Hi everyone, so I’m new to the jeep world & I found a manual TJ minutes from me that looks good. From pictures the paint in the outside is immaculate, the frame looks good with a few surface rust but not shot considering that it is a northeast car. Now I am aware of how badly these jeeps get with rust so I will try my best to look at every angle. It’s got 160k miles & the owner isn’t asking for too much but he mentioned that it is running a little sluggish & that it might be a misfire. It has a check engine light on & he isn’t sure what it can be. I ran the carfax & it only has 3 service history since 1998! It was also in an accident but the title isn’t salvage. What do you guys think about this? Is this a TJ you would stay away from? Any tips on what to look at mechanically considering the service history on the carfax? Anything would help.. thanks guys
Looking at a TJ tomorrow, any tips?
- Thread starter Angel_96
- Start date
I suggest checking out this thread:
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/what-should-i-look-for-when-buying-a-used-wrangler-tj.375/
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/what-should-i-look-for-when-buying-a-used-wrangler-tj.375/
This is one pic that was sent to me. Considering that the car is minutes away I didn’t ask for more. Is the rust to the left acceptable?
View attachment 232821
west coast guys will go into convulsions looking at that but here in the NE does not look terrible. But....you need to look and feel inside the frame. A cheap borescope would really help. what are they asking? 4 or 6 cylinder? on obd2 scanner would be great to bring for the CEL:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q5H7M5S/?tag=wranglerorg-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q5H7M5S/?tag=wranglerorg-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q5H7M5S/?tag=wranglerorg-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q5H7M5S/?tag=wranglerorg-20
6 cylinder, manual transmission. He’s asking for $4900 because of it running “sluggish.” I do have an obd2 scanner but not a borescope.
6 cylinder, manual transmission. The seller is asking for $4900 because of it feeling “sluggish.” I do have an obd2 scanner but not a borescope so I have to have my eyes peeled on this one.
Rubicon88
TJ Addict
Laugh out effing Loud x100
My sentiments exactly.
Don't listen to anyone below the Mason Dixon line and the west coast involving rust on a TJ.
They'll love spending your money and say that's a terrible Jeep...and tell you to spend 14,000 more and get one from Phoenix that's been garage kept and only seen the sun after 7 p.m.
That frame might be ok..might not. It needs investigating.
Take a small ball peen hammer...ask if you can tap around on it. Also ask if you or the owner can kindly remove the skid plate bolts. Not all at once but just one at a time. You don't need a jack for that. The other 5 bolts will hold it fine. Take out, replace. Take next one out...replace.
Thats the big trouble area on these. Other frame areas aren't hard to fix whatsoever. But that area needs threaded spots and placed properly apart to attach the skid plate.
If the frame checks out...and it's exactly what you want...buy it.
Don't ask us. Ask yourself that. Nobody else can answer that. If it's exactly like you want or close to it then get it. Price doesn't matter if you love it. Again only you can answer that.
Good luck
At $4900 it sounds like a good buy, could be just needs a tuneup, the older TJ’s had a distributor so more moving parts to wear. I won’t touch the rust subject (mostly because it sends me into convulsions).
Rubicon88
TJ Addict
To add...
if the frame is ok the first thing you need to do is douse the thing with PFC from Berkebile.
if the frame is ok the first thing you need to do is douse the thing with PFC from Berkebile.
Go to Harbor Freight and buy a borescope. Inside the frame is the issue. Outside you can wire wheel it off and paint it. If its flakey inside, you are looking at repair panels down the road.
Good info above on the skid plate bolts. If they don't come out, that's trouble.
Good info above on the skid plate bolts. If they don't come out, that's trouble.
Rubicon88
TJ Addict
And don't worry about the bore scope.
Unlesd you're deaf trust me when I tell you all you need is a little bell peen hammer. Tap and listen.
Ask for the skid plates to be removed and replaced.
If the bolts can run out and back in like they're supposed to...and you don't hear sounds of mush when tapping with hammer...but it but only if you love it. Only you can answer that.
P.s.
You NEED to drive this and also investigate why it's running as the owner put it...sluggish.
Scan it and see what the cel is telling you.
