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What's the better year XJ to build

smokeyyank

smokeyyank

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Littleton, Crawlarado
Alright, so I've been debating back and forth if I should keep the new XJ I just bought. Long story short, I already have a 93 that is fairly well built (D30HP, 8.8, F\R LSD's, 4.11s, 33's, rebuilt 4.0HO and some other things) and a few weeks ago my tranny cooling line on my aux cooler busted and gushed fluid everywhere. I was able to limp it back home, but was feeling pretty chapped. This was adding to a fast growing laundry list of "sh*t that needs to get done to wheel this summer" and I wasn't feeling like working more on it. So I thought about scrapping the body, stripping my parts and making a new wheeler. I've always liked the styling of the 97+ XJ's better and figured now would be the best time to cut my losses on my 93 and swap my parts over. Luckily I just sold my BMW E30 so I had some extra cash. Through some CL trolling I picked up a fairly clean, stock 01 with 260k for 2k. I did a little bit of research before and knew of some common issues and I've bought enough cars that I knew what to look for in general. The 01 has been fine and starts, runs and drives. I haven't registered it yet because I keep going back to thinking I would be better off building my 93 vs. stripping it and bolting up parts to the 01. I like the 93 because it's already half way there, I don't have any power garbage (The 01 has power everything) and I wouldn't feel bad chopping it up because it's pretty rusted and beat up.

My overall goal is to create "The Ultimate XJ" in my mind. I do really like the set-up I have now with a few exceptions that would be addressed either way. I'm not big on rock hopping and really when I think of what I want is an overbuilt camping/expedition jeep that can go cross country no worries. On either of them I would plan on chopping off the back, stretching the wheelbase, caging it, running long arms up front, getting better LSD's or lockers and keeping 33's for now with a very, very small chance of going to 35's. Really the only difference I'm seeing in the 01 is newer styling, power accessory crap and more emission crap.

So after this rant, which would you guys build? Keep the 93 or strip it and move on the the 01.

Thanks
 
VAhasnoWAVES said:
96 or 97 (cant remember) to 99 gives you OBDII and stays away from the coils found in 00-01. 99 being the year some people regard as the best for the intake manifold.
Click to expand...

I believe it was in 96 when it went to OBDII, my understanding is the only real advantage with OBDII is the ease of scanning codes, but had the downside of more electronic issues. Honestly after my last Chevy I have come to appreciate less electronics in vehicles. Yes, it was a Chevy but GD, that was electrical hell. Was told 97 XJ was one of the worse years because of the transition and wiring issues. Up until recently found out about the 00-01 coils and precats and TJ front axle.
 
Why'd you sell the e30? 96 is first year of obd2


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Id stick with the 93. Just fix the small things here and there untill its done. Would be a lot less work than building the 01. Youre gonna beat it up anyways. The older xjs feel lighter and quicker, as well as a better feeling aw4.
 
1999 would be my preferred choice.
Last year of the HP D30, 7120 head (not the crack prone 0331), distributor ignition and single catalytic converter.
 
smokeyyank said:
I believe it was in 96 when it went to OBDII, my understanding is the only real advantage with OBDII is the ease of scanning codes, but had the downside of more electronic issues. Honestly after my last Chevy I have come to appreciate less electronics in vehicles. Yes, it was a Chevy but GD, that was electrical hell. Was told 97 XJ was one of the worse years because of the transition and wiring issues. Up until recently found out about the 00-01 coils and precats and TJ front axle.
Click to expand...
only advantage? thats a pretty serious advantage IMHO.

my jeep is a '97, with mostly manual options. so i dont see the annoying electrical issues like door locks and such.
 
'97 also has a 1 year only Aw4, electronic wise.
I will vote '98 or '99, whichever is found in the best condition.

Although, he already had a 1993 and 2001 which is what he's asking about.
Given that, I vote the '93.

I have a '91 that I'm working on.
I found an 2wd '01 that looks like it just rolled off of the showroom floor but needed an engine for $400.
After studying the electrical & engine management portion of the
01, I decided I didn't want any of that on an offroad toy.
I'd hate changing sensors on the trail just to make it back.
 
Last edited:
91Heep said:
'97 also has a 1 year only Aw4, electronic wise.
I will vote '98 or '99, whichever is found in the best condition.

Although, he already had a 1993 and 2001 which is what he's asking about.
Given that, I vote the '93.

