The Obvious Choice. (photo courtesy: forums.vwvortex.com)
Dan writes:
Hello Sajeev! Very long time reader, but first time I've ever reached out. To start, I happen to be a huge RWD ford fan, (I'm actually helping my best friend put together his 94 mark viii). Now with your interest gained…
I have a 1993 jeep cherokee, 2 door, 4.0 high output, AW4 trans. It has been a pleasure to own, as I'm a jeep guy at heart, and i have lots of money into well done suspension and offroad modifications, far too much to list. To be frank, I'm in love with the thing. But about two months ago, it started rattling at idle. I chalked it up to something in the engine bay or possibly flywheel bolts. It always ran and drove perfect.
All of a sudden, one day after leaving work it was slipping hard into gear, and a mile down the road I lost all gears. (Automatic "bulletproof" AW4). I checked all linkages, changed the fluid and filter, tried it in 4 wheel high and low, but nothing. It can run all day and the transmission wont get hot so I think the pump went out. So I bought a 1987 dodge dakota, carbureted 3.9 v6, AT 2wd for 700 bucks to drive while I hopefully swap a transmission in my jeep.
My problem now is, with a full tune up, all new filters, this Dakota idles extremely rough, it shakes and wants to die. It wants to stall going up hills. Other than that, the truck runs great and is a good beater. I don't know what to do to fix this dodge to be more reliable, and if I should do the swap in my jeep or if I'm possibly looking at another problem with that. My goal would be to have my jeep as toy, and the truck as backup vehicle. I don't know if maybe I'm thinking this out wrong and I should sell both and get something more reliable/ better shape, or focus on fixing one and selling the other. The truck is a beater and will only last a few more years, and will be a nightmare in winter being 2wd and carbureted. I guess I'm looking for some good professional advice here. Thank you for any input!
Sajeev answers:
You are in the same place I was before buying a new truck…except you're working on a Mark VIII that you do not own.
I reckon you need a newer, more reliable, less shitty vehicle and have the Jeep as a weekend project/toy. Because no man can live on project cars (or trucks) alone! Unless you are chronically single and dependent free, work from home, have a time value of money equal to zero, etc.
But I find that hard to believe: everyone has commitments requiring a reliable vehicle. So get a cheap-ish, fuel-efficient car that gives you plenty of monthly income (i.e. easy on insurance/gas) left over for your project. Get a FWD, compact-ish (depending on your physical size), mainstream Japanese, American or South Korean sedan for maximum cheapness. You might be a hard-core Mopar guy, so get a Neon. They are fun. And you can probably fix most problems in a single weekend, for cheap.
Why so thrifty? I think it's time for a professionally rebuilt and/or upgraded trans for the Jeep. Or better, swap to a GM transmission. Or even better…wait for it…LSX-FTW SON!!!
The Neon, with the right tires will also be decent in the snow and most people hate them to the point that depreciation is right up your alley. Tidy up and sell the Dakota. Get a boring sedan so you can continue as a normal human on the weekdays, and a bad-ass Jeeper on the weekend.
That's how you win at life.
Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.
The post Piston Slap: Fanning the Dakota's Fail Flames for Cherokee LSX-FTW? appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA
Put the internet to work for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment