Phillip Gwin Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 I was gifted a 2001 Grand Cherokee with a running 4.7 V8. Does anyone have an opinion on the engine? I want to put it into the Comanche I am building for the wife. It has to be more reliable than the Renix engine (and overall system) that is in it now. It is an 88 2WD with a 4.0, that just stopped running one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMO413 Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 Not worth the time just fix the Renix. The 4.7 is huge and not really a great design. 235 HP just isn't worth it in me eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omega_rugal Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 it seems that no one here likes it... i like it though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip Gwin Posted March 17, 2021 Author Share Posted March 17, 2021 I had one in a Dodge Dakota a few years back, it pulled my horse trailer without a problem. I just kind of wondered if anyone knew of problems that they had experienced. I traded mine off for a full size Ram before it gave me any trouble. Well the adventure will begin putting it into the Comanche, I'm building it with pretty heavy duty parts. Probably overkill for the wife, just want to make it reliable and strong enough to get her out of any trouble she gets into (she decided that she want to go 4wheeling herself, bad influence from fellow Jeepers). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derf Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 The most expensive projects I've ever had were the ones where I tried to make a "free" part work. Between the computers needed to run it and the long term reliability concerns, your best bet is to sell it and use the money to finance a better project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Just no. If you want reliable don't engine swap it, keep the 4.0 and renix. I have the 4.7HO in my WJ and it's been rebuilt twice. Bought it with a dropped valve seat, rebuilt the engine dropped another valve seat. 4.7 is on borrowed time after 200. 4.0 will run for well over that and is cheaper overall. I could have built the 4.0 twice for the cost of the 4.7 once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 when it's currently in a truck and working well, it's a decent gamble to keep it going. but when you're contemplating a full-on custom install into another truck, I'd pass. especially the early ones. that's a TON of effort to then find out whether or not the valves will hang on. plus it's really not much of an HP increase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghetdjc320 Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 I’ll echo the above comments. Not a worthwhile swap. Only non 4.0 I’d consider this oils be a diesel like an om617 or perhaps an LS swap. All swaps are pricey though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Mesa XJ Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 3.7 & 4.7 can be good motors, but the 4.0 Jeep is legendary.If you can’t figure out what’s wrong with the renix, grab the HO wiring and computer and use those. But you ought to be able to fix the renix. BTW the 3.7 v6 and 4.7 v8 are aluminum heads do not forgive any even slight over heating (like most modern engines) and the pcm will be a pita to work around, I don’t think anybody has come up with a kit or programming to make those swaps easy. Only a hand full of liberty (kj) owners have done the swap and the 4.7 is the 3.7 with two more cylinders, their transmission bolt up and engine bay are closer to being drop in. Also until the mid 2000s the power output isn’t much more than the 3.7 v6. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 We can get the 4.0 running....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 My brother had a 4.7 in a Dakota with a 5 speed. In that configuration it was a rocket. It did develop a very hard starting issue (like a 30 second crank time) but he ended up trading it on a Ford before I could get to look at it, so I don't know what that was all about. I run the baby brother 3.7 in my KJ. While it's never given me a problem (that I didn't cause), it's just waaayyy too complicated an engine for what it is (I'm looking at you, timing chain system.......). Like Mesa says, both engines have aluminum heads, and overheating either one of them even the slightest bit is a death toll. I'm completely OCD about watching the temp "gauge" every time I drive it, and no vehicle/engine should ever cause anyone to have to worry so much about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 They run great til they break without warning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omega_rugal Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 post 2008 4.7 are better, 2 spark plugs, twice the pleasure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip Gwin Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 You all are talking me out of this swap. Probably a good thing. Anyone need an '01 Jeep 4.7? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omega_rugal Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 the engine is ok, just don't swap it to a Comanche, not worth the effort... is the WJ bad or why you want to take the engine out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 On 3/18/2021 at 8:32 AM, cruiser54 said: They run great til they break without warning. ^^^ This. I had a 1999 Grand with the 4.7L. It's just not a "truck" engine -- never mind that Dodge uses it in their trucks. It's a passenger car engine and it drives like a passenger car engine. It has lousy low-end torque (the older ZJ was much more driveable in the lower part of the RPM band). It doesn't start to wake up until it's over 3,000 RPM. If you like to drive with the engine always in passing gear, then maybe it's okay. Otherwise, it's not so okay. As Cruiser hinted -- it'll break your heart. I had my '99 WJ less than a year, and much of that time it was in the shop. It did finally die on the side of the road. By that time, Chrysler had already agreed to take it back to prevent me from invoking the lemon law. I had it towed to the dealership, and as we pulled in the 2000 XJ Classic I had ordered to replace the WJ was rolling off the truck. I handed the dealer the keys to the WJ and never looked back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip Gwin Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 Cherokee is hit hard in the back, not salvageable. I'm just trying to save something out of it. I started it, it does start, didn't run it long. Just wanted to see if it ran. Don't like what I am hearing about it though. Guess there are no modifications worth the money to make it work better. People said it ran fine right up until it was hit. Looks like about 5-6 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omega_rugal Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 3 hours ago, Phillip Gwin said: Cherokee is hit hard in the back, not salvageable. oh, to the garbage bin then... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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