I have repared a lot on my TJ over the years, except for the engine. Turn signal stalk, ignition switch, all external lights, radiator, fuse box, brakes, springs, control arms, shock absorbers, ball joints, drag link, pitman arm, track bar, bumpers, tyres, replaced the transmission, soft top twice, soft top frame twice, half doors, heater core, thermostat, side steps, grill, radio, speakers, seats, for replacement. Then there are lots of upgrades as well. It is a labour of love. It seems the tub, engine, and axles are the only factory things left.
Nice Jeep find. My wife and I recently purchased our first Jeep, an 03 TJR 4.0. I always appreciate a good how to video. I’m slowly upgrading and performing the needed maintenance. Look forward to seeing more.
Would be interesting to compare how much a part cost at a pick and pull vs. pulling it from your donor TJ. Love the videos, some day I hope to do the same.
Check your blend door. Its right there under the glovebox on the passenger side if you have the twist dial the little gears wear out on the motor. You can pop off the cap and turn it by hand to. if you have a manual slider you can just see if its turning all the way..
Thanks for the suggestion, I'll be sure to check it out!i know the blend door is at least partially working because the air goes from cold to slightly less than cold, but I suppose it may not be cycling fully
Like it just got my 2000 tj wrangler sport and have made many improvements to the stock jeep have made videos on my progress and hopefully will upload soon to help other tj owners. Keep on rolling!
We've had our black 2000 TJ for more than ten years, and love it. We added H&R springs and Bilstein 5100 shocks that provide just under 2 inches of lift, and a surprisingly smooth ride. I recommend this simple setup. Just say no to body lifts! We also added seat heaters from Amazon after our heater core failed. We don't drive it in the winter either, so seat heaters are plenty warm when needed. They wire right into the accessory plug circuit with a special pigtail. Looking forward to watching your build!
Cool, thanks for the input! Don't hear of too many people running H&Rs, good to hear some real world feedback. Installed some bilstein 5100s on my FJ Cruiser and those ride great too. We'll keep the body lift height to a minimum haha.
Concerning the wipers being too long, my TJ has 13 inch wiper blades. And I think they're a bit too short on the bottom. The blades wipe up to the top, but on the bottom they don't wipe as low as I would like. I think I'll buy 14 or 15 inch blades and cut the top down like you did so they wipe up to the top edge, but leave the lower edge at full length, if that makes sense.
Makes sense. Never measured the length of mine, but they were rubbing on both the top and the bottom. Nice to have the option to custom fit the wiper length though I suppose
I can't address some of the issues having never owned a TJ. But many of them relate to the YJ's and most jeeps for that matter. I'm glued to the screen in order see how you accomplish your goals. Good luck and Jeep speed ahead. I hope you enjoy what is left of the year.
Haha thanks! Its amazing how similar open top jeeps have stayed over the years. The biggest changes seem to have come with the JK, but it's still not all that different either. Thanks for following!
@@dironaa if you can weld, make them your self. Use conduit and a bender, some 3/16" sheet metal and some 3/8" flat stock. Just be careful since conduit may be galvanized, and welding can make some nasty fumes. You can find many kits on ebay.
my daughter has a 2000 2.5 TJ. I have been dealing with little or no heat with this jeep. Replaced heater core, thermostat, radiator, water pump and new fluids. Core gets hot fluid through it.. As near as i can tell, the door that cycles to force air through the heater core isnt cycling fully closed/open. as such air flow is taking path of least resistance and going past hot heater core. It seems the rubber sealing edge on the door that blocks/allows air to go through the hot side is getting too stiff and is jamming the mechanism from fully cycling. Last thing to try is replace the servo that actuates the door (it does cycle but perhaps its getting weak?). I have pulled the dash apart 2x now trying to isolate this lack of heat (* it does put out lukewarm air, but its not enough to even defrost windshield here in western canada). I am curious to see what you discover the issue to be on your TJ. Good luck and hopefully my experiences can help.
