Got another one! Project: PolarXJ
 

Well, it took me a long time but i finally got my 2dr XJ! i've wanted a 2dr and have been half-a$sed looking for the right deal for 15 years, and this one even took me 2 years to get after making a deal on it. but here she is.

my buddy got it from a cop down the road from him who bought it new. no kids, always had the rear seat folded down. then my buddies dad was driving it and she over heated to the moon. at minimum the head gasket was torched. so i finally got my hands on it, and here we go!

https://i.imgur.com/sLq8G5p.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/C0xUhRF.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/F7HLJUK.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/91kYV0j.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/PccITa8.jpg

so last night i pulled her in to start work. i was being optimistic and had a new head gasket waiting. well she wasn't exactly flat when she came off, did a little more research, then went and started cleaning to look for cracks. not 30seconds in and after cleaning you can see the crack weeping oil. FAIL.

all the cylinders look perfect, no lip at the top, and the block is nice n flat still. so i'll either pick up a new head if i can get it quickly, or a used one from a local-ish guy. really hope to be driving this soon!

https://i.imgur.com/UNwDz37.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/GHO9u8B.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/rYpfi9s.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/HQvXc1Q.jpg

Minty clean!

Awesome. Looks clean. I miss every xj I owned.

Looks awesome. Sucks about the heads, but should not be tough to find a decent replacement quick. What year?

2000 ... and i've never actually looked at how many miles :lol:

i am picking up a used TUPY head tonight for $50 that might need some clean-up from sitting. but i have everything to wet sand the deck if needed, and everything to lap the valves back in. toss my springs and rockers on there if these are dry and make it run.

Any plans for this thing or just make it run and enjoy?

Wow, super clean...super duper! Nice, congrats!!

Get a set of wheels on that puppy and she'll be a killer daily! I still have a huge soft spot for them...my daughter still drives one, and I'd grab another in a heartbeat for the right price and condition.

Enjoy!

Love it. I would love to find an XJ again.

might as well do the heat soak fix while you have it apart if it hasn't already been done yet

super clean

the plan is to drive it and enjoy it, she's my new winter ride. however, i tend to enjoy things that aren't stock :lol: nothing extra gets done until she proves to be a runner, and i've found/fixed all the other aging issues. we'll see, but i can't help from looking at parts!

needs:
-headliner pulled and re-glued
-door ding guards were pulled and the glue needs removed
-i'm sure there's more

will get:
-wireless android auto double din head unit
-big boy seat bracket mods (no way i'm buying the $$ brackets though)

Probable mods:
-3" lift
-simple black AL wheels and a 32" AT
-seat heaters
-new speakers

would like:
-JCR non-winch front bumper
-JCR non-swingout rear bumper

i did make sure to save the insulation when i pulled it apart

Seriously, hit up Sam with any XJ questions, or needs - he’s the XJ Whisperer :lol:

Looking forward to watching this one!

Just got done the other week putting a TUPY head on a flip Jeep.

Went ahead and pressure washed it (looks mighty clean), new head plug, valve seals, and lapped the valve seats. Not near as bad as I thought it might be (had never done anything but the plug before).

Looks like a nice clean ride...though not sure I'd buy another XJ these days still :lol:

i started thinking last night that i think i have 4.0 valve seals left over somewhere in my parts stash from prior work ... i really need to see if i do tonight.

worked for a few hours last night on this little dude. GIBBS and a red scotchbright, brass wire brush in a drill, and 600grit wet sanding with wd-40 and a nice heavy flat steel block. stopped last night with 8 valves left to lap before she's ready.

https://i.imgur.com/MMRD75V.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/bnHg3pr.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/a2ashQC.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/btQLq3c.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/e8qtPMH.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/jl2tzie.jpg

I need to pull the head on the xj I have sitting at my work. Swapped short blocks because the one I got it with broke a rod and dropped a piston into the pan. Gambled and just reused the head and have a bad intake valve seat. Need to disassemble and figure out what I want to do. Only confirmed it with a vacuum waveform on my scope so far. The more I look at the jeep the more it needs so I am now dragging my feet, even though it takes me all of 30 mins to pull a head :james:

sounds like a basket case ... i'll give ya $20 + shipping

$25!

