My XJ Cherokee's......

[LuluBelle]

Originally Posted by alexbrown64

Well done,
It always seems to be one component playing up, then once replaced, they pur..

Cheers,

It has been a bit of hit and miss to try and diagnose WTF was wrong?
Unnecessary parts and spending But plenty of spares and a total sensor refresh at 220 something k and I bet the cat was getting blocked as the soot on the plugs and O2 is thick so a new cat and O2 wont hurt The few times I have started it since the test drive it is starting better so the PCM must be reworking the mixture I am not driving it until Tuesday when I get the cat leak fixed and the UNI's done and I really want to drive it
The times I have driven it ... It has always felt tight/heavy in the steering? The 96 has light steering with good feedback but the 99 is heavy? power steering is fine I gave it a grease yesterday cant hurt I know it needs a wheel alignment I just thought of this I need to research steering box adjustment?
I might go ask the Yanks
Kings 9" are wired up I just have go out side one cold night and adjust both Jeeps or I might leave it until it warms up a bit

[Billnick]

Originally Posted by LuluBelle

I just thought of this I need to research steering box adjustment?
I might go ask the Yanks

IIRC the locknut on the s/box is left hand thread, just in case you can't budge it. May be wrong, it was a while ago.
Have you tried an ECU reset? (earth lead off the battery and short it to the + lead. A jumper lead is good for this. You can turn the headlights on and off if you wish. replace earth lead. This resets the ECU to factory specs.)

[Sobek]

The tighter steering gets my curiosity too... I feel like there might be a difference in the way the power steering pumps work on later models? My 95 sport has always had incredibly light steering, you can drive it and park and do whatever you want with just your pinky finger really. The bearing on my ps pump is shot, so I replaced the pump wit an identical one from a 97 TJ from someone local, and it all works great but the steering is very clearly heavier...
I'll know for certain that the two are different once I replace the bearing and put my original unit back in, but it was a VERY noticeable change to me.

[LuluBelle]

Yes the steering is a mystery and so is the vibration? I got it back frim the new mechanic exhaust fixed uni's changed and still the vibration when you put it in drive? goes away when driving ? I gotta look into that it's still hard to start but not breaking down it runs smooth and the steering To get a second opinion I got my neighbor to help me get the 99 from the mechanics He drove the 96 out there and the 99 back He said it was like comparing a Fairlane to a Go-Cart Give me the 96 any day
We are going to have a look at the vibration on the week end as for the test run blow the cobwebs out run on Thursday for the 99 to Barcaldine forget that I have to take the Father in Law to a hospital appointment in Emerald tomorrow I am taking the 96 as I can fill up the LPG tank there it has been empty for a year or so its about 3 and a half hours each way so its going to be a long day coming back in the dark and the 96 has the big bar and now the 21' lightbar should help me see roo's So I will take the Fairlane out for a spin (and there is M'c Donalds KFC and Big W in the Real World !)

[Jonny Jeep]

I recently suffered heavier power steering in my TJ, with no power assist at idle. It was just after my annual inspection, where they'd had to rev it at 4K for a few minutes before doing the test, in order to get it to pass. I figured that there may have been something shifted in the fluid and causing problems with the pressure valve in the pump.

I removed the top hose (pressure) and then the fitting the hose bolts in to. There appeared to be nothing in there. What I was seeing was the top of the valve which is flat. I tried pulling it out with a magnet which didn't work. I then tried pushing in on it and it shifted slightly down and sprung up to the same place. Further harder pushing several times freed it up and I removed and cleaned it. The retaining/hose fitting had to be pushed in to get the threads to engage so it could be bolted back.

After a quick test revealed PS function was restored I flushed the old fluid out with fresh.

[LuluBelle]

Good info Jonny but I don't think my issue has anything to do with the PS pump it all works fine its just heavy I read on the cherokee forums that other people have similar issues ? i really don't know at the moment
So back from the new mechanics and the exhaust leak is fixed uni's done AND THE VIBRATION IS STILL THERE!!!
He commentated that the uni's weren't that bad? And it is still hard to start? With this done I am going to start driving it and give the 96 a rest especially after its big day yesterday
The Emerald trip ... 363k each way it was a big day for the 96
As I am a chronic temp gauge watcher in the 96 after all these years of running HOT I think that Liquid intelligence flush stuff I did paid off and the ZJ fan and everything I have tried over the years
The outside temp was about 23 I think but in the pre flush days that did not matter too much .. I sat on a 100k 1800 rpm Temp 100/102
360 something K later it was 105/107 stayed like that in traffic while we were running around doing things "I Got 45 Liters of LPG"
We left Emerald around 4.30 pm and it was forecast to be COLD last night "and it was" 96 Temp was still 105/107 as we headed off into the sunset ..... I turned the heater on and the temps went down to 100/102 ... Around 8.30 pm the 21' lightbar paid off and it got cold!
Roo's Fucking Roo's they were every where off and on dirt section I was only doing about 80 and I could see pretty good I saw these Roo's standing on the road so I slowed down they jumped every where but at the side just out in the shadows there was about 50 of them "PHEW" just as well I was slow and did not freak them out it would of rained Roo's "SHIT" Avoided It was Cold by now and to my amazement the 96 was running at about 80 deg "WHOA!" I have never seen that before on the 96 The Cooling System must be running Perfect !
The temp gauge is accurate what more could a 25 yr old XJ want!
1996 XJ Limited 400.000 k cant complain The 99 yeah well i'll get there

[alexbrown64]

Wow, you have been slowly working through everything as really getting there.
What is the vibration? I worked my way through the thread again, but couldn't find which vibration it is.

As for heavy steering, there are a few things that can lighten it up. Check tyre pressures and really give them a good pump up to 40psi.

Check your castor angle. A few degrees can really affect steering. Because i have a large lift and i have to balance the caster between steering and drive line angle (for vibration), my steering is very light. I love it like that, but its still a bit too light. I adjust my caster with upper and lower adjustable control arms.

Its nice having an XJ that doesn't get hot. This summer in Perth, i never saw mine go over about 95C. Usually it averaged around 87C. This is on my Engine Watchdog digital display. Very happy with it.

Cheers,