JeepcoMJ

yep. it won't work. xj's and mj's are nearly identical. BUT that kit is for the xj's. the mj's have a different LCA that's actually better reinforced than an xj's. due to that, you cannot use the reinforcement brackets that run along the frame rail backwards from the drop bracket. my opinion, you could build your onl reinforcement brackets. i wouldn't run without them. period. the second you have any large amount of force/pressure pushed onto your axle while driving in any conditions, they lower drop brackets become more prone to tare out. then, my further opinion, is that you either should buy adjustable control arms (face it, at the price of the drop brackets, another $150 gets you good control arms and less worry about integrity), or do a longarm/y-link setup. I wouldn't do a drop bracket kit simply because I don't see it as being too terribly safe...

lol. I've sold the engine out of the one I just picked up. $125 for a 149,000 mile 2.5 that hasn't been driven or run in 3 years. He's picking it up on friday and I'm helping him install it on saturday...he's got a sweet 1986 cherokee that's completely stock, black with chrome trim, all power options, all skid plate options, towing option, tow hooks, 4.10's, sunroof, cruise, power seets, vent wing windows, maroon interior...it's pretty much the sweetest stock xj I've ever seen, and it's from texas so it's in wicked good shape... so my options are to either get a bigger engine for it (provided I could get the title), or part it out/chop it up. the latter is the plan.

yea, come take a look at my driver's side cab corner, and my driver's side rear quarter...paint FELL OFF right in front of the bumper. i don't mean cracked, I mean a 50 cent piece sized section of paint completely fell off. so guys, if you're local to me, find a better place than I did. the paintjob cost me $1800 and in less than 3 years, it's rusting. how $#!&ty is that?

lol, the car belongs to a buddy of mine who owns a junkyard...I don't think it's going anywhere. BUT i don't need another project, I have to finish the 89, re-do some of the 3800, completely tare down my dad's 86 renault TD MJ and rebuild it with it's new motor...and then lift my bro's truck. eesh.

lol. I have the ability to buy a 97 firebird with an lt1 that's wrecked and running/driving for less than $700 complete. it's got 56,000 in it. I'm just debaiting what I wanna do about it...I could keep the 2wd I just got and turn it into a fun lil go-getter/drag strip truck, or I could do the same thing but 4wd it and use it as a plow truck/recovery vehicle (I have a real nice meyer plow for my MJ's :D)

yep, bad feedback sets you back ALOT on ebay. and most of us who ebay regularly are more than willing to accomodate on the feedback issue...if it's not as described or you really have a problem with it, we will work it out with you.

It out-performs a stock 4.0 in every aspect but torque. gas mileage, speed, and it's actually pretty good when it comes to crawling up and down hills....I can take my foot off the gas and it keeps pulling without even stuttering but a 4.0 you have to be gentle to get it to do that... If I had the swap to do again though, I'd just put an ls1 (or lt1 if that was easier to get....) in it. that would be some monster power :D

this may be a little too late...but do you guys think this is OK? Cutting the framerail out like that allowed me to retain the a/c compressor of the 3800 motor, as well as stock serpentine length for ease in parts replacement. Now, I've put on about 6 or 7 thousand miles since the project, and experienced no problems with it as of yet. it's heavily reinforced and I retained the rib inside as you can see, you can see where the coil spring runs in the pics too. Do you guys think it's OK, or should I consider some more reinforcements? like i said, it's worked so far. obviously it doesn't any longer have the impact rating etc. it used to in case of an accident....but :dunno:

haha, i don't think there's much of a stock situation when you put a camaro engine in a jeep... sorry for the thread jack guys. btw here's the driver's side "manifold" it started out looking like the rusty one in the background. I took every weld apart and cut out anything that would restrict airflow, then welded everything in from there.

well, a 97+ wiper reservoir will be installed soon. this winter, I'm replacing the driver's side cab corner (rusting through worse than I thought...I'm NOT happy with the guy who did the paint and finishing body work right now. I also hope to remove the valve covers and upper intake to repaint them...they got slightly scratched up during the install. I also have to alter the driver's side exhaust manifold because it's too close to the frame rail for my comfort (it's quite possible that it's been heating up the UCA bushing). getting a non-cad front axle with 297's that's not bent (unlike my current one :P) on saturday morning, along with a chryco 8.25 and they're both 3.55 gearing with 100,000 miles on them. they'll both be installed, and I may upgrade to an 8.8 at a later date...and regearing to 3.73's up front. the axle deal may be happening within the next few weeks, my current axle is fubar it's thrown off all the alignment etc from having the left C bent inwards. needs new UCA bushings as well so the upgrade may as well happen all in one go. I'll also be purchasing a new black carpet and removing the black rubber matt...I will be running completely waterproof insulation so that the moisture doesn't hold and rust the floor.

