87Warrior Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I finally have the opportunity to check out a parting 1998 XJ, LOCALLY (less than 100 mile drive) Talked to to guy tonight and he said that the 4 door XJ has a blown motor, interior is like new (minus driver seat), gray, body is straight and dark red. I want to do the new front clip upgrade (read about all of the "how to's" here), Cherokee doors, and possibly the dash upgrade (might be more than I want to think about right now). This is my parts list this far: Front Header upgrade + Header + Grill + Fenders + Bumper + Headlight harness (will this unplug or will I need to clip the wires) Doors + 2 front Doors + Weather stripping + Body striker pins Other stuff + Overhead Console OR overhead dome light + Radio Antenna I think the Dash upgrade might be to much to bite off at the point, but a rough parts list: + Dash Assembly + Steering Column + 2 Brackets (steering column and above tranny hump) + Wire harness (will I need to whole thing or can it be clipped, I am running a 92 4.0 HO) + AC/Heater box What else should I grab if time permits? Have I missed anything for the direction I am headed? What is required to get at all of the parts I mentioned above? I have never removed sheet metal from a vehicle before and would like to take care of th fender and doors. Any transportation suggestions? I will be using the MJ (LB) to transport, or my fathers LB Chevy, also have a small 5x7 utility trailer I can use. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbhill Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 buy the whole thing. a good quality set of torx bits is a DEFINATE. also, you will need a super short T40 for the doors to get the off easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyc Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 To answer your question about the headlight harness - yes, you can disconnect it easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BPB Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 buy the whole thing. a good quality set of torx bits is a DEFINITE. also, you will need a super short T40 for the doors to get the off easily. x2 on the tox bits. not so much on the shorty though :dunno: , first remove the bolt on each hinge that is easy to get to with the door open. After you remove the fenders there are two holes on the hinges. Then with the doors closed stick your t 40 torx bit through the hole and loosen the two bolts on each hinge that you can access through those holes all the way. Then open the door carefully, it will drop. I suggest opening the window first. so that it is easier to pull off. Doing it the other way leads to stripped bolt heads, frustration, swearing, and eventually loosing your faith in God. Remember that if something won't come off after all the visible bolts are removed, go on to another part, most of them are enter twined. Save every piece of hardware. Also bring a cordless drill with 1/4 and 3/8 socket bits, this will make everything go so much faster!!! Loosen with rachet, remove with drill. Post some pics when it's done. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted February 27, 2009 Author Share Posted February 27, 2009 Thanks for the suggestions! I would love to take the whole rig back home with me, but space limitations won't let me have it. So I have got to get what I can ;) It looks like I need to start in the front and work my way back for parts removal. How is the XJ door striker held on? I have read a few conflicting reports. Clipped, bolted, or needs drilled out. Anybody have insight to this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sam Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Thanks for the suggestions! I would love to take the whole rig back home with me, but space limitations won't let me have it. So I have got to get what I can ;) It looks like I need to start in the front and work my way back for parts removal. How is the XJ door striker held on? I have read a few conflicting reports. Clipped, bolted, or needs drilled out. Anybody have insight to this? two torx heads in on the outside of the pillar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SomeNew Name Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 SAWZALL!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankdm83 Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Make sure when you get the antenna you get the wire from the radio too. It is 2 pieces and you will need both. Ask me how I know this? I still need the inner wire. The clips on the door latchs will probably fall down into the pillar, take off the trim to get them. I would take the washer bottle also, and if time permits, get the brake m/c and booster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbhill Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 buy the whole thing! putting doors on/off with out taking the fenders off you will need a super short t40... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sam Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 buy the whole thing! putting doors on/off with out taking the fenders off you will need a super short t40... T40 bit and 1/4" ratcheting box end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 The trip as a success and I also got to learn that the MJ is by far the most squirrelly rig on slick roads! It started to fishtail at 60mph on the highway after it down shifted!!! With snow falling I was dreading the fact I was going to be stripping parts. Luckily it was in a shop with 4 helpful people and a sawsall.... When we returned home: :clapping: I need to get the front turn signal housings/lens and a fender flare. Also need to figure out how to get my future power windows, locks, and mirrors to work. If you are in the KC area, here is a new link to the guys CL ad: http://kansascity.craigslist.org/pts/1050883319.html :fool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ren Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Looks like you got a set of H-4 conversion headlights in the deal, too. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 badass dude. nice score, what was the total cost for your goods? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 badass dude. nice score, what was the total cost for your goods? Paid $150. The guy did not tell me how much he wanted so I suggested an, in my mind, low ball number and he took it ;) I may go back for more if he still has parts in a few weeks as it is a 100 mile drive one way... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted March 4, 2009 Author Share Posted March 4, 2009 HELP Well, I am going back to the same Jeep to get a whole lot more stuff this weekend + 1998 Dash Assembly with steering column/bracket and tranny hump bracket + Interior wiring harness + Weather stripping + Door Striker Pins + Upper heater hose + Windsheild washer fluid container and pumps + Center console with brackets Now for the folks who have stripped the dash out of an XJ. How can you quickly do this? I have never dived into a dash further than the radio! HELP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 HELP Well, I am going back to the same Jeep to get a whole lot more stuff this weekend + 1998 Dash Assembly with steering column/bracket and tranny hump bracket + Interior wiring harness + Weather stripping + Door Striker Pins + Upper heater hose + Windsheild washer fluid container and pumps + Center console with brackets Now for the folks who have stripped the dash out of an XJ. How can you quickly do this? I have never dived into a dash further than the radio! HELP there is no point unless you're doing ALOT of custom wiring, or doing a full on 98+ conversion. absolutely NONE of the dash wiring is compatible with any other cherokee or comanche be it high output or renix. the gauges WON'T operate without the 97+ engine computer as they are computer controlled rather than the old style with one wire and a sensor and a gauge. just giving you a heads up. on a side note, I've got a nice, uncracked set of headlight bezels if you need them...one is red, one is black. unsure which side is which color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted March 4, 2009 Author Share Posted March 4, 2009 I am wanting to get the interior wiring harness so I can strip it and use it for my power windows/locks/mirriors that came on the '98 doors. The 97+ dash conversion looks very nice in the MJ and would like to get the parts since they are cheap and close (rare for KS). To be tucked in the attic and used at a later date. Thanks for the offer on the bezels, but I do have matching headlight bezels. They were just in the cab so they wouldn't blow away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sam Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I am wanting to get the interior wiring harness so I can strip it and use it for my power windows/locks/mirriors that came on the '98 doors. The 97+ dash conversion looks very nice in the MJ and would like to get the parts since they are cheap and close (rare for KS). To be tucked in the attic and used at a later date. Thanks for the offer on the bezels, but I do have matching headlight bezels. They were just in the cab so they wouldn't blow away. If you want the 97+ dash to work you need to also get the complete engine bay harness and ECU.....then later you can upgrade the engine/sensors and such to match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 If you want the 97+ dash to work you need to also get the complete engine bay harness and ECU.....then later you can upgrade the engine/sensors and such to match. Thanks for the recommendation. I assume the interior/engine harness are attached to each other? If not, I'll be sure to grab all of the harness parts. How different are the HO MJs and pre 2001 XJ's? I figure plug ends have changed, but not a whole lot with the OBDI system. In any case, the dash swap is a ways down the road. I need to worry about saving my cab corners from the rust just starting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 If you want the 97+ dash to work you need to also get the complete engine bay harness and ECU.....then later you can upgrade the engine/sensors and such to match. ... correct. except that you didn't mention that he cannot run any H.O. BUT a 97+ with the 97+ wiring. it will not work...no way, no how. