Looking to buy XJ (VM) Diesel.. Perth Servicing?

[Jeffa]

Hey All,

I've read some of the posts on the VM Diesel and have been forewarned against purchasing one.. But.. It's a jeep thing..

The one I'm looking at has done 199101km and the engine area looks pretty tidy. The person that had it before has done a few mods.. Electric antenna up/down, additional fan on the front of the radiator..

What I'm looking to know is, how can I tell if the heads have been done? I can't see any sealant around the covers etc.. but that's not to say it has not been done.

Also - Who do you suggest for VM diesel servicing in Perth, I'd like someone to give it the once over.. I'll also be taking deez advice and making a few mods to gain more air and better cooling.. (cat elc etc).

Comments? (This will be my first jeep in 4 years.. I'm excited!.. or should I be?)

[Gildo]

My one comment
DON'T!

[BennyWA]

Lol, how big is your bank account? A fuel pump I believe is 2000 odd dollars alone and an engine rebuild 3 or 4 times that..... unless you can do the maintenance yourself....
But you could get lucky!!

[andyperth]

mate fuel pump on any diesel costs big big bucks

[Deezelweazel]

just look at the side with the injectors: you will find a round stamp on each head. 2 digits telling you the year of the build in the center, and the month is in the outer circle

Be careful, looking tidy is no quality sign. it takes me an hour, a liter of Diesel and a garden hose and you won't be able to tell the difficulties.
A pressure test is a good start- remove the oil filler cap and feel inside for dirt build up. Does it feel gritty? let the engine run and check the blow-by it should be barely noticeable.
Dirt buildup in the intake? remove boost hose into the intake grab a flashlight and have alook inside. How many mm of soot do you recognize?Does the turbo kick in at 2000rpm?

[stooged]

A petrol one will probably be cheaper to purchase and the difference will buy a lot of petrol. One has to expect that 4wd's cost a bomb to run, unless you buy a new diesel of some sort. There are some on here who run their xjs on lpg and swear by them. There have been a couple of horror stories from users on this site buying second hand diesels. If you are Perth based have a chat to Rodgebone he will seriously try and talk you into getting a petrol as there are a heap of them around.

[chookenx]

personally have 2 XJ diesels... mmm... as much as I love the damn things I'm seriously wishing I'd gone petrol. If (well, more a case of when) something goes wrong in the diesel prepare to be financially violated, then violated some more, then a little more, and a bit more for good measure, and then some more.