Back to the shop for me (updated)

"Just Jeepin'" (macintux)
08/04/2020 at 16:10 • Filed to: I must love it or else I'd have sold it for scrap years ago, jeep

Update : it’s back, and it’s...fixed/broken.

Transmission is still in bad shape, but I don’t need 1st gear as long as I stay out of mud pits, so I can live with it for now. Probably get a Tremec replacement after I’ve recovered from this expenditure.

I had a large array of noises remediated, which is wonderful. Motor mounts, control arms, driveshaft bouncing off the exhaust. That last awful metal-on-metal noise in particular made it just too painful to drive (I still have a mild case of what I’d call PTSD if that wouldn’t in fact demean those who really suffer from it).

So, 3 weeks and 3k later, it’s drivable and safe again.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

If you’re keeping track, this is approximately the 40th time in 6 years the Jeep has gone in for repairs.

(I wish that were an exaggeration.)

Between the joys of communicating through a mask and the amount of detail I need to supply (especially since this is a new shop without any history with my lemon), I decided to print out a document.

I thought I’d share it (slightly de-contented to avoid defamation lawsuits from any local transmission shop) to dissuade anyone who ever has delusions that they’d like to buy an old Jeep.

(Sorry, CoFL. You’ve been warned.)

DISCUSSION (44)

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 22:03

Love the format. I feel like I’m taking English Lit at college again!

Actual reply: brutal, dude.

Aremmes > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 22:04

Oh, shit, LaTeX. This is serious.

My Theory of Computation professor nearly got an heart attack when I turned in a slide set for an assignment in LaTeX and PDF .

Just Jeepin' > Aremmes
07/14/2020 at 22:05

Heh, I used to do my calc homework in LaTeX; my handwriting was atrocious.

However, this was actually composed in org-mode. LaTeX was just a means to an end.

Just Jeepin' > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
07/14/2020 at 22:06

If I had the skills, the tools, the back, the garage, the lift, and a functional back, this would be a great vehicle to learn all sorts of things on.

Sadly I have none of the above.

66P1800inpieces > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 22:07

Old Jeep? But damn. Might be cheaper to scrap it and buy a newer one. Think of the $4k you are about to drop on this one like a coupon.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 22:07

A used Wrangler sounds like a great *second* vehicle.

jminer > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 22:07

This is a terrifying list of issues - seems like the transmission is the worse though.

Not lying - your frequent issues have definitely helped steer me away from buying a Jeep.

Just Jeepin' > 66P1800inpieces
07/14/2020 at 22:09

There’s an XJ in southwest Ohio that looks appealing, the rare manual/4.0 combo. Probably about the same price as this will be.

But, then I’d have two 200k Jeeps of uncertain reliability, one of which would still have all of the above issues.

(I’m not selling this one. Probably. Maybe.)

Just Jeepin' > jminer
07/14/2020 at 22:10

Yeah, I’m not exactly the best salesperson for Jeep despite my Jeep Experience posts here.

Just Jeepin' > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
07/14/2020 at 22:10

Yep, I love it, but it’s definitely not the ideal DD.

RooseveltDad > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 22:19

+1 for using LaTeX, and sorry about the lemon.

Aremmes > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 22:20

My first experience with LaTeX was through LyX, using it to do my lab experiment papers. Then I ditched the GUI and wrote straight through vi.

ShrimpHappens, née WJalopy > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 22:21

In re: section 2.2, have you considered control arm bushings?

Kiltedpadre > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 22:22

Where’s it at? If you decide your interested I can try to take a look if nearby.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 22:22

Any chance a family member can hold it on their property and you take on a designated DD? Is the Jeep costing you serious money yet, or just all these warranty headaches?

I guess what I’m asking is, how bad is this: is it my wife’s car bad, or Sony’s Mini bad?

66P1800inpieces > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 22:24

Crap, “Rare manual” in another state; you and David Tracey need an intervention.

Just Jeepin' > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
07/14/2020 at 22:28

I bought it for $17k. I’ve put at least 30k into it in repairs.

Just Jeepin' > ShrimpHappens, née WJalopy
07/14/2020 at 22:30

I just crawled under to look on your suggestion . I don’t see anything obviously wrong but ¯\_()_/¯

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 22:30

Kinja'd!!!

Urambo Tauro > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 22:32

... to dissuade anyone who ever has delusions that the y’d like to buy an old Jeep.

It’s not working haha. I’m still on the lookout.

Although maybe I’ll start leaning more towards ’97-’99 models with t he AX- 15...

Just Jeepin' > Kiltedpadre
07/14/2020 at 22:34

How close are you to this?

http://www.krugauto.com/twocar3.php/97whtcherokee-a2088

I’m probably not serious but if it’s very close I’d be interested in a first person perspective.

My level of interest will go up if the repairs are cheap or too expensive to keep shoveling money into this hole.

Just Jeepin' > Urambo Tauro
07/14/2020 at 22:36

Some people h ave no problems with the 6 speed. I didn’t for a few years; everything else was a problem but not that.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
07/14/2020 at 22:38

You could have fixed TWO JCWs for that!

shop-teacher > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 23:01

I respect the insanity that allows you to keep loving a vehicle that is so troublesome. I have no tolerance for unreliable vehicles.

Just Jeepin' > shop-teacher
07/14/2020 at 23:09

Each time I think I’ve gotten it stable enough to enjoy for a few years without major problems. There’s a word for such consistently wrong optimism.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 23:16

LaTeX? Wow, you must be serious. :P

Just Jeepin' > BaconSandwich is tasty.
07/14/2020 at 23:21

Pleased with how many Opponauts recognize LaTeX but it was actually org-mode. The PDF conversion uses LaTeX.

Kiltedpadre > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 23:23

I work about a mile from Krug.

