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can you wire a 96 grand cherokee trans in a 97 cherokee?

I

ibrokeit

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Albertville, Alabama
Just like the title says. Bought what I thought was a 1996 Cherokee motor, trans, and transfer case for my 1997 Cherokee 4x2. Found out real quick all the accessories were different so I swapped everything from the 1997 motor to the 1996 one....never paying much attention to the trans. Turns out it is from a 1996 GRAND Cherokee with the Chrysler trans. Any way to wire it up? Maybe someone in the Southeast wanna trade?
 
Why not use the 97 AW4?

EDIT: Forget it, just saw the 4x2!

I would say you are screwed. The GC Chrysler trans is controlled by the PCM, and the Cherokee has a separate TCU.
 
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The tail shafts would be different for using the 97 AW4. Wiring up the Grand would be more work then it should be.

I suggest selling the Grand transmission and buying a 97 AW4 auto that was out of a 4x4.
 
Jeepm@n said:
The tail shafts would be different for using the 97 AW4. Wiring up the Grand would be more work then it should be.

I suggest selling the Grand transmission and buying a 97 AW4 auto that was out of a 4x4.
Click to expand...
thats what i figured. should i keep the transfer case or sell it with the trans and find another transmission/transfer case combo?
 
Also, the Grand transmissions pretty much suck from what I've read. And I know a guy with a ZJ that has had to rebuild his a few times already... so I believe this. Get yourself an AW4 from somewhere else and sell the Grand transmission on craigslist ;)
 
kastein said:
Also, the Grand transmissions pretty much suck from what I've read. And I know a guy with a ZJ that has had to rebuild his a few times already... so I believe this. Get yourself an AW4 from somewhere else and sell the Grand transmission on craigslist ;)
Click to expand...

again, ya think i should sell the transfer case with it or no?
 
ibrokeit said:
again, ya think i should sell the transfer case with it or no?
Click to expand...

Price it out in your area.

Call a few salvage yards and see what an AW4/transfer case combo will run you, and then check what the AW4 out of a 4x4 will run you.

I think the transfer case will swap over to the AW4 w/o problems--depending on the year of the AW4 and t/c case.

Someone else can give more info, or call Advance Adapters or Novak and get their input.
 
if its the np249 then yes. i dont know what other tcases came in the zjs
 
kastein said:
Also, the Grand transmissions pretty much suck from what I've read. And I know a guy with a ZJ that has had to rebuild his a few times already... so I believe this. Get yourself an AW4 from somewhere else and sell the Grand transmission on craigslist ;)
Click to expand...

Agreed. I'd try to find the much more reliable AW4. I know that the 1993 Jeep Grand with the Chrysler tranny had a separate TCU. The connector was the same, except it was red for the chrysler tranny versus green for the AW4 tranny. I'm not sure that would work for you even if you could find one.

You'd have to do some research, but if it has two solenoids for the shifting and one for the t/c lockup you may be able to wire it up. It would depend on whether the output speed sensor worked and had the same pulses/rev, and which solenoids were on for gear selection. Personally, I'd try this myself as I'm a glutton for electronics and wiring work.
 
Also the Chrysler ZJ transmission will not fit under the XJ properly, unless you do MAJOR, serious, MAJOR sheet metal frame work, which is pointless.

Don't know anything about the transfer case.
 
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Ecomike said:
Also the Chrysler ZJ transmission will not fit under the XJ properly, unless you do MAJOR, serious, MAJOR sheet metal frame work, which is pointless.

Don't know anything about the transfer case.
Click to expand...

I actually got it and the transfer case in the jeep no prob. Guess I'm going to pull it back out on Tuesday
 
ibrokeit said:
I actually got it and the transfer case in the jeep no prob. Guess I'm going to pull it back out on Tuesday
Click to expand...

I forget the exact details but as I recall the final connections and alignment have big issues, like the floor board shift linkage, 4x4 linkage mounting, and other issues. I forget all the details, but it is posted with a link here from a few months ago when I was doing a 4.0 swap and we discovered the ZJ did not have an AW4. Also the TC and flex plates are different.
 
Ecomike said:
I forget the exact details but as I recall the final connections and alignment have big issues, like the floor board shift linkage, 4x4 linkage mounting, and other issues. I forget all the details, but it is posted with a link here from a few months ago when I was doing a 4.0 swap and we discovered the ZJ did not have an AW4. Also the TC and flex plates are different.
Click to expand...

Yea, I havn't gotten as far as hooking up linkage. I am just gonna pull the trans and transfer case on tuesday and start looking for a AW4.
 
After 93, the ZJ had the POS Chryco 42RH/E
 
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