Finally bought my 1st Jeep

    First off I want to thank Whatevah. Jerry was a big help answering my questions and concerns in my Jeep search.
    After searching Craigslist for months, and looking at tons of rusted out Cherokees and Wranglers I ended up with a 1997 TJ 4cyl, 5spd, 170K miles, for a decent price. It has a small amount of bubbling below license plate and a small spot under the pass door. Frame is solid as a rock with not even any surface rust I had concerns about the 4cyl but I am not trail riding, towing, or going any bigger with tires. I bought it to surf fish and cruise around the beach with my wife.
    It has a 2 inch lift, kit new shocks, new steering stabilizer, has an adjustable track bar for up to a 4 inch lift, new fuel pump, recent tune up, all the brakes have been replaced: calipers, rotors, wheel cylinders, shoes and drums also replaced, all the brake line with nickel copper, and has new 31-inch tires.
    The guy that had it before me did plugs, wires, cap, rotor, air filter, and said he topped off the differentials.


    I plan on undercoating frame and under floors, possibly taking out the rear seat and carpet and doing the Hurculiner stuff because of beach sand. and getting rid of moisture. Gonna pressure wash off the engine with some Gunk to clean it all up. A little bit of sludge build up around the valve cover. Might also pick up a set of the Quadratech mirrors that slide into the door hinges so I can run without doors.


    What other preventive maintenance should I do? Change differential fluid, transfer case, trans oil? What weight oils should I use if I do those things?
    It seems to run great and shift great; I have to get a new socket for the pass front marker light (hopefully Advanced or someone has one) so I can run it through inspection.
    Should I do anything else to it for piece of mind?
    How do I upload pictures?

    Welcome to the club! Good to see another 97 TJ SE in the club - I've had two, both 4cyl and 5 sp like yours. My current one is running 33s and has made several runs at Rausch creek. That 4 cyl should do just fine for what you're planning.

    Sweet! Welcome to the family! :) Email me the photos and I can upload them for you. As for fluid weights, regular ATF for the transfercase. For the differentials, 80W-90 or similar is fine, I . Just check the rear differential to see if it has a limited slip or not (you'll see the clutch discs vs the spider gears). That will require a friction modifier additive. For the transmission, you can use 10w30 synthetic motor oil, or 75w-90 GL3 or GL4 trans fluid (NOT GL5!).

    Jerry / Whatevah

    2020 Gladiator Mojave - 33" Falken mud tires, LoD side steps, Zroadz bed rack, Quadratec QRC winch bumper, Superwinch EPi 9.0, Kleinn on-board air, Kleinn air horns, lots of lights, Yaesu ham radio with GPS tracker.

    Gone- 2012 JK Rubicon with stuff. Long gone- Long-arm 2001 Cherokee with stuff.

    Quote from whatevah


    Sweet! Welcome to the family! :) Email me the photos and I can upload them for you. As for fluid weights, regular ATF for the transfercase. For the differentials, 80W-90 or similar is fine, I . Just check the rear differential to see if it has a limited slip or not (you'll see the clutch discs vs the spider gears). That will require a friction modifier additive. For the transmission, you can use 10w30 synthetic motor oil, or 75w-90 GL3 or GL4 trans fluid (NOT GL5!).


    I emailed you the photos
    I did not get any kind of manual...Is the drain and fill self explanatory (know where they are)for the transfer case and trans? What one of the 3 you listed is the best for the trans? 10w30 in the engine?


    Jerry / Whatevah

    2020 Gladiator Mojave - 33" Falken mud tires, LoD side steps, Zroadz bed rack, Quadratec QRC winch bumper, Superwinch EPi 9.0, Kleinn on-board air, Kleinn air horns, lots of lights, Yaesu ham radio with GPS tracker.

    Gone- 2012 JK Rubicon with stuff. Long gone- Long-arm 2001 Cherokee with stuff.

    Easiest rust prevention is to drive 4 holes in the bottom of the frame. Undercoating gets mixed reviews. Next jeep that comes through for frame repairs and has undercoating on the frame I'm charging double. Its that miserable. Good thing the only jeep that I've had to deal with it on was mine.... but I didn't do it.

