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Emissions in XJ's

T

tdkask

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Kingsland, GA
Is there a significant difference between the emmisions requirements of a 84 and those of a 01 XJ? Basically, I wonder if there is any year VIN that would not require cat converter, etc? If I wanted to piece together an XJ with as little parts as possible but still maintain EFI is it possible and is there a way to get around it legally? I'm thinking early model VIN body, with all the conveniences of a 01 like the injection, steel hatch, new model doors, even front valence (I prefer that look). I just wonder about getting the under-hood area emptier and simpler. Also, are there significant improvements to the uni-body of the later models, and can they be compensated for with a welder and some bracing? Thanks for any input and discussion.

(BTW, have not purchased XJ yet, so have options to buy either or both, as there are regularly really cheap early models, and really cheap late models with tired engines, etc.)
 
I would aim for a 95 or a 99, the 00-01 years only bring trouble and rare/expensive parts really.

Since you want to run as little required emissions as possible apparently (dunno why, cats are cheap these days especially for non-CA older vehicles) I would run, say, an 87-90 XJ. If you can make it run clean enough without EGR to pass a tailpipe sniffer test, I personally see no moral reason not to. If you want better junkyard parts availability you can swap most of the drivetrain and electronic parts from a 91-95 XJ into it instead.

I do not believe there are any years that don't require a cat, and like I said they are cheap and do not affect performance these days, weld one into the exhaust instead of a piece of tubing and you can forget about it for another 150 thousand miles.

If you want the newer style body paneling and interior, you can swap everything from a 97 or later (I would aim for a 98 or a 99 if manual, a 97 to 99 if automatic) with some basic mods.
 
All XJ's were manufactured after the federal law requiring a catalytic converter. So it doens't matter what you swap into what, if you must pass a visual inspection the cat must be there.


Even my beat ass trailer queen 1987 MJ still has functioning emissions equipment.

Renix is dirt simple in the engine compartment, but if you are not handy with a multimeter I would look to an OBD-I jeep to take a drivetrain from. I try to stay away from OBD-II as much as possible. Functionally it does no better than OBD-I, jst includes a bunch of nanny monitoring stuff that pisses me off (after cat 02 sensors for example). Avoid 00 and 01 drivetrains as swap donors at all costs, unless you're just taking the motor. You want nothing to do with the ECM and precats and 4 02 sensors on those.
 
kastein said:
I would aim for a 95 or a 99, the 00-01 years only bring trouble and rare/expensive parts really.
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Actually... I have to disagree on the 2000-2001 XJs, but only as long as we're talking about Federal-emissions models. I've had both a 2000 (Federal-spec) and 2001 (California-spec) XJ, and found the Federal one to be pretty much about as simple as it can get: two oxygen sensors and a cat. The California model, however, was frickin' ridiculous. I haven't owned it in six years so my memory may be a bit off on this, but my recollection is that it had pre-cats, two main cats, and four oxygen sensors.

cats are cheap these days especially for non-CA older vehicles
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Even on CA-spec vehicles, cats are relatively cheap. The last cat I had done in Los Angeles was around $100 installed; bashing them on stuff out in the desert meant that I was getting a new one pretty much annually even if it wasn't a smog test year. $100 for a new cat vs. what a plugged one would burn in fuel over a couple of months was a no-brainer.

I do not believe there are any years that don't require a cat, and like I said they are cheap and do not affect performance these days, weld one into the exhaust instead of a piece of tubing and you can forget about it for another 150 thousand miles.
Click to expand...

This.
 
casm said:
Actually... I have to disagree on the 2000-2001 XJs, but only as long as we're talking about Federal-emissions models. I've had both a 2000 (Federal-spec) and 2001 (California-spec) XJ, and found the Federal one to be pretty much about as simple as it can get: two oxygen sensors and a cat. The California model, however, was frickin' ridiculous. I haven't owned it in six years so my memory may be a bit off on this, but my recollection is that it had pre-cats, two main cats, and four oxygen sensors.



Even on CA-spec vehicles, cats are relatively cheap. The last cat I had done in Los Angeles was around $100 installed; bashing them on stuff out in the desert meant that I was getting a new one pretty much annually even if it wasn't a smog test year. $100 for a new cat vs. what a plugged one would burn in fuel over a couple of months was a no-brainer.



This.
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I am not entirely sure so I may be talking out my ass, but I think all 01's had the precats and 4 sensors. My grandmother has a mint 01 XJ, she bought it new off the lot, it has 35K miles on it. It was sold in OH and has never left, it has 4 cats and a bunch of ridiculousness.
 
87manche said:
I am not entirely sure so I may be talking out my ass, but I think all 01's had the precats and 4 sensors.
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Given that that was the run-out year for the XJ it wouldn't surprise me if they all came with CA-spec emissions; Chrysler may have done some sort of rationalisation of the equipment for that year. However, it is also possible to order CA-spec emissions in Federal-requirement areas, so it could just be what the dealer punched in at the time of order.

