dasbulliwagen

I too am one of those who sees the oldness and quaintness of my MJ to be a releif when I drive it. Though I have added P/S, AC, P/W, P/L to it, I still see it as an old slow truck (2.5) that very few people anymore would know how to drive... makes me feel special too having my arm stretched across the top of the bench seat. Its one of those special feeling you get, in the same vein as driving a convertable with the top down, or cruising on my motorcycle. In each case, I'm part of a small special group, and I like it like that. Though its also nice just to jump in and go in a newer car without having to think about anything, but that is not a special feeling, to me at least. It is nice though, as I grew up with nothing but junk having to worry every time I drove weather I was going to break down or not. The not thinking part is appreciated at times. Its just not special.

I agree, recovery time on an electric is much slower than a gas. That and they don't usually last as long. DO NOT count on getting 14 years out of the new one.

The biggest difference in differing years 2.8's is either internal or external balancing. The original 2.8 in the comanche had an external balance weight on the flywheel. Youll need to find another externally balanced engine, or have the original flywheel nuetrally balanced for an internally balanced engine. The later 2.8, 3.1 and 3.4 were internally balanced so don't need the flyweight. Something to keep an eye out for if youre looking for a used engine. And again, try to stick with a RWD donor from an S-10 or Camaro Firebird, to keep complexity at a minimum.

Not knowing the specs on the rims, I would say that you are on the right track. There is a thread on Naxja about using 17 and 18 inch rims form Chrysler 300 and dodge Chargers 2005 and newer. So I don't see why it wouldnt work. Show us some pics when done!

I think if you go longarms in the front, find some 6 inch front springs, and just do spring over axle in the rear with stock springs and new shock mounts. I think this will get you the results you want and you won't have to mess with rear spring combinations.

I agree, 86 did not come with a nuetral safety switch or a clutch switch on the manual trans models. They werent required at the time of manufacture and arent required now after the fact. You need to go back to this inspector and straighten him out, or take it somewhere else to someone who knows what they are talking about.

There is a dissassmbly and cleaning procedure that can be done on the nuetral safety switch. It will cost you little or nothing and will be one less thing to worry about if it isnt the problem.

Here, just for your clarification, you can only use another 4cyl trans behind your 4 cyl. The 6 cyl trannies are a different bellhousing bolt pattern. As was said, if your buddies trans is a 2wd 4 cyl trans, then you can swap most internals. Other options would be to find a 2.5 AX15 Dakota bellhousing and swap an AX15 with transfer case in. This would be a great upgrade to your 2.5 but can be hard to source parts for. A full Chevy drivetrain swap will be more headaches than its worth. There are major problems involved with keeping a Chevy cool in an MJ XJ. And since you already like the 2.5, theres really no sense in going all out. There is something to be said for making due with what you have. If you just want to get it going again, look for an AX5 and swap it in and be done. Good luck and let us know what you end up doing!

I didnt read the above article, but I did the conversion in my 2.5. I had to pull the dash and original heater box assy and swap in an HVAC box assy that has the AC evaporator in it, with the AC controls. The HVAC box wiring plugged right into the original dash harness, as i was using 1986 donor parts for my 87. Other years may vary. I then added the compressor and the longer belt needed, added the condensor and lines. Then came the wiring. Some of it was already there, such as the AC compressor clutch wire, but the relays needed to be added. i found out from the 88 FSM posted here on Comancheclub, that the 2.5's had a plug on the driver side wheel well for dealer installed AC, and a wiring schematic for what was needed to get it working. I re created the wiring and it all worked. I also changed the mechanical fan to an electric fan and made it work when the AC was turned on as well. I had to convert the whole thing to run R134a, but that isnt any big deal. One of the best mods Ive done, next to adding power steering. As stated, some of the wiring may be different between engines and model years, but it can be done. Good luck!