    Quote from shadyluke


    Easiest rust prevention is to drive 4 holes in the bottom of the frame. Undercoating gets mixed reviews. Next jeep that comes through for frame repairs and has undercoating on the frame I'm charging double. Its that miserable. Good thing the only jeep that I've had to deal with it on was mine.... but I didn't do it.


    Exactly where? Lowest point on both sides?

    Quote from brihvac


    I emailed you the photos
    I did not get any kind of manual...Is the drain and fill self explanatory (know where they are)for the transfer case and trans? What one of the 3 you listed is the best for the trans? 10w30 in the engine?


    Heh, sorry, I saw them after I posted. The T-case has drain and fill plugs that are fairly easy to identify, but access to them is difficult without removing the factory skid plate/crossmember. For the AX-5 transmission, the drain is a large bolt on the underside (centered, by itself), and fill should be high on the passenger side (regular socket, not torx), make sure you can find and remove that bolt before you open the drain. :) You'll need a fluid transfer pump for the transmission.


    For ease of finding it, I'd just go with the 10w30 oil for the transmission, although a nice trans fluid like Redline MT-90 would be cool.


    Engine oil depends on the seals and age of the oil pump. I'd start off with 5w30 and see if that's enough to keep the pressure gauge around the middle. If it's on the low side, move up to 10w30 and see how that works. I'd suggest using regular non-synthetic oil to avoid leaks (synthetic tends to run smoother and remove sludge deposits and leaks start at worn out seals).

    Jerry / Whatevah

    2020 Gladiator Mojave - 33" Falken mud tires, LoD side steps, Zroadz bed rack, Quadratec QRC winch bumper, Superwinch EPi 9.0, Kleinn on-board air, Kleinn air horns, lots of lights, Yaesu ham radio with GPS tracker.

    Gone- 2012 JK Rubicon with stuff. Long gone- Long-arm 2001 Cherokee with stuff.

    Edited once, last by whatevah ().

    My oil pressure is actually pretty high. It is more than in the middle. About 3/4 up. Glad you mentioned about the synthetic because that is what I was going to use. The guy I bought it from must have used 10w30 for as high as the pressure is.

    Use pensoil syncromesh for the trans. Its needs to be an ultralow sulfer oil so it wont eat the syncros. I agree to not fo use synthetic in the motor unless it had it before. It just doesnt need it and it will also effect the seals and create leaks.

    Quote from shadyluke


    Easiest rust prevention is to drive 4 holes in the bottom of the frame. Undercoating gets mixed reviews. Next jeep that comes through for frame repairs and has undercoating on the frame I'm charging double. Its that miserable. Good thing the only jeep that I've had to deal with it on was mine.... but I didn't do it.


    Haha that's the best advice I've heard about those frames! I can't believe they couldn't have put some drain holes in at the factory. I suppose it is steady work for you, but it sure seems to have caused a lot of people a lot of trouble.
    To the OP: If I had one of these frames I would not only drill drain holes, but also use some type of rust inhibiting internal frame coating. My buddy's frame looked perfectly fine until he went to replace the clutch....

    Quote from WILLYN


    Haha that's the best advice I've heard about those frames! I can't believe they couldn't have put some drain holes in at the factory. I suppose it is steady work for you, but it sure seems to have caused a lot of people a lot of trouble.
    To the OP: If I had one of these frames I would not only drill drain holes, but also use some type of rust inhibiting internal frame coating. My buddy's frame looked perfectly fine until he went to replace the clutch....


    Eastwood makes a product for this. Runs about 20 bucks a can.


    Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk

    Congrats on the new Jeep and welcome to the Jeep Life! Love the color!!



    Quote from whatevah


    ... make sure you can find and remove that bolt before you open the drain. :) You'll need a fluid transfer pump for the transmission.


    Definitely take this to heart!



    Quote from brihvac


    ... but I am not trail riding, towing, or going any bigger with tires. I bought it to surf fish and cruise around the beach with my wife.


    Good luck and don't ever open a Quadratec, 4WD or any other aftermarket parts catalog!! :innocent: :razz: :innocent:

    Your life is made up of 2 dates and a dash... make the most of the dash!

    Edited once, last by Kuntryboy816 ().

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