302 or 4.0?

Hey guys I'm new to this whole thing I've had my xj since I was 16 and have rebuild the aw4, transfer case, front and rear axle and now the 4.0 is knocking really bad. My question is should I just pull it out and drop a 302 or 350 in it or should I just rebuild the 4.0? If 4.0 want are some good parts to put on it like cam, intake, header, so on. Oh and I don't want to stroke it I would like to still use pump 87 gas. Thanks

i wouldnt wste your time with a 350, 302 would be cool as there not many done and there smaller and lighter, aslong as your going for a mustang or explorer one and not the crappy truck 5.0. in the end you still cant beat a LS swap

The ones in the trucks are crap? Didn't know that also didn't know they put a 5.0 in the Explorer. But wouldn't I have to swap out the aw4 when I dropped the v8 or does someone make an adapter.

I can run shitty pemex in my 4.7 stroker, 87 is beyond fine.

Do some research.

For "easy", I'd build a stroker out of the 4.0
For "V8", go straight to the LS swap. A chevy 350 is second place. I'm not a chevy partisan, just talking power per unit of pain & money. Yeah, I think you'll need to change transmissions etc. The 4.8 liter LS sometimes came with an NV3500, which is darned similar to a trans that came in later model Cherokees, so if you gotta have a manual that's a place to start looking.
The 302 has had it's day and it's day is over. It just doesn't make enough power per dollar to be worth the hassle of swapping into anything that didn't already have one. Maybe if you already own one and the swap would be dead easy, sure, but be realistic about the work involved in a V8 swap and the actual price difference between 302 vs LS.

This depends a lot on your budget. Question is how much are you willing to spend if you want to save on labor and parts, what are your fab and electrical skills and what tools are available to you? I am in the middle of putting a 5.9 magnum in mine. Why? It was available cheap (600 for a whole 4x4 truck with a bad motor and 600 for a super clean 65K motor). No change to fuel system (don't even have to reroute any fuel lines). Electrical system is almost identical so merging the harnesses together is pretty easy (will still be 50 state compliant). No adapter, my transfer case bolted directly to the 46re. Downside - could have had more power with some of the other engine choices (but 230hp and 340ft/lbs) won't be shabby, dodge transmissions aren't great will probably need a rebuild soon seeing as the one I pulled out of the truck has over 150k. Other downside is its not a well know swap, so not much available for it. I would be done right now if someone made custom engine mounts to mount the magnums in the cherokee so I didn't have to fabricate them. Yes there are other things, but minor.

I did spend some extra on the aluminum radiator, but the XJ radiator is small enough so didn't want to skimp on that.

Well the reason behind the 302 was because my dad has a 92 f150 with a 302 and ya money is a little bit of a problem don't want to spend more then a grand since I just got laid off last hich and now having to work at some crappy tree trimming company and since this is my only ride ( besides a motorcycle and my dad's jimmy) I kinda need it to run. With the 302 I was thinking it would get better mpg and ya I can fab good enough to put two brackets in

I couldn't tell you what would be involved in the 302 swap in detail. I do know there are no adapters to mate that 302 to the jeep AW4 transmission. So you would have to swap the transmission as well. Not sure if they make a transmission to NP231 adapter. Easiest would be to either replace that 4.0 or either do the stroker kit if you were looking for more power. Strokers aren't cheap either. Not to mention you will need new injectors and I am sure some other stuff. I would start looking for a used 4.0 motor, they are common to find.

Well anyways guys thanks for all the comments and suggestions I think it will be less of a headache if I just pulled the 4.0 out rebuilt it and slapped it back in any suggestions on good brands for a kit or should I just get on flea bay and get one of the master kits from them also its a 96 and everything I've read is that I should switch the intake for a 99+. Will that really make it have more power? Is it bigger or just made better? Oh and my buddy has a comp 235 cam he said it messed the valve springs up to much lift he said I could have it just don't know what springs to get again thanks for everyone here

If you are on a budget I suggest getting a used 4.0 and swapping it in while you build a stroker out of the old one. A V8 swap will be lots of time and money along with tinkering to get it right. A stroker is something you don't want to cheap out on as far as parts and machining. Your best bet is finding a cheap used 4.0 on Craigslist or from someone parting one out. I've seen 4.0s on CL for $250 that are still in the vehicle so you can hear them run.

as someone who's gone through this before:

1) easier/cheaper/very good results: do a stroker.
2) going for a v8? do an LS. Hands down, there's no other swap to do. Novack for one has all the adapters you need, it's been done tons of times before, and it is an absolute dream of a motor- idles like a kitten, roars like a lion at wot. If you're going to do a swap, this is hands down the easiest/best to do. I will say this-- it is far more involved than you probably think. Even if you've done a swap before, the Cherokee is a PITA to swap a v8 into-- every part gives trouble. If I was going to do my motor again, I would really, really strongly consider a stoker (I have a 350).
3) if you can't do an LS, consider a 350 -- though you'll get diminishing returns on that vs. a stroker. I have a 350 in mine.. love the torque, love the sound, but... wish I had done an ls swap.
4) mopar/ford motors-- I wouldn't bother-- I'm not debating whether they're any better or worse than chevy-- just assume they are as good, there's just not that much support out there for them, and you're going to end up doing a lot of fabrication on your own.