swap a 93 for a 94? opinions

Here's the deal, I have a 93 ho with 270,000 kms on it, thats approx 180,000 miles?? I have had a few probs with mine due to the high mileage but nothing major, body is decent though I have fixed a few holes in the floor and cargo area. New front brakes and head gasket done very recently. But I'm happy with mine, has been very good for the 2 yrs I've had it. May have the opportunity to land a 94 that is extremely clean, it came from British Columbia so has not seen any road salt, it is pristine. Same engine as mine but heres the kicker, it has 167,000 kms on it, thats 100,000 miles!?!?! I am not a fan of the colour of the new one, teal grean but I dont know if I should pass up on the low kms. I believe I will have to swap an engine in mine in the next 2 yrs or so due to emissions tests and so on. Do you guys think I should work hard to get this new one or is it an even swap for both, I could get the new one and have engine problems right after that. Let me know your opinions. Thanks in advance.

I have a '94 2-door with 140,000miles (just a baby compared with others here). There isn't much difference between a '93 and '94 other than some roof and side door strengthening and a few other minor changes like that. Mine's been great and (according to the TSBs I've read from alldata.com) they don't seem to have many year-specific problem areas. I'd go for it.

tkjeeper said:

Here's the deal, I have a 93 ho with 270,000 kms on it, thats approx 180,000 miles?? I have had a few probs with mine due to the high mileage but nothing major, body is decent though I have fixed a few holes in the floor and cargo area. New front brakes and head gasket done very recently. But I'm happy with mine, has been very good for the 2 yrs I've had it. May have the opportunity to land a 94 that is extremely clean, it came from British Columbia so has not seen any road salt, it is pristine. Same engine as mine but heres the kicker, it has 167,000 kms on it, thats 100,000 miles!?!?! I am not a fan of the colour of the new one, teal grean but I dont know if I should pass up on the low kms. I believe I will have to swap an engine in mine in the next 2 yrs or so due to emissions tests and so on. Do you guys think I should work hard to get this new one or is it an even swap for both, I could get the new one and have engine problems right after that. Let me know your opinions. Thanks in advance.

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100,000 miles on the 4.0L motors isn't that much ... they usually get at least 200,000 miles, even if they aren't well taken care of. If they've been babied, it's common to get 300,000 miles or more.

So ... worries about the mileage on the new motor shouldn't trouble you too much. You can always do a compression test, which will tell you more about the condition of the motor. You want it to be around 120 or higher in all cyls.

I've owned a rusty 1991 XJ, and am now the proud owner of a 1994 XJ from the southern US with no rust on it. Like you, I live in Ontario and dread the hated rust monster.

My advice? If you can stand the colour, I'd buy the 1994. I love 1994 XJ's! It's the last year you can get without airbags, first year of the steengthened body, first year of the R-134a refrigerant, etc... The biggest reason I'd recommend going with the 1994 is for the rust.

Working on my 1994 is a lot easier than it was my 1991. With a good clean body/frame, you're not playing a game of catch-up with years of rust weighing you down. You can do it right, right from the start! Rust-proof it, keep it clean, protect it, and your Jeep will have years of life ahead of it. It's worth it for the peace of mind when you crawl underneath to change the oil, and see nothing but smooth, solid metal floors.

On the other hand, if you've taken care of the problems with the old 1993, and don't have anything major pending, I think you might be wise to stick with it. If you buy any used vehicle, you're going to have problems. It's one of the few things you can really count on in this world; death, taxes, rust, and crappy sales. Swapping in a used engine isn't too bad, they're cheap and easy to find. Plus, if you can see it coming, and have the time, you can use the excuse to make a cheap little stroker! HP and Torque to burn man! Woo-hoo!



So, to sum it all up; my advice is to go for the 1994 and make it your dream Jeep. You can't go wrong if you have a solid foundation. If you're happy with your Jeep, and your only worry is the engine, then I'd stay the course, and fix that little Jeep when it's time for a power-plant swap.