Need Motor And Tranny Advice ( What Would You Do )

[Wrz]

Quick short story, After a year of building my Comanche it is just about road worthy, just needs a front alignment and a few things buttoned up. I bought the truck with out hearing it run and with the trans in the bed. It finally came back to bite me

 

I would like to spend no more then $2k on engine and $700 on a tranny

I also work at a junkyard and have access to used engine and tranny's, but would like to go the reman route

 

specs-  1990 jeep Comanche lwb 4.0 4wd auto

 

After driving it locally ( 25 miles total ) ive come to the conclusion that the motor will eventually need a top end rebuild and the trans has its own issues ( slow to get going and to shift into 1st)

Ive replaced the rear main seal 2x and it still leaks, and as of today i checked the oil which is milky and she smokes white when running ( not heavy clouds but deff noticeable). I pulled the plugs and they also have oil on them.

 

build thread

http://comancheclub.com/topic/36077-my-first-mj-build-project-restore-runs45-lift/

 

I am now looking at reman blocks and heads and reman trannies, but not sure which would be the best option. i don't mind doing some rewiring

 

Here are a few options i found 

 

 

trannys-

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161149724506?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649   great price for a new trans 

 

 

or i could piece a motor together for a decent price  price would come out to $1435 

 

head

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-JEEP-CHEROKEE-LAREDO-4-0-0331-CYLINDER-HEAD-VALVE-SIZE-INT-2-02-EX-1-62-/160939581907?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Make%3AJeep&hash=item2578bf21d3&vxp=mtr

 

 

block

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jeep-4-0-Short-Block-1987-1990-/271003191283?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Make%3AJeep&hash=item3f190c87f3&vxp=mtr

 

 

let me know what your opinions are, id love to do a diesel but don't have the funds...

[ftpiercecracker1]

Since you already said you work at a junkyard I think it would be a no brainer to find a low mile 4.0 and swap it in. If you have any problems with it you are sittin pretty if you need to exchange/return it. You could probably get a package deal, motor and trans for under 500 bucks. It is understandable if you are worried about getting a lemon, but i think you are in an extremely ideal situation for selecting a junkyard engine and just think about all the other stuff you could do to your MJ with all the money you will save.

 

If its any colsolation, i have about 8,000 miles on my junkyard engine and it runs smoother than the original one. It came out of an 1993 Auto ZJ and i put it into my 1990 manual MJ. FYI, I paid $150  for my engine.

 

At my junkyard they write "Good M&T" on the windshield for "good motor and transmission. Use a breaker bar to verify that the engine turns freely, pull the dipstick and make sure the oil is ok, not foamy, or anything weird. Dirty is ok, but if its black as pitch, you may want to keep looking. Check inside the radiator too, look for oil contamination of the coolant. Look for signs of massive cooling failures, such as large cracks in the radiator, exploded radiator hoses, or, most notiably, very large sections of rust colored powder where, after a massive overheat the coolant that spewed out all over the engine bay evaporates and leaves behind a rust colored powder.   

[Wrz]

thanks for the reply, thats the original route i wanted to take, but after a year of building her its a punch to the stomach now that its done and needs major work. We do have a really low mileage 88 xj motor there with only 51k on it, ran great before being parked back in 1993.  Starting to think a renix block with ho heads is the way to go.  Any recommendations on a trans? The one on ebay for $500 with free shipping and no core seems like a steal. 

 

 

Since you already said you work at a junkyard I think it would be a no brainer to find a low mile 4.0 and swap it in. If you have any problems with it you are sittin pretty if you need to exchange/return it. You could probably get a package deal, motor and trans for under 500 bucks. It is understandable if you are worried about getting a lemon, but i think you are in an extremely ideal situation for selecting a junkyard engine and just think about all the other stuff you could do to your MJ with all the money you will save.

 

If its any colsolation, i have about 8,000 miles on my junkyard engine and it runs smoother than the original one. It came out of an 1993 Auto ZJ and i put it into my 1990 manual MJ. FYI, I paid $150  for my engine.

 

At my junkyard they write "Good M&T" on the windshield for "good motor and transmission. Use a breaker bar to verify that the engine turns freely, pull the dipstick and make sure the oil is ok, not foamy, or anything weird. Dirty is ok, but if its black as pitch, you may want to keep looking. Check inside the radiator too, look for oil contamination of the coolant. Look for signs of massive cooling failures, such as large cracks in the radiator, exploded radiator hoses, or, most notiably, very large sections of rust colored powder where, after a massive overheat the coolant that spewed out all over the engine bay evaporates and leaves behind a rust colored powder.   