What I can say for certain is that after my '01 was totalled I was specifically looking for one with Federal emissions and found it on the 2000. Having to replace all four oxygen sensors on the '01 made me vow never to deal with that hell again.

My grandmother has a mint 01 XJ, she bought it new off the lot, it has 35K miles on it. It was sold in OH and has never left, it has 4 cats and a bunch of ridiculousness.
Click to expand...

You know, this has me wondering if the TJs and WJs with the 4.0 in that year also got the CA-spec emissions gear as standard, or if the XJ was just the lucky one. Seems like it'd be an all-or-nothing thing for the entire range, but that's just speculation on my behalf.
 
no idea. It is a beautiful patriot blue 01 though, I had her replace the FACTORY tires last year, they still had good tread, but the dry rot was scary. Garage kept it's entire life, not a single spot of rust on the underbody.

I've laid claim to it already.
 
87manche said:
patriot blue
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I'm just going to get in line behind you for that one, if you don't mind :D

Best. XJ. Colour. EVER.

I'd gladly put up with CA emissions for that.
 
casm said:
I'm just going to get in line behind you for that one, if you don't mind :D

Best. XJ. Colour. EVER.

I'd gladly put up with CA emissions for that.
Click to expand...

it's a "classic" as well, lacking the badges and what not, just the vinyl grey classic on the fender. Has the factory polished lip wheels too.


charlotte sure knew what she was looking for when she picked that thing out in 01.
 
Damn, that must be a beautiful jeep.

As for avoiding the 00-01 unless for an engine donor - I'd avoid it for that too. Different (cursed) head, and coil packs.

I actually like OBD-II, since I'm an electrical/computer engineer, but the '99 was about the peak of the XJ engine-management wise.
 
kastein said:
Damn, that must be a beautiful jeep.

As for avoiding the 00-01 unless for an engine donor - I'd avoid it for that too. Different (cursed) head, and coil packs.

I actually like OBD-II, since I'm an electrical/computer engineer, but the '99 was about the peak of the XJ engine-management wise.
Click to expand...

only an engineer could love it for it's complexity. I have a different mindset, I find beauty in making it as simple as possible, and it doesn't get much simpler than teh renix.
 
I like OBD-II because it remembers things and gives me a chance to debug intermittent failures, which is why most people hate it ("the damn check engine light won't go out, I don't care if it has an intermittent problem, it will still drive, but it's not passing inspection dammit!") but it lets me figure things out. Could do the same with a RENIX but I don't feel like sitting under the hood with a DMM while someone else drives.
 
yjnick95 said:
I was lucky my 2000 on has one cat and two o2's, it is a early 2000.
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X2 my 2000 has one cat and two sensors. other than haveing a problem with heater cores it's been a champ for 86,000...yes i only work a mile from home :)
 
00-01 there are 49 state and 50 state emissions versions--the 50 state version blesses you with the two mini-CATs in the manifold and the 4 o2 sensors.

You will run into the 50-state emissions vehicles all over the country as excess CA production/inventory was dumped everywhere.

No CAT and you are ILLEGAL with the feds, regardless of state requirements.

All the CAT does is reduce toxic combustion byproducts. With HP CATs available today there is no reason to run a CAT-less licensed motor vehicle.
 
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kastein said:
I like OBD-II because it remembers things and gives me a chance to debug intermittent failures, which is why most people hate it ("the damn check engine light won't go out, I don't care if it has an intermittent problem, it will still drive, but it's not passing inspection dammit!") but it lets me figure things out. Could do the same with a RENIX but I don't feel like sitting under the hood with a DMM while someone else drives.
Click to expand...

I'm good with the multimeter, and if you make long enough test leads you can run the meter in the cab while you drive, or just tie it to the wiper arm. Yes, I have driven around with a multimeter attached to my wiper arm, it's like the Renix version of a high visibility tach on the hood.
 
I really do have to agree with what you guys are saying, CATs are a more responsible and sensible option. I also would definately want the OBD setup of a 99 or so, I just really mean all the clutter between the radiator and the firewall, how much can be gutted aside from power steering, AC and heater hoses? Would any of that make a quick failure for inspections (no emissions, just visual) if registered as an 84? There's just so much crammed under the hood, it seems.

For the record, I am comfortable with a multimeter (aviation electronics technician in the military) but really like the concept of an engine that idols well in any weather and adjusts to changes, so would want an EFI in any (much) older vehicle, even.

Thanks for all of the input, though. I am hoping for a 99+ (are the distributor-less systems more prone to failure?), and likely want to go 99 for the higher pinion axle.
 
87manche said:
I'm good with the multimeter, and if you make long enough test leads you can run the meter in the cab while you drive, or just tie it to the wiper arm. Yes, I have driven around with a multimeter attached to my wiper arm, it's like the Renix version of a high visibility tach on the hood.
Click to expand...

Do you set the wipers on intermittent or high/low speed?

Most days of the week I can be found driving around with one of the following duct taped to a windshield: oil pressure gauge, fuel pressure gauge, multimeter, naughty grandkids.
 
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