they are headers. well, basically (sorta in-between). I have them running to a single collector with short down-tubes. when I built them, I removed all restriction from them so they act as headers more or less. I didn't want to make my own headers completely, and there were none available that would fit inside the frame-rails on the truck (I had to notch the unibody frame just to fit the a/c as an example...) when faced with options, time, $$$, and frustration lead one down a course. I was frustrated, and wanted the damn thing done with. so there ya go. works very well though :D

most of us have a long crank to get the 4.0 to start. I know this is usually accredited to the CPS, but I'm wondering if there could be any other factors. I don't like it taking more than 2 or 3 seconds to start an engine..it doesn't seem right. the 3800 starts in less than a second and a half, and the 2.8 that was in the 86 started within 6 seconds every time (rare I knwo). the 2.5 I have at the farm right now starts in less than 3 seconds, running on 3 year old fuel. so, what else could contribute to it? or is it just generally an old and wearing out CPS?

thanks, I have alot of time into it. but you should seee the exhaust...check the 3800 powered by camaro thread. that's my 86. the manifolds were a b*tch to make, and cutting and welding a y-pipe that has an inner and outer tube sucks. especially when it's stainless...gotta cut, then weld the edges, then smooth, then do the same to the other side, and THEN you can weld them together... turned out nicely though. I have it set up so I could run as big as 2 and 3/4" exhaust with little effort. I chose to go with 2 and 1/4" though. sounds fine to me (I hate the fuel pump, it's too loud)...but I could say that I'd be OK with it being a bit louder...

lol, the 3.8 is a buick motor. it says 3800 right on the motor too :D anywho, I completely agree with you...I just won't spend $$$ to do it if what's there currently functions perfectly well :D

offroader's got it. and bud, I'm only 20...you make it sound as if I'm an old fart who don't care anymore :P It's not that I don't care. I'm just not picky as long as the performance is there. I find life is easier that way. of course, I AM picky about how things look...

lol. I don't really give a hoot what the truck sounds like...standing proof is the 3800. it sounds like a car. I mean, it rrreaaallly sounds like a car. the loudest thing on it at idle is the inline fuel pump. you can hear it's got a throaty exhaust, and you can hear it more when revving it, but it's quite and economical. I guess that's ok...less tickets. but idc if it's loud either, don't matter to me either way lol.

Personally, I guess I'd only consider buying one made of steel. then if I were to do that, I'd remove the section of wheel well support behind the bedside up top so that it would drain and not rust.

hi-flow cat and muffler will help alot. changing tube diameter will as well, but you have to gauge whether or not you think it will be enough to dictate the $$$ invested. the hi-flow cat I have on my 86 with the camaro 3800 has performed well so far but it's also a Nox converter as I have no evap system. hi-flow muffler also helps quite a bit.

you're welcome the difference in the tailpipe is length, overall dimensions, and angles at which it's bent. so it really can't be made to work. the job would be a custom job and shouldn't run you over $300 or $400 to have done from the y-pipe back. if it does, you're gettin screwed

yea, so the muffler would work, the tailpipe wouldn't. but the muffler would only work if it were an in-line muffler not like a rear muffler that you would find on a sports car.

goes both ways. he screwed them, so he deserves for other people to know that, but yeah, this page is open to everyone on the globe with access to a computer...sooo I'd say he doesn't deserve THAT

nope. not even close to the same body lines

John, it's NOT worth it. if you have a steady job right now, and are doing fairly well financially, stay here. that job could be the end of your life, without you ever intending it so. And I think you're a good guy so honestly, something happening over there to you is definitely not on my list of things that should happen.

agreed. but steel bedsides. the aluminum would promote the REST of our boxes to rust...

could also be that your steering column shaft is not bolted down tight to the steering box, or that it's just loose, or even that the steering box is not operating correctly due to bad internals... check everything like Pete said. from the column down