difference between reg 4.0 and the ho

How much difference is there between a reg 4.0 and the one that the jeeps have the high output under the 4.0 liter on back hatch?? I have rode in both and seems like the ho has a little more ass is this real or am i justthinking it cause it says ho???

History of the AMC 242 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMC_Straight_6_engine#4.0

New engine computer
Raised intake ports
Larger throttle body
Redesigned intake and exhaust manifolds
Higher flowing fuel injectors
Changed camshaft profile

It's not a big difference. HO got rid of EGR valve and used the cam to do the old EGR's job, had better exhaust manifold, different intake ports, bigger throttle body, and a more sophisticated fuel injection system. To me the HO feels like it makes about the same torque as a Renix, but has a little bit of a leg up on it at higher RPMs. Much of this has to do with the exhaust manifold design improvement and a 58 mm throttle body vs the Renix 52mm throttle body. From what an engineer buddy at Chrysler told me, many of the changes made to the HO over the years were for emissions more than for power. The HO designation certainly served Chryco well as a marketing tool.

So another thing i wanted to find out now tht i know these parts are different i am going to buy a no ho motor jeep cherokee and want to know if the throttle body off my ho and exhaust header will still bolt right up and help anything or hurt it?? is the long block the same?? same pistons and everything?? Im going from a 92 cherokee laredo to a 90 model is it gonna be a big difference in drive train because i want to take my axles and lift off my 92 and put it under the 90 my axles are stock 30 and 35 with detriots and 4:11's but my front axle is the solid axle not that passenger side locking bs on the axle housing. Also i dont know anything bout the standard trans in jeeps are they good or what idk which it is all i know that it is a 5 speed manual! Thanks guys for all ur opinions and answers!!

Search is your friend for the details. Here is a good reference site: http://www.jeep4.0performance.4mg.com/index.html
Basically the drive train is a straight swap.
The heads are different between the 92 and 90. The rest is much the same. The 90 block is better, say some, as it has a higher nickel content and does not wear as fast. Intake and exhaust ports are different locations and size, but you may get by with a mis match. The TB is totally different and are not swappable (word?).

My approach would be to get the 92 head worked on and put it on the 90 block. Others have done this, so do a search and learn about the details where the devil and Murphy live.

thanks for ur help mean the new header i just ordered gets to sit around till i get the head cleaned up and maybe ported and polished!! now what about the intake is there anything different about it in ways of wiring harness? if i take the head intake and header off the ho motor and bolt it all to the reg motor everything will work fine?? also means injectors have to be swapped with intake correct? and will the none ho computer be able to keep the injectors going for the bigger head and tb?

The only issue is the connection between the old and new TB AIS and TPS. Search.
The site I referenced lists injectors which are all interchangable. You need the right ones. Again, do a search.

ty for the reference site i hate reading but am researching it now and hope to be bale to get this done within the near future! i would like to have the 3000rpm and higher rpm range that the ho motor has in the older style renix!! so im gonna do my best in accomplishing this. I have the entire ho motor that i can pull from and the jeep so looks like i get most of my parts for free!!!!!