hey all, lookin' at a GW and got some questions for you jeep guru's. think
the rear main seal is starting to leak. i don't mind getting greasy to fix
things and make them right, but i have never replaced one of these, how
difficult is this? are there any other areas that a leaky seal may create?

it has a/c, however it don't work. the compressor seems to be ok in that it
is not seized, and when you turn the fan switch on the blower is working
fine. just when you turn the thermostat to get cold air nothing happens.

other than that it seems to be in pretty good shape. very straight, no
rust, drives pretty good. i think i could prob get it for $1900.

thanks for any and all inputs,
jch

 

Take a look at www.ifsja.org in either the FAQ section or the message forum.
This is probably the single most informative site on the web for owners and
prospective owners of FSJs. You can also look on www.ebay.com and search
for "grand wagoneer" closed auctions to get an idea of what kind of
condition these vehicles are typically in and how much they went for.
I *love* my GW!
TJim
98 TJ SE
90 SJ GW

"Jason C. Heath" <jheath@waymark.net> wrote in message
news:vj3jjqgl85r01@corp.supernews.com...
> hey all, lookin' at a GW and got some questions for you jeep guru's.
think
> the rear main seal is starting to leak. i don't mind getting greasy to
fix
> things and make them right, but i have never replaced one of these, how
> difficult is this? are there any other areas that a leaky seal may
create?
>
> it has a/c, however it don't work. the compressor seems to be ok in that
it
> is not seized, and when you turn the fan switch on the blower is working
> fine. just when you turn the thermostat to get cold air nothing happens.
>
> other than that it seems to be in pretty good shape. very straight, no
> rust, drives pretty good. i think i could prob get it for $1900.
>
> thanks for any and all inputs,
> jch
>
>

 

In article <vj3jjqgl85r01@corp.supernews.com>, "Jason C. Heath"
<jheath@waymark.net> writes:

>think
>the rear main seal is starting to leak. i don't mind getting greasy to fix
>things and make them right, but i have never replaced one of these, how
>difficult is this? are there any other areas that a leaky seal may create?

Don't write off the main seal until you're sure the PCV system is in order.
Change all the vacuum hoses if they're original.
The JGW is an awsome vehicle! Mine is an '88 and people stare at it like it's
40 years old.
Jim

88 Grand Wagoneer
89 Wrangler
00 Grand Cherokee

 

Here is an article on the rear main seal... on an XJ! It will give you an
idea of what your in for.

http://www.jeepin.com/features/rearmain/index.asp



"Jason C. Heath" <jheath@waymark.net> wrote in message
news:vj3jjqgl85r01@corp.supernews.com...
> hey all, lookin' at a GW and got some questions for you jeep guru's.
think
> the rear main seal is starting to leak. i don't mind getting greasy to
fix
> things and make them right, but i have never replaced one of these, how
> difficult is this? are there any other areas that a leaky seal may
create?
>
> it has a/c, however it don't work. the compressor seems to be ok in that
it
> is not seized, and when you turn the fan switch on the blower is working
> fine. just when you turn the thermostat to get cold air nothing happens.
>
> other than that it seems to be in pretty good shape. very straight, no
> rust, drives pretty good. i think i could prob get it for $1900.
>
> thanks for any and all inputs,
> jch
>
>

 

Jim Boucher wrote:
>

> The JGW is an awsome vehicle! Mine is an '88 and people stare at it like it's
> 40 years old.
> Jim

Not unusual, since the early ones ARE 40 years old :)

Mines a '72, long before there was anything Grand about them. It's a Good Ol'
Truck!

 

hey guys thanks so much for the info. billy thanks for the link to the main
seal fixit site, that answered all my questions. and tjim thanks for the
link to the ifsja website. looks like something i could handle, along with
a buddy of mine and his air compressor. i almost bought a j10 a few months
ago but the deal fell through, now after looking at the the GW's i'm glad,
i'm really stoked about picking one of these up. thanks for your time guys,
any other input, suggestions, ideas ya'll have whilest i'm shopping here are
greatly appreciated.

jch



"Billy Tolcher" <btolcher@sc.xxxrr.com> wrote in message
news:p5uYa.396832$jp.11436702@twister.southeast.rr .com...
> Here is an article on the rear main seal... on an XJ! It will give you an
> idea of what your in for.
>
> http://www.jeepin.com/features/rearmain/index.asp
>
>
>
> "Jason C. Heath" <jheath@waymark.net> wrote in message
> news:vj3jjqgl85r01@corp.supernews.com...
> > hey all, lookin' at a GW and got some questions for you jeep guru's.
> think
> > the rear main seal is starting to leak. i don't mind getting greasy to
> fix
> > things and make them right, but i have never replaced one of these, how
> > difficult is this? are there any other areas that a leaky seal may
> create?
> >
> > it has a/c, however it don't work. the compressor seems to be ok in
that
> it
> > is not seized, and when you turn the fan switch on the blower is working
> > fine. just when you turn the thermostat to get cold air nothing
happens.
> >
> > other than that it seems to be in pretty good shape. very straight, no
> > rust, drives pretty good. i think i could prob get it for $1900.
> >
> > thanks for any and all inputs,
> > jch
> >
> >
>
>

 

Hmmmm.... Mine's a '90. By then, they had learned from all their mistakes
in the 70s and 80s and finally gotten it perfect. That's why they called
them "Grand". ;)
TJim
98 TJ SE
90 SJ Grand (!) Wagoneer

"Kimball" <Somewhere@else.com> wrote in message
news:3F32A6D8.691BE237@else.com...
> Jim Boucher wrote:
> >
>
> > The JGW is an awsome vehicle! Mine is an '88 and people stare at it like
it's
> > 40 years old.
> > Jim
>
> Not unusual, since the early ones ARE 40 years old :)
>
> Mines a '72, long before there was anything Grand about them. It's a Good
Ol'
> Truck!