www.allpar.com has had several XJ stories up lately. here's one that popped up today. I know it is all conjecture, but hopefully someone at Chrysler will listen to us for once. http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php/2013/03/can-will-jeep-bring-back-the-xj-cherokee The XJ Jeep Cherokee was the work of genius. When the time came to replace it, Chrysler looked at the new version and the old version, then created the first Grand Cherokee out of the new version. The XJ continued from 1984 to 2001, a seventeen year run with relatively few changes — stunning for a mass-market car. It’s hard to say whether Liberty got an independent front suspension for “buzzword compliance” or because most XJs were not used in conditions that demanded serious capabilities, but with the new setup, Cherokee’s feat of riding lower yet having higher ground clearance was gone — especially because Cherokee’s suspension, unlike Liberty’s, could go up and down without much change in the ground clearance. The new Cherokee has an independent front suspension precisely because Liberty was not selling. Wrangler still has a magic combination of a street cred, convertible fun, and a strong image; Liberty had cost and weight. Now let’s go to 2008… Sergio Marchionne is looking over Chrysler’s product line. Liberty and Nitro are barely selling, in a segment that Jeep should dominate. Like the missing compact sedan, it’s an emergency. So he does the same thing for both: tells engineers to adapt Fiat’s brand-new designs to Dodge and Jeep, so they can get production rolling and then work together on the ideal products. Despite the need for speed, Sergio allowed engineers to make major changes, so the new Cherokee is reportedly fairly credible. We’ve heard that it has a two-speed transfer case, and we have patent drawings to show how that’s done. It’s not an XJ Cherokee, but it’s also not a RAV4. Still, Jeepers want a true XJ replacement — something with superlative approach, departure, and breakover angles, high ground clearance that doesn’t disappear when you hit a bump, and good traction under any conditions, yet wtih a reasonable price — starting at under $30,000 (which largely rules out an independent front suspension) — but which is also moderately thrifty on fuel and a good daily driver. Just updating the old XJ plans with a new powertrain won’t work because of: Safety standards for side impact, rollover, roof strength, partial offset impact, full offset impact, frontal impact, and, in Europe, pedestrian impact Competitive standards for interior quietness (heavy glass, insulation, aerodynamics) Rules and expectations for gas mileage (aerodynamics again) Far higher standards for ride, handling, acceleration, braking, gizmos, etc Customer and government demands for sophisticated electronics One engineer estimated that a new XJ would have to be 10% larger outside to match the same interior space, and would weigh around 4,200 pounds. It’s a weight gain consistent with the change from LH to LX cars, from 1991 minivans to 2013 minivans, and from 1997 Cherokee to 2011 Liberty. Now, let’s look at what would be needed. First, we’d need around $3 – $4 billion for creating the new vehicle. We’d need lots of engineers, places for them to work, and time in the testing areas; and a few hundred million dollars for tooling up a plant. That’s assuming it could be made in the Toledo North plant alongside the KL Cherokee. The target sales price would probably end up being similar to the Cherokee, when all is said and done, but less gadgety, luxurious versions could be sold cheaper in India, Russia, and other parts of the world where a “true Cherokee” would be very handy indeed. You can probably see now Sergio would feel about this project. Perhaps it was proposed to him when he first showed up. “And when will this be ready? And how many engineers do you need? Where do you plan to get them? How do you plan to pay them?” Thus, the current Cherokee — a place-holder. The question then becomes, if they can build a new XJ. What would it look like and when would we get it? It would need a new body designed for modern safety, noise reduction, telematics, and ride standards, a new engine and automatic, and perhaps a pickup version, Comanche, to fill that rather small niche market. The link/coil suspension would be smoothed out with variable-rate shocks and other tricks that are easier today. The next question is, would this be called the Cherokee, coming in at the end of the current Cherokee’s natural life (around six to twelve years from now), or would it be launched as a new car, alongside Cherokee? The replacement plan Assuming that there has been no work at all on a “real XJ replacement,” and I think that’s a safe assumption, starting the project now would result in a replacement in around five years. In short, it could be started now as the 2014 Cherokee’s replacement, which would surprise and delight Jeepers around the world — rather than what I believe the current plan is (something like the 2014, but based on a modified platform and architecture which owe more to the Fiat-Chrysler combination and less to the “Fiat stuff tossed to Chrysler for modification” setup.) The simultaneous plan On the other hand, it could be started now on a faster paced schedule, since many key decisions have been made. We know the powertrain (3.2 V6 and 3.0 Fiat diesel with eight-speed automatic), we know the suspension (modified link-coil), we know the steering (or at least the modifications needed to make the Cherokee without the “pulling” that the original had). The Toledo North plant has around a 325,000 vehicle per year capacity, according to Toledo Blade back issues, and Cherokee will probably only reach 200,000 per year in sales; that leaves plenty of room for the XJ2, without putting all of Jeep’s eggs into one basket. If the XJ2 fails to attract over 150,000 sales per year, it can be left as a niche vehicle designed to maintain Jeep’s reputation. If it’s a true success, it could replace Cherokee, or the two could be continued as soft-roader and rough-roader. Either way, having both together would reduce pressure on either one to perform — and that Could mean an end to rebates and price cuts. The old AMC plan, revived and modernized Here’s an alternative theory, though. In 2016, the current long-term plan shows a new Ram and a new Fiat truck, imported from Chrysler. These are almost certainly the same thing – a compact or midsized pickup that is far more economical than Ram 1500, essentially filling in the Tacoma or original-Dakota/Colorado spot. Now we start to see an interesting possibility: a spot for an XJ2 Cherokee and a Comanche 2. Comanche, you may recall, was the pickup made in a very similar way as Cherokee, on the same line. That would mean a dedicated factory, most likely, but it would also make both projects much more likely to pay off. Instead of a single platform for Jeepers, there would be a single platform for Jeepers and worldwide pickup production, neatly filling in an empty spot in Chrysler’s and Fiat’s commercial vehicle lineup and restoring a Jeep capable of, in effect, selling less capable Jeeps through reputation diffusion. Our theoretical XJ2, to be named Renegade or Cherokee Classic or whatever, would be much more suited to Jeep name and Jeep reputation. You can get away with a Mercedes 190 or Cadillac Cimarron or Mac PowerPC 601 for only so long before buyers realize what you’ve done to the brand, and move on to the newer, hotter thing. An independent front suspension can work in an off-road vehicle, but at a pretty high cost – at least $2,500, we’re told. It would have to be in a body that could provide good enough approach and departure angles and serious ground clearance. Link/coil can do that more cheaply than any other system. The system was usually loved by critics, who also enjoyed whining about how outdated it was, just after praising the ride, handling, and off-road capability of the cars that used it. The 2014 Jeep Cherokee is a fine Dodge, but it is not a full-blooded Jeep. The world has changed, but having a meaningful brand has not. When brands “leverage” their name too much, their good name tends to disappear. Returning to and modernizing link/coil would help provide more of a credibility base for the Compass and B-SUV to feed on. So… to Mike Manley and the other guys at Jeep… get cracking. If you can’t match the Cherokee’s VCI numbers, you’re not walking down the right path. But we have a real opportunity here.

Having grown up in Michigan for almost the first 30 years of my life, living live in the south (mid south) has its advantages, especially in the winter. No salt, being able to ride year round, its been great. Spent a year in Nashville right after high school, I thinks thats what got me hooked. Now in North Carolina and not looking back. Enjoy it!

True about the milage on these. The 4.0 can go almost forever if taken care of, They do like to leak oil though, but thats not usually a huge problem, as the rear main seal can be done without removing the trans, and all other gaskets are accessable. My 2.5 liter is coming up on 211,000 miles on its current engine, original owner replaced it at 140,000 due to oil leaks... CRAZY! Like was said, check underneath for rust, but otherwise once you start driving one, youll be in LOVE!

Just FYI... looking through that site I also found upgraded ignition components and GM style HEI distributors for our 2.5 and 4.0 engines, as well as just about any other engines. This site is going into my favorites for future reference!

here's a link to some street rod batteries that sound real good as far as amp ratings and the possibility of wiring up 2 or 3 of them in the place of the stock battery. http://www.performancedistributors.com/batteries.htm

If I were to do this, I think I may start with some of the SUPER small street rod/ racing batteries, then try to fit them both in the same area as one stock battery. Might be an option for you.

Sorry, I'm not going to be any help with this, I'm just amazed that I didnt think of it or havent seen it before. Sounds like an easy swap. You have the crank tone ring thing all set. Ive seen too many times where people have swapped the engine and put the wrong year block in and wonder why it won't run ( different tone ring on the crank ). If or when you do this, please post some pics. It sounds awesome.

For me this hasnt been the case. My truck sat for 4 years before I got it. All I did was give it a tune up, and an O2 sensor, and it been running great ever since. Ive been doing upgrades along the way, and had a couple of small easy to fix things go wrong, but nothing huge. I'm lucky i guess, though my not quite daily driiving and short commute isnt too hard on it. I feel for some of you guys with all the rust issues and so forth. I'm thankfull every time I work on it that I don't have to deal with that. Keep up all the good work. We all know that these trucks are worth it!

If youre keeping the 87, there is NO easy way, just the "HARD" way. Taking the dash out isnt that hard or complicated. It can be accomplished in a couple hours, then you have access to all the wiring you need to get to. Now converting to a 97 up dash is different, as you will need to relocate a lot of stuff and make and mount new brackets. For the dash youd be better off sticking with stock, as it is all a bolt in procedure.... same goes for a 4.0 conversion 96 and under. Yeah its a lot of work, but theres no way around it, so either do the swap of sell and buy a 4.0 already done. Let us know what you end up doiung, and good luck!

You will also need the shifter and linkages for the transfer case. These are also specific to the different cases. Your trans tunnel will already have the cutout for it, just with a cover plate over it that will need to be removed, and a hole cut in your carpet. Your shifter console should also have a spot in it already with a little change holder that can be removed so the shifter can come through and have its shifter bezel in the same spot.

www.car-part.com shows 3:73 and 3:31 available in an XJ that year.

If you insist on not changing the core support, you might try looking at a WJ Grand Cherokee rad. I modded the electric fan from one to fit my 2.5 rad.... Same rad a s 2.8. So a WJ one might go in with some custom mounts. Might be a good place to start.

You could find a lighted rearview mirror, and wire it in while the headliner is out. I saw a writup on it somewhere http://comancheclub.com/topic/36069-fancy-rearview-mirror-again/

Chrysler has a service bulletin about those bolts. It is common that they break, so they came out with a revised bolt kit that comes with some little plastic sleeves that are supposed to silde over the bolt and into the hole in the manifold before the nut goes on. I'm not sure what they are accomplishiong doing that, but thats what they want us to do. The bolt kit is available still from Chrysler. here's the TSB. NO: 11-07-98 Rev. A SUBJECT: Outer Exhaust Manifold Studs Breaking DATE: Dec. 11, 1998THIS BULLETIN SUPERSEDES TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 11-07-98, DATED JUL. 31, 1998, WHICH SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM YOUR FILES. ALL REVISIONS ARE HIGHLIGHTED WITH **ASTERISKS** AND INCLUDE THE ADDITION OF MODEL YEARS, CLEAN POINTS, AND NEW PARTS. NOTE: THIS INFORMATION APPLIES TO VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.5L ENGINE **(SALES CODE EPE)** BUILT PRIOR TO DEC. 7, 1998 (MDH 1207XX). SYMPTOM/CONDITION:The outer exhaust manifold studs may fatigue and break (Figure 1). DIAGNOSIS:Inspect either manifold stud for breakage. If breakage is noted, perform the Repair Procedure. PARTS REQUIRED: Qty Part No. Description **2 06036193AA Stud, Exhaust Manifold** **2 06036221AA Washer, Flat** **2 06036171AA Nut & Washer** 2 33003332 Spacer 1 53020112 Gasket, Intake REPAIR PROCEDURE:This bulletin involves replacing both outer mounting studs, clamps, and nuts **with new parts** and tightening the outer studs to a reduced torque of **20 Nm (180 in. lbs.)**. Remove the intake/exhaust manifold per service manual procedures to gain access to the broken stud(s). Remove the outer studs from the cylinder head. Use a stud removal tool if possible or drill the broken stud from the head. Install two new outer studs p/n 06036193AA into the cylinder block. **Torque the studs to 14 Nm (126 in. lbs.)**. Clean any carbon deposits or debris from the exhaust manifold. Reinstall the exhaust manifold. **Use only the new parts listed above to attach the outer ends (Figure 2).** Torque the bolts in the order and specification as listed in Figure 2. **NOTE: THE TORQUE SPECIFICATION FOR THE OUTER EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO 20 NM (180 IN. LBS.)**. POLICY:Reimbursable within the provisions of the warranty. TIME ALLOWANCE: Labor Op. No. Time 09-45-01-92 2.0 Hrs. FAILURE CODE: Code Description P8 New Part

In order to fit the 4.0 radiator, youll need to change the whole front core support (radiator and headlight mounting sheetmetal). This will take some cutting and welding from a donor. You may also need to change the hood, or redo the hood latches to your old hood in order to get the hood to stay shut as the hood latches were also changed in 87 with the different core support.

Ive been on here long enough to have seen, and been the target of issues like this, but they are extremely few and far between, and are usually moderated very well to take care of any problem children. don't let a couple issues like this cause you to get a bad taste from this site. I don't know your particular history of issues though. And it seems like you have your mind made up already. Just maybe step back from it for a while an come back later . This place is worth it.