New to me 5.9l v8 awd jeep grand cherokee

I just bought a 5.9l v8 grand cherokee that's awd. Doea anybody have any advice/suggestions/things to check/or things to watch out for? Thanks!
It shifts very noticeably is that normal?
Oh and I'm not exactly a jeep expert so would this be a zj?

Welcome to Jeepz.com ! Congratulations on your new purchase too . There will be things to look out for with any vehicle , especially used but since all is well now , keep after your fluid levels and look,for leaks , that kind of thing. Since it's new to you , give it the once over often and be mindful,of any changes such as new noises and where they originate . Besides the body condition you'll want to look for leaks anywhere and address that soonest if they develop. If a check engine light comes on and performance drops , you'll want to get that trouble code (s) and get after that ASAP. Jeeps are dependable but they need their TLC and shouldn't be neglected thinking its tough as nails and will last forever without caring for it. Enjoy it and don't get neurotic over things but always be mindful of how it sounds and drives as you would any vehicle you would own.
Under the hood you'll want to stay on top,of the fluid levels and check for any leaks that pop up and also color and smell if you suspect burning /overheated fluids such as transmission .
Dont let levels drop , always make certain they are topped off and not over full.
BTW , you did not post what year it is , with a 5.9 , if it's between a '93-98 , yes it's a ZJ.
The '99-04 WJ had the 4.0 I6 or 4.7 V8. You posted that the transmission shifts noticeably.
Not sure what you mean by this but are you thinking is may be slipping , taking too long to shift up,to the next gear and engine revving too hard for example ? After the jeep is well warm and has been driven a good distance , check the fluid level warm for proper level and take notice to color and smell . Transmission fluid is unpleasant to smell by nature but really noticeable if overheated or burned. The color should be red such as new in the bottle but after time it will get somewhat darker but is still quite serviceable. But a dirty , brownish or black is NOT ACCEPTABLE .
If this were the case , you would be noticing the burning smell already. Check this and take note to what rpm the trans is shifting at where you feel your complaint is and what gear.
Post back when you can with any concerns you may have and we'll give our recommendation(s).
best of luck and thank you for your membership here at Jeepz.com
P.S. - update your profile vehicle info , it helps to know your vehicle info when research is needed.

Your full-time transfer case is prone to failure, most noticeable by hopping on tight turns on dry pavement. Make sure you change the transfer case fluid and use only the recommended fluid from the dealer.

The rear axle should be a Dana44 with aluminum center section (d44A). These are prone to eat bearings, you'll hear a howl develop in the rear axle as it gets worse.

You can swap in a more reliable part-time transfer case if you do a web search for things like '249 231 jeep swap' or '249 242 jeep swap'.

Greg, first of all thanks. Second, I guess the way I would describe it is that it take longer than usual to shift to the next gear but it's a smooth shift anyway. Oh and it's a 98 btw

Bounty hunter, so what you're saying is that if I take a turn too fast the truck will hop? That's good to know. Thanks.
Also, can I disconnect the front driveshaft and just drive it 2wd during the summer?

You can't drive a full-time rig without the front driveshaft.

And I don't mean hopping when taking a turn too fast. Just turn to full-lock while driving on dry pavement and if the Jeep hops and bucks, the viscous coupler in the transfer case is on its way out.

Ok I didnt think I could drive it like that but I wasnt sure.
OK that (Hopping and bucking) makes sense now thanks

5.9 said:

Greg, first of all thanks. Second, I guess the way I would describe it is that it take longer than usual to shift to the next gear but it's a smooth shift anyway. Oh and it's a 98 btw

Click to expand...

Your most welcome . I just recommended to another forum member that the throttle valve adjustment be checked on his jeep , can't hurt to double check yours but I can't say your having an issue such as his jeep so this may not be the case on your jeep. If your not familiar with this procedure , have someone who is that you can trust. It's an important adjustment and if done wrong can be harmful to your transmission. Best of luck to you. Greg

I'll look into it thanks!

I just figured out something else about the jeep. The front driver side seat has a broken bolt. (The one that connects it to the floor ( Someone I know seems to think that means the previous owner was jumping it. Do you th ink that's true?

Sounds like a stretch to make that assumption.

That's what I said...