I doubt I'm alone, as I've noticed the problem on others in the area. The black is peeling, and now they're starting to rust. I'm assuming they have to be replaced (or is there a touch up paint - how bad does it look?) - is this possible to do myself?? I've also noticed a little oxidation on the rear bumper...

Any help appreciated!!

tsjay · March 2003

One major consideration concerning the purchase of your Jeep is that you KNOW how it has been treated, and you know how it has performed up until now. If you let the Jeep go back and go buy another used one, you will be running the risk of getting a Jeep that has not been properly maintained or that has been abused.

If you are truly "attached" to your Jeep, and Lord knows I can relate to that, then get the price as low as you can, and then buy that puppy.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

shill3 · March 2003

Sometime back Edmunds did a story on buying from a lease (they wanted to sell it themselves). You should be able to dig it up under the "Tips and Advice" section.

You can also do a price check on it (under "Used Cars") and see if they are in the ball park. My guess is that it is a good price since you know the previous owner! :-)

ears · March 2003

I recently bought a 99 Sport soft top with 20K miles, after-market wheels and 31 BFGs for $13,700. Based on that, $15K for a loaded 2000 Sahara with dual tops appears to be in the ballpark.

I recently heard an expert talk on this subject and he indicated that buying a car you like and know at the end of a lease often made sense. He also said the price could be negotiated but you might really have to work them and play the game.

Keep beating on them maybe theyll come down a little. And definitely price it out on Edmunds. That may give you some ammo. Best of luck.

johnshome1 · March 2003

I did my first oil change tonight (1392 miles) with Mobil One 10W30 Synthetic. I used a Fram Double Guard filter, but plan on switching to the Mobil One filter on the next change.

Observations: Hercules works at the Jeep factory. I know this because he put my oil filter on. WOW! Talk about a bear to get off! Not exactly easy to grab, either. I took the air filter box cover/tube off to give myself a little more room. And oh yeah, make darn sure that you have a new funnel to use to put the oil in. I didn't, but I will next time.

I believe the next thing I'll do is add the K&N drop in air filter. I've used then in my other vehicles and I've been pleased.

Are there any zerk fittings that need to be lubed? If so, how many and where?
Thanks,
JohnS

stever · March 2003

this is the story Shill3 is referring to:

Buying Your Leased Car

And as mentioned, there's more on leasing in the Tips & Advice section.

Steve, Host

twylie · March 2003

http://www.stu-offroad.com/misc/lube-1.htm has all the info you'll need to find the stock lube points.

Welcome to the group!

-twylie

div2 · March 2003

The best tool for filter removal is a filter wrench that fits over the end of the filter; then you can use a ratchet to (in most cases)easily remove it. I don't want to start an extended debate, but I've seen enough evidence to convince me to stay away from K&N air filters. They don't filter dust particles as well and there's no HP increase. In fact, my 99 Sahara had one when I bought it. The next week I replaced it with an OEM filter. Here's some technical analysis:
http://www.bonnevillemotorwerks.com/dynocharts/intake/KN/kntest.p- df
Disclaimer-Jim Conforti is a friend of mine. He can be a bit arrogant, but he is rarely-if ever-wrong.

mac24 · March 2003

Check out 'Stu's' site mentioned above, lots of good stuff there.

Good choice not to use Fram oil filters in the future.

Bad choice to use a K&N air filter. They have their place, but it's not on your Jeep. They do flow more air, but at the expense of allowing larger particles through. They could allow your engine more air, but only if the stock filter was restricting the air required. That's not the case on your Jeep. Fit one because you like the extra noise it makes by all means, but don't be fooled that you're getting more power, and realize that more crud will be getting through to your engine.

Finally, you'll find it a lot easier to remove the oil filter from beneath the vehicle. It's designed to be removed from there, and you have to go there to change the oil anyway!

jutah · March 2003

Hi all,

I can actually get to work and back without stalling

Saying this is 20 miles one way in stop and go I am happy with myself! I have two questions.

#1. I was reading my new manual and it indicated that I have a shift indicator light. I have been looking for this thing for two days but can't seem to find it. I think it worked at first. I see the arrow, but it never lights up? Could I have turned it off by accident? If it is broke is this a bad sign?

#2. I have a few new pics of the new baby. Where can I post them?

Thanks,

jutah

bamatazz · March 2003

Hello Jeepers..
  I know Several post ago..Tom?? someone had a leak in thier jeep..
  We had a BAD rain last night I got in TAZZ to go to work had over an inch of rain in the floor board. Ive checked all around the hardtop..for leaks. I didnt see any.
  anyone else have this problem?
thanx Jeepers
   BamaTazz

stever · March 2003

Posting info can be found in Town Hall Help linked on the left. You'll need to find some place to host the pics though - maybe your ISP has set aside a home page for you?

Steve, Host

lvchef · March 2003

What brand of Air Filter do you all suggest??

