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View Full Version : First Time Experiencing A HO XJ


XJoshua
June 16th, 2007, 13:53
Well this last week Ive been helping my friend find a Jeep since his dad is taking back his Ranger tomorrow.

So Ill start my story here with first couple Jeeps we looked at then how I got him to like XJs.

First Jeep we looked at was a '87 YJ for $5700 that has some cancer, but the engine was a rebuilt 4.2L with a MPI HO conversion done on it. The thing was peppy as hell and was a 5 Speed. I didnt like how it rode mostly because of the short wheel base and the leaf springs all over might have added to the factor. So his dad took a look and said he'd sign on the loan papers after hearing my advise and having a look himself.

So we kept looking around and today test drove another '87 YJ. This one was nice but the driver window was gone. Someone did a shit job rhino linning it and the speedo, lights, ignition key cylinder didnt work. Also somone put 30" tire on its already sagged leaf springs so the tires had eatin into the fender. The guy bullshitted me the whole time, I expected mor from someone who said he's owned 5 CJ before. Said the YJ was a FI 4.0L, but I saw the damn carb and fuel pump on the block so that kinda told me this one wasnt worth my friend money. This one was for $4800. I told the dealer $3000 and he'd buy it. Well the dealer told me a few mean words and I told him he shouldnt carry shit ass vehicles on his lot then I hung up on him.

Next went to another used dealership that had a Jeep Laredo was all the guy knew and that it was a '89. So we spend a hour with the sales person looking for a '89 Jeep Laredo. We found a XJ but the milage didnt match. Then found a MJ that was falling apart. Friend wasnt interested so I gave the salesperson a card and told him Ill take it for $500 he said they probally would sell it for that and he'd give me a call on monday.

So on to the XJ. This was at another used car dealership. A '96 Cherokee Country for $4995. OMFG this thing was mint minus a cut in the door panel and a few cuts in the drivers seat. It has 170k miles on the odometer and the usual simple to fix oil leaks. Took it for a test drive since my friend is 16 and cant drive away from a dealership. That thing rode so nice compaired to my '88 being this one had arched leafsprings and working shocks. Also had the dual diaphram brake booster which is next on my mod list just because of the increase in braking power. The guy said in 4Hi its a 231 the tired catch and jerk. Well thats just because the power going to both axles and a tire needing to slip so I said that was a problem thatll need adressed since he mentioned it. Also it did overheat a bit and take a small leak once parked so I mentioned that. The salesperson said he'd drop it to $3995 due to the "problems" i mentioned. Other then that this thing made my XJ feel like the guys from the Enzyte commericals that cant get it up. So I got my friend pretty hooked on getting it but he still wants a Wrangler. So I said you buy it and take care of it until you saved up for a YJ or TJ and he could probally sell it for the same purchase price. Also I offered my time in working on it.

Man I cant wait til I get my stroker in and bigger brake booster then itll ride like that '96 and my Jeep will begin to work like Bob from Enzyte.

Also were looking at a '89 YJ now for a much more friendly price of $2300. And this one looks nice by nice I mean mint on the outside. Just did a drive by since the owner wont be back until tomorrow. The guy I talked to said it was a Carb'd 4.0L with a 4 Speed. Does that even sound right? Shouldnt it be a Renix 4.0 with a 5 Speed being that its a '89?

So thats my experience with some other Jeeps and I want my '88 upgraded already. That also remind me to call the machine shop on the status of my engine.

XJLafonda
June 16th, 2007, 14:06
Haha! it may be carbed. If it is, it's not a 4.0, it's a 4.2! '89 was the last year they had the 4.2, and it may have had a 4 spd. I don't know how it goes for the 6 cylinders but the 4 cylinders had two trannies. The AX4 and the AX5, which was AX4, but was a 4spd with a 5th gear overdrive. Sooo who knows!

bajacalal
June 16th, 2007, 20:47
The Wranglers got the carbed 4.2 until 89 or 90 even though the Cherokee got the injected 4.0 earlier...

XJoshua
June 16th, 2007, 22:23
So whats the pitfalls of owning a carb'd wrangler? Life expectancy? MPG? Power compaired to a Renix?

Or would it just be worth it to tell my bud to get the super sexy XJ? Put a budget lift on it and let him finish driving it for his last two years of high school.

camarors8992
June 17th, 2007, 09:16
The 4.2L motor isn't that great. I had one, it would chirp second, but meh, I like my cherokees better.

XJLafonda
June 17th, 2007, 09:22
The 4.2 is a torqey motor. It's carbed, and it's gas mileage sucks.
Meh, it was a good motor, but don't expect it to perform when you start it up. With any carbed vehicle, you've got to let the motor warm up, and when doing hills the carb is really lacking...oh and good luck getting it to start after the oh so dreaded roll over.

That...and you can flood a carb, FI's are electronic ^.^

RichP
June 17th, 2007, 09:31
Check the YJ's over carefully, get under the rear and check the frame, they rust right around the rear shock mounts and the cross member by the gas tank.
Some good stuff, the carbed carter can be used as a talking down point. The carb bites, the webber conversion sucks, the conversion to a motorcraft to a 2100 is OK. Here however is a jewel of a conversion complete with instructions and pictures, better than the documentation that comes with the webber thats for sure. Bookmark this page for future use if you forsee a YJ down the road.
http://www.bustedjeep.com/projects/junkyardtbi.asp
That gives you FI on the cheap and works really well. We have had two and I wish I had had that link before sinking $500 in to the webber plus the aggrivation of going thru THREE NAPA rebuild carter bbl's before doing the webber, plus the three weekends down the tubes.

woody
June 17th, 2007, 09:53
Is it possible to easily swap a 4.0 (Renix or HO) head/exhaust/intake onto a 4.2l block?

Reason I ask is my bro-in-law just picked up an '84 AM General postal van... (carbed 4.2l 3spd auto, D44 rear) and the wifey has this bright idea of talking him out of it, and converting it into a 'camper'

Silly me has the notion that if I get stuck with this pig, it's probably no big stretch to take it to the next level: matching D44 front axle, 4.0 or FI 4.2, AW4/242 yadayadayada...mostly from spare junk I have laying around if possible. Nothing too humungerous, but certainly better than an open-diffed 2WD.

DrMoab
June 18th, 2007, 06:56
The 4.2L motor isn't that great. I had one, it would chirp second, but meh, I like my cherokees better.
The 4.2L motor is the best motor ever made by jeep.

Its not high strung like 4.0L but it will pull its guts out on a trail all day long at 800 RPM.

The only downfall is the carb, which can be switched. There are several Fuel Injection kits on the market.

Oh and they made them till 90. I know, I owned one. And...as far as I know all YJs had 5 speeds or 3 speed autos.

RichP
June 18th, 2007, 07:19
Is it possible to easily swap a 4.0 (Renix or HO) head/exhaust/intake onto a 4.2l block?

Reason I ask is my bro-in-law just picked up an '84 AM General postal van... (carbed 4.2l 3spd auto, D44 rear) and the wifey has this bright idea of talking him out of it, and converting it into a 'camper'

Silly me has the notion that if I get stuck with this pig, it's probably no big stretch to take it to the next level: matching D44 front axle, 4.0 or FI 4.2, AW4/242 yadayadayada...mostly from spare junk I have laying around if possible. Nothing too humungerous, but certainly better than an open-diffed 2WD.

Go to that site I posted above, just go to the home page, it has the step by step of the 4.2 to 4.0 head conversion.