Unbelievably New

In Chicago Suburbs. I have my second 4X4 and my 1st Jeep. A 93 XJ automatic w/168000 and in great shape. My first 4X4 was a Suzuki Samurai, easy to figure out shifting.

I'm 47 and an idiot. I can launch rockets to 16,000ft at Mach 2 but a total dumbass when it comes to 4 wheeling.

When can I shift into what? I sure don't like grinding gears in the transfer case or the vacuum assist hub lock. What is the "best practice" for getting into 4H, 4L, when and at what speeds do I use "3" and "1-2" What speeds/rpm's are max best at what settings.

HELP ME... If you need computer advice...or want to get your rocket up (no jokes please) let me know.

Rob

Rocketman, congradulations on purchasing an XJ. Beside using it for off road you will become familiar with how it operates if you like to do maintenance. I highly recommend you spend the $100 and buy the shop manuals from Chrysler. You need to call techauthority since manuals over 10 years old are not listed on the web site. You can find their phone number by doing a google search. In the past year I purchased an owner's manual for my 88 Cherokee from them so they should have your shop manuals.

There are two transfer cases used on the XJ. They are referred to the 231 and the 242. The 231 is a "part time" transfercase, you can not use it on paved roads due to a lock of a differential in the transfercase. The 242 does everything a 231 does but does allow you "full time" use on paved roads.

It sounds like you have a 231. My owner's manual says you can shift from 2wd into 4 hi at any "legal" speed. When my 88 XJ was built 55 mph was the national speedlimit.

To shift from 4 hi to 4 lo you have to stop the vehicle then roll forward at 2-3 mph and gently pull the shift handle from 4 hi to 4 lo. I found the best way to get out of 4 lo is to put the transmission in N and then move the transfercase lever to 2wd and then shift back into D.

When I go off road I generally put the transmission in D or 3 and let it do the shifting. I lean more to 3 when off road since I am driving at speeds less than 45 mph. I am not a rock climber, just a creek forder and old logging road driver.

Are you asking about what gear to use for "daily driving" or some off road fun? Also if you do not have the owner's manual then add one in when you order the shop manuals. As the Army would say "have you read your -10?" and if you're AF then it would be "have you read your -1?" lol

Navy actually... I check my 6...

I was asking mostly about off road speeds, changes and settings. You answered a lot by the way, thanks.

When you talk of the 231 not doing fulltime 4wd, that mean regular highway speeds? Like in Winter? Didn't know that, will sure check to see which I have.

I already have done maintenance on the engine to get the temps down. New plugs (Bosch Platinum +2) new wires, cap, rotor. Crankcase filled with Mobil 1.
Put in a 180 thermo, runs 10 to 15 degrees cooler at peak already.

Planning on doing a 3 inch lift in the future as well. Probably a 3" Rusty's kit or an Emu 2". I like the idea of replacing the springs vs an add-a-leaf. I'd like to do a full poly bushing kit on the rest of the ride at the same time.

Have to get a really good torque wrench first. Damn, those things are expensive!!

Thanks again for your help, anyone else chime in too!!!

Actually I was saying "have you read the operators manual" like most of us it never gets read till after the fact - lol

The 231 can not be used on drive pavement, when making turns the front and rear driveshafts will turn at different rates. The transfercase does not have the3 ability to let the one shaft turn faster than the other shaft. I am told this results in a broken chain inside the transfter case.

On the shifter if you have a 4 hi part time and a 4 hi full time it isa 242, if you just have 4 hi then it is a 231.

The consensus on here is to use the Mopar 195F thermostat. It has the bleed hole to let out the air. Also the engine will go into closed loop operatoin at 180F, running a 180F thermostat may have you bouncing between open and closed loop. My XJ run 200 to 210 but it the non-ho engine and they measure the temp at a different location. They say on here the HO engines run at 210 on the temp gauge. Are you running in the 200-210 range or higher. Also that gauge does not have linear marks on it so takes time to figure out what it is really saying.

One way to find out is to start the engine and put your hand on the upper radiator hose. When you feel the coolant flow rush around and look at the temp gauge. With a 180 thermostat you can find out what 180 looks like on the gauge.

With the age of your XJ you may want to consider a colling system renewal. Most likely you have the factory radiator and it is less than optimal performance. Also if your engine running warm consider installing a new fan clutch for the mechanical fan. They last about 5 years. Over time they spin but draw less air. I replaced a 12 year old one on my 88 XJ and what a difference. I laid my hand on the AC compressor and pulled it back right away becaue there was so much air after I changed the fan clutch.