I just bought a set of Ramps and a floor "Creeper" to change my own oil. Last week I took my Jeep into get some Warentee work preformed at the dealer. I needed to have my oil changed so I figured it was there, let them do it. The oil change cost $28.00! WOW!! But I figured, its here so why not. Then the service advisor askes me if I wanted a tire rotation? I figured it would cost nothing w/ a oil change.. WRONG!! They wanted $38 for a tire rotation!!! Needless to say, I didn't get the tires rotated.. What a rip off... So I decided to get a Creeper and a set of ramps and do it my self....
This is going to be a great $$$ saver in the future....

mac24 · March 2003

Congratulations on learning how to drive a manual.
As for the shift indicator light, you're probably changing gear before it lights up. Look for it in the same place you saw it before you thought it was broken, the instrument panel.

mac24 · March 2003

As far as I know, pretty much any brand of OE style air filter is ok.

I always rotate my tires when I change my oil (every 3000 miles). Doing minor service work like this helps you to understand how your Jeep is put together. It also allows you to look for early signs of trouble, or for normal wear and tear that requires imminent attention.

While you have the wheels off, check the brakes and lubricate the steering joints. Have a look all at all the different parts and try to identify them, see how they're put together and how they work.

Even if you never get any further than routine servicing, you'll have a deeper understanding of your vehicle and you'll be less likely to be 'taken' by an unscrupulous dealer or mechanic.

geepers · March 2003

My '91 has had a couple of leaks. I could never find them myself. I did learn a trick last time though. Remove the carpet, cover the metal floor with a coating of chalk and the water will leave a trail in the chalk. Of course it's probably making it's way from somewhere else higher up. The dealers around here farm it out to "leak detector" guys.

kelleyo · March 2003

We must be kindred spirits! I have a Lincoln LS (I just read your recent posts on the LS Board) and a 99TJ.

Looks like you have a sedan (540?) and a wrangler as well?

Anyhoo this board is much nicer than the other one...

LOL I got slammed one time because I blasphemed! I actually stated that an Inline 6 was silky smooth and almost perfectly naturally balanced (which they are). I was speaking about my Jeep but I guess they thought I was praising BMW or something...

I love my LS but I my dream is an E55 Mercedes (an M5 would do as well heh heh)

How do you like your Jeep?

geepers · March 2003

If you're shifting before the shift indicator light comes on you're probably shifting too soon. You could be lugging the engine which isn't good over the long run. I think most people ignore the light and shift by sound and feel (or maybe the tach). Try getting a few more RPMs before shifting. Soon you'll forget that light is even there.

Gary

tsjay · March 2003

Thelma Jane had a bad leak not long after I got her, and it turned out to be a bad seal around the heater box where it comes through the fire wall. Tonkadave had the same problem, and others I have heard about have had it.

I'm surprised that you have only now experienced the problem, but maybe Tazz hasn't been out in the rain very much. Your problem might be something else, though.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay · March 2003

First of all, as Mac24 said, I too am proud of you for learning to drive a straight shift!

The shift light is supposed to tell you the optimum time to shift for fuel economy, but most people don't pay much attention to it. As was previously mentioned, you may be shifting before the light comes on, or, in other words, shifting at lower RPMs. Most people actually shift at higher RPMs than when the light comes on. As long as you are not lugging down the engine, you're probably doing OK. I have the 4.0 six cylinder engine, and I think I shift pretty much about the time the light comes on, altough I don't pay attention to it. As you get used to your Jeep, you will shift just by the sound of the engine.

When you want to "wind out a gear" for quicker acceleration, it doesn't hurt anything, as long as you don't get too crazy and over-rev the engine. You'll just be wasting some gas. You have a tachometer that tells you the engine RPMs, so just be sure not to let the RPMs hit the red line. You really shouldn't wind out the gears all the way to redline very often. I have NEVER wound out a gear all the way to redline in my Jeep. They aren't hotrods, afterall.

You can come to Gill's web site and he will host pics for you. Just register (free) and then go to the gallery.

http://itsajeep.org

Come chat with us there sometimes too.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

johnshome1 · March 2003

Thanks for the advise. No, I don't expect supercharger performance from an air filter. I get a kick out of these folks that expect that by adding a filter they'll be able to pop wheelies like Herbie the Love Bug.

The increased noise (minor in my opinion) does not bother me.

I guess that I should have told you that this is a 3rd vehicle that will probably never see mud or other off-roading. (I do pledge to never put tire dressing on the wheels, though, if that scores me any points. HAHA.)

As for the K&N, I use it in my Avalanche, and did in my Tahoe before, mainly to keep from having to buy a new air filter every 5000 miles. I take it out every oil change, check it for dirt/grime, and reinstall. I also re-oil about every 12,000 to 15,000 miles if it looks like it needs it. Hey, it works for me, and I've not had any problems yet.

