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When all else fails....
- Thread starter Lavane
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0b11011001
Active Member
If you say so
I do. I do!
But this is not about Ford, but FCA’s Pentastar engine, introduced in 2011 and still illuminating CELs in 2026.
I would love to have a Jeep, but my selection would be limited to a CJ5 or 7. I prefer the shorter wheelbase of the 5.
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If they would put the Hurricane I6 in the Gladiator Rubicon, I would be looking at those for our camper tow vehicle instead of a Ranger Raptor... maybeI do. I do!
But this is not about Ford, but FCA’s Pentastar engine, introduced in 2011 and still illuminating CELs in 2026.
I would love to have a Jeep, but my selection would be limited to a CJ5 or 7. I prefer the shorter wheelbase of the 5.
krautmaster
68 Chrysler -440 Magnum !
Funny, I have three cars with the Pentastar V6 and none has ever popped the check engine light in 10 years of ownership... 2013 Chrysler 200 with 187,000 miles, my wife's 2016 Charger with 142,000 miles, and my 2016 Charger with only 42,000 miles. None even use a drop of oil, by far the most trouble free cars I've ever had, and I've had more than 60 different cars/trucks over the last 50 years.I do. I do!
But this is not about Ford, but FCA’s Pentastar engine, introduced in 2011 and still illuminating CELs in 2026.
I would love to have a Jeep, but my selection would be limited to a CJ5 or 7. I prefer the shorter wheelbase of the 5.
Lavane
Lunatic Member
Nice. My daughter does her own work on her Cherokee like yours.
She put the lifted suspension on it, and anything else it needed.
The funny thing is I didn't think she was the kid of mine that payed attention to me working on vehicles, home repair, etc. My three sons are the ones that turned out pretty much mechanically "declined". They're learning now after all these years, but my daughter was the one paying attention. Even though I never noticed her doing so.
Lavane
Lunatic Member
I got over 300K miles out of a Ford Aerostar van bedore giving it to one of my sons.
Other than replacing the basics like alternator, plugs and wires, etc. I had very little trouble with My son finely limped it off to the car crusher at over 400K miles.
He was sad to see it crushed. My kids called it "The Joy Bus". It was our camping vehicle. We would go camping for two weeks every year.
The van would be packed solid with camping gear and kids. Including several duffle bags strapped to the top.
Lavane
Lunatic Member
Weird ain't it? My daughter helped tear down the 96' Cherokee too when they did the engine swap. She's very good at diagnosing problems too.
She knows her way around a junk yard also.
Her husband works nights and recently she had to replace a hot water heater by herself.
She does still call me with questions about how to do certain things.
At leased I'm still needed!
Lavane
Lunatic Member
The TJ's are pretty nice. I had a 2012 Wrangler. It didn't hang around long.I do. I do!
But this is not about Ford, but FCA’s Pentastar engine, introduced in 2011 and still illuminating CELs in 2026.
I would love to have a Jeep, but my selection would be limited to a CJ5 or 7. I prefer the shorter wheelbase of the 5.
It was just too big. I haven't had any trouble getting my TJ through tight areas. I love the 4 link suspension. Off road I just pop the front disconnects and get great articulation. I put a full 4" Rusty's suspension on mine with
10" by 33" tires. I like the narrower tires. Ive gotten through some tighter areas better than some guys with 12" tires. Crossing rivers hasn't been a problem either. Out of all the Jeeps I've owned the TJ is the one I kept.
0b11011001
Active Member
Another advantage the CJ line has,is no emissions check. It comes with v6 or v8 engine, or scrap the OEM lump, and replace it with a LSx engine.
I just like the shorted wheelbase of the CJ5. That is why I prefer it over the CJ7. I also just prefer the CJ styling over later models, and the lack of plastic.
Lavane
Lunatic Member
Before I moved down to the valley from the Sierra Mountains a few years back, I had a neighbor with a CJ5 with the PTO. He never drove it, nust left it parked in an open pole barn. I asked several times if he would sell it, but always got a firm no. He passed away and his son sold it right way before I could ask again.
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That was back when Ford built reliable vehicles. The last good one I had was my 1951 Ford F1.You need to tell that to my 87 yr old tractor and 61 yr old car that start first time everytime, and have not left me stranded
The last Ford I owned was a 1992 Ford Explorer 5 speed manual trans.
After the local Ford Service Manager told me in response to my questioning where the coolant was disappearing to in that V-6 "They all do that" I swore off Ford forever.
There were other issues, like an o-ring that was unavailable except in a front end rebuild kit and armrests held on by what looked like 1 sheet rock screw right from the factory. Designed to fail. The first one was available separately, but by the time the second broke it was only available as a complete door panel assembly.
Three strikes and done.
I'm very much a pushrod V8 guy, and Ford put the last one of those in an Explorer in the early 2000s. That new big V8 doesn't count, its too modern to be available at the scrap metal prices I'm willing to pay for stuff.
though rather annoyingly those Explorers are pretty much gone from the junkyard, making the extremely cheap supply of best factory 5.0 cylinder head and intake ever cast basically gone as well.
though rather annoyingly those Explorers are pretty much gone from the junkyard, making the extremely cheap supply of best factory 5.0 cylinder head and intake ever cast basically gone as well.
