Table of contents
Introduction
Our first car is an unforgettable one. For my wife, her TJ Jeep Wrangler is a car we will never get rid of. Back in high school, my Wife got her driver’s license and her reward was this 2004 TJ Jeep Wrangler. For years, this Jeep was her go-to vehicle for road trips and commuting. Now that she works from home, the TJ Wrangler only gets driven here and there. Fortunately, my Wife married a petrol head that thinks every car needs to be treated well. In this segment, we’re going to cover the TJ Jeep Wrangler and what our plan is to turn this old rig into an awesome machine!
What Is A TJ Jeep Wrangler?
To some, the TJ Jeep Wrangler is the last “real” Jeep. The TJ Jeep Wrangler was around for the 1997-2006 manufacturing years as the flagship 4×4 rig for Mopar. Your engine options consisted of a 2.5 Liter four cylinder, or the legendary AMC 4.0 Liter inline-six engine. While neither engine is a powerhouse by any means, both options provide you with sufficient torque to help get you through off road obstacles.
While the interior may be bare bones for some, it is perfect for an off-road focused rig. The Interior has everything you need, and nothing else. My favorite feature is the removable rear bench seat as you create a significant amount of cargo space. Depending on your model, you may have a factory soft top or hard top for your Wrangler. Altogether, the TJ Jeep Wrangler is a 4×4 rig capable of handling trails and obstacles alike with no compromise.
Our TJ Jeep Wrangler
My Wife’s Wrangler is a 2004 Sport model with the AMC inline-six cylinder engine. Connected to the 4.0L engine is the 42RLE automatic transmission. While it is not my preferred option for the TJ Jeep Wrangler, it gets the job done. Luckily, whoever optioned this Wrangler had the factory Dana 44 rear end upgrade installed. This upgrade consists of the iconic Dana 44 Rear Axle, 3.73 gears, and rear disc brakes. As a platform, my Wife’s Wrangler is in a perfect position for a solid off-road rig with highway drivability.
Exterior wise, the TJ needs a little love. The factory hard top is a nice feature, but the discoloration from the sun is an eye sore. The paint needs some refreshing as some clear coat failure is developing on different spots of the car. Lastly, the wheels are beat up from over the years and need to be replaced.
Despite the exterior concerns, our TJ is in a pretty good spot mechanically for its age. And for that, we are very optimistic for the future of this car.
What Is The Plan?
First and foremost, maintenance is our number one priority. While the Jeep will always start and get on the road, we need to take some proactive measures to prevent future issues. Second, we want to make sure our TJ Jeep Wrangler continues to be enjoyable to drive. We want the Wrangler to be our go-to road trip vehicle and not have to worry about awful ride quality or poor braking power. Lastly, we want to make sure it stays true to being a TJ Jeep Wrangler. We don’t want this Jeep to be a poster child for mall crawlers, but a practical but comfortable adventure car! We carefully planned out our modifications and maintenance to ensure the car is ready for whatever we throw at it.
Maintenance Overhaul
With 155,000 miles on the odometer, it was time to address some maintenance issues. With little to no service records available, I tackled the go-to fixes for poor performance: the ignition system and the intake system.
I removed the spark plugs from the 4.0L motor and found six original spark plugs. None of these plugs had electrodes and could easily be the culprit of our lackluster acceleration and gas mileage. The plug wires were in good condition and there were no other signs of wear. I installed the new spark plugs in anticipation of a restoration of power in the TJ Jeep Wrangler.
An aftermarket intake filter is a good solution for many cars. I replaced the old paper filter and installed an AEM reusable filter. I chose this because I prefer the intake sound and the ability to clean the filter if it gets dirty.
If The Engine Leaks, It Has Oil
The AMC 4.0 liter engine is notorious for leaking. Fortunately, there are plenty of parts available at Quadratec to fix some of the usual leaks. The valve cover grommets and PCV locations are known to leak. I took the new grommets and gaskets and replaced them on the engine. This stopped the oil from leaking on the top of the engine. Fixing oil leaks is great for your garage, but for me it shows attention to detail. Now, I don’t have to worry about oil dripping on me as much when I change the oil!
Cooling System Restoration
As all project cars go, the best problems come at random times. One day, I was driving the Jeep nonchalantly when I heard a loud pop and quickly realized that the engine was overheating. The culprit? A cracked radiator and a faulty water pump. It was clear that my Wrangler needed urgent attention.
After towing the car back home, I decided to purchase all the necessary parts online. With the help of wranglertjforum.com, I was able to source the best OEM parts to fix the cooling system. I replaced the radiator, water pump, fan clutch, thermostat, and hoses to restore the Wrangler to its former glory.
Here’s a tip for fellow TJ owners: avoid aftermarket cooling system parts as they tend to be subpar and are likely to fail quicker than OEM parts.
Once the parts arrived, I began the installation process. The good news was that every old part came off easily and every new part fit perfectly. With a few simple hand tools, I was back on the road in no time, confident that my Wrangler was running smoothly once again.
Taking The Jeep To New Heights
If you own a TJ Jeep Wrangler, you’re going to lift it. There’s no way around it, but that’s the best part about the project. To begin our lift kit, we went with the Savvy Off-Road 1.25″ aluminum body lift kit. The body lift was chosen to give us the option for lifting other parts in the vehicle to provide more ground clearance. Also, the body lift allows us to gain more height without the instability of a super high suspension lift.
To prevent drivetrain angles from being off, you need to install an engine mount lift or higher engine mounts. Due to the short wheelbase of the TJ Jeep Wrangler, drivetrain angle changes can result in bad vibrations when driving. The Jeep is already noisy, no sense in making it louder. We installed the M.O.R.E bombproof motor mounts that give us the proper height for the body lift. The motor mounts went in easily, but unfortunately I dented the oil pan in the process. Not the worst thing in the world, but it still bugs me to this day that I did that.
Sound System Upgrades
For the interior, I installed a Boom Mat headliner for the hardtop to reduce the cabin noise. To install, remove the hardtop and line up the headliner. I elected to use a 3M headliner adhesive spray for extra hold.
I replaced the stock radio unit with a Kenwood head unit and swapped out the original speakers with new ones. For the dashboard speakers, I installed Kenwood KFC-1066S 4″ speakers and added some polyfill to aid with the sound quality. The roll bar speakers were swapped out for 5 1/4″ Kenwood KFC-1366S speakers. Thankfully, crutchfield.com included the adapters and wiring needed to complete this install! Altogether, the speakers drastically improved the sound quality and clarity of the Jeep.
Conclusion
After all the work that’s been done, the TJ Jeep Wrangler is in a great place. Taking care of maintenance first allows you to truly see where your car issues may lie. Currently, the Jeep is still being driven awaiting for our next goals: new wheels and tires, a proper suspension lift, and addressing the paint condition. The TJ Jeep Wrangler is an American icon and I am glad my Wife is passionate about keeping it. While this project is nowhere near completion, I know that the day will come when my Wife will want to drive it every day.
Keep up with Powershift Auto as we work towards finishing the TJ Jeep Wrangler! You can follow us on Pinterest, or Instagram for updates, new blog posts, and other content. If you would like to have your own project car featured on our site, DM me on Instagram or contact us here at Powershift Auto!