Believe it or not a lot of items are competively priced at the dealer. I run dealer cap, rotor, wires and plugs in my XJ. I have even puchases some sensors from the dealer, they were the same price as the Standard brand at the parts store.

For torque wrenches I use a 250 IN-LB 3/8 drive and a 150 FT-Lb 1/2 drive. Most things you can do with a 75 FT-LB wrench but you need the 150 FT-LB to torque lug nuts. I pruchased mine at Sears.

When it comes to lifts you need to ask the guys on the modified board what to do.

martin said:

The 231 can not be used on drive pavement, when making turns the front and rear driveshafts will turn at different rates. The transfercase does not have the3 ability to let the one shaft turn faster than the other shaft. I am told this results in a broken chain inside the transfter case.

Click to expand...

I see Martin types about as well as I do. That first sentence should, I think, read "dry" pavement rather than "drive" pavement. What he's saying is that the 231 ("Command Trac") transfer case is a conventional transfer case that does not provide an all-wheel drive position for use on dry pavement. I'm not certain but I believe that's the same as your Suzuki.

The 242 ("Selec-Trac") transfer case has all the positions offered by the 231, plus an added "full-time" position that uses a differential within the transfer case to allow use on pavement under all conditions.

You can certainly use a 231 on the highway when there's snow and ice on the surface. I have the 231 in my '88 and I have made numerous winter trips when I have made extensive use of the 4WD when driving in snow storms. It works fine. However, I may be more cautious than necessary but any time I came to a section of road that had just been plowed or which had been cleared by wind, I shifted out of 4WD in order to not stress the transfer case. Under storm conditions, the amount of snow on the road could vary tremendously with every mile of highway, and at times it felt like I was using the transfer case lever to "row" the Jeep down the road. The ability to just pop it into full-time 4WD would have been welcome. Unfortunately, I prefer 5-speeds and the full-time was never offered on the XJs with manual trannies.

Shifting into and out of high-range 4WD can indeed be accomplished at highway speeds. The only caveat is to use common sense. On one particularly sleepy day in Vermont, I started up a steep incline in 2WD and the rear wheels began to slip. I reached for the t-case lever and geard a horrible grinding noise. Yeah -- dummy me, I forgot that the rear wheels were going 35 MPH but the front wheels were going maybe 10 MPH. OOOPS! A "shift on the fly" should be made under light to neutral throttle, and when all 4 wheels are rotating at the same speed.

I was running above 220-230. I have an open system. I take it to mean by open system that I have a radiator cap and my bottle is the overflow variety, not a presurized type. The 180 made a difference. I'll do a fan clutch next and if it runs even cooler, I'll probably go back to the 195 thermo.

I don't have an owners manual, hard to believe you can't download one from Jeep. They need to get with the program.

Thanks again,

Rob

When you do install the new fan clutch also install a new radiator cap. All that overheating has damaged the radiator cap along with your 180F thermostat. With a damaged radiator cap the coolant can not hold as much heat energy per degree so the engine will run hotter.

I'd put a new radiator cap on it today, and do a new fan clutch today or tomorrow if it was my XJ. I think your system uses a 16 lb cap.

Also does your electric fan work? I will admit I removed and replaced mine once and forgot reconnect the electrical. My XJ ran warm and I did stuff like wash my new radiator to get any junk out of it. At a Moment of frustration I was ready to yank out the fan and head off to the dealer to get a new one. I look and see the wire not connected to the fan. I did a homer simpson "doh" , reconnected it and it cooled like it had before.

I think long term - next 6 months - you will need to change the radiator, even with a new thermostat, radiator cap, and fan clutch you may run hot. A paritally plugged radiator will keep heat in the coolant. As an experiment you can pull out the thermostat and run the XJ. If it continues to be hot even with a new radiator cap and new fan clutch then all doubt is removed about the condition of the radiator.

There does seem to be a connection there, from Samurai to XJ. I too had a Samurai, for 14 years. Did all kinds of fun stuff. It was set up for some fun trails. I hated to see it go. But with the arrival of my son, there was no room for him with the cage, harnesses, and parts/tools. I'm finding this XJ experience like drivin a Caddy compared to the old Samurai! I've got some plans for my XJ too. There does appear to be more retired Samurai owners here than I had expected. Maybe I'll keep the Heep for 14 years...... :scared:

I am another Sammy builder ,owner I have owned 3 Sammy's & 1 Tracker am also on my second XJ. Pete

if you plan to lift in the future, you should check out past posts with a seatch, the OME stuff if good, and I know that Rusty has some mixed support, but also don't write of someplace like rubiconexpress they make some really good stuff and are worth checking out.