I have a '91 that I'm working on.
I found an 2wd '01 that looks like it just rolled off of the showroom floor but needed an engine for $400.
After studying the electrical & engine management portion of the
01, I decided I didn't want any of that on an offroad toy.
I'd hate changing sensors on the trail just to make it back.
Click to expand...
no electronics involved with the AX-15. :spin1:

i will say that the crossover made '97 a bit of an odd year, ive found a few things that didnt make sense. i get what your saying. and i agree to an extent. but compared to a lot of vehicles the electronics in these things arent very complicated. the other end of the spectrum can be troublesome too. i would rather have to trouble shoot electrical sensors (which i have had to do maybe twice in 10 years) rather than chasing down vacuum leaks.
 
trippled said:
Because BMW=junk. I vote 91-99. All HO and all pretty good. But idk how much smaller your list will be on a Jeep with 260k. I'd build the 93.
Click to expand...

HAHA, actually I loved the little thing. Easy to work on and a blast to drive. I like to tinker so I was able to pick one up cheap, wrench on it, drove it for a few and sold it for a little $. In another life I would probably daily another....

Thanks for the replies so far. I would agree in hindsight a 98-99 would have been ideal. I think it may just be better to sell the 01 and build the 93. I had also thought about fixing and selling the 93, but I know I'm not going to see anything close to what I've put into so far.
 
Everything Ive read, most people say 99. That's why I bought a 99 lol. I also read that in 97 they cleaned up the engine bay so that there would be less electrical problems down the road. Is that true?

Sent from my HTC M9 using Tapatalk
 
91Heep said:
'97 also has a 1 year only Aw4, electronic wise.
I will vote '98 or '99, whichever is found in the best condition.

Although, he already had a 1993 and 2001 which is what he's asking about.
Given that, I vote the '93.

I have a '91 that I'm working on.
I found an 2wd '01 that looks like it just rolled off of the showroom floor but needed an engine for $400.
After studying the electrical & engine management portion of the
01, I decided I didn't want any of that on an offroad toy.
I'd hate changing sensors on the trail just to make it back.
Click to expand...


Its not a 1 year only aw4, its the exact same aw4 as 87-96. The *plug* is different, but the wires are all the same colors - you can cut the plug off of an 87-96 trans and splice it in, and it works fine.

Our race car is a 1990 and runs a 1997 aw4.
 
Go Renix or go Home:gag:
 
VAhasnoWAVES said:
no electronics involved with the AX-15. :spin1:

i will say that the crossover made '97 a bit of an odd year, ive found a few things that didnt make sense. i get what your saying. and i agree to an extent. but compared to a lot of vehicles the electronics in these things arent very complicated. the other end of the spectrum can be troublesome too. i would rather have to trouble shoot electrical sensors (which i have had to do maybe twice in 10 years) rather than chasing down vacuum leaks.
Click to expand...

Yes, which is exactly why I hunted down an XJ with the AX-15.
I had wanted a 97-99 myself, with the AX-15.
I'm still looking actually, I just bought the Heep bc it was cheap and I wanted one to toy with.

I prefer OBDII on my daily driver, though mine just reached 100k miles and hasn't had any sensoring issues yet, bc it's really convenient to plug in a scanner and see what the problem is.

As far as replacing sensors on the trail, that was directed towards 200/2001 models only.
Never seen such an issue with distibutor ignition models.
 
Last edited:
cal said:
Its not a 1 year only aw4, its the exact same aw4 as 87-96. The *plug* is different, but the wires are all the same colors - you can cut the plug off of an 87-96 trans and splice it in, and it works fine.

Our race car is a 1990 and runs a 1997 aw4.
Click to expand...
Excuse me, I was applying knowledge in a vague manner.
 
91Heep said:
Yes, which is exactly why I hunted down an XJ with the AX-15.
I had wanted a 97-99 myself, with the AX-15.
I'm still looking actually, I just bought the Heep bc it was cheap and I wanted one to toy with.

I prefer OBDII on my daily driver, though mine just reached 100k miles and hasn't had any sensoring issues yet, bc it's really convenient to plug in a scanner and see what the problem is.

As far as replacing sensors on the trail, that was directed towards 200/2001 models only.
Never seen such an issue with distibutor ignition models.
Click to expand...

I had debated on the AX-15, I prefer manuals but after driving my CJ on the trails vs the XJ. I've grown to appreciate having an auto at times. Always a bitch when you find yourself wishing you had a 3rd leg...... That's what she said
 
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