Hi everyone, just wanted to share my build. First off I want to start by saying this isn't my first XJ. Last year I owned a 2000 4.0 4x4 auto. I purchased that one for $400 with a blown head gasket with the dreaded 0331 head. I replaced the engine with a 97 grand Cherokee 4.0 w/60,000 miles on it. It had big plans but it was cut short. I ended up selling it to a good friends of mine dad for a work truck! Still drives that sucker. Anyway 2 months ago I left my town (1 hour NW of Chicago) to Janesville, Wisconsin for a nice day trip. Went and picked up a 1996 Cherokee for $300. It was rough but not what I had imagined. I got it home and the floor board and frame rails were rotted. I knew I had been beat. I scrapped it for $250. The very next day I came across a stock 1999 Cherokee XJ out of St.Joe Michigan. It needed a head gasket and some minor odds and ends. The guy was asking $400, because he had just put brand new tires on it. I told him if I brought my own wheels and tires, he could keep his and id pay him scrap price for it. Well that was it, my cousin came home that Thursday with my $200 project.
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So it began. Started by tearing the engine apart to get to the head gasket.
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This jeep has 292,000 miles on it and you can still see original cross etching in the cylinders!
After getting the cylinder head all put back together and freshened up with all new gaskets, plugs, wires, cap and rotor, and oil change, it still wasn't running right. Luckily my cousin yanked his perfect 4.0 out of his ZJ for a 5.9 swap, I purchased the whole engine for $150. I ended up having it timed incorrectly, and got it fired up. The jeep ran but wouldn't idle unless I made it, so swapped the whole throttle body with sensors and bam fired right up no hesitation. Now I'm back in business!!
Anyway now I'll leave a list of suspension upgrades and pictures to follow
Front End-
• Superlift 4" coil springs
• Rough Country Control Arm Drops
• Trail Master Extended fixed lower control arms
• Core 4x4 Adjustable Upper control Arms
• Fully Adjustable Trac bar
Shocks-
•Rough Country N20
Rear End-
•Pro Comp 3.5" Leaf Springs
• 2" drop shackles
• 2" wheel Spacers
Wheels/Tires
•16" Pro Comp Alloys wrapped in 31" BFG Rugged Terrain T/A
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