 

I think the most serious mistake was replacing the early Kaiser grill. :o(

Earle

"TJim" <jim@ranlet.nospam.com> wrote in message
news:NCadnU1k4rFTnK6iXTWJkw@comcast.com...
> Hmmmm.... Mine's a '90. By then, they had learned from all their mistakes
> in the 70s and 80s and finally gotten it perfect. That's why they called
> them "Grand". ;)
> TJim
> 98 TJ SE
> 90 SJ Grand (!) Wagoneer
>
> "Kimball" <Somewhere@else.com> wrote in message
> news:3F32A6D8.691BE237@else.com...
> > Jim Boucher wrote:
> > >
> >
> > > The JGW is an awsome vehicle! Mine is an '88 and people stare at it
like
> it's
> > > 40 years old.
> > > Jim
> >
> > Not unusual, since the early ones ARE 40 years old :)
> >
> > Mines a '72, long before there was anything Grand about them. It's a
Good
> Ol'
> > Truck!
>
>

 

Absolutely the best snow vehicles I have ever owned. But they are far from
trouble free or economical with fuel. I've owned 3 and would buy another if
I had room in my garage.

Are you sure the compressor isn't seized? Make sure the clutch engages and
disengages when you turn it on & off. If it does, it isn't seized, and you
probably need a charge. But first you need to find the leak. An "O" ring is
cheap, a condenser isn't. Look for oil along the entire system and you'll
likely find the source.

As far as the rear main seal, get a drip pan for the garage. Every one I
have replaced has begun leaking again after 3-6 months. I don't recall
seeing one that didn't leak. But make sure it isn't just your valve cover
gaskets. They can mimic an engine seal leak. I wouldn't try to replace it
yourself unless you are certain you can do it.

Run a compression check on the engine, listen for bad valves. Make sure the
floorboards and inner fenders are intact - use a magnet!! Drive it a while
on a dirt road with the 4WD engaged and make sure it engages and disengages
easily. The tailgate windows rarely work more than a few months at a time
before the wiring gets all twisted and cut. But make sure it isn't crooked
and goes up and down easily, but don't hold your breath....

Dana

"It's clearly a budget. It's got a lot of numbers in it." - G.W. Bush



"Jason C. Heath" <jheath@waymark.net> wrote in message
news:vj3jjqgl85r01@corp.supernews.com...
> hey all, lookin' at a GW and got some questions for you jeep guru's.
think
> the rear main seal is starting to leak. i don't mind getting greasy to
fix
> things and make them right, but i have never replaced one of these, how
> difficult is this? are there any other areas that a leaky seal may
create?
>
> it has a/c, however it don't work. the compressor seems to be ok in that
it
> is not seized, and when you turn the fan switch on the blower is working
> fine. just when you turn the thermostat to get cold air nothing happens.
>
> other than that it seems to be in pretty good shape. very straight, no
> rust, drives pretty good. i think i could prob get it for $1900.
>
> thanks for any and all inputs,
> jch
>
>

 

If you mean the one they call "Rhino Chaser"
(http://www.fsjworld.com/showownerpic...&n=78011&pos=1), I have to
agree with you on that. In fact, I know of quite a few people who have
retro-fitted their fsj with that grille. That's a subjective call, though.
The one they call "razor" (http://members.aol.com/Chero401/JeepRS7.JPG) is
very popular, too.
TJim

"Earle Horton" <enfermero_diabolico@registerednurses.com> wrote in message
news:bgv1m9$t31dm$1@ID-147790.news.uni-berlin.de...
> I think the most serious mistake was replacing the early Kaiser grill. :o(
>
> Earle
>
> "TJim" <jim@ranlet.nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:NCadnU1k4rFTnK6iXTWJkw@comcast.com...
> > Hmmmm.... Mine's a '90. By then, they had learned from all their
mistakes
> > in the 70s and 80s and finally gotten it perfect. That's why they
called
> > them "Grand". ;)
> > TJim
> > 98 TJ SE
> > 90 SJ Grand (!) Wagoneer
> >
> > "Kimball" <Somewhere@else.com> wrote in message
> > news:3F32A6D8.691BE237@else.com...
> > > Jim Boucher wrote:
> > > >
> > >
> > > > The JGW is an awsome vehicle! Mine is an '88 and people stare at it
> like
> > it's
> > > > 40 years old.
> > > > Jim
> > >
> > > Not unusual, since the early ones ARE 40 years old :)
> > >
> > > Mines a '72, long before there was anything Grand about them. It's a
> Good
> > Ol'
> > > Truck!
> >
> >
>
>