Anything in particular you’d want looked at? I’m sure rust is at the top of the list.

Just Jeepin' > Kiltedpadre
07/14/2020 at 23:28

Rust, what the engine sounds like, how it shifts (little gunshy).

I’d probably get a PPO before buying it, so yeah, rust is the most important thing that could put it in the trash bin right away.

If you get the time, that’d be awesome, but don’t stress it much, given the overall low probability. I’m not even sure how I’d get there to buy it and drive it back.

Kiltedpadre > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 23:33

I may not be able to have time to drive it unless you’re really considering it, but I can easily swing by to see if it’s Swiss cheese and hear it run.

I’ll let you know if I get there.

Just Jeepin' > Kiltedpadre
07/14/2020 at 23:35

Thanks, whatever works for you.

shop-teacher > Just Jeepin'
07/14/2020 at 23:51

I learned the hard way with my first car that when a vehicle is in constant need of attention, there is no end. Only more money and more problems. I’ve had two more unreliable vehicles come into my life since then, and each one I ditched in less than a year at a loss. I consider those losses money well spent to eject a problem vehicle from my life.

My favorite car ever, was also my worst. It was an ‘04 Pontiac GTO that I bought in early ‘06 as a CPO vehicle with 5200 miles on it. It was by far the nicest, coolest, fastest, most enjoyable vehicle I have ever owned. Unfortunately, it was also a lemon to the Nth degree.

Over the course of the 3-1/2 months I owned it , it spent 31 days in and out of the shop for various maladies. The last month I owned it, it would break over the weekend, I’d drop it off at the dealership on Monday, pick it up on Thursday, and the something else would break over the weekend.

The final straw was when it left me stranded at a Jeep dealership. Ironically, I was considering getting rid of the GTO already, and went to test drive a new Jeep LJ with a 6-speed.

I got the car back that Thursday with a new ECU, went and did the first and only burnout I’ve ever done in it, and then immediately traded it in for the truck I’m still DDing to this day.

The truck will never be as nice, or pretty, or cool, or fast as that GTO ... But it has never let me down. I lov e that truck so much.

RacinBob > Just Jeepin'
07/16/2020 at 23:46

Not wanting to read the replies, my assumption is that most mass products work and are reliable. If they are used rea sonably and they fail, and if they get rebuilt and fail again, there is something wrong with the product. Probably this is a manufacturing alignment alignment or location error .

My opinion is after two failures for this box, find another and rebuild it and install it. No amount of rebuilder skills compensates for a manufacturing error. Don’t blame the shop.

Just Jeepin' > RacinBob
07/16/2020 at 23:50

That’s what the shop is recommending. I’m looking at different transmissions entirely as well.

RacinBob > Just Jeepin'
07/17/2020 at 00:12

I think they are right. Stuff usually works except when it doesn’t. When it doesn’t, it is usually due to a manufacturing mistake like misalignment that reduces life by 90%. Nothing is going to fix that. My bet is the shaft location is wrong and as a result the gear has no tolerance and as a result the gear wear is like infinity. If you had the trans mission apart, I suspect that you would find it really does not want to go into that gear or spin freely.

When stuff fails, it is usually obvious if you can get your hands on the parts and see how they work,

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Just Jeepin'
08/04/2020 at 16:19

That seems to be a fairly common stance within the Jeep community, “I love my Jeep, but don’t ever buy one.”

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Just Jeepin'
08/04/2020 at 16:23

I’m scared of LJ/TJ’s now

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > Just Jeepin'
08/04/2020 at 16:24

1: find a really deep mud pit

3: Profit

benjrblant > Just Jeepin'
08/04/2020 at 16:25

Damn, I can imagine how not fun it is to love a car that doesn’t love you back. Sorry to hear about all your troubles.

Nothing > Just Jeepin'
08/04/2020 at 16:32

Ya know, I really, really liked my ‘96 Yukon. I remember being ridiculed when I bought the extended warranty for a 2 year old vehicle at the time. I had over $15k in warranty receipts. 2002 rolled around, and the warranty expired. I was on my way driving to a dealer to look at a car that was about 50 miles away or so, when the dash lit up like a Christmas tree. I pulled off the highway, turned around, and went and bought a new Tundra instead.

That Yukon is the closest vehicle I’ve had to being a forever vehicle (strange, I know), and if it wasn’t a lemon, I’d probably still have it today. No joke, the demise of the Yukon was what started my car hopping days. By the time I ditched the Yukon, the block was the only large mechanical item that hadn’t been replaced. You are a very dedicated individual to stick with your LJ.

DipodomysDeserti > Just Jeepin'
08/04/2020 at 16:36

My factory clutch came apart at 80k miles. Came apart, as in, the rivets that hold the springs in the clutch popped, resulting in the springs just bouncing around in the clutch plate. Swapped the clutch and all the associated parts and the new flywheel ended up being out of spec. Got that cleared up and now there’s a rattle from the clutch lever, which I’ve determined is due to the clutch fork spring popping off the pivot ball, resulting in vibration. Won’t hurt anything, but it is annoying.

You could very well have had a bad shop working on your truck, but in my experience with Jeeps and thei r various components , even the newer ones are put together like shit. Thankfully they have good resale, so you can dump them when you’re sick of fixing things.

benn454 > Just Jeepin'
08/04/2020 at 16:37

Holy crap. Must be one of those Jeep things I don't understand.

Sovande > Just Jeepin'
08/04/2020 at 16:39

Masochistic.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Just Jeepin'
08/05/2020 at 09:36

I really want to say you should cut your losses and buy something less breaky, but frankly, I get it. I stopped my spreadsheet for my 96 Golf after it hit $7000 . Hopefully your Jeep will be better sorted for a while.