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 If you want the 97+ dash to work you need to also get the complete engine bay harness and ECU.....then later you can upgrade the engine/sensors and such to match. Thanks for the recommendation. I assume the interior/engine harness are attached to each other? If not, I'll be sure to grab all of the harness parts. How different are the HO MJs and pre 2001 XJ's? I figure plug ends have changed, but not a whole lot with the OBDI system. In any case, the dash swap is a ways down the road. I need to worry about saving my cab corners from the rust just starting. The cut off year for differences is 1994 for interchangeability with H.O. MJ's. that is, 91-94 are all the same. 95 to 96 are similar but the wiring is not interchangeable...1995 is a OBD1 and 1996 is a hybridbetween OBD1 and OBD2, 1997 is the interchange year to full on OBD2 and 1998-2001 are all the same wiring (perhaps a few different plugs and connectors, and intake manifold changes). no XJ's were produced after 2001. no systems are compatible between each other, save the 1991-1994 xj's/mj's, and the 1998-2001 xj's. they are not compatible with renix systems, nor are the motors. the heads are different (1987-1990, 1991-1996, 1997-2001), the blocks are all the same from 1987 to 2001 but there are some timing differences, and in 1991 they deleted the engine knock sensor. though heads interchange (respective to the above listed years) between different years than the wiring does on the high outputs, the wiring still remains compatible with ONLY the above listed years. engine computers are compatible 1991-1995 for sure, and you may be able to lot in 1996 with that (I have no information on the differences between 1995 and 1996 ecu's). engine computers from 1997-2001 are compatible. obviously check the application (i.e. automatic, manual, body control options). 1987-1990 ecu's are compatible with each other, though again respective to transmissions in the vehicle. hopefully that clears things up for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 Jeepco, thanks for the clarifications! I have minimal experience with the difference in wiring for different years of Jeeps. All I knew was, I had to change a number or sensors on a 2001 WJ engine that I stuck in my 2003 Rubi. I will go ahead and try to get the PCM from the XJ as well. Luckily it has an AW4 like my MJ. Also, thanks for mentioning in intake manifold. I am going to try and grab that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Jeepco, thanks for the clarifications! I have minimal experience with the difference in wiring for different years of Jeeps. All I knew was, I had to change a number or sensors on a 2001 WJ engine that I stuck in my 2003 Rubi. I will go ahead and try to get the PCM from the XJ as well. Luckily it has an AW4 like my MJ. Also, thanks for mentioning in intake manifold. I am going to try and grab that too. you're probably going about it the wrong way..a complete swap is necessary to convert to 97+ HO. this means engine, transmission, engine wiring and sensors, interior, interior wiring, gauges, interior accessories, heater box and Hvac system, cooling system, trans cooling lines, exhaust manifold, intake manifold, 02 sensors, down pipe, fuel lines, fuel pump, gas tank sending unit (needed from 91/92 MJ), vacuum system, evap system, throttle body, injectors, fuel rail, engine computer, trans computer. EVERYTHING. you're not going to be able to successfully convert any other 4.0 to work with those parts. you could probably retain any other 4.0 block and convert literally EVERYTHING else to H.O. meaning head and all other parts. your older aw4 trans won't work with the 97+ wiring...there is a different spare sensor inside it and the connectors are different. you basically want the whole of what's left on that thing. if the motor or trans isn't there, fine. those can be had out of 97+ xj's easily enough. but pretty much you aren't gonna be able to go about it the way it looks like you want to. sorry to be negative...I don't want you to get into a bad position with no way out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancome433 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I'm doing the same thing only I'm using my buddies rolled cherokee for the interior, i need to get the body parts from the JY, which all i need now is the doors Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I'm doing the same thing only I'm using my buddies rolled cherokee for the interior, i need to get the body parts from the JY, which all i need now is the doors remember you either need a full complete upgrade to 97+ parts (ALL drivetrain engine etc.), or you need to get custom gauges and do some custom wiring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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