Figured I may as well post up a build [or rather, repair] thread on here as given how well this has gone so far, I have a feeling im going to be posting on here a lot 
So bit of a back story - I got made redundant from my job early in 2025 and as part of that fun process I had to hand my company car back [Nissan Navara D40]. Needed a car ASAP so bought this from the auction yards site unseen for a price way too good to be true.
Pros - It was a JKU for under 8500 AUD, which is ridiculously cheap. Its manual, its black, Hardtop freedom roof, upgraded sound, and its a facelift so better dash. Body is actually in good condition.
Cons - it was advertised as a 2.8CRD, turns out it was actually a Pentastar 3.6. It came with the dash board full of warning lights, it jumps out of first gear, and the interior was f***ing disgusting on levels I have never seen before.
This was under the seat.
Best as I can track its history, it was sold new to a Furniture Company and was the owners sons personal car. During that period of time it was well cared for and serviced according to the log book before it was sold onto private ownership. It was sold to a woman who is best described as a hipster who later moved beachside. Servicing was optional as was actually cleaning the car or using an ashtray, and it appears to have been used to carry a wet paddleboard and a wet dog simultaneously and regularly. Tried cleaning up the interior with the wet vac but quickly gave up and removed them along with the console and anything plastic. All plastic parts were cleaned with a paint brush, heavy duty detergent and hot water, carpets were vacuumed and wet vacd heavily [and still theres sand coming out]. Bought a set of front and rear seats from a 2014 JKU from a local wrecking yard and gave them a good clean [and stupidly didnt take any photos of them in the car once done]
While i was there, this was a bit ugly so ebay to the rescue
If you really want to feel sick, this was the state of the cabin filter.
Went on a buying rampage and bought a sh*tload of parts for it.
New rear struts
Replaced the gear boot to try and cure the jumping out of first. It helped, but still does it so I ordered the dorman shift quadrant.
It had a dead LHR speed sensor when I bought it, but because I dont do halves, it got all 4, plus Brembo ceramic brake pads at the same time, as well as engine oil and filter, spark plugs and a new o2 sensor in an attempt to cure the P0300 code and B2S1 code it kept throwing
Threw some bonnet struts on while I was at it
Being a coastal car, the chassis looked a bit tatty. Surface rust not gaping holes fortunately, like you snow belt guys are used to dealing with. But either way, looked ugly, and im fussy
Scuffed back, and painted in Brunox which is a rusty convertor and epoxy primer in one
Then top coated in GMH Chassis Black
Managed to get it on the road, drove it for a week, and then the MIL came on and ive been fighting the f*cker ever since. P0300 and code for B2S1 sensor which id already replaced. Turns out it was the harness..
So I got ricky to fix that up
And it came back again and Ive fought it ever since. Parked it up for a while because I managed to get a short term contract that included a company car, but come end of year the end of contract, and my life imploding, means I desperately need this thing to run so I have a car for my kids. And so far its refused.
I keep getting persistent P0300 misfire codes that no one seems to be able to pin down. Ive replaced what can only be described as a metric f*ckload of parts, isolated issues etc. Its stumped a close friend whos been helping me [race engine builder], the two 40yr veteran mechanics that do his machining, and the Jeep specialists and the diagnostic guru. No one can agree on anything except for Steve and the two old boys who are adament its not a mechanical misfire. What I have done:
-Replaced all four o2 sensors with genuine NTK
-Repaired cam-sync wiring and o2 wiring
-Replaced 2x cam sync sensors
-Replaced PCV
-Replaced 4x VVT solenoids
-Replaced 6x fuel injectors with genuine Bosch
-Replaced thermostat and housing, genuine Mahle
-Replaced AIR Temp and Map sensor with genuine MOPAR
-Replaced 6x coil packs with Genuine NGK including using correct spark plugs
-Replaced upper inlet manifold with genuine mopar, lower checked for flatness and replaced. Smoke tested for leaks. Also replaced the oil filter housing with the updated one [genuine MOPAR]
-Compression tested engine - 150psi +/-5 psi in all 6
-Cat temps checked and verified, no blockages
Steve, and I given what ive found in the harness so far, are adament the issue is electrical. So harness is getting checked next week. Failing that, its PCM...
Anyway. Thats next weeks problem. Lets end the photo dump with some more fun stuff - mods.
Standard head unit.
Stereo sounded spectacularly bad. Ebay to the rescue
Difference in sound quality was mind blowing, let alone Android auto, nav etc. Need to finish the reverse camera installation but other than that its perfect.
Bought a set of ProComps for a bargain price
Lighting upgrades. STEDI Hommage 7" headlights and 52" Curved light bar. All are ADR approved, and not cheap but you get what you pay for. Lightbar has 1lux @ 1100m.... thats 3/4 of a mile for you guys in the US.
Bought a damaged WARN winch bar for $50
Melted a heap of mig wire into the giant dent
Scored the top with the grinder and bashed it down with a mash hammer
Welded up
Ground back
Hit with RaptorLiner
And all assembled.
To come aside from the required repairs - need to fit the shift quadrant and the AEV 2.5" Bilstein lift kit I got for it. Unfortunately having to vacate my house every 2nd week means im forced to use the limited tools at my parents house rather than the fully equipped garage I have, but thats another story. As far as the title goes; my daughter named the JKU Jessie the Jeep - my older two kids absolutely love it [my youngest is too young to really get it]. However, given the torture its put me through [bit like their mother actually...], The Black Dahlia would have been more fitting. Hence Crna Utra - Serbian for Black Tomorrow.
