Best donor Cherokee for comanche.

[harding9641]

Need advice for the best year Cherokee to use for my 88 comanche. I've lined up a 4 door 98 Cherokee with 5sp manual transmission and power windows. Thoughts opinions???

[desbennett004]

98-99 is the best to use in my opinion. Looks like you have a winner.

 

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[HOrnbrod]

Best donor to do what?

[johnj92131]

Best donor to do what?

 

X 2

[Eagle]

Best donor to do what?

 

X3

 

It all depends on what you want to accomplish. IMHO, the best donor for an '88 Comanche would be an '88 Cherokee, with the same engine and transmission, because that will provide the maximum number of replacement parts. However, if your goal is to update a Renix-era Comanche to completely new running gear and electrics, then the '98-'99 XJ is probably the best choice.

[JeepFanactic]

 

Best donor to do what?

 

X3

 

It all depends on what you want to accomplish. IMHO, the best donor for an '88 Comanche would be an '88 Cherokee, with the same engine and transmission, because that will provide the maximum number of replacement parts. However, if your goal is to update a Renix-era Comanche to completely new running gear and electrics, then the '98-'99 XJ is probably the best choice.

 

This is so true.  I am in the middle of doing my conversion and it will be a lot easier if everything came from the same year. Just my two cents  

[Roper]

 

Best donor to do what?

 

X3

 

It all depends on what you want to accomplish. IMHO, the best donor for an '88 Comanche would be an '88 Cherokee, with the same engine and transmission, because that will provide the maximum number of replacement parts. However, if your goal is to update a Renix-era Comanche to completely new running gear and electrics, then the '98-'99 XJ is probably the best choice.

 

I am in planning/researching process for updating my 87 mj & was curious. Why not the 00-01?

[HOrnbrod]

I am in planning/researching process for updating my 87 mj & was curious. Why not the 00-01?

 

Because of the crack-prone cylinder heads that were originally installed on these vehicles and the coil pack ignition system which some folks don't like. But the head problem was fixed later with a new casting product (the ones stamped TUPY). Outside of that there's nothing wrong with the 00 and up conversions, in fact that's what I would prefer if I were to upgrade. The distributor-less ignition system is more efficient and less trouble-prone. A lot of the stroker guys have converted over to this design.

[DirtyComanche]

00-01 has a crappy head, assuming it's a 4L, if it isn't already cracked (kinda unlikely at this point).  Also the front axle is low pinion at some point there, meaning it is something of a downgrade from the other D30 options.

[Roper]

Thanks for the reply guys. I can see I have a lot to learn before I get into this project. I read that the 01 had a better ignition system so that was what I had been looking for in a donor. I'll start looking for a 98-99 then.

[DirtyComanche]

There is nothing wrong with the coil pack ignition.  If I was doing a full swap (which I would probably never do) I would have no qualms about going to it.

[HOrnbrod]

Neither would I. I'd prefer it. A whole lot less moving parts that wear out and break......

[FrankTheDog]

How do you figure a whole lot less moving parts?

A distributor has only one moving part same as cam sensor and 00-01 has 3 coils to fail instead of one.

Also 00-01 has 3 cats instead of one and 4 O2 sensors instead of 1 or 2. And two of those cats are in a pretty tight place. A real b*@$£ to change out all those O2 sensors.

[HOrnbrod]

There are some disadvantages to the newer coil pack system, but I think the advantages outweigh them. The stock distributor shafts can break, the drive gears wear out, the shaft bushings get egged out, etc. causing sloppy timing or an engine that cuts off randomly. I've had to replace two distributors so far because of this. The 96 distributor I have in there now also eliminates the cam sensor problems of the earlier models.

 

Some of the stroker guys are using the 6-port Viper coil pack on a 4.x Jeep engine with a fabded mounting bracket, not the stock 00-01 Jeep 3-coil setup. And if you're upgrading say an OBD1 Jeep engine, you only need one O2 sensor, or two for the later models, an upstream and downstream. I thinking seriously of doing this mod and have started gathering parts. Can't see a reason not to......

 

[Airborne Janitor]

I ended up getting a wrecked 97 XJ auto 4x4 for donor parts for my 89 MJ. 97 is a weird hybrid year that shares parts between the makeover. Has the HP D30 one-piece axles with 297x joints, soundbar and door hinges like (some) pre96 models, and allegedly the AW4 will swap over with some wire splicing (will find out soon). Obviously has the new body style if you want to do the fender/header panel, and/or interior swap.

 

With that said I own a 98 XJ with the AX15 and have for nearly 15 years. 4 trips across the country, almost 190K miles. Heavily modified, beat the piss out of, and its kept on going - with maintenance of course. If the price is right and the parts are decent I wouldn't hesitate.

[DirtyComanche]

I ended up getting a wrecked 97 XJ auto 4x4 for donor parts for my 89 MJ. 97 is a weird hybrid year that shares parts between the makeover. Has the HP D30 one-piece axles with 297x joints, soundbar and door hinges like (some) pre96 models, and allegedly the AW4 will swap over with some wire splicing (will find out soon).

 

That AW4 is different from the one in your 89, or what normally comes in an 89 at least, in that it has a different TV cable and the valvebody/internals are actually different in regards to that.  It takes a different amount of throw to actuate it.  The good news is if you go to the HO throttle body/intake/brackets/throttle cable it works perfectly.

[Airborne Janitor]

 

I ended up getting a wrecked 97 XJ auto 4x4 for donor parts for my 89 MJ. 97 is a weird hybrid year that shares parts between the makeover. Has the HP D30 one-piece axles with 297x joints, soundbar and door hinges like (some) pre96 models, and allegedly the AW4 will swap over with some wire splicing (will find out soon).

 

That AW4 is different from the one in your 89, or what normally comes in an 89 at least, in that it has a different TV cable and the valvebody/internals are actually different in regards to that.  It takes a different amount of throw to actuate it.  The good news is if you go to the HO throttle body/intake/brackets/throttle cable it works perfectly.

 

 

Thanks for the heads up! Do you have any info in regards to splicing the connectors? I have wiring diagrams I just haven't sat down to study them yet.