New to XJ please help

Thanks for looking. I'm new to jeeps and have a chance to pick up a straight 86 pioneer with 2.8, auto, and select trac-whatever that is, sorry. The only problem is the 2.8 has a slight knock in the bottom end. I need to know what engines I can replace this with along with difficulties before I buy. Thanks alot

I'm not real sure what engine you can just swap in without too much trouble but I know that everyone else pretty much hates the 2.8. The select- trac is good. Most of the xj's I have seen do not have this but the only real difference is that on most t-case shifters you have 2hi-4hi-4lo and of course neutral. On the select-trac you have hi neutral lo. Then the switch behind the shifter puts you in and out of hi and lo. Most of us don't have the option of 2lo but with select- trac you do. I recently picked up the same setup you are speaking of. It is an 85 or 86 and the 2.8 is blown up but I am just using it for parts for the other 5 xj's in the family. Put a good motor in it and you will love it.

"Selec-Trac" is simply the name Jeep applied to the high-end, optional transfer cases. The Selec-Trac in an '86 would be a 228 or 229. These are "okay" transfer cases. They are strong enough, especially for the absolutely anemic 2.8L engine, but they do not include a locked 4WD high range. In high range the 4WD is full-time only, which means that there is a differential or viscous coupler (the 228 uses one, the 229 uses the other) that allows the front and rear drive shafts to operate at different speeds. If you want this Jeep for serious off-roading, this is not considered to be "a good thing."

The 2.8L is a Chevy engine, the same engine used in the early baby Blazers and S-10s. It's a dandy boat anchor -- for a small boat. Both the Pontiac 3.1L and Chevy 3.4L (the versions for rear wheel drive cars only) are direct fit replacements, except they don't have provision for a mechanical fuel pump like the 2.8L does so an external fuel pump is required. The flex plate or flywheel also needs to be rebalanced to work with the 3.1L or 3.4L engine.

Depending on what your future plans might be, be advised that in 1987 Jeep redesigned the sheet metal to make room for the longer in-line 4.0L 6-cylinder engine. That means that your options with a blown 2.8L are basically a 3.1L or 3.4L, or going back down to a Jeep 2.5L 4-cylinder engine (which is a very good engine, being the shortened version of the 4.0L). Trying to convert to a 4.0L would be more work than worthwhile.

I believe that you will be a lot happier in the LONG run if you hold of till you see a good deal on a 4.0..... with the 2.8 you will have less power and more trouble... And on top of everything you're already looking into a replacement engine as the other one already has the knock...

Kejtar

you can only go with the 4.0 if you change the tranny or get an adapter for the tranny the 904 uses a small chevy bolt patern on the bell housing.

oh buy the way that means an older chevy v8 will slip in with only mods bein an electric fan insead of a mechanical

or the good ol 2.5 jeep motor will bolt in nicely

Correct me if I'm wrong...But the chevy 2.8 uses a corporate front wheel drive bolt pattern on the bellhousing...so a V8 doesn't just bolt up.

Unless the jeep motor is different than the S10 motors?

Um, Isn't this thread almost 2 years old?

JohnX said:

Correct me if I'm wrong...But the chevy 2.8 uses a corporate front wheel drive bolt pattern on the bellhousing...so a V8 doesn't just bolt up.

Unless the jeep motor is different than the S10 motors?

Click to expand...

let's perpetuate this a lil longer... you are right John.. the 2.8 V6 was a 60 degree "V" and needed a smaller/narrower pattern.. the 3.8 and 4.3 V6s are a 90 degree "V" and can use the SBC pattern..