1986 2.8, How to 3.4 smartly

I just "acquired" a 1986 XJ 2.8 5sp. 4dr, body is in very good shape. Believe it or not the Motor is reported to have 180,000 and is still running. It topped out at about 72 smokey mph on the highway... Short term I am just going to clean-up, tune up the old motor. But long term plans is to build is into a good DD and back roads hunting rig....


A 3.4 fuel injected seems to be the best course of action. My weekly driving range runs from 1500 ft in Western Nebraska to over 10,000 + in Colorado. Drive ability would be nice.

Where does one start?
Any good suggestion for hard data?
Making the electronic of the FI system work is a new for me.
Trying to lay out a good plan to do this swap smartly.
I believe in the 5P s


:flamemad: Selling this 1986 and getting a 91 or later XJ is sound advice, but it is advice that can not be taken. Yes, for the record I am a founding member of the $100 saddle on a $10 Mule club. This is the Jeep that I have to work with.

Here's a write-up on the subject.

http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/Project_XJ/Project_XJ.htm

Ton of performance parts for the 3.4 as GM used it in a ton of vehicles.

Parts like:
http://www.pfyc.com/GA3017.html

I have been reading the stuff on Lunghd.... Sadly a bunch of the links are dead ....

The S-10 and v60 web site have some good info,,,,

Looking for info on how to do the Fuel injection...




http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/...Project_XJ.htm

S10 forums is where I would start

The 3.4L (and 3.1L) should be a direct swap for the 2.8L boat anchor.

CAVEAT - Know that the FWD and RWD/4WD versions mount the starter motor on opposite sides. HOWEVER, the Goodwrench Service Replacement (GSR) engines have the starter mounting pads on both sides of the engine - so don't neglect the FWD donors when looking for an engine! The GSR in a FWD chassis is readily identified by an unused starter motor mounting pad on the back side of the engine, as mounted.

While the 2.8/3.1/3.4 all share a common bellhousing pattern, and will therefore mate to the OEM "Baby 904" in your 86, there are advantages to getting the THM700R4/4L60 and NP231C out of the S10 drivetrain. The THM700R4 (1988 and later) is a better transmission with an overdrive range (not found in the 904,) and the NP231C uses a 1.25" wide chain (vice the 1.00" wide chain used in the NP231C. Earlier XJs may have used a different transfer case as well - I don't recall the specifics offhand.)

You'd need to adapt the crossmember to mount the THM700, and you'll probably need to do something with the driveshafts, but I would think that having the better transmission would make up for the costs involved.

"$100 saddle on a $10 mule?" Sounds like my granddad - "This is a great ax. It's only had two head and four handles in the last forty years..."

Good luck finding a good 3.4 for a decent price. I found a few when I was considering that with my 86 MJ but they were outrageously expensive. I'd do a 5.3 swap before I put a 3.4 in one.

Heep 4.0L swap, GM SBC, etc. Way better than 3.4, altho the 3.4L is decent. I guess find a wrecked camaro or other GM vehicle with the RWD 3.4L And grab everything.

Johnnie Walker said:

Heep 4.0L swap

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You do remember that the firewall wasnt clearanced for the 4.0 until 87

souske said:

You do remember that the firewall wasnt clearanced for the 4.0 until 87

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A BFH solves that..