Have two 97 V8 explorers in storage. The roller cam 302 and 351 Windsors will always be a couple of favorites. These things are tough. Also acquired a complete 5.8L roller cam out of van. The frame broke in half, but the engine was in perfect health.
One of them went through three different family members. The second person did rural mail routes with an episode of running it low on oil. The third run it low on oil again. The poor thing had enough of the abuse after that. The only thing that I remember being replaced was a cam sensor.
Valve train problems were not an issue with these. Look at all of the valve train problems people are having with everything now. It's like everyone has collectively forgotten how to design this. Even the later 7.3L gasser has had issues.
Nimbley
Active Member
I'm a proud Jeep owner and will admit they aren't for everyone. However all of mine have been incredibly reliable and I do my own maintenance. Even though I'm not in the auto industry anymore, I still keep my ASE cert's updated and have them all (Master Certified). My first Jeep, a '91 Cherokee, was finally traded off at 395K miles. My current Jeep is an '03 Wrangler with only 50K miles. Only problem I've ever had with a check engine light was a bad upstream O2 sensor. Easily fixed for $50.
Where I live in Arizona the smog tests for older vehicles can be a nightmare. As long as it's newer than 1996 (OBDII), and as long as the CEL isn't on, you'll pass. I have a 1977 Chevy K10 with a built V8 and 4 speed manual transmission. On these years they run it on a dyno up to 35-40 MPH to test the tailpipe emissions. Passing it is a delicate balance between lean tuning, retarded timing, and hoping the kid doing the test can manipulate the gears and big tires to speed on the dyno without pumping the throttle and causing a failure for high hydrocarbons. Or worse, jumping it out of the rollers. I've even been sent away from inspection stations because they have nobody that can operate a manual transmission. It's truly a nightmare for a vehicle that I put less than 1000 miles a year on.
Where I live in Arizona the smog tests for older vehicles can be a nightmare. As long as it's newer than 1996 (OBDII), and as long as the CEL isn't on, you'll pass. I have a 1977 Chevy K10 with a built V8 and 4 speed manual transmission. On these years they run it on a dyno up to 35-40 MPH to test the tailpipe emissions. Passing it is a delicate balance between lean tuning, retarded timing, and hoping the kid doing the test can manipulate the gears and big tires to speed on the dyno without pumping the throttle and causing a failure for high hydrocarbons. Or worse, jumping it out of the rollers. I've even been sent away from inspection stations because they have nobody that can operate a manual transmission. It's truly a nightmare for a vehicle that I put less than 1000 miles a year on.
krautmaster
68 Chrysler -440 Magnum !
When I lived in Phoenix I had the same problems with my 68' Newport convertible (with a 512 stroker motor)... I had to swap the carb from the 800 cfm Edelbrock down to a 500 cfm Carter, put on a single snorkel air cleaner and then limp the thing to the inspection station. They strapped it down on the dyno and ran it while they tested the tail pipe emissions. One inspector said "that thing makes a lot of power for a little 383". It barely passed every time, then I would go home and put all the go fast stuff back on. Once I moved to ABQ no more inspection (pre 1991 cars are exempt).
Lavane
Lunatic Member
There for awhile the Explorers had some serious problems including transmission failures. I don't dought it can be hard to find parts.
I knew someone that had one and the transmission failed with less than 50K miles on it. As far as modern engines I do really like the Chrystler Pentastar V6. I had a 2012 Jeep Wranger 4door that had one, and a 2014 Charger with one. That variable valve timing worked very slick. It was peppy too.
In the Charger I got great mileage out of it if I kept my foot out of it.
At the time I lived in the mountains. I drove from my home to my sons home up in Susanville about a two hour drive. I stayed in the hills the whole way there and back. I got just over 30mpg. Ya there are stretches of down hill driving, but a lot of up hill too. But it is a more complicated engine with more to go wrong. I miss being able to diagnose problems myself with a multi meter, timing light, and stethoscope.
Good to see that you are enjoying it. Had a 97 4.0L TJ that was sold recently. Still have a Savvy 4" lift and many other items in storage. An LJ may happen in the future. Having a light, narrow chassis with four coils springs? I would do it again
The 97 was a basket case and and fairly easy to do all of the repairs. The engine electrical needed a crank sensor and harness repair. One of the injectors wasn't firing and I had to pull the harness out and fix a broken star ground. Naturally any off-road vehicle this old needs a close look at battery cables and cleaning all of the grounds.
Lavane
Lunatic Member
Overall they are easy to work on. I hit a deer at around 65mph. It took out the grill, hood, and both fenders. I only had about 3K miles on it.Good to see that you are enjoying it. Had a 97 4.0L TJ that was sold recently. Still have a Savvy 4" lift and many other items in storage. An LJ may happen in the future. Having a light, narrow chassis with four coils springs? I would do it again
The 97 was a basket case and and fairly easy to do all of the repairs. The engine electrical needed a crank sensor and harness repair. One of the injectors wasn't firing and I had to pull the harness out and fix a broken star ground. Naturally any off-road vehicle this old needs a close look at battery cables and cleaning all of the grounds.
It took me less than a 1/2 hour to strip the whole front end off. And about the same time to put the new one on. I had to replace the fuel check vave that was on the top of the gas tank a couple years ago. Even the fuel tank was fast and easy to drop and put back.