[ftpiercecracker1]

thanks for the reply, thats the original route i wanted to take, but after a year of building her its a punch to the stomach now that its done and needs major work. We do have a really low mileage 88 xj motor there with only 51k on it, ran great before being parked back in 1993.  Starting to think a renix block with ho heads is the way to go.  Any recommendations on a trans? The one on ebay for $500 with free shipping and no core seems like a steal. 

 

A Renix with that low of miles is a real find. I would be looking at that thing very hard, especially if you know it ran and ran well when it was parked. Why was it even brought in? Keep in mind that even if you get a junkyard motor it can be cleaned up and painted so that it shines like a new penny.

 

That one for $500 was just the short block right? IF you did go that route i would definately find a 7120 cast head and have it cleaned up/machined and not just slap an old dirty, oil caked head on a brand spanking new short block. That just aint write. :shake:

 

As far as trans i would stick with the AW4 for simplicities sake, but i will be honest i don't have much to offer you in the way of advise as far as best years and such. I have never owned or driven a jeep with one, but they are known the world over as one of, if not the best auto ever to be put in a jeep. Just make sure you have a good size trans cooler if you do go with an AW4

[Wrz]

the jeep was achually my uncles when he passed and it slowly made its way to my uncles junkyard. The only thing is its been sitting for a long time and i don't know if anything fell down inside it ( its missings its valve cover, thermostat housing, spark plugs ect.  i would deffently get the head redone before i put it on the block. The head on ebay for 545 didnt seem too bad consider my local shop would charge me around $300 to get it redone.    I don't know too much about trans but i google 3040le, it says that is an aw4 tranny    or am i crazy :dunno:

 

thanks for the reply, thats the original route i wanted to take, but after a year of building her its a punch to the stomach now that its done and needs major work. We do have a really low mileage 88 xj motor there with only 51k on it, ran great before being parked back in 1993.  Starting to think a renix block with ho heads is the way to go.  Any recommendations on a trans? The one on ebay for $500 with free shipping and no core seems like a steal. 

 

A Renix with that low of miles is a real find. I would be looking at that thing very hard, especially if you know it ran and ran well when it was parked. Why was it even brought in? Keep in mind that even if you get a junkyard motor it can be cleaned up and painted so that it shines like a new penny.

 

That one for $500 was just the short block right? IF you did go that route i would definately find a 7120 cast head and have it cleaned up/machined and not just slap an old dirty, oil caked head on a brand spanking new short block. That just aint write. :shake:

 

As far as trans i would stick with the AW4 for simplicities sake, but i will be honest i don't have much to offer you in the way of advise as far as best years and such. I have never owned or driven a jeep with one, but they are known the world over as one of, if not the best auto ever to be put in a jeep. Just make sure you have a good size trans cooler if you do go with an AW4

[ftpiercecracker1]

the jeep was achually my uncles when he passed and it slowly made its way to my uncles junkyard. The only thing is its been sitting for a long time and i don't know if anything fell down inside it ( its missings its valve cover, thermostat housing, spark plugs ect.  i would deffently get the head redone before i put it on the block. The head on ebay for 545 didnt seem too bad consider my local shop would charge me around $300 to get it redone.    I don't know too much about trans but i google 3040le, it says that is an aw4 tranny    or am i crazy :dunno:

 

 

Ughhh, now you mention that. :ack:     Without actually being i can't really gauge if it would still be worth the risk. Either way i vote junkyard engine, simply for convience and cost sake. Just my 2 cents. 

 

I have no idea what 3040le is. :???:  Why on earth did you google that?

[Wrz]

haha it says it fits 1990-1993 jeep cherokee with a 2.5 or 4.0 engine   but i can't find much info on it

 

the jeep was achually my uncles when he passed and it slowly made its way to my uncles junkyard. The only thing is its been sitting for a long time and i don't know if anything fell down inside it ( its missings its valve cover, thermostat housing, spark plugs ect.  i would deffently get the head redone before i put it on the block. The head on ebay for 545 didnt seem too bad consider my local shop would charge me around $300 to get it redone.    I don't know too much about trans but i google 3040le, it says that is an aw4 tranny    or am i crazy :dunno:

 

 

Ughhh, now you mention that. :ack:     Without actually being i can't really gauge if it would still be worth the risk. Either way i vote junkyard engine, simply for convience and cost sake. Just my 2 cents. 

 

I have no idea what 3040le is. :???:  Why on earth did you google that?

[carnuck]

Not true unless it doesn't come with bellhousing. 4 and 6 don't interchange. Make sure it's not 2wd because the trans has to be taken apart and the output and tailstock changed to make it 4x4, Sounds like it may be 23 spline which won't work with your tcase if you have Renix EFI because it will be 21 spline.