Thanks for the input, sounds like we have the same symptoms...hoses to and from the heater core seem to get plenty hot and the air coming out of the vents on full heat is a few degrees warmer than ambient air, but not enough to help anything. Not sure how soon I'll dive into it but I think this info will be quite helpful. Best of luck solving yours!
i really don't think replacing a part that is faulty with another part that is faulty is a repair , there is room for 2 input shaft seals on the steering box , to install it is easy just push it over the old one .
Rewatching your budget series. Occasionally I get a high idle on my 98 sport auto 4.0. Sometimes. What was your prognosis for your occasional high idle?
Wait you put 33's on a 4cyl with stock gearing? How is that working for you? I have a 5spd 4cyl and only put on 31's because i figured they'd be too big to move. I hope you see this.
Yes sir, 33s on a stock 2.5L TJ with 4.10 gears. The 33s are nowhere near as bad as I thought they'd be based on what everyone on the internet says. I think they're more than bearable for street driving, although I don't typically daily drive the Jeep, it usually sits in the driveway 6 days/week. If I didn't plan on taking the thing off road I probably wouldn't bother to regear, I just don't want to burn up the clutch having to ride it on the trail.
Almost everybody around where I live trims the TJ front bumper in on an angle just a little bit wider than the frame most of us run tow hooks cuz they're like 10 bucks there's your budget bumper
Do you consider a thermostat with ~100k miles "low miles"? I change mine just about anytime I mess with my cooling system. Outside the "free" stuff, that water pump and oil pan gasket are probably the cheapest I have ever seen.
I'd consider 100k to be "low enough" LOL. Changing it regularly and anytime you have access to it is certainly best practice, but since we're pinching pennies here and and it was still properly functioning I chose not to change it in this Jeep. I searched high and low for those deals...was very skeptical about the oil pan gasket sealing properly, but so far so good!
Thanks! I've tried the heat gun in the past but have always ended up with major tiger stripes in the flares. Have even tried scrubbing off the surface oxidation from the flares before using the heat gun with no better success, so in the end I've always resorted to painting the flares. Any tips on getting them a nice even black with the heat gun? Perhaps all the flares I've tried to restore with a heat gun have been too far gone.
Nice, I'll be addressing the flares at a later date. I've used Krylon Fusion to paint flares in the past, but will certainly check Walmart for a cheaper alternative. Thanks!
I noticed you upholstered you split window from tan to black. I'm a newbie Jeep owner and learning as I go. I have a split window also, put a new top on but my doors are faded. The new top came with the plastic zip upper skins. Can you use those to reupholster the split window uppers? Thanks
These were actually two different sets of windows, the tan ones were fiberglass and were only on the Jeep so I could deliver them to the guy who bought them on Craigslist without scratching them up. To answer your question...I'm not sure, but I suspect the lass slider window frames are not compatible with soft plastic window skins.
Not sure how soon I'll get to it, but will definitely give an update when I figure it out. As Animalistic said, fairly often no heat can be a result of an air pocket in the heater core, although a slew of other issues could lead to it as well. If you haven't already, id recommend poking around on NAXJA or jeepforum so see if anyone has an answer over there.
Interesting video series. But the whole cost tracking is pointless because you are using so much stuff you already had. This means it is unlikely anyone could replicate what you are doing.
Thats a fair point and I agree with what you're saying. I will say that the most of parts I've installed that I already had were well worn and in the grand scheme of the build have very little value; as of today the current build total is pushing $7k.
@@dironaa Completely understand, why would you not use parts you already have! Too late now, but what would have been great was two costs, one that you actually incurred and another if everything had to be bought. But hey ho, still a great series of videos which I am continuing to work through and please don't take my comment to mean I am not thoroughly enjoying them.
