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86 2.5L to 88 2.5L swap questions


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Well, the 86's motor is not doing so good. So I'm thinking about swapping in the motor that came out of the 88. I'll retain all the auxillaries from the 86 i.e. atl, steering pump, a/c, etc but there is a noticeable difference in the vacuum lines and some electrical plugs. I figure I could swap throttle bodies to eliminate most of this problem. Are there any other differences that I need to be aware of? Will the ECU have any problems with the 88 motor? The 86 has the AX-5 behind it and the 88 has the AX-4. There shouldn't be any problems there right?

 

:cheers:

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what's wrong with the 86? bad compression?

 

Blow-by pretty bad, which I've lived with, but now it's overheating. Funny thing is, I don't know where the coolant is going. Nothing under the truck, no steam anywhere, just disappearing. It's not in the crankcase either. Had a leaking radiator but I swapped in another and ran for a couple of days fine then overheated again. Seeing how when I bought the truck, reportedly it didn't run, I think over a year as a DD, it has done well. I'm really short on the green stuff, so swapping the engines is the cheapest way out. Although, the 88 ran fine, it did have a tap in the low in so I don't know how long it will last. I hate to say it, but I'm leaning to just getting rid of it. :(

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Pop the head off before you go motor-swappage. You may just need a head gasket. Can't hurt, since you're yanking it out anyway. Or even if the head is damaged, you could probably just throw the 88's head on. If it's not dumping coolant on the ground, in the cab, or in the crankcase... there's only one place left for it to go: In the compression chamber.

 

Are you still losing coolant after the radiator swap? Pretty easy to get air in the system with changing that out.

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I thought about that but it still runs and sounds the same as it always has. I figure if it was going through the engine out the rear that the engine would be running rough. Right? Since it's an open system I'm pretty sure it was full plus I topped off the overflow. Like I said it ran fine for 2 days before it overheated again. I thought maybe the thermostat but it would have overheated pretty quick with it not working. The heat is working just fine so I know there is flow. :dunno:

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It would still run fine if it was a very slow leak into the cylinder. If it is the head gasket, it's best to get it now before the coolant makes a trail in the block and/or head.

 

How fast are you losing coolant? Maybe it's just air working its way out and it just appears to be going down in level? :dunno:

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It would still run fine if it was a very slow leak into the cylinder. If it is the head gasket, it's best to get it now before the coolant makes a trail in the block and/or head.

 

How fast are you losing coolant? Maybe it's just air working its way out and it just appears to be going down in level? :dunno:

 

I figured it would run rough, that's interesting. First time it went, it did steam. It may have cause head gasket damage then as it went again about ten days or so later. That's when I swapped the radiator because the old one was leaking around the fill spout. It went again two days later. My son added a the gallon of premixed coolant then and it still didn't fill it up.

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the oil filters are different between 86 and 88. did this exact swap on an xj.

 

 

 

I would use all of the accessories from the '88 and literally bolt the motor in, and leave the oil filter adapter alone. then you get serpentine rather than v belts. you could swap the oil filter adapter if you felt like it, but if you're going to have to order a serpentine for an '88 it's not much harder to remember to use an '88 oil filter.

 

 

 

the only thing I'd keep from the '86 would be the throttle body and sensors.

 

 

no issues with CPS...just use the '86 flywheel to be sure.

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the oil filters are different between 86 and 88. did this exact swap on an xj.

 

 

 

I would use all of the accessories from the '88 and literally bolt the motor in, and leave the oil filter adapter alone. then you get serpentine rather than v belts. you could swap the oil filter adapter if you felt like it, but if you're going to have to order a serpentine for an '88 it's not much harder to remember to use an '88 oil filter.

 

 

 

the only thing I'd keep from the '86 would be the throttle body and sensors.

 

 

no issues with CPS...just use the '86 flywheel to be sure.

 

My 86 has the serpentine belt. I think I'm goint to pull the head first. It's either that or list it in the classifieds. I've really lost interest in it and I think it could be more useful to someone else. Since it's having problems it will probably get parted, which was what it was originally bought for. I'm looking for a 2dr XJ for a future mod but need a dependable DD for the son to get back and forth to school until I get the 88 on the road. We'll see how it goes in the next couple of days.

 

:cheers:

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the oil filters are different between 86 and 88. did this exact swap on an xj.

 

 

 

I would use all of the accessories from the '88 and literally bolt the motor in, and leave the oil filter adapter alone. then you get serpentine rather than v belts. you could swap the oil filter adapter if you felt like it, but if you're going to have to order a serpentine for an '88 it's not much harder to remember to use an '88 oil filter.

 

 

 

the only thing I'd keep from the '86 would be the throttle body and sensors.

 

 

no issues with CPS...just use the '86 flywheel to be sure.

 

My 86 has the serpentine belt. I think I'm goint to pull the head first. It's either that or list it in the classifieds. I've really lost interest in it and I think it could be more useful to someone else. Since it's having problems it will probably get parted, which was what it was originally bought for. I'm looking for a 2dr XJ for a future mod but need a dependable DD for the son to get back and forth to school until I get the 88 on the road. We'll see how it goes in the next couple of days.

 

:cheers:

 

 

pm me please and let me know of a price you have in mind for it. I would like an 86 body.

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