GutLess 2.8!! any fixes?

just picked up a 84 2.8liter xj. this thing is gutless compared to my 4liter! is it just the nature of the beast? i'd like to wake it up a bit. thanks!

yeah i got an 84 2.8 myself. The first thing i did was got the carb rebuilt. Im planning on getting a weber in the future. Edlebrock makes quite a few parts for the motor also. heres a link alot of these parts are for your 2.8 and most of them will bolt right up. http://s-series.org/content/view/18/1/

Swap in a GM 3.4 V6 from an early/mid 90's Camaro. They're an easy and popular swap for the gutless 2.8 and you'll go from a measly 115hp to a more respectable 160.

Dr. Dyno said:

Swap in a GM 3.4 V6 from an early/mid 90's Camaro. They're an easy and popular swap for the gutless 2.8 and you'll go from a measly 115hp to a more respectable 160.

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While I was very satisfied with my 82 S-10 and it's 2.8L V6 it was kind of underpowered, I'd also go for the 3.4L, lotta performance parts out for that one that actually work.

I had pretty good luck building up my 2.8 a few years ago. I put an edelbrock cam, intake, and headers along with a holley 390 carb, and a set of 3.4L camaro heads. The engine runs great, at higher RPM's. I am not sure exactly how much power it put out, but I know I could stay right with a stock 4.0 auto with my 32's and 4.56 gears. If you plan on running just on the street or doing a lot of mud, I would look at building the 2.8-3.4, but if you do rocks, it will be hard to get the low end tourqe needed without going to a huge crawl ratio.

ya sell it , buy a 4.0L:roflmao: arty:

What would it take to swap my 2.8 for a 4.0 in my 86 XJ?

If you got a need for High RPM performance the 4.3 V6 or a V8 is the way to go. Could be a bit prize in the long run.
For low RPM stump pulling power with fair top end the I6 is hard to beat. At a fair price to.
For the 4 to 6 changer over. Just get a working donor Cherokee about the same year (do your home work). A rollover or one that took it in the rear they can be had cheep that way. Park it in your drive way and have at it.
I have not done this change over but I done many others. Jobs like this can nickel and dime you to death without a donor on hand for this or that little part. Plus the time spent driving to the boneyard and part store can add up to.
When finshed the donor can be parted out and get some of you money back that way.

They are doing a 350 swap into a YJ on the new Trucks [sans stacey] on Spike, FI, harness, cpu, the works. From what they are showing it's plug and play with some fuel line cutting to put 35lb fuel pump inline and a filter before it..plugs into the stock dash harness too. It's a multiparter so they will probably be on next week.

Ben868 said:

What would it take to swap my 2.8 for a 4.0 in my 86 XJ?

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don't.
Find a 3.4. There were major modifications made to the front end to fit the I6. Radiator support, hood even the firewall is different from your 84-86 XJ compared to an 87 or later.