motor swap?

[Spokes]

hey i can get a "96 4.0 out of an xj with AW4 trans and 231 transfer case...pulled it all in one shot so its still all together....has 66000 miles on all of it..comes fully complete oil pan to intake" he is asking 900 for it all.... could i just drop that motor in my 90 comanche? a 96 should be the HO and not Renix... i want a HO since they have more power and start easier. so i was wondering if i could just drop this motor into my truck no mods! thanks!

[ComancheKid45]

I'm pretty sure theres alot of electrical stuff that must go along with the HO engine that will not work with the Renix Computer.......i know its defently not a simple plug and play between the 2

[Pete M]

"Start easier"? :hmm:

 

You'll need way more than just the engine and trans to get an HO. If you install the new engine but retain the old electrical system, you'll still have a Renix (and there will still be a bunch of adapting to be done).

 

If you want the HO system, then you'll need the entire wire harness including the stuff in the dash. I complete donor vehicle is preferred.

[wolfpackjeeper]

you can swap the block and head over and use your wiring, see a little bit of a gain from the newer head, but you will need to bring the entire computer over to be sure, as well as all the wiring. The computer tuning is the major difference.

 

You should be able to just swap the block and head and use your wiring, but you will need to splice some of the sensor wires over, I am not completely positive, but I think it is the TPS and Map sensors that are different plugs. As far as I know, the ports for the Renix sensors are still cast into the block and machined out.

[JOMJ87]

Swap all renix sensors and distributor over and use the renix computer. Modify the TPS to work on the newer TB or use the renix intake and TB(suggest boring it out) and it will work. SEARCH for 40ho with renix computer and there is a thread by me asking abotu it and I'm doing it right now.

 

Cole

[Spokes]

the motor i was going ot get got sold yesterday! yes yesterday!!!!! :mad: o well ill keep my eyes open. thanks guys!

[Gr8plainsDriftr]

i can get a donor zj *400 bucks!!!* and i maybe doin this since i've given up on the old motor. g2g now, so i thought i would bump this to the top to be easier to find later

 

bumpage

[Pete M]

Near the top of the threads, over on the left, you'll see: "Subscribe topic" and "Bookmark Topic". If you want email updates if someone posts, click "subscribe". If not, you can click "bookmark". Now when you go to your "User Control Panel", on the left you'll see "Manage subscriptions" and "Manage bookmarks" which keep track of them all. :thumbsup:

[Geonovast]

i can get a donor zj *400 bucks!!!* and i maybe doin this since i've given up on the old motor. g2g now, so i thought i would bump this to the top to be easier to find later

 

bumpage

 

The ZJ wiring harness is a lot different than the XJ/MJ ones, so you're probably going to need to do some creative rigging to get it in.

 

IIRC there are actual differences in some of the motor accessories too.

[Eagle]

As noted, unless you feel like rewiring virtually the entire vehicle, your easiest route is to use the "new" engine but retain all the Renix electronics and injection.

 

Problem is, you want easier starting. I assume that by that you mean you want to eliminate that couple of seconds crank time that all Renix engines require before they fire up. Using an HO block with the Renix electronics won't eliminate that delay -- it's an integral part of the Renix system.

[Gr8plainsDriftr]

Must be replying to OP. I don't mind the starting part, I just want my truck to run right lol. Good thing is, I will have a complete donor vehicle. Ill make my own project thread once I get it over here

 

I've been doing research and already have found a lot of information. For instance, I will have to fab a bracket for the tps on the TB. Couldn't I use the ho tps just by switching th A & C terminals since the HO ecu reads it backwards compared to the Renix?

 

I've searched, most of it covers xj --> mj. Ill need to search some zj forums, find out bout they're drivetrains, and what else I maybe able to use.

 

My mj is a peugot 5 speed, and I've read that these aren't desirable. The zj has a auto, and xfercase (altho, unsure what it is at this point) I wouldn't mind keeping the auto, but I'm tryin to keep my cost at the very bare minimum, as far as driveshaft, tcm, kickdown, and all that is goin to fit.

 

I don't have extensive engine replacement knowledge, so this will be a THE learning experience I guess. Hard starting is nothing compared to cuttin your teeth like this. Really wish there where a few knowledgable eyes closer to watch over me, I wouldnt mind buying beer, and cooking some grub.

[maddzz1]

Where are you at? You should put it in your profile

[TNT]

Where are you at? You should put it in your profile

 

:agree:

 

BTW unless it is one of the few ZJ's that have 4.0 with an AW-4 transmission I would say your Pukegoat 5 speed tranny is better then the ZJ tranny is...

 

Use a '91-"95 XJ as your parts vehicle(pre OBDII). :yes:

[BLHTAZ]

hey i can get a "96 4.0 out of an xj with AW4 trans and 231 transfer case...pulled it all in one shot so its still all together....has 66000 miles on all of it..comes fully complete oil pan to intake" he is asking 900 for it all.... could i just drop that motor in my 90 comanche? a 96 should be the HO and not Renix... i want a HO since they have more power and start easier. so i was wondering if i could just drop this motor into my truck no mods! thanks!

I know that you have lost out on the donor you were wanting, but I just wanted to say that I see absolutley no advantage in doing this type of job for the reasons that you are giving. I own both 4.0L HO, and 4.0L Renix Jeeps...there is not enough difference between the two to make a big job like this sensible. If you have money and time to throw away, and just really want to do it, then by all means go for it. :cheers:

 

If you just want a little more "get-up-and-go", throw your money in to some new gears for the axles :thumbsup: .

[64 Cheyenne]

:agree:

[Gr8plainsDriftr]

aw4 transmission in the ZJ only came in 93, and i took a closer look at it today, mfctr date is 6/95. The brackets for the accesories looks very similar to mine. The coolant sensor is up front on the t-stat housing. its got around 200k, and the gas tank is in the back, where it looks like it got a new fuel pump. The axle looks like a d44, and has a rubber plug the transfer case *front to back* all time 4h----2h---4lo, i believe this to be a not so disireable Viscous np249, but seeing as how i won't be doing HARD core rock crawling or mud bogging *mostly back road/woods trail, occasional sand dune* if i might keep the drive train as back up.

 

For now, i'm just going to get the Short block installed, using the renix intake/exhaust, i think this will be the most basic/easiest to get my truck running. although its too late to get it ready for rattle snake weekend, I'm kinda bummed

 

I live between wichita and salina kansas, little town called newton. :waving:

[Eagle]

If it's a ZJ and the rear axle looks like a D44 -- run away! It's one of the dreaded aluminum pseudo-D44 axles. They are notoriously weak, possibly the only axle in the known universe that's LESS desirable than the Dana 35. They warp if you just look at 'em funny, and the internals are not standard Dana 44, so it's not easily upgraded even if you wanted to waste money on it.