Vehicles, you can fix?

TSAMP

WKR
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Messages
1,665
A good junk yard is almost as coveted as a honey hole. I have one in Southern Iowa that has been great. Ive found many more that you call and say 2014 and they respond with "ain't got nothing that new"
 

JNDEER

WKR
Joined
May 2, 2012
Messages
1,588
Have a 93 ZJ with a 4.0 and have been on the fence if it should be something I should keep and keep repairing issues or kick it to the curb when it finally goes and not fix existing issues.

My biggest fear is when the engine finally goes- will I be able to replace it and/or will I be able to find something who could rebuild that engine.

I do agree though- in the vehicles I have and had that ZJ and previous XJ are stupid easy to work on.
 
Joined
Oct 5, 2018
Messages
2,059
Location
Colorado
Have a 93 ZJ with a 4.0 and have been on the fence if it should be something I should keep and keep repairing issues or kick it to the curb when it finally goes and not fix existing issues.

My biggest fear is when the engine finally goes- will I be able to replace it and/or will I be able to find something who could rebuild that engine.

I do agree though- in the vehicles I have and had that ZJ and previous XJ are stupid easy to work on.
Pretty easy to find a rebuilt 4.0 to buy, or someone who can rebuild it. Like I said in my last post, pretty straightforward to replace a head gasket. If you have basic tools and a torque wrench, there are YouTube videos that will walk you through step by step.
 

TaperPin

WKR
Joined
Jul 12, 2023
Messages
3,230
If you are set on working on your own stuff an engine scanner is really worth it - the $500 models do what $1000 versions did just a few years ago.
 

BBob

WKR
Joined
Jun 29, 2020
Messages
4,404
Location
Southern AZ
85 or earlier Chevy or GMC K2500. Last year for no cats was 85 in the 3/4 tons. You can carry spare parts to fix most things without a lot of space. Just need to upgrade to modern transmission with an overdrive. Never should have sold my K2500. Dual lockers and it went near anywhere easily. The big newer diesel not so much.
 

MTguy0341

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Messages
282
Location
Montana
96 Tacoma, every time I get something fixed, something breaks. Turning into a money pit but still cheaper than anything new
 
Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Messages
869
Location
Wisconsin
Still a pretty labor-intensive setup to keep that thing going. Just the care and feed for a horse can make you go broke. Forming wood over iron for wheels is an art in itself. But could be more reliable than some of the vehicles today.
As a wise man on Instagram once said. What is the best advice a mechanic can give about working on your own vehicle? Make enough money that you can just pay someone else to do it.
It is also worth paying the extra for extended warranties or lifetime warranties. It has paid for itself a few times on my gf Subarua's. A windshield replacement is pushing $1k with recalibrating the sensors. Had a main computer go haywire and was covered 100%.

Almost worth finding an old VW bug with the suitcase engines. Can pull one and work on it while driving around with the second one.
 

*zap*

WKR
Joined
Dec 20, 2018
Messages
7,755
Location
N/E Kansas
changed the valve cover gasket on the 97 xj with 300k and inside was clean/no sludge at all.

jasper reman engines have a 100,000 mile or 3 year warranty that is transferable...they are not cheap but....
 

OMF

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 23, 2023
Messages
185
Location
Multistate
@longspeak74, me too! I had a 74 CJ and I traded it for a 78 Camero...cause I needed one. 🤦🏼 It was so simple to work on and fix. You could take it apart on Saturday and have it all back together by Sunday.
 

Marble

WKR
Joined
May 29, 2019
Messages
3,571
I have a 2006 mustang. It's basically a race car now. After paying a few mechanics back in the day I started doing everything but motor installs, rear gears and tuning myself.

I bought some needed tools back in the day, watched a lot of YouTube, and screwed some stuff fairly bad. Always able to undo by retracing my steps.



Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
3,570
Location
Western Iowa
If you are set on working on your own stuff an engine scanner is really worth it - the $500 models do what $1000 versions did just a few years ago.
Agree, and I have a $125 bluetooth model that has saved me a ton. I originally bought it for clearing random false positive codes on my Ecodiesel and have since used it my Impala and LaCrosse as well. Handy little bugger that fits in a 2"x2" pouch. Plug it into the port and connect to iPhone app and you're off to the races
 
Last edited:
Joined
Apr 26, 2019
Messages
67
i have a little 02 Nissan frontier i use for a ranch truck. its really easy to work on. only gripe so far is where the oil filter is located.
 

AZ8

WKR
Joined
Dec 9, 2018
Messages
549
Location
Northern Arizona
As a wise man on Instagram once said. What is the best advice a mechanic can give about working on your own vehicle? Make enough money that you can just pay someone else to do it.
That's about where I'm at now. Especially things where I need to crawl under the vehicle.

Within the last 10 years or so, I've developed a condition when under a vehicle, I become extremely nauseous and get vertigo, to the point of actually puking sometimes! Even for a simple oil change! Doesn't happen when I'm laying in bed, couch or camping on the floor of a tent! Only under a car! Weird!

I need to buy a lift for my garage!! lol
 

WCT3

FNG
Joined
Apr 30, 2022
Messages
54
My first gen Tundra is fairly easy to work on but I'm getting to the point where I'm willing to pay mechanics to do stuff beyond basic maintenance. I just replaced the power steering lines myself and the stress of my truck being down and the free time it took to change wasn't worth it.
 
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