[sijuko]

Friends,
This is my first thread in Team Bhp but I was a silent member since Aug-2006, closely watching all the threads and updates but didn’t have anything concrete to post. As I mentioned earlier reading all the posts silently from last 4 years made me a jeep fan, so I started searching for a 4wd jeep 6 months back.

Initially I was thinking like buying a jeep is just a cake walk for me because I stay in Kannur, kerala and here I see plenty of jeeps and most of them are 4wd vehicles. But when I started the real hunt it was very tough to find a good one for a reasonable price. Days passed without much progress, and by this time I have established a very good network with many brokers, taxi drivers and mechanics. But nothing really helped me.

One fine day I got a call from one of my friend Dinil, saying that his cousin Mr. Martin is selling his 97 model MM540.The moment I heard this I didn’t think twice because I know this person from 3-4 years and he maintains his vehicles very well. He is having Hyundai Verna, Wagon R, Omni and a MM540 all are in mint condition. So now he is planning to sell the jeep and buy a Bolero Camper.

I called him up fixed an appointment, he asked me to come to Kushal Nagar, Coorg because the vehicle is currently there in his farm. The next day I called up my close friend Anil and asked him to come down so that we will go and pick the jeep. He arrived on Wednesday and we started the trip to coorg in his pulsar 220 on early morning Thursday.

The ride to Kushal Nagar was awesome on his new pulsar 220, we reached his farm house in the after noon, and Martin was waiting us in his beautiful house. I have seen the jeep is waiting for me in his porch; I was really excited and ran inside the porch started closely looking at the jeep, I really don’t know how will I explain this situation to you. I have seen this vehicle many times before so don’t have to do much check up and all.

Mr. Martin treated us with a sumptuous lunch and handed over the Original Key, Spare key, documents and some very good tips. It was getting late so its time up to say bye bye to Martin, I sat on the driving seat started the engine,Mr. Martin Accompanied us till the main road in his Verna and said bye to us drove towards Bangalore and I headed to Kannur.the pulsar 220 was accompanying me till my home. We reached home around 10 in the night; the 200 KM drive in a MM540 gave me a free work out for my upper body .

Finally the hunt for the jeep ended here and I became an owner of a tough off roader, please find the attached pictures.

Alright. Now I need your valuable inputs for the following points.

1) While I release the clutch I hear a noise (kind of ringing the bell...) from the joint shaft. Any issues with crown and pinion? Is this very serious?
2) Each and every time I start the vehicle I need to heat it for 4-5 times else it won’t start in single crank, is this normal with 540’s? Or any issues with heating plugs?.
3) When I switch on the engine the volt meter shows 10V after the vehicle starts it will come to 12.Is this normal or any issues with battery?

So please give me your expert advice and help me to sort out all these issues.

[yogeshnaik]

Congrats on the buy friend. The machine looks great ! Good condition. Enjoy the MM550Di.

[krishnathanthri]

Congratulation on your new buy. Jeep looks neat

Originally Posted by sijuko

Friends
1) While I release the clutch I hear a noise (kind of ringing the bell...) from the joint shaft. Any issues with crown and pinion? Is this very serious?

I guess the star joint needs to be replaced.

[rg_chn]

Sijuko, congrats on the new offroader. She looks very well cared for. Enjoy offroading with her! Do you mind sharing the cost?

P.S - why does she have a CL 550 DI sticker?

[ImranShahnawaz]

Congratulation Siju for the new buy. Welcome to Team-BHP. Your 550 DI is very neat. Do you mind sharing the cost. what all mods you are planning?

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

@Siju this machine looks in great shape, any idea how many kms it has done?

Spike

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by sijuko

1) While I release the clutch I hear a noise (kind of ringing the bell...) from the joint shaft. Any issues with crown and pinion? Is this very serious?
2) Each and every time I start the vehicle I need to heat it for 4-5 times else it won’t start in single crank, is this normal with 540’s? Or any issues with heating plugs?.
3) When I switch on the engine the volt meter shows 10V after the vehicle starts it will come to 12.Is this normal or any issues with battery?

1. Mostly the star joint.
2. The plugs + Battery
3. Key on position + Engine off should be 12. Engine on should be nearly 14. Check battery + alternator.

Originally Posted by yogeshnaik

Congrats on the buy friend. The machine looks great ! Good condition. Enjoy the MM550Di.

Originally Posted by ImranShahnawaz

Congratulation Siju for the new buy. Welcome to Team-BHP. Your 550 DI is very neat. Do you mind sharing the cost. what all mods you are planning?

