1985 Jeep CJ7 from North America - Comments

26th Jan 2005, 17:41

"Best $1000 my wife ever spent on me"

What things have gone wrong with the car?

Heater core was out when I bought it.

Tires wore out (go figure)

Front Brakes wore out (go figure again)

Tune-ups.

Oil changes.

Anti-freeze changes.

New exhaust (nothing lasts forever)

Swapped the '85 engine for fresh engine from an '83...no smog, no vacuum mess, added headers and carb. The best part is the new engine was given to me by a neighbor (talk about friendly Jeep owners). Tons more power and 30% better gas mileage.

New clutch (when engine swapped out.)

Master cylinder started bypassing (replaced and good as new)

I have broken two (six months apart) intake valve rocker arms. The darn canoes just broke right through the saddles. On the first one the lifter jumped out of the hole it rides in (down in the oil valley) and the oil pressure went to zero. I thought my oil pump had gone out. Turned out to take about two hours total (and $8.75 in parts) to fix, but that was after I left it in the garage for six months in disgust at the (supposed) oil pump failure.

Replaced the valve cover gasket. I still don't understand how car manufacturers designed those things like that. Not just Jeep, but what a terrible design. Like they are made to misalign.

General comments?

What can I say. I drive it every day. I live in Hawaii, and you can't have a better vehicle. The rides a little rough, but I can go diving or surfing and none of the local boys mess with it (no self-respecting, well-to-do person would be caught riding in it, much less driving it!)


28th Jan 2005, 09:44

Wow, the car thieves in Hawaii don't bother trying to steal your Jeep because they are all self-respecting and well-to-do?

And you're not?


2nd Mar 2005, 15:40

Wow, the brakes and tires actually wore out?

Can't figure out how that could happened!


18th Jan 2009, 23:07

Damn valve cover. I have a CJ-8, no option on here, that the valve cover cracked, leaked oil onto my exhaust manifold and what a smokey mess that was. Tried to fix it myself and only made the situation worse. Gotta love Jeep's simplicity though?

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