Quirks of Early 97 TJs

[Winks42]

So, I don’t know if this counts as a quirk of the ‘97, an issue across all TJ’s, or just specifically mine. I have a pretty bad paint job on mine, meaning lots of bare primer in areas. I know mine has never been repainted as my wife purchased it new. Maybe my expectations are high, or maybe mine was just the last one off the line on a Friday. Anyone else notice this?
View attachment 259444View attachment 259445View attachment 259448View attachment 259447
I know the underbody things may be passable. But if you look at the third picture near the headlight, this is a representation of the whole body. Anywhere two body panels come together, there is a bit of a gap. It just bothers me.

Yea I have have some bad spots near the tailgate and on the inside of the hood

 

[SSTJ]

So, I don’t know if this counts as a quirk of the ‘97, an issue across all TJ’s, or just specifically mine. I have a pretty bad paint job on mine, meaning lots of bare primer in areas. I know mine has never been repainted as my wife purchased it new. Maybe my expectations are high, or maybe mine was just the last one off the line on a Friday. Anyone else notice this?

I know the underbody things may be passable. But if you look at the third picture near the headlight, this is a representation of the whole body. Anywhere two body panels come together, there is a bit of a gap. It just bothers me.

Hey there. So, I don't think those are "bare" spots; I think they've just collected 20+ years of grime. My 97 looks like that in some places, and I've just been looking forward to the day that I can give it a good careful scrub in those hard-to-reach areas.

But obviously I could be wrong. How sure are you that they're bare metal, or bare primer?

Either way, yes: mine looks just like that. So maybe all 97s were painted on Fridays ...

 

[97' 4 Popper]

So, I don’t know if this counts as a quirk of the ‘97, an issue across all TJ’s, or just specifically mine. I have a pretty bad paint job on mine, meaning lots of bare primer in areas. I know mine has never been repainted as my wife purchased it new. Maybe my expectations are high, or maybe mine was just the last one off the line on a Friday. Anyone else notice this?
View attachment 259444View attachment 259445View attachment 259448View attachment 259447
I know the underbody things may be passable. But if you look at the third picture near the headlight, this is a representation of the whole body. Anywhere two body panels come together, there is a bit of a gap. It just bothers me.

It's normal for all years to have unpainted floorboards here and there, although in your case it looks like the paint got missed? I have a few sections on my TJ that were left bare primer, on my LJ that's how the whole floorboard is, it's insane it hasn't fallen apart (yet) .

 

[Shuttlesworth]

Is there an easy way to determine if the build date is of a certain month based on VIN. I know you can look at the date code on the drivers door sticker, but I would like to scour online for one and not many people post a high def picture of the door sticker.

I have this crazy idea to own a car as old as I am and luckily my favorite Jeep is built during 8/96. Anyone with a 96 build year have a VIN the has U instead of V is the 10th place? I'm just going on a hunch that the year code back dates to 96 with U.

 

[SSTJ]

Is there an easy way to determine if the build date is of a certain month based on VIN. I know you can look at the date code on the drivers door sticker, but I would like to scour online for one and not many people post a high def picture of the door sticker.

I have this crazy idea to own a car as old as I am and luckily my favorite Jeep is built during 8/96. Anyone with a 96 build year have a VIN the has U instead of V is the 10th place? I'm just going on a hunch that the year code back dates to 96 with U.

I don't know. I think your build sheet (which you can get with your VIN) might mention the month? I don't have mine here in my office (about to jump on a call), so I can't check for you.

I do see months mentioned on the stickers of particular parts, like my axle shaft or my glove compartment door, but I suppose those are for the parts themselves, and not the whole TJ.

 

[97' 4 Popper]

Is there an easy way to determine if the build date is of a certain month based on VIN. I know you can look at the date code on the drivers door sticker, but I would like to scour online for one and not many people post a high def picture of the door sticker.

I have this crazy idea to own a car as old as I am and luckily my favorite Jeep is built during 8/96. Anyone with a 96 build year have a VIN the has U instead of V is the 10th place? I'm just going on a hunch that the year code back dates to 96 with U.

That is part of why I loved my 97 even in as bad of shape as it was, it was as old as me. Idk if this helps, but this sticker along with some interior trim panels told me the vehicle had an earliest start build date around middle or end of november, and it was completed before christmas. I was completed dec. 6.

If you don't have the sticker on the door anymore as they often peel, take off the top dash trim piece. That will give you a rough idea but not sure about finding out the exact day it was finished. That was always something I was curious about.

 

[Daviddnv]

Great thread. I have a 97 SE, 2.5, 5sp, no a/c, etc. It even had a radio delete according to the VIN decoder. So very little options evidently, build 01/96. I've only had for a couple of months. It's basically a beach jeep for Daytona. So it it looks cool (IMO), lifted, 33s etc. I don't do too far/fast, so it's all good.

 

[DWR]

Tagging some 97 owners (at least by their names).

@97' 4 Popper
@97.tj.addict
@97jeeptjse
@97JeepWrangler
@97life
@97Ragtop
@97TjDom
@97TJGWB
@97TJlifted
@97tjrealengo

Wow, maybe I missed a memo and should be @97SSTJ

Was thinking the same thing! 97DWR

 

[Shuttlesworth]

I

That is part of why I loved my 97 even in as bad of shape as it was, it was as old as me. Idk if this helps, but this sticker along with some interior trim panels told me the vehicle had an earliest start build date around middle or end of november, and it was completed before christmas. I was completed dec. 6.

If you don't have the sticker on the door anymore as they often peel, take off the top dash trim piece. That will give you a rough idea but not sure about finding out the exact day it was finished. That was always something I was curious about.

