Jeep Stuff Again

by Dan Grec · August 28, 2010

The Road Chose Me Volume 2 OUT NOW!!
The Road Chose Me Volume 2: Three years and 54,000 miles around Africa

I’ve getting really close to 40,000kms for the adventure and have been thinking about doing a few things more than ‘regular’ maintenance for a while now. After hunting around I eventually find the correct gear oil for the front and rear diffs. Paying to have it changed is again much simpler and allows for a great look underneath at everything – doing fine. The oil in the rear looks like it should have been changed 10,000kms ago (true) and the front could have easily gone another 10,000km.

I’ve been hunting high and low for the oil for the transmission and transfer case for about a month now, without success. A couple of places have had something very very similar, though I’m not one to risk it with something that important. I luck upon a Jeep dealer in Cuenca, the first one I’ve seen for a long time, and am surprised when it turns out they still don’t have exactly what I need. I eventually find the right ATF for the transfer case and swap that out and after reading up I decide the transmission is fine for a long time yet.

Three months of infrequent driving and a lot of music in the driveway found me draining the battery one too many times. Even after a push start and an hour long drive into town, the battery only just spins the starter. Cleaning up the old battery reveals the following:
“Chrysler Motor Corp. Consult manual for replacement procedure”.
I’m pretty happy to be replacing an eleven year old battery, for the seemingly fixed world-wide price of $100.

Since I bought the Jeep the 4×4 shifter has been clunking – not a problem at all – it just drives me insane on the back roads I frequent. A friend from jeepforum.com bought the new washers and bushings I need, and I take a sunny afternoon to swap it all out, for a completely rattle free Jeep (is that an oxymoron?)