Thanks again for the advise and the zerk fitting link.
JohnS

div2 · March 2003

Hi! I thought your name looked familiar. There are some good folks on the other board, but a couple are wound a bit too tight. There used to be an Electrical Engineer over there who was(of course)an expert on EVERYTHING. He was certain V6s were superior to I6s. A big flame war broke out for a couple of days. He didn't have a clue, but he kept on arguing. Anyway, your comment probably opened some old wounds...;) As for my Wrangler, I really like it. I bought it last May and planned to sell it off this winter, but I think I'm going to hang on to it. It's fun to drive and the Jeep Wave reminds me of driving my old Bavaria back in the early eighties when nearly all BMW drivers flashed their headlights at each other(Yeah, I WISH I had a 540, my Five is a 528. Still pretty spunky, though).
What impressed me about the Wrangler is how tight and solid it feels. It doesn't handle too bad either. Of course being a chronic gear head, I want to start tweaking it. I want to add a rear locker, Cibie H4 headlamps, a CD head unit, and better speakers. It's a sickness, I can't leave anything stock.

moondawg · March 2003

hi all,

I came across a 99 sahara,at a dealers lot.They're asking about $17k U.S. for a Jeep with about 48k miles on the odom.Reasonable.or not?It also has multiple scratches on the padding covering the passenger side airbag.Can this be replaced?Are there replacement seats with head restraints,to replace those in the rear,that have without?

mtngal · March 2003

Mine lights up at around 1800 on the tach and goes off around 2000 or 2100 (something like that). You might be missing it's range completely if you are revving up a fair amount. I know I did that for a while when I first learned how to drive a manual. Before I got the Wrangler I always shifted at higher RPMs, and now I'm used to shifting at slower speeds and lower RPMs. I accidentally stalled out in an Escape I was test driving in the middle of an intersection because I shifted to 2nd too soon. The salesman just thought I was a dumb female (rather than someone who knows how to drive a real 4x4).

kelleyo · March 2003

I know what you mean about the sickness!

Since I bought my Jeep, I have put in 4.56 gears, a K&N FIPK, Borla Cat back, new shocks, Grizzly floor mats, Bestop oversize spare tire carrier, New Alpine Head unit 4 new speakers and a Sub woofer...
Couple of other things I am sure:)))

Are the Cibie headlamps a straight swap??? Do they help a lot?

Thanks,

div2 · March 2003

Yes, the Cibies will swap right in. I've put them in almost all of my cars since 1978. You will not believe the difference. The Hella H4s are OK but they have a problem with the low/high beam pattern alignment-if the lamp is adjusted to so that the low beams are at the correct then the high beams will be set to high. Cibies don't have that problem.

Sound like you've made some nice modifications to your Jeep. When/if my exhaust manifold ever cracks I'm going to go with a Banks header and cat back.

dewars · March 2003

Tell me more about the cibie H4 head lamps. Where is a good place to buy them? What should I expect to pay? How much difference do they make?

Thanks,

dewars

kelleyo · March 2003

My Manifold blew out a month ago. It got covered under warranty (I had an extended warranty). Only a $100 deductible. I felt stupid that the dealer talked me into the extended warranty but this time it paid off!

The new manifold has flex tubing where the welds were that always crack.

div2 · March 2003

Try: http://www.cibielights.com/headlamps/headlamps.htm
They make a TREMENDOUS difference. Cibies run @$105/pr., the Hellas @$5 less. It's a wortwhile upgrade.

jthurlow · March 2003

What year Wrangler and at what mileage did your manifold fail? (I assume you have the six cylinder engine.)

I have a '99 Sport with 38,000 and no manifold problems yet; however, my extended warranty runs out soon and I am wondering whether it is worthwhile to renew.

Thanks,

J. Thurlow

kelleyo · March 2003

Mine is a 99 4.0 sport. The manifold went at about 50k miles. It started making a loud ticking/puffing noise through a crack. It got worse and worse and worse till I had to fix it (the neighbors were staring...) They all seem to crack at the same weld points on the 1 or 6 cylinder position. The piece they put on is the new redesigned version that has been shipping since 2000? It has flex pipe in the areas where the welds used to be. The dealer wanted about $900 to do the job. About 450 for the part and 450 labor. If the warranty had not covered it I would have gotten a Borla header to go wiht my cat back....

jutah · March 2003

Hey all thanks for the suggestions! I don't think shifting too fast is the problem b\c this morning I really help it to see if I could get it to come up. I think that maybe I am giving it too much gas as mtngal suggested and totally skipping it. I tend to give it too much than too little to keep it from dying out on me. I'll try tommorow to see what happens. If it never comes on could this be a bad problem?

Thanks,

jutah

tsjay · March 2003

Heck no, it ain't a problem. Most people consider the stupid shift light as being a nuisance.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

bamatazz · March 2003

Thanx for the info tom..
  I thought that u had that problem too..
but..TAZZ was parked in my front yard when i had this leak. Could that seal still be the problem even if the jeep is parked?
  BTW, has anyone looked at the Rubicon yet?
I saw one at a dealer here. I didnt have time to stop & look.
  KEEP JEEPIN
  BamaTazz

Jeep Wrangler

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