View attachment 259863

I know of the sticker. Mine is a 1/99 TJ. This was more an idea for purchasing a 8/96 TJ in the future for a project to be as old as me, to the month.

Funny enough my niece has a TJ that used to be my brother in laws and it is a 11/96 TJ. I plan on that thing becoming mine for parts when she eventually gets rid of it.

 

[SSTJ]

I

I know of the sticker. Mine is a 1/99 TJ. This was more an idea for purchasing a 8/96 TJ in the future for a project to be as old as me, to the month.

Funny enough my niece has a TJ that used to be my brother in laws and it is a 11/96 TJ. I plan on that thing becoming mine for parts when she eventually gets rid of it.

Oh, I see. No, I know of no way to do a VIN search online for a list of all Jeeps "out there" with a certain manufacture date. Interesting idea though.

 

[Wildman]

Great thread. I have a 97 SE, 2.5, 5sp, no a/c, etc. It even had a radio delete according to the VIN decoder. So very little options evidently, build 01/96. I've only had for a couple of months. It's basically a beach jeep for Daytona. So it it looks cool (IMO), lifted, 33s etc. I don't do too far/fast, so it's all good.

Another 01/96 build date. That is nice to see another one around.
Mine came was A/C and the radio though. I'd have to go back and look at the rest of my build sheet to tell you what other items it had stock. But mine is far from stock anymore.

 

[Shuttlesworth]

@Wildman does your VIN have a V in 10th position?

 

[Wildman]

@Wildman does your VIN have a V in 10th position?

I don't know I'll have to check for you.

 

[Daviddnv]

Another 01/96 build date. That is nice to see another one around.
Mine came was A/C and the radio though. I'd have to go back and look at the rest of my build sheet to tell you what other items it had stock. But mine is far from stock anymore.

I guess I assumed it was low optioned because of the radio delete, but it does list customer preferred packages 2TB and 23B, whatever those are. Also high back seats, carpet, and even the 8 additional gallons of gas, lol. I'm not sure what came standard and what were options. So maybe there were options, just no a/c or radio. Far from stock now.

 

[Wildman]

Interesting for the 8 additional gallons as the stock tank was 15 gallons and then a 19 gallon tank was optional as far as I know.
I've never been able to find out what those package were.

@Wildman does your VIN have a V in 10th position?

Yes mine is a V.

 

[Shuttlesworth]

Interesting for the 8 additional gallons as the stock tank was 15 gallons and then a 19 gallon tank was optional as far as I know.
I've never been able to find out what those package were.



Yes mine is a V.

Hhmmm there goes the "U" = 96 theory. Looks like it will be down to the build date on the door sticker. Maybe Jeep has a record somewhere of VINs for specific months in each year.

 

[Woodrow]

Very early 97 models like mine that was manufactured 3/96 use a lot of electrical parts like sensors from the '95 YJ. My '97 needed a new throttle position sensor and the one made for a 97 didn't fit. Both me and the Jeep dealer's parts guy were scratching our heads with that one. Tried one from a 95 YJ and it fit and worked perfectly.

My 97 was mfg in 5/96. I've run into several issues like Jerry and others mentioned. The heater blower control stop working except off and high. I thought it would be the switch (it wasn't-which was good because the parts store was stumped). The part they had was completely different. Then I read about the resistor (It wasn't that either). Turned out to be the harness connection to the resistor which was partially melted. Replacing that fixed the issue. Next, the brake light switch at the pedal is different that what the part store has for a 97. Finally, I have had the low oil pressure and check gauges light issue that others talked about in this thread. I haven't so far been able to confirm this with a mechanical gauge and aftermarket oil pressure sensor replacement hasn't changed the issue which is intermittent and only seems to happen when warm and at idle.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I dunno when you replaced the heater fan's wiring harness but the usual cause of melted wiring is the fan motor is going bad. The shellac coating the winding wires breaks down letting the wires start shorting out to each other which starts the motor drawing more amperage through the wiring, switch, and resistor pack. Replacing any of those without also replacing the fan motor is likely to result in it happening again.

 

[Daviddnv]

Interesting for the 8 additional gallons as the stock tank was 15 gallons and then a 19 gallon tank was optional as far as I know.
I've never been able to find out what those package were.



Yes mine is a V.

I think the 8 additional gallons means it comes with gas, not additional capacity. I think I still have the 15.3 gallon tank.

My 10th position is a V too. Not sure what that means. I used to be all into the mopar VINs when I had roadrunners and such... back in the day, pre-internet. Even found the build sheet under the back seat in one. Wish I had them now...

 

[Shuttlesworth]

My 97 was mfg in 5/96. I've run into several issues like Jerry and others mentioned. The heater blower control stop working except off and high. I thought it would be the switch (it wasn't-which was good because the parts store was stumped). The part they had was completely different. Then I read about the resistor (It wasn't that either). Turned out to be the harness connection to the resistor which was partially melted. Replacing that fixed the issue. Next, the brake light switch at the pedal is different that what the part store has for a 97. Finally, I have had the low oil pressure and check gauges light issue that others talked about in this thread. I haven't so far been able to confirm this with a mechanical gauge and aftermarket oil pressure sensor replacement hasn't changed the issue which is intermittent and only seems to happen when warm and at idle.

I would suggest that you replace your blower motor as that is probably what was pulling too much current through the plug/ selector causing it to melt. Mine has done that twice with new selector and resistor. Or you can install a relay to take care of that as well if your blower motor is still in decent shape. As I write this, @Jerry Bransford responded with the same thing.