N-
So bit of a back story - I got made redundant from my job early in 2025 and as part of that fun process I had to hand my company car back [Nissan Navara D40]. Needed a car ASAP so bought this from the auction yards site unseen for a price way too good to be true.Pros - It was a JKU for under 8500 AUD, which is ridiculously cheap. Its manual, its black, Hardtop freedom roof, upgraded sound, and its a facelift so better dash. Body is actually in good condition.
Cons - it was advertised as a 2.8CRD, turns out it was actually a Pentastar 3.6. It came with the dash board full of warning lights, it jumps out of first gear, and the interior was f***ing disgusting on levels I have never seen before.
This was under the seat.
Best as I can track its history, it was sold new to a Furniture Company and was the owners sons personal car. During that period of time it was well cared for and serviced according to the log book before it was sold onto private ownership. It was sold to a woman who is best described as a hipster who later moved beachside. Servicing was optional as was actually cleaning the car or using an ashtray, and it appears to have been used to carry a wet paddleboard and a wet dog simultaneously and regularly. Tried cleaning up the interior with the wet vac but quickly gave up and removed them along with the console and anything plastic. All plastic parts were cleaned with a paint brush, heavy duty detergent and hot water, carpets were vacuumed and wet vacd heavily [and still theres sand coming out]. Bought a set of front and rear seats from a 2014 JKU from a local wrecking yard and gave them a good clean [and stupidly didnt take any photos of them in the car once done]
While i was there, this was a bit ugly so ebay to the rescue
If you really want to feel sick, this was the state of the cabin filter.
Went on a buying rampage and bought a sh*tload of parts for it.
New rear struts
Replaced the gear boot to try and cure the jumping out of first. It helped, but still does it so I ordered the dorman shift quadrant.
It had a dead LHR speed sensor when I bought it, but because I dont do halves, it got all 4, plus Brembo ceramic brake pads at the same time, as well as engine oil and filter, spark plugs and a new o2 sensor in an attempt to cure the P0300 code and B2S1 code it kept throwing
Threw some bonnet struts on while I was at it
Being a coastal car, the chassis looked a bit tatty. Surface rust not gaping holes fortunately, like you snow belt guys are used to dealing with. But either way, looked ugly, and im fussy
Scuffed back, and painted in Brunox which is a rusty convertor and epoxy primer in one
Then top coated in GMH Chassis Black
Managed to get it on the road, drove it for a week, and then the MIL came on and ive been fighting the f*cker ever since. P0300 and code for B2S1 sensor which id already replaced. Turns out it was the harness..
So I got ricky to fix that up
And it came back again and Ive fought it ever since. Parked it up for a while because I managed to get a short term contract that included a company car, but come end of year the end of contract, and my life imploding, means I desperately need this thing to run so I have a car for my kids. And so far its refused.
I keep getting persistent P0300 misfire codes that no one seems to be able to pin down. Ive replaced what can only be described as a metric f*ckload of parts, isolated issues etc. Its stumped a close friend whos been helping me [race engine builder], the two 40yr veteran mechanics that do his machining, and the Jeep specialists and the diagnostic guru. No one can agree on anything except for Steve and the two old boys who are adament its not a mechanical misfire. What I have done:
-Replaced all four o2 sensors with genuine NTK
-Repaired cam-sync wiring and o2 wiring
-Replaced 2x cam sync sensors
-Replaced PCV
-Replaced 4x VVT solenoids
-Replaced 6x fuel injectors with genuine Bosch
-Replaced thermostat and housing, genuine Mahle
-Replaced AIR Temp and Map sensor with genuine MOPAR
-Replaced 6x coil packs with Genuine NGK including using correct spark plugs
-Replaced upper inlet manifold with genuine mopar, lower checked for flatness and replaced. Smoke tested for leaks. Also replaced the oil filter housing with the updated one [genuine MOPAR]
-Compression tested engine - 150psi +/-5 psi in all 6
-Cat temps checked and verified, no blockages
Steve, and I given what ive found in the harness so far, are adament the issue is electrical. So harness is getting checked next week. Failing that, its PCM...
Anyway. Thats next weeks problem. Lets end the photo dump with some more fun stuff - mods.
Standard head unit.
Stereo sounded spectacularly bad. Ebay to the rescue
Difference in sound quality was mind blowing, let alone Android auto, nav etc. Need to finish the reverse camera installation but other than that its perfect.
Bought a set of ProComps for a bargain price
Lighting upgrades. STEDI Hommage 7" headlights and 52" Curved light bar. All are ADR approved, and not cheap but you get what you pay for. Lightbar has 1lux @ 1100m.... thats 3/4 of a mile for you guys in the US.
Bought a damaged WARN winch bar for $50
Melted a heap of mig wire into the giant dent
Scored the top with the grinder and bashed it down with a mash hammer
Welded up
Ground back
Hit with RaptorLiner
And all assembled.
To come aside from the required repairs - need to fit the shift quadrant and the AEV 2.5" Bilstein lift kit I got for it. Unfortunately having to vacate my house every 2nd week means im forced to use the limited tools at my parents house rather than the fully equipped garage I have, but thats another story. As far as the title goes; my daughter named the JKU Jessie the Jeep - my older two kids absolutely love it [my youngest is too young to really get it]. However, given the torture its put me through [bit like their mother actually...], The Black Dahlia would have been more fitting. Hence Crna Utra - Serbian for Black Tomorrow.
N-