Its a 540 not a 550 or a CL550MDI.

Sijuko - the sticker needs to go ASAP. Identity Crisis. Do you mind disclosing the purchase price?

[vinod_nookala]

Originally Posted by sijuko

Alright. Now I need your valuable inputs for the following points.

1) While I release the clutch I hear a noise (kind of ringing the bell...) from the joint shaft. Any issues with crown and pinion? Is this very serious?
2) Each and every time I start the vehicle I need to heat it for 4-5 times else it won’t start in single crank, is this normal with 540’s? Or any issues with heating plugs?.
3) When I switch on the engine the volt meter shows 10V after the vehicle starts it will come to 12.Is this normal or any issues with battery?

So please give me your expert advice and help me to sort out all these issues.

Congratulations on your find. Jeep looks neat and its a 4wd

Now on your problems-
1. When you release the clutch if you hear 'Chil Chil' while not when you dipress it is a noise from gear box. Is this noise while stationary or while running? If in stationary this noise is common on Mahindras and shows gearbox has been opened. Nothing to worry as long as you slot gears properly. However if you get bell kind of noise while you are running say in neutral then it is from prop shaft splines may not be from CVJ. This problem occurs mostly on front shaft. Thats why i put FW hubs to prevent shaft from rotating all the time.

2. Yes heater plugs seems to be the issue. Go for OE plugs they will give you longer life


3. As long as your battery is able to take the load of self starter it is fine. Regarding the meter, it will return to normal when your battery regains full charge what it lost after crancking.

Please check for all the leaks and arrest it. I see the engine oil sump packing slightly wet.

P.s- Change your tyres atleast to NDMS 6.00 -16 if you plan to off road.

[karizma9292]

Congrats on your buy Sijuko , it looks clean , do tell us about the cost and mods you planning to do . tyres are totally worn out , As vinod says change to NDMS or a set of good Ats

[fazalaliadil]

Vinod has answered your technical queries, that leave me with congratulating you on your new posession, it is in great condition and body line looks very good too. Your friend is a member of Coorg Wildlife Society which means he could have taken his ex- jeep to forests but still maintained it in showroom condition. Long time since I saw a 540 this clean.
All is can say is your are very lucky.
Welcome

[4x4addict]

I don't think it is an issue with heater plugs. 540s typically require a minor engine job (i.e chaning piston rings etc around the 80K mark. The starting issues is typically symptom of that.

[bigman]

I used to get similar problems when I owned a VW Golf diesel. Try changing the glowplugs. They are probably not working at their optimum so turning on and off 4 to 5 times is probably getting them to heat up a bit more. After a change of plugs it would transform into a first time starter.

Also make sure the vehicle has not been fitted with one of those cheap variable glow plug timers. They are not very well made and will damage your plugs.

Go for a decent branded set up plugs like BERU. They will last you a while.

[hgnishanth]

Congrats on your find man. It suerly looks a neat and clean jeep. I see it has both the round indicators below the headlights and the ones on the fenders.you planning to keep both? Which tires are you planning to pick up?

Cheers
Nishanth

[star_aqua]

My comments in bold..

Originally Posted by sijuko

2) Each and every time I start the vehicle I need to heat it for 4-5 times else it won’t start in single crank, is this normal with 540’s? Or any issues with heating plugs?.

Once the engine is heated up after you drove for few kms, did it start in single crank?? if yes, then its the problem with heater plugs. if no, then its the 1997. usually 97, 98 models shoud be now ready for engine rebuild. they last for max of 10-12 years especially in coorg or chickmagalur.

3) When I switch on the engine the volt meter shows 10V after the vehicle starts it will come to 12.Is this normal or any issues with battery?

Does the heater switch on automatically when you switch on the ignition key? if yes, then the volt meter will show 8-10v when you switch on the ignition. voltage drop is due to heater functioning. wait for a while till the heater cuts off, then you will see 12v. then only you should crank.

So if the heater is pulling the battery voltage down to below 10v, then the heater is functioning well.

and do you see any smoke from the hose pointed in the below pic?

[maddy42]

You got a nice looking jeep there. Just one query. The rear picture of the jeep looks like an international. Well guess its the way the tires look and the roof makes it look like that.


@Fazal

Your friend is a member of Coorg Wildlife Society which means he could have taken his ex- jeep to forests but still maintained it in showroom condition. Long time since I saw a 540 this clean.
All is can say is your are very lucky.
Welcome

Regarding the coorg wildlife society sticker this is a very commonly faked picture in coorg atleast. Like a trend to put up these pictures even though you arent members! Am not sure in this situation though