wet TJ ???

Joined: 25 Nov 2002 Location: Golden Square

Looking at buying a TJ soft top that has water damage (what the water damage is I dont know exactly at the moment). So the car cant be driven, but what things are worth looking at while the car is static. Also by being water damaged it looks like it has hydraulic the engine, is it possible to try and turn over by hand to see if it has bent anything ????

But the drivetrain should just need an oil change would this be about right
???

Turps

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2004 9:44 am

Mate unless it is EXTREMELY cheap I'd avoid it like the plague......
If it was sunk you can expect problems with the electricals forever & a day....

BUT if you do want to get it then I'd remove the spark plugs and see if you can turn the engine by hand - if not then it probably has major internal damage.
Next I'd change ALL fluid - ie engine, tranny, t.case, diffs, even radiator and possible petrol too etc....
Then I'd do a careful test on as many major wiring circuits as possible - before you drive it.
I'd inspect the brakes too as the pads might be worse for wear if left soaking in water.

anyways as I said if it was a bad soakiing I wouldn't touch it....just my2¢..

Joined: 20 Oct 2002 Location: Springfield/ QLD

As Wooder has said unless you are a auto elec i would stay right away from anything that has been sunk. Anything with electronics that gets that wet will be a problem forever :(

Unless you are getting it for $50 then you can afford to piss about with it
but it will stll cost you heaps in the long run

Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Location: Hiding from Grimace

I purchased a TJ Wrangler that was written off with front end damage and am just about ready to put it back on the road. All i can say is that Jeep parts are not cheap. I'd be checking over the thing thoroughly and making a list of all work required, then get quotes on as much things as possible just to see whether or not it is worth while.

Do not rush into it. In the end it could end up costing you more than buying a second hand one in good nick.

Joined: 25 Nov 2002 Location: Golden Square

Shane how much did your damaged one cost?

The one I am thinking about is at an auction joint so prob cant pull plugs out. But will try, also I have really only seen it from underneath as it is currently sitting on the top rack. From what I have seen of it it looks like it has been driven into a bog hole and hydrualic'ed the motor as the rest of the car is still dirty and there is a fair bit of mud under the guards, all the panels appear to be straight and the soft top looks alright.
Not sure about the elecs, but was going to go see an auto elec and ask his opion on this for repair/replace if there is probelms. As for the comptuer where would it be in a TJ and are they well sealed.

Was thinking if I could get it for under 10G (more like 6-8) it might be good buy.

Turps

Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Location: Anchorage,Ak

If the Jeep is cheap go for it! That would be cool if you pulled all the plugs and found nothing wrong with it. If the guy that was driving it dunked it but did not have it wide open you could still have a good engine. I dunked my XJ with 9" of lift on a hole up to the windshield and took on some water but the thing did not fail till around another 3,000 miles. It's a gamble but if it turns out to be junk you can part it out.

Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Location: Hiding from Grimace

turps wrote:

Shane how much did your damaged one cost?

I picked my one up for $7000.

You should be able to view the car before it goes to auction, there generally is some time that they specify before hand for viewing. Really you need to have a good look in the engine bay and interior. If you do not get the opportunity to try and turn the engine by hand, i'd be atleast checking the airbox and filter for signs of mud and water. Not sure what saught of auction it is but usually they are there because the insurance company have written them off, so unless you have some means of saving money on the repairs it generally isn't worth it.

Joined: 25 Nov 2002 Location: Sydney

ECM is found in the engine bay it is a silver box with a o ring seal and should be pretty water proof you should be able to see it when you open the hood against one of the fenders not sure which side but I think oposite to the stock battery point

If it is gone then you always could use an after market ECM then if you wanted to do some majr performance mods it would cope well

Just remember if it is at an auction then it is a good chance that an insurance company has assessed that it will cost more to fix than the vaule of it, but if you are going to use it as the base for a big built truck then could be a cheap way to get running gear but if you want to put it back on the road IMHO there is better projects around

Joined: 20 Oct 2002 Location: Greenbank

If it was fresh water(not Salt) the chances are all the electrics are fine. I have bought lots of water damaged vehicles in the past and as long as you go through and clean all the electrical contacts they are usually trouble free after.

Joined: 29 Nov 2002 Location: Canberra

It would want to be a fair bit under 10 grand....

a quick search found a 97 TJ with air for $14.5K dealer price

JEEP WRANGLER 1997
Auto, air, power steer, dual airbags, chrome bars on front, side and rear, driving lights, towbar, CD, QXP-842, $14500, DL-18970. The Van Shop, 1 Parramatta Road HABERFIELD 02-9799

Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2004 8:14 am

Yet remember Jeffs stolen, stripped & beaten TJ still sold for 6k......

I think if you are interested in this rig you just need to keep in mind that it is bit of a gamble, but as said above you could probably part is out and make nearly as much.....Infact your greatest competition will probably be from wreckers....

Joined: 25 Nov 2002 Location: Golden Square

Thinks lads for the info. Theres a white one at Pickles melb tommorow, but no funds and cant be bothered going down as I have to work tue night shift. This white one said water damage on the windscreen but the duco looked as if it had just been washed (why bother - maybe to pls insurance - but still they arn't stupid).

Might go see what the red one goes for if not working. It has been drowned in a bog hole I reckon (it was one the top shelve). As the paint work was ditry and there was a fair bit of mud under the gaurds. But all the panels where straight.

Turps
Thanks again.