I have repared a lot on my TJ over the years, except for the engine. Turn signal stalk, ignition switch, all external lights, radiator, fuse box, brakes, springs, control arms, shock absorbers, ball joints, drag link, pitman arm, track bar, bumpers, tyres, replaced the transmission, soft top twice, soft top frame twice, half doors, heater core, thermostat, side steps, grill, radio, speakers, seats, for replacement. Then there are lots of upgrades as well. It is a labour of love. It seems the tub, engine, and axles are the only factory things left.
Great Channel! A project that anyone can appreciate. Shopping like we all try to. No profanity. Really excellent, thank you!
Thanks for the kind words. Stay tuned, there's plenty more to come!
you should paint the fenders and trim is would make it look alot better!
Planning on it once the weather warms up, thanks for the input!
I was about to say that too 😂
And lose those end caps.
Welded a police interceptor push bar (free) onto a bracket plate and winch fits perfectly between it. :)
Nice Jeep find. My wife and I recently purchased our first Jeep, an 03 TJR 4.0. I always appreciate a good how to video. I’m slowly upgrading and performing the needed maintenance. Look forward to seeing more.
Cool! I'd venture to say the best modern Jeep it would either be a 03 or 04 TJ/LJ Rubicon. Unfortunately they all seem to be made of gold around here
Would be interesting to compare how much a part cost at a pick and pull vs. pulling it from your donor TJ. Love the videos, some day I hope to do the same.
Thanks for the suggestion, will try to include that info moving forward. And thanks for following, we're just getting started!
Check your blend door. Its right there under the glovebox on the passenger side if you have the twist dial the little gears wear out on the motor. You can pop off the cap and turn it by hand to. if you have a manual slider you can just see if its turning all the way..
Thanks for the suggestion, I'll be sure to check it out!i know the blend door is at least partially working because the air goes from cold to slightly less than cold, but I suppose it may not be cycling fully
Love what you've done!
Thanks!
Like it just got my 2000 tj wrangler sport and have made many improvements to the stock jeep have made videos on my progress and hopefully will upload soon to help other tj owners. Keep on rolling!
Nice! Always good to see more TJ content. Enjoy those extra 2 cylinders in the Sport, they make a world of difference in drivability!
We've had our black 2000 TJ for more than ten years, and love it. We added H&R springs and Bilstein 5100 shocks that provide just under 2 inches of lift, and a surprisingly smooth ride. I recommend this simple setup. Just say no to body lifts! We also added seat heaters from Amazon after our heater core failed. We don't drive it in the winter either, so seat heaters are plenty warm when needed. They wire right into the accessory plug circuit with a special pigtail. Looking forward to watching your build!
Cool, thanks for the input! Don't hear of too many people running H&Rs, good to hear some real world feedback. Installed some bilstein 5100s on my FJ Cruiser and those ride great too. We'll keep the body lift height to a minimum haha.
Concerning the wipers being too long, my TJ has 13 inch wiper blades. And I think they're a bit too short on the bottom. The blades wipe up to the top, but on the bottom they don't wipe as low as I would like. I think I'll buy 14 or 15 inch blades and cut the top down like you did so they wipe up to the top edge, but leave the lower edge at full length, if that makes sense.
Makes sense. Never measured the length of mine, but they were rubbing on both the top and the bottom. Nice to have the option to custom fit the wiper length though I suppose
I can't address some of the issues having never owned a TJ. But many of them relate to the YJ's and most jeeps for that matter. I'm glued to the screen in order see how you accomplish your goals. Good luck and Jeep speed ahead. I hope you enjoy what is left of the year.
Haha thanks! Its amazing how similar open top jeeps have stayed over the years. The biggest changes seem to have come with the JK, but it's still not all that different either. Thanks for following!
Rustoleum bed liner spray works good.
Love your jeep man ! Can’t wait to see more content, I own a 97’ TJ Sahara and is also a budget build for me ! Lol
Thanks, there plenty more to come! Budget build is the way to go!
I have a 04 Tj and I had a problem with high idling also. I replaced the throttle position sensor and that took care of the problem
Good to know, thanks for the suggestion!