:lol: :f2:

I got it for free so :f2:

head on! had to pull an intake off my shelf as there was a chunk missing from the one on the jeep ... wtf? whatever, had the parts.

she runs!! ... i mean, she ran ... fired up pretty decent, everything sounds smooth, but idled at 2000Rs. cleaned TB, sealed to intake better, swapped IAC with a used one from the shelf ... same, didn't seam to be adjusting it, then it kinda was and idled lower. fired up next day to flush the coolant and drove it out of the garage. after the flush she wouldn't start to save her life. pulled the codes and had a P0122 and P0123, throttle position sensor High and TPS low. swap the TPS with used from shelf, same, unplugged, same. cranks n cranks and FINALLY runs but idles rough, pulled back into the garage. next day after everything is dry and she spins but no hint of fire. still has the TPS low code.

jeep sat for 2 years not running after the head cracked n overheated bad. there also seams to be at least one stuck ring, so hopefully that works itself out too.

need to probe the TPS wires and sensor sweep ... anyone got any other ideas for me to look at? i really hope i'm not chasing some randomly chewed mouse wire :james:

I will give you $30 and pick it up.

Have fuel pressure?

I have 44psi fuel pressure quickly, and it holds there even off just fine.

Back probed the TPS, that all seams to be perfectly in spec and functional.

Unplugged n re-seated the computer plugs, blew em out, now i also get another code for high tach signal. But the high tps code is gone, still have the low tps code.

Pulled the coil pack n jumpered ground to the plugs, they all have spark.

Tried to do a compression test, but i need a long thread adapter ... With the o-ring off i can only get one thread to take. Still tried it n got like 30-50psi. So that worries me. I did have a tiny bit of puffing smoke last it ran after the new head from the oil cap, but just a wiff n nit enough to really even feel. Poured oil in the cylinders n rocked the crank a bunch, they are all holding the oil well n not draining down quick ... We'll see in the am.

Oh yeah ... Also now realized there is coolant leaking out rather quickly between the block n bell. Probably why it Lost coolant n overheated to start with

That sucks, there is a freeze plug back there that you have to pull the trans to replace.

Was going to say the same thing :thumbsup:

not the worst job ever ... but not the best for sure ...

damnit! i wanna get back to the '55 ... i'm debating shoving this XJ outside for a while n get back to it when i can bring it into the shop next to the 55. you know, once the body n 12v are final bolted to the chassis.

'55 vote here :rock:

shoved it out and actually brought my GMC in :james:

wife might have convinced me to get the XJ back inside though and get it on the road for winter like i wanted. knock more off the to-do list first.

Yeah, maybe you can get the realistic one done first, then move on to the long term. Dammit, wives are so damn practical :lol:

well ... buying another XJ tonight. this **** is a slippery slope!!

2000 rusted to **** beater with a blown 4.0 ... it's a 5spd, says new clutch, has a puck/shackle lift, front rock bumper, and decent wheels i could use. $675

now to make sure i get everything i need for a manual swap before scrapping the shell ASAP

:lol:

Oh, slippery slope...just ask Sam :p

I went down that route as well, quickly got out of it, my HOA does not approve :james:

Nor does my wife, or my free time calendar :roflmao:

****ing FB went down and took messenger with it ... i have his address, but we never set up a time! he's 2h away, do i just get the trailer n roll hoping he's there when i show up?

DAYUM!!!!

FB struck a hard chord!!!

So, what did you do?

no way i was doing a 4h drive without knowing he'd be there ... FaceCrack came back after dinner and we hashed it out, going up tonight from work. since i had the extra day i was able to load up n bring the trailer to work to save an hour this afternoon too.

Nice, good plan, man!

got it! this thing is suuuuuccchhhh a pile of sh!t!! everything sux but the few parts i need, so game on though. even had all new sensors to try and make mine run again!

so the "motor blew up" was him windowing the block with the #1 and #6 rods

https://i.imgur.com/xiok40Z.mp4

https://i.imgur.com/VMNnlSI.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/L7RyJAf.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/qyszAOB.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/zb2ufF1.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/THKixNx.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/3m3fFAz.jpg

Sticker give you that idea? :lol: