Info on 95 GC

That is a damn good engine with a long history and a good reputation. Why one would need to be replaced in less than 72k miles is a puzzler. First owner, second owner? Make sure the engine warranty is fully transferable and you get all the paperwork. Full time 4wd in any vehicle decreases fuel mileage, but hope for SelecTrac. If it's the other type there is a viscous coupler that can be big bucks if it wears out. You can increase your odds by having everything serviced after you buy it. A small magnet can tell you all you need to know about that differential housing. I would get part time four wheel drive, but I admit that some of the full time systems are pretty good in bad road conditions.

Good luck.

Earle

Will,

Normally the decision to buy a Jeep of nearly any model is applauded. 8 out of 10 times you can't go wrong. This is one of the two. Unless they have a VERY good reason for replacing the motor, run away and never look back. If they neglected the Jeep bad enough to ruin a 5.2L in under 70k miles, the rest of it can't be far behind.

Carl

Good point, Carl. Given the time frame of the engine swap, there's a better than even chance this guy neglected the antifreeze and got caught by the recent extended cold snap - but I'll check. Any quick and dirty way to tell if it's the NP242 or the problematic AWD with the viscous clutch? I guess a 2HI position would be a pretty good clue, though...

As for servic> Will,

If it has the nv249 AWD transfer case you can check for normal function of the TC by driving in tight "figure-eights" in a parking lot.

A failing nv249 will bind, chip, hop, or squeal the tires. The symptoms are progressive as he VC deteriorates, before failure it will act as if you were driving a part time 4WD on pavement.

At that point your repair choices are replacement of the VC or the choice that is becoming more popular is swapping an in nv242 Selectrac transfer case. In some cases it will just bolt-up, on others you may have to replace the input shaft as the design specs changed part way through the ZJ run.. As the SelecTrac was available all the appropriate trim and bezels are available for a clean installation.

The 5.2 engine is Chrysler's 318 in use from ('67 or so) until '99 when it was replaced by the 4.7 liter. As with all mechanical things the expected life depends on the care it received.

There is a problem with that engine where due to a failed seal it can exhibit high oil consumption. The fix is to replace that gasket set with either another factory or another (more durable) aftermarket one but an unscrupulous mechanic (or naive owner) might replace the engine......

Certainly it would be the owner because no repair facility would ever consider performing an unnecessarily expensive repair on an unsuspecting customer's vehicle

My '95 ZJ manual lists only the Dana35 rear axle but I suspect that the Corporate 8.25 and Dana44a (aluminum) may also have been used in V-8 models.

An Axle identification guide may be found at: .

As for other problems..... it is an 12 year old vehicle and you know what to look for.... pay particular attention to the cooling system and AC to see if they were maintained.

I recommend replacing all the O-rings in the AC at once, because it is a lot cheaper than paying to replace one, recharge, wait three months, replace another, recharge... AC shops typically charge $20-$30 a pound for refrigerant.

Earle

If the TC problem you're referring to is the torque converter, you're right, they've been known to fail, I guess the only way you can "check" is to make sure it is engaging and that it engages smoothly and firmly. If I ever owned a vehicle with a 4_rh/e transmission in it again, I'd make sure to install an inline filter upstream of the transmission cooler in the radiator -- when the TC starts to deteriorate, it plugs the cooler (next in line) and depending on the circumstances it could really cook your transmission. The good news is that the '95 isn't fully electronic, it's cheaper for a rebuild by a healthy margin!

The "Magnum" series of engines have problems with the heads cracking at the valve seats. I don't think it follows any particular set of head p/n's, failure is very common in Southern California where we have steep long grades on the highway and 0-60mph-0 cycles for every light. Hughes Engines offers Australian (?) castings that are supposed to be superior in every way. I personally went through 3 factory castings, one reman turned up bad in 5 weeks. If a pre- purchase inspection shows CO in the coolant, I'd stay away unless the price was really right.

The oil consumption issue referenced earlier can be intake manifold gaskets or a gasket failure on a plate on the underside of the manifold, it's not a hard fix with an in/lb torque wrench and aftermarket parts made to address those issues.

Here's hoping it's been quick enough on the info, otherwise, you know where to look when the plot thickens.

Jon

This turned out to be worth the trip - if just for the laughs. Like I said, this guy is awfully proud of this thing - asking is $2K over any bluebook I could find. No sweat, I horse trade.

Anyway, I wander down to the son's work place and here comes the seller to show it off. First thing I see is plastic bags over the driver's seat! No problem, he just now had it detailed and the seats are wet (it's 31 degrees out there and I gotta get my a$$ wet to look at this thing??). Everything starts on a high note - my trusty magnet tells me that he has the towing package with a cast iron D44 in the rear. As we amble up to look under the hood at the engine (and check for crash damage) he tells me that the add had a typo - the new engine has 72,000 miles left on warranty

- the actual vehicle miles are 180K. Now that does change the picture - he acts like the engine mileage is all that counts. Anyway, I check all the lights and electrical ge-gaws. I learn that a pretty well known shop up in Woodland Park did the engine swap and replaced all the u-joints along with new engine mounts. I'm beginning to get the idea that this guy thinks I'm gonna pay for his repair bills. Anyway, we sit down (I dug a big garbage bag out of the MJ to sit on) and fire it up. Starts good: smooth, quiet idle, etc. It had the NV249 AWD tc - strike one. We pull out of the parking lot and right across the street is a construction site with some nice dirt, so I have him pull in and make a few figure-8's. Some rumbling in tight right turns - strike two. OK, tell son to stop and try 4LO. Like most recently graduated ex-teens, his idea of a stop is anything less than a dead run, so I grit my teeth as he yanks the shift - NO NOISE?? Uh-Oh. I have him assume a zero rate of motion, put it in Park, and I try the shift. I feel it slide into 4LO and tell him to try it. 20 feet and it pops out of 4LO with a bang - not a good sign. Figuring a possible linkage issue, I yank it back into 4LO and he tries again - I can't hold it in. Strike 3 - head back. When we tell the guy his pride and joy won't stay in 4LO, he looks puzzled like he wonders why we worry about that - after all he says he's never used 4LO - he had no idea it didn't work.

Now, doesn't that sound just like a typical Jeeper - at least the ones we seem to get anymore?

Anybody interested in a nice, clean, over-priced 95 GC with almost no problems? Be glad to pass on a contact...

I would be happy to give him $300 for the his Heep. The cast D44 is all I really want from it...

Carl