Can’t wait to see more videos!! I love my TJ!!
There's plenty more to come!
Wow that's a great deal! I'm jealous, something like this will never happen to me. 900 dollars wow
Took 10+ years of searching to get lucky on this one! With enough patience anything is possible.
You should go with flat fenders and a budget boost. What state are you in? Im in Delaware
Flat fenders seem to be the way to go for sure, just trying to figure out the most budget-friendly way to get them on this thing!
@@dironaa if you can weld, make them your self. Use conduit and a bender, some 3/16" sheet metal and some 3/8" flat stock. Just be careful since conduit may be galvanized, and welding can make some nasty fumes. You can find many kits on ebay.
You Should just put lockers in when you do the axles
That's the plan!
Meanwhile in Australia it's 46C/115F
Sounds fantastic! We're currently sitting in 2 feet of snow
my daughter has a 2000 2.5 TJ. I have been dealing with little or no heat with this jeep. Replaced heater core, thermostat, radiator, water pump and new fluids. Core gets hot fluid through it.. As near as i can tell, the door that cycles to force air through the heater core isnt cycling fully closed/open. as such air flow is taking path of least resistance and going past hot heater core. It seems the rubber sealing edge on the door that blocks/allows air to go through the hot side is getting too stiff and is jamming the mechanism from fully cycling. Last thing to try is replace the servo that actuates the door (it does cycle but perhaps its getting weak?). I have pulled the dash apart 2x now trying to isolate this lack of heat (* it does put out lukewarm air, but its not enough to even defrost windshield here in western canada). I am curious to see what you discover the issue to be on your TJ. Good luck and hopefully my experiences can help.
Thanks for the input, sounds like we have the same symptoms...hoses to and from the heater core seem to get plenty hot and the air coming out of the vents on full heat is a few degrees warmer than ambient air, but not enough to help anything. Not sure how soon I'll dive into it but I think this info will be quite helpful. Best of luck solving yours!
I bought a new Jeep and when I seen what was going on, I went through six cans of PB blaster to hold the rust until I could grind it out
PB Blaster is good stuff!
i really don't think replacing a part that is faulty with another part that is faulty is a repair , there is room for 2 input shaft seals on the steering box , to install it is easy just push it over the old one .
Maybe we should call it an improvement rather than a repair lol. Thanks for the tip!
Rewatching your budget series. Occasionally I get a high idle on my 98 sport auto 4.0. Sometimes. What was your prognosis for your occasional high idle?
Could be many things: vacuum leak, throttle position sensor, IAC valve, etc. Tough to say without some diagnosis
The no heat is probably the thermostat if you didn't replace it already
Wait you put 33's on a 4cyl with stock gearing? How is that working for you? I have a 5spd 4cyl and only put on 31's because i figured they'd be too big to move. I hope you see this.
Yes sir, 33s on a stock 2.5L TJ with 4.10 gears. The 33s are nowhere near as bad as I thought they'd be based on what everyone on the internet says. I think they're more than bearable for street driving, although I don't typically daily drive the Jeep, it usually sits in the driveway 6 days/week. If I didn't plan on taking the thing off road I probably wouldn't bother to regear, I just don't want to burn up the clutch having to ride it on the trail.
Almost everybody around where I live trims the TJ front bumper in on an angle just a little bit wider than the frame most of us run tow hooks cuz they're like 10 bucks there's your budget bumper
Sshhh you're giving away a future episode LOL. Just looking for a deal on one more part and a video doing just that should be along soon enough!
Do you consider a thermostat with ~100k miles "low miles"? I change mine just about anytime I mess with my cooling system. Outside the "free" stuff, that water pump and oil pan gasket are probably the cheapest I have ever seen.
I'd consider 100k to be "low enough" LOL. Changing it regularly and anytime you have access to it is certainly best practice, but since we're pinching pennies here and and it was still properly functioning I chose not to change it in this Jeep. I searched high and low for those deals...was very skeptical about the oil pan gasket sealing properly, but so far so good!
