Its a tough job. You have to remove the dash panel, including the steering wheel and steering column and then remove the plenum box which involve evacuating the refrigerant system and draining the radiator. Once you get the heater box out, replacing the heater core will take about 10min and then you have to put it all back together and recharge the AC and fill the radiator.
If you are seeing leak problems with the system, you will have to go through this process. If the problem is lack of heat and/or AC control, the problem is more likely the blend door. This is a common fail on the Cherokee. You can get diagnostic information and an inexpensive fix on the HeaterTreater web site. Follow my user name to my Bio Page for a pointer or just search heatertreater on any search engine. ford4me
Jeep Cherokee XJ 1984-1996 should interchange Jeep Cherokee XJ 1997-2001 should interchange
I paid $350 at Canadian Tire to fix the A/C in my 2001 Jeep Cherokee sport.
The HeaterTreater is an after market kit that solves heater and AC for the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Laredo. It is much cheaper than the dealership fix and is easy to install. For diagnosis and info, check out www.heatertreater.net or search eBay for "heatertreater".
I had the same issue with my Cherokee Sport 4.0 until I had the heater core flushed. After a couple trips once flushed, high pitched sound discipated.
In line on the heater hoses on the passenger side of the engine. Has a small vacuum line to it and both heater hoses go through it. The heater hoses are smaller than the radiator hoses and go through the firwall.
5x4.5"
The heater core is inside the hvac housing behind the dash.
1998-2001
The HeaterTreater is an after market kit that solves heater and AC for the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Laredo. It is much cheaper than the dealership fix and is easy to install. For diagnosis and info, check out www.heatertreater.net or search eBay for "heatertreater".
It is bolted under dash on passenger side.
Sport, Country Classic, Limited, (and others) are the names of available option packages. You basic 1984-2001 Cherokee is pretty much the same as any other Cherokee.
drop the pan...