88 GW Looked but didn’t buy… YET!

[Beach_Wag]

Hi all, this is my first post! I just got home from a 4 hour drive to check out a 1988 Jeep Grand Wagoneer! Unfortunately I came back in the same vehicle.

I’m very interested in it. It has no rust other than a small hole in driver floor above frame rail. The interior is great and overall looks like a clean Jeep.

The problem… starts right up and shifts into gears fine. When you give it some gas it is hesitant and some shaking/rumbling then gets going with low power. Once it’s rolling shifts fine. Got alittle smoother from stop but on the way back to the sellers house died going up hill. Wouldn’t start then got to start no problem with starter fluid (I think in was the incline we were stuck on) and got it back to his house. He said prior needs some carb tuning.

My question/concern is this transmission/drivetrain or simply a fuel delivery problem? Would that make it totally rumble/shake from a stop?

[dodgerammit]

I commented on your r/jeep thread, but see you have joined here.

Welcome to the asylum!

Now that I'm at a PC, I can see the pics better than on the phone.

As stated before, (most likely) factory 2.72 (at best 3.31) gearing and those larger tires are highly detrimental to any semblance of performance this thing had new.

The hesitation could be fuel or vacuum as others stated in your post. It also could be timing/ignition related.
The rumbling could also be somewhat attributed to those worn looking mud terrain tires, though that is normally noticed more at speed. They could have flat spots from sitting, but should even out pretty quickly if radials.

Now that I can see the body;

Looks like it could be a 4-6" lift with 31s-33s?

The driver's fender is pretty banged up. Finding body parts can prove difficult. A good shop (or yourself if skilled) can repair that. I also see what looks like some possible rust peeking below the woodgrain. If so, it may be worse once you peel off the vinyl.

That rust at the rear window looks concerning. If just light surface patina, it's no big deal. If it is deep or rotten, it's a very big deal in that location.

Also see what might be light rust at the passenger quarter near the bumper. That's most likely easily repaired.

If these issues aren't severe, the body is stoopid clean from what I can see otherwise.

For some reason, the rear axle looks crooked to me, but may be the angle of the pics. The last pic of the passenger side, the axle looks more forward than normal.

Kinda concerned with what's going on with the vacuum 4x4 shift switch. Looks like they may have went to some form of cable actuation?

[jjpeters4]

That's a nice wagoneer there, the cutting out could be a number of things, more than likely a fuel issue, but it could also be electrical related.....you didn't tell us a price or miles....I say this would be a fine purchase depending on price....

Sent from my SM-A546U using Tapatalk

[letank]

That rear window rust is a killer deal. The rust that you see is 10% of the one that's under the paint.
My 85 started like that and now it's the top outside of the window that is crusty , and inside as well.

[tgreese]

killer deal or deal killer?

[letank]

killer deal or deal killer?

Ha, Ha, too early in the am, the french mode is still on...

Otherwise here is in 2014, for a repair

DriverDpillar14Bro.jpg

GlassOutDpillarBro.jpg

and back to 2024... I need to take a pict...

and before I forget, the inside has to be treated as well, with the proper paint or rust inhibitors

[candymancan]

if you can weld thats an easy fix. The tough ones are the windshield because taking off the windshield and the gasket etc is a big mess and hard to get back on leak free again... My J10 has that brow on top and its got a giant 5-6 inch rust hole up there, it sucks.. Im take the headliner off and see what it looks like inside and see if i can possible quick tack weld new metal to fix with the shield on.