My multi function switch does the same thing sometimes
After looking into it, it actually sounds like a fairly common issue. Apparently these switches weren't made with the highest quality internals..
I mean it is a 900 dollar jeep. She just needs some lovin to get her back in shape.
That’s for sure!
replace the crackshaft position sensor for the idle issue
that was the problem on mine, but mine is a 6 cyl automatic
The misfire you experienced could of been detonating because the rotor was lose and advanced.
Turns out somebody installed the distributor 180 degrees out of time. Was fun chasing that one down.. Quick fix once the issue was figured out though.
GO RED SOX!
Keep up the vids!!
Thanks for staying tuned!
Cleans up nice-- I agree with a few other people on here.. but don't paint the trim.. hit with a heatgun. Makes them black again.
Thanks! I've tried the heat gun in the past but have always ended up with major tiger stripes in the flares. Have even tried scrubbing off the surface oxidation from the flares before using the heat gun with no better success, so in the end I've always resorted to painting the flares. Any tips on getting them a nice even black with the heat gun? Perhaps all the flares I've tried to restore with a heat gun have been too far gone.
@@dironaa Plasti dip em
i used black paint for plastic from walmart to paint were the fenders turned grey , masked them off and there still black 2 years now
Nice, I'll be addressing the flares at a later date. I've used Krylon Fusion to paint flares in the past, but will certainly check Walmart for a cheaper alternative. Thanks!
any specific type of paint
I've used Krylon Fusion in the past with great results
You can also use black truck bed liner spray. Works great and adds that textured look. 3M makes a good one
I noticed you upholstered you split window from tan to black. I'm a newbie Jeep owner and learning as I go. I have a split window also, put a new top on but my doors are faded. The new top came with the plastic zip upper skins. Can you use those to reupholster the split window uppers? Thanks
These were actually two different sets of windows, the tan ones were fiberglass and were only on the Jeep so I could deliver them to the guy who bought them on Craigslist without scratching them up. To answer your question...I'm not sure, but I suspect the lass slider window frames are not compatible with soft plastic window skins.
I have no heat on my Cherokee and I’ve flushed the heater core and still nothing. Please make a video on it because I’ll be curious on how u fix it
Not sure how soon I'll get to it, but will definitely give an update when I figure it out. As Animalistic said, fairly often no heat can be a result of an air pocket in the heater core, although a slew of other issues could lead to it as well. If you haven't already, id recommend poking around on NAXJA or jeepforum so see if anyone has an answer over there.
Found out on mine you have to bleed the air out. Works great now.
Animalistic ya I had little coolant in my system so I filled and bled it and while the heat is better it’s still not where it should be
Lol lots of stuff, but what do you expect from a $900 Jeep
For the price I’m very happy with it!
Me too, can’t find them for cheap
Do a blown iron duke!
Can't deny it hasn't crossed my mind!
what
Painting isn't boring if your watching someone else paint. Or I'm boring.
I'll keep that in mind LOL
Interesting video series. But the whole cost tracking is pointless because you are using so much stuff you already had. This means it is unlikely anyone could replicate what you are doing.
Thats a fair point and I agree with what you're saying. I will say that the most of parts I've installed that I already had were well worn and in the grand scheme of the build have very little value; as of today the current build total is pushing $7k.
@@dironaa Completely understand, why would you not use parts you already have! Too late now, but what would have been great was two costs, one that you actually incurred and another if everything had to be bought. But hey ho, still a great series of videos which I am continuing to work through and please don't take my comment to mean I am not thoroughly enjoying them.
Just throw it away bro
Lol
Rockauto.com is the best for diy's!
Tough to beat their prices!
Dude mine does the same thing when you step on the brake but it's the right hand side and it goes away after a couple of seconds
Coolant system takes 6 gallons??
Haha 6 gallons included topping off the system multiple times while it was still leaking