$4900 could be way strong if it's a complete mechanical asshole. You could get a nice rolling chassis minus engine for less than that.
And $4900 is steep if the engine has weak compression, knocking, smoking, etc....water in the oil, and so on.
I wish you the best of luck and hope it all works out for you!!!
Bonus points because you know the only way to roll in a Jeep is with a stick
Unlesd you're deaf trust me when I tell you all you need is a little bell peen hammer. Tap and listen.
Ask for the skid plates to be removed and replaced.
If the bolts can run out and back in like they're supposed to...and you don't hear sounds of mush when tapping with hammer...but it but only if you love it. Only you can answer that.
P.s.
You NEED to drive this and also investigate why it's running as the owner put it...sluggish.
Scan it and see what the cel is telling you.
$4900 could be way strong if it's a complete mechanical asshole. You could get a nice rolling chassis minus engine for less than that.
And $4900 is steep if the engine has weak compression, knocking, smoking, etc....water in the oil, and so on.
I wish you the best of luck and hope it all works out for you!!!
Bonus points because you know the only way to roll in a Jeep is with a stick
Rubicon88
TJ Addict
If the inside is bad you will hear it with a hammer.
I tap on frames every day doing safety inspections. If the frame has a weak area there is absolutely no mistaking the sound.
Besides with a 23 year old piece the inside of the frame isn't going to look brand new.
Road debris, mud,
age deterioration etc rodents building nests and the debris from it..all sorts of things could be found in there
(maybe even a couple posters from wranglertjforum could even be living in there)
but you could be terrifying the person when no need to do so.
Just having corrosion on the inside isn't an automatic shit can of said Jeep.
Either way it needs the peeling paint taken off there and doused with some PFC
Thanks everyone! Unfortunately I most likely won’t have time to pick up the borescope as I am the first person checking the car out first thing in the morning. God knows how many more people are coming to look at it after me. But I am use to looking for rust since you know.... Northeast... I was just also more concerned about the carfax I pulled. It’s been in an accident but not salvaged, 5 owners & 3 service history. It may seem like a good body & frame but who knows. Is there anything in specific to look for mechanically?
Check the bottom of the oil cap for condensation and coolant / milky residue, remove the oil cap with engine running to check for blow by, is it puffing air out of the oil fill? Check exhaust while running for huffing sounds, smoke, oil, coolant. Check oil and coolant for cross contamination (blown head gasket), check for major obvious leaks. When you start it up pay attention to the cranking motion of the engine, is it smooth as its turning over or speeding up and slowing down, this could show low compression in a cylinder. Use any of this to decide to buy or not, and as a negotiating factor. The frame is the greatest concern for me, mechanical stuff is easy compared to repairing a frame. For the money, seems like a good possibility you might get lucky and it just needs some long overdue maintenance.
Rubicon88
TJ Addict
Take your scan tool. What's the code(s)?
Nothing really to look for out of the norm.
Oil look good or milky?
Does it smoke out the exhaust or anywhere else for that matter...
Any odd noises? The 4.0 is a good engine but a sloppy engine even in good form. It's noisy.
Just no knocks. It will probably have the infamous lifter rattle on a cold start.
So what. Run it
Does it shift all gears ok? I'm not talking about the notchiness Jeep trannies are absolutely notorious for...just a legit grind shifting between gears while driving.
Shift into 4wd...turn wheel one way or other on pavement...let out clutch...drive in a big circle. Is it binding up or bucking? 4wd works fine then.
Put in 4 low. Just let clutch out. You'll know immediately if it's in low range.
Any funky noises while doing the above?
Those are the main concerns. Everything else isn't a big deal.
Hey everyone. So I just got back from looking at the TJ... unfortunately it was too good to be true. The body had rust bubble forming, the frame looked good at first but as I looked around I started to find small cracks forming on the bottom of the frame. I also stuck my finger inside the frame since I didn’t have a borescope & it was a world of rust in there. I was literally taking pieces of rust out. I honestly didn’t even continue to look at the car I just simply walked away. It might’ve been a good deal for someone who truly knows these TJ inside & out but I know that I wouldn’t have slept comfortable at night lol thanks again everyone for the heads up I appreciate it! Hopefully someday I’ll find a TJ worth buying
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