If you've been reading my comfy SUV thread, th issue is tabled. I bought a 1996 Grand Cherokee today. Ill get some pics up tomorrow, but the basics are: 160k, 5.2L v8, noise-free np247 xfer case, new windshield and tires, basically stock, mechanically solid but dirty. $2500 More to come. So tell me what i need to know about these.
Then get 4 of these
Lol. That's pretty much the plan, but probably not like a 2" OME lift. I'm planning on towing a boat long distances, so gotta keep it small. No heavy rock crawling planned.
Good for you. Enjoy. With the budget you had, proper tune up, fluid changes as needed, detailing/clean up. Drive it. you'll know in short order what needs to be done, to make it reliable. The 318 has been around since the sixties, and is a proven power plant. Transmissions like other brands, can be hit or miss. Any history on the ZJ? I'm more familiar with the XJ. Good luck.
One correction: the transfer case is a 249, not a 247. Only big things to watch out for are the transfer case viscous coupler binding up and the intake manifold plenum gasket failing (leads to oil consumption).
Beyond that, plan to change every fluid (diffs, t-case and trans are probably overdue, knowing most owners). Do a band adjustment on the trans too. Trans is a 44RE, by the way. And do a little searching to find where the line pressure adjustment screw is for the trans and back it off 1 - 2 turns while you have the pan off (backing it off increases pressure, that'll help trans durability).
Plan to upgrade the trans cooler for a bigger one. And IMO, plan to add a power steering cooler in the return line (the PS runs pretty hot on these things).
Check for any worn tie rod ends or ball joints in the steering. Beyond that, it should be solid as long as you're willing to take care of it.
Full fluid change is first on the agenda. What's best in the tcase? (yeah, 249, just a typo) I read somewhere that they changed the initial manual spec to something else. Ill look into the trans adjustment since I'll be in the changing the fluid anyway. There's a bunch of other stuff too, most minor, and most just cosmetic or comfort related.
There's a little play in the steering, so tie rods and possibly a box are in there too. Pretty sure it needs shocks too, so might go ahead and do the lift depending on what else needs fixed. Guess I should start a thread on it.
Both valve covers have air ports. One is a breather/inlet, one is the pcv line to the intake manifold. Pull both of them and block with your thumbs while the engine runs. If it develops vacuum, the manifold pan gasket is leaking. If it makes a little pressure, it's normal. If it makes a lot of pressure, the shortblock is bad! 
ultraclyde said:What's best in the tcase? (yeah, 249, just a typo) I read somewhere that they changed the initial manual spec to something else.
Seriously though, it's subjective depending on your goals. A lot of folks don't like the 249 since it's AWD, and you don't get RWD. Being a '96 though it should be the "better" version of the 249 since low range is actually locked 50/50 front and rear, as apposed to the earlier version that still relied on the viscous coupler for low range.
A lot of folks swap the NP231 in place of the 249, that gives you the traditional RWD, 4 Hi, and 4 Low. I personally swapped a NP242 out of a ZJ into our XJ, which gives us RWD, AWD, 4 Hi, and 4 Low. Gratuitous link to Moby's thread.
For fluids, the trans and t-case both take ATF+4. Personally, I use it in the power steering too, even though the book says not to.
I run 75W-140 in both diffs (recommended by Jeep if towing), rear needs LSD modifier if yours has an LSD.
Coolant is old school green, although if you give the system a good flush first, Zerex G-05 (also Motorcraft gold and the Mopar pink HOAT stuff) is fine to use as well.
For engine oil, I feed my 5.9 whatever 5W-40 HDEO is on sale that day and change it every 6k miles. Those engines aren't particularly hard on oil, so anything of appropriate viscosity and changed before it's used up will do the job.
As far as the t-case itself goes, I'd run it until the VC fails and then swap in a 231 (it's a better case than the 242 a lot of people swap and it's 20 lbs lighter than the 242 and 249). I find the 242 fulltime mode to be worthless (it's an open center diff) and it doesn't shift nearly as well as the 231 does. The 249 is quite strong and just works though, so I wouldn't replace it until it fails.
If you google around, there's a procedure to adjust the steering box. I'd do that along with replacing whatever tie rod ends, etc. are worn and see what it gets you. A 1/4" or so of play is normal even right out of the factory.
I wouldn't plan to lift much for towing, maybe a set of the OME springs and appropriate shocks. That'll get you around 2 inches and firm things up a little. Check on the condition of control arm and track bar bushings while you're doing the lift. Adding adjustable track bars isn't required at 2 inches, but it won't hurt (especially if your stock track bar bushings are worn).
If you replace the front track bar, here's an easy upgrade: JKS track bar for a WJ and the Rusty's double shear track bar bracket for a ZJ. Basically the same as the Kevin's Offroad track bar upgrade but with a better bracket and for half the price. It bolts right in, only thing is you might need to trim a tiny bit of metal off the front of the driver's side coil bucket on the front axle to avoid contact at full suspension compression.
Well, I've completed the first clean out of loose crap. Biggest find is that it's a 97, not a 96 lol. I missed that on the paperwork. Mainly I've confirmed that it's dirty but solid. Hell, it ran 75-80mph for nearly 3 hours with no problem at all, so I'm pretty happy.
Thanks for all the info. Its going to be fun!
To confirm 100% that it's a 97: what color is the dash and the rest of the interior? Is it a Laredo or Limited? Does the rear hatch glass open?
It's a limited, all white exterior with gold badges and snowflake rims, interior is mostly tan with the dash mostly black with wood trim. Back glass does open. I'll start a thread with pics tomorrow when I'm bored at work. Don't think I can hotlink from my phone.
Okay, guess I can hotlink.
My ex- has one of those. Or it might be the next generation. It seems like she's always fixing something on it, but after living with European cars for most of her adult life she does like how cheap the parts are. We periodically rib her about getting a lift kit for it - something she steadfastly refuses to do since the Jeep is essentially her winter-beater.
Your original thought of 96 is correct. The tan interior / dark grey dash is a 96-only thing. Every other year would have had a tan dash if it has a tan interior.
Jeep changed so much stuff over the years on ZJs that based on a quick walk-around and a glance in the windows, any ZJ can be narrowed down to a 2 year window and all but a few combinations can be narrowed down to an individual year.
Best thing about a ZJ is they make a cheap parts swap for doing rear disks on a TJ. (sorry, just had to)
Looks like a $2,500 Jeep with nearly $1,000 in roof rack!
markwemple said:Best thing about a ZJ is they make a cheap parts swap for doing rear disks on a TJ. (sorry, just had to)
Best thing about a ZJ is that it's like an overgrown TJ with a better engine, no leaks and heated leather 
In reply to rslifkin :
I thought to check the door tag. Build date is indeed 4-97.
In reply to John Welsh:
Don't think that wasn't a selling point! As an avid cyclist, I know what that rack' s worth. I've got no keys for it but I can probably have a locksmith cut them. I can't find any model info or numbers to get them from Yakima.
In reply to ultraclyde :
You found a unicorn then! I have no idea how someone managed to get the dark dash / tan interior combo in a 97, but apparently that's not 96 only. And yours isn't even an early build 97.
That quirk happened in all 96s with light interiors because it was the first year after the facelift and they only had 1 color of the updated dashboard (dark grey). 97 could get the dash in either color.
The build date tells all, so that's what we'll have to go with (I'd check the VIN too to make sure it comes up as a 97). And now I lost the one trick up my sleeve for telling 96 / 97 limiteds apart. That's one of the few year / trim package pairs that can't definitely be identified (although a tan dash would say "not a 96").
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