Hi there. If you are reading this, and can offer some advice...THANK YOU!

Here is my situation. I bought a 1997 Jeep Wrangler about 2 weeks ago. It only has 57,000 miles on it - which is why I bought it. I brought it home and drove it a few days - only to find that it has some problems.

First, the oil was filthy. I had to change the oil twice to get a clean dipstick. Then the front main seal started leaking (just a little). Also, it sputters shifting in the low gears once warmed up - like it is missing. And finally, when idling, the oil pressure guage drops below 10, and my "Check Guages" light comes on. I would like to get a sense of what is going on with this Jeep before I take it to the dealer and drop a bunch of money trying to figure it out. Also, I would like to know if this Jeep is safe to drive until I figure out what is going on.

To recap:
ò 1997 Jeep Wrangler SE with 57,000 miles.
ò Front Main seal leaking a few drops of oil per day.
ò Sputters in low gears once warmed-up.
ò Oil pressure drops below 10 when idling, causing "Check Guages" light to come on.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Did I buy a Lemon? Thanks in advance, AC.

Hi Acl,

This is a linky to nother posting the other day and Big Jim kinda covers a possible item to look at. http://www.4x4wire.com/forums/showf...mp;amp;sb=5&o=14&fpart=1

Also thought you may want to give the girl a full tune up and change all the fluids in the rest of the vehical.
jmho...

C. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

thanks for the info. that does help. i'll check that tonight.

one other question: i've had a couple of other forums tell me that i've already lost a lot of life on this jeep. that i should get it somewhat right and then sell it. any thoughts on this statement? has the damage already been done to this vehicle? thanks for any input, ac.

I wonder what them guys are selling?
Your front leak can be caused by a bit of dirt wearing out the seal OR..
It may be from the crankcase vents being clogged and the pressure pushing out some oil.
Usually that small amount of oil is a worn seal but it won't hurt to check and clean the cover hoses. Or you sure it is not a front valve cover leak?
Judging from the dirty oil I'd guess any idle problems could be remedied by a good tune.
Big Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

thanks big jim. so you think this jeep is worth saving?

Sure it is...
Big Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

My first thought from 2 changes to take care of diry oil, and then leaky seals at 57K makes me wonder how this jeep was cared for. What do the rest of the tune up items look like? ie plugs, air filter, etc. Do you have any maintenace reccords for the jeep at all? I may have missed it, but is this a 4 or a 6 cyl? What weight oil are you running in it? Have your done a compression or leak down test?

Sean

Well, I'm assuming this Jeep wasn't cared for at all - under the hood. The exterior and interior look great - like new as a matter of fact, but it's under the hood that was neglected. I don't have any service records. I was told that the oil was changed twice yearly, and that the fuel pump had recently been changed. This is a 2.5L 4 cyl. , and I am running 10w-30 valvolene oil. I have done no tests yet, I'm in the process of looking for a good mechanic.

If it was me I would do a few tests and get a good assessment of the condition of the engine. If you are not comfortable doing the work, I would get a mechanic you trust to check it out. And as you stated if the engine was neglected, it could be costly to get back to being a reliable DD, but that assessment will have to be made after doing a few tests and inspections.

Good Luck

Sean

Hang in there ACL.. You'll love it once it gets warm outside and you have the top down.. I just put a reman. engine in my '97 SE. Only $1199.00 .. So worst case new engine and it really isn't that expensive. Assuming you can do the work yourself.