Can you Put a 96 motor in a 2000 jeep? The answer is yes.

This very well may have been discussed before, in fact, i know it has but the problem is, I could not find the info on the internet to give me a exact answer. I have a 2000 xj that had a blown motor. I tried searching the forum for answers on if a pre 97 motor would work in a post 97 jeep. I couldn't find the answer, and that is why i am posting this.

I used a motor out of a 96 jeep cherokee sport, I simply used the whole 96 motor, replaced the 96 injectors with my 2000 injectors, replaced the 96 distributor with my 2000 cam sensor. I replaced the 96 alternator with the 2000 alternator, I used the 96 header and intake instead of the 2000 dual manifolds which needed to obviously be fabricated to fit. But other than that, i turned the key and drove her out the garage.

I know to some people this may be a useless post, but in my case, I wish someone would of posted this before i started the project to give me the added confidence i was looking for. I just didn't want to install another motor with a crappy head. If you have any questions about the install, feel free to post them and i will answer them the best i can. And if this is the wrong part of the forum to post this i am sorry.

Isn't that asking for trouble with your local .gov?

Not in Michigan.

The smog cops in CA would have a heyday with that.

and what was done about the other 2 o2 sensors...

I only had 2. one after the manifold and one by the cat.

Well if you used your 2000 computer, it's expecting 2 more 02's.

DeftwillP said:

Well if you used your 2000 computer, it's expecting 2 more 02's.

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Some 2000's have 2 cats/O2's and some 4 cats/O2's.

Tim_MN said:

Some 2000's have 2 cats/O2's and some 4 cats/O2's.

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this. As you found, it's not too too difficult to make a federal / 49 state 2000 use an earlier motor, just the cali emissions ones.

96 is the same as 97+, 96 was the first year for that casting series (96-99) and the first year to use the new-style ps/tensioner bracket

Thanks for posting the info. Why didn't you use the 2000 intake? Which throttle body did you use?

I cracked the intake when i was disasembling the motor, boss was welded in the head pretty good. I used the 96 throttle body.

jeeperjohn said:

The smog cops in CA would have a heyday with that.

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The rule is that you can replace with the same year or newer isn't it? Which is how the Hot Rod Boys get away with murder.

"But Occifer Sir, the engine in my '34 Ford Phaeton is out of a 98 Corvette".

I can remember getting pulled over for emissions checks. Anyone out in Cali remember the rolling safety/emission stops? Cops would just set up shop on the side of the road and pull vehicles out of traffic.

Ah, the "good old days"...

yes, same year or newer. As long as the casting number is the same on the block of a 4.0 it really comes down to the intake/head/exhaust/sensors/computer (or carb on older vehicles) being right.

96 and 00 throttle bodies should be either the same or very very similar.

And there are currently rolling smog checks - read a news article about it the other day. So glad I don't live there (though the only non stock emissions/exhaust on my truck is a cherry bomb and turndown under the bed, the downpipe, cat, and everything else are 100% OEM quality parts.)

So. Cal the good old days.

Even before that it, used to be tied to the year of the engine. I had a 1968 VW baja bug and to get it 'smogged' I bought and would install a 1958 engine for the day and show them the book/manual with the serial number and the corresponding year and would pass my smog because the engine year was exempt(pre'65). Later it changed to the later of the engine or chassis. I sold the '58 engine and '68 bug.

They also if you didn't pass, would only require you to spend up to $100 towards getting your vehicle to pass. Once you spent $100 the mechanic would give you an exemption. I did that too, would 'pay' the mechanic $100 to exempt me for that year. They stopped that also.

The history of these smog laws/inspections is very interesting.

Today your OBD2 does a smog test everyday.

California is just short of communist. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

What about the other way? A 2000 motor in a 96? I have a motor out of a Wrangler with 70k on it.

Check if the Wrangler motor has a TUPY head on it... if it doesn't, sell the motor for 400 on CL and buy a normal mid 90s XJ motor for 1-200, pocket the balance. If it does, either run it or sell it on CL for 500 and pocket the balance.

if the engine is the same for the most part and you use the emissions controls from the newer vehicle, you should be fine in CA, i've done it before.
if it's a completely different motor, you may run into issues.

adrenalinepirate said:

What about the other way? A 2000 motor in a 96? I have a motor out of a Wrangler with 70k on it.

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Any 1991-2001 XJ Cherokee engine block, 1993-1998 ZJ Grand Cherokee engine block, or 1997-1999 TJ Wrangler engine block will interchange.

Simply install the correct intake/exhaust manifold, fan belt driven accessories, sensors, cylinder head, distributor or cam sensor, and flywheel from the original motor onto the donor motor, as needed or required. 2000-01 use the 0331 head, but there are threads here on on how to deal with that also.

1999+ WJ Grand Cherokee and 2000+ TJ Wrangler engine blocks have different bolt holes for the motor mounts and fan belt driven accessories and are not bolt in. With some modifications and changes to the engine block and mounting brackets, you can make them fit, but since there are plenty of bolt in engines, it is not worth the time or trouble.