Would like your input on a swap...

Background: My son flipped his '97 XJ (see pictures) and of course this happened less than 24 hours after handing over $1000 to the mechanic. So, the engine has new crank sensor, O2 sensors, cat and pipe, fuel pump, and was running simply boffo before the wreck. In fact, I took video of us proping up a battery after pulling the radiator out of the engine and it starting right up and purring. Mind you, every bit of the smog crap that was mounted on the passenger fender was gone!

So, I found and am going to buy this week a '98 XJ with a cracked block. Long story short, ex-husband drove it to the point of the block cracking to get back at his soon to be ex wife, then tore the dash apart to pull his stereo out. It drives, but quickly overheats due to the crack.

So, the plan is to swap out engines. Should be plug and play. I've been toying with the idea of swapping out the entire drive train and turning it into a 4x4. Tranny, t-case, engine, shafts all there 100%. Front D30 is questionable as I know the driver side control arm mounts snapped off upon impact. Not sure if the axle is straight and true. Wouldn't be too hard to get a junkyard D30 though.

Using search, I read something about needing wiring from the donor for the t-case? Anybody have any experience with a swap like this? Seems like the t-case isn't reliant on electrical to work and the only thing I can see is the little 4x4 indicator on the instrument cluster. Shouldn't need that to run and I can't see that indicator throwing an error code. :huh:

Any help or links on doing this swap would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thx!

everything should be plug and play for 97-98 but if you are really worried go to rockauto.com, open two windows for 97 and 98, and compare part numbers. as for speedo, if they are different just swap them--note that the 2WD has it in the transmission tail-cone (which is different) and does not have a transfer case

FWIW you could swap the 4WD drivetrain without the axle, just do that later if you want to get another axle first

97 vs 98 you're going to have an issue with the TCU and ISS/OSS (input/output speed sensors.) The 98 TCU requires the 4 pulse per revolution OSS (98 and later transmissions have this) and the ISS, while the 97 transmission will have a 1 pulse/rev OSS and no ISS. My bet is that you can simply throw the TCU from the 97 and the trans from the 97 into it, and the wiring will be fine, but it may not work going the other direction as I'm not sure if the wire in the harness for the ISS signal is present on the 97 harness.

Your best bet will be to try swapping the 97 TCU in along with the 97 AW4, if that doesn't work out (I suspect it will) you may have to either pick up a 98/later 4wd AW4 or swap the tailshaft and housing adapter from your 97's AW4 onto the 98 AW4.

EDIT: I have a 98 to play around with now - as soon as I get it street legal I can test this theory out, as I'm fairly certain I have a 97 TCU on hand somewhere or other.

Ouch, Hope he's okay.

how the hell did he do that? looks like its on a straight away. RIP Jeep

Everything will swap. If the tranny on the 98 is good I'd leave it , due to the TCU issue. You can easily pull the tail cone and bolt on the 97 TC, and then swap the 98 speed sensor onto that. I'm say 97 motor and tc onto 98 tranny. Or if easier to you 97 Motor, tranny, tc, and computers (ECU and TCU) into the 98. Pick-up a new D30 with gears that match the 98 and your set.

93gc40 said:

Everything will swap. If the tranny on the 98 is good I'd leave it , due to the TCU issue. You can easily pull the tail cone and bolt on the 97 TC, and then swap the 98 speed sensor onto that. I'm say 97 motor and tc onto 98 tranny. Or if easier to you 97 Motor, tranny, tc, and computers (ECU and TCU) into the 98. Pick-up a new D30 with gears that match the 98 and your set.

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um, no. The output shaft on the 2wd and the 4wd AW-4s is different, that's why I suggested maybe swapping that as well as the transfer case adapter housing (which I mistakenly called the housing adapter.) Swapping the output shaft is about the last thing I would do in this kind of case UNLESS the transmission needs to be rebuilt anyways, because it involves basically gutting the transmission and then fully reassembling it.

looks like a nice roll, hope your kid was OK.

that picture with the grass inside the tire is awesome (as long as your son is ok).

from the grass, i'd guess he slid into the ditch going sideways drivers side first... that'll do it!

rweaver138 said:

how the hell did he do that? looks like its on a straight away. RIP Jeep

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Original post here (clicky).

Thanks for the info so far. So, looks like my only hang up is putting the '97 tranny in?

xcm said:

looks like a nice roll, hope your kid was OK.

that picture with the grass inside the tire is awesome (as long as your son is ok).

from the grass, i'd guess he slid into the ditch going sideways drivers side first... that'll do it!

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Yeah, I took a close up of the tire as I agree that it looked cool. Shows the force of his slide before hitting the tree. :wow: He managed to walk away with only a dozen stitches in his leg from some tiny object poking and slicing him. The hole in his pants was the size of the end of a ball point pen.

If i were you I would just buy a 4x4 Saw one posted in the CO chapter that could use a drivetrain. Heres a link? http://boulder.craigslist.org/cto/1793816661.html

Crimzon316 said:

If i were you I would just buy a 4x4 Saw one posted in the CO chapter that could use a drivetrain. Heres a link? http://boulder.craigslist.org/cto/1793816661.html

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Hmmm. that wouldn't happen to be your now would it? :wave:

kastein said:

EDIT: I have a 98 to play around with now - as soon as I get it street legal I can test this theory out, as I'm fairly certain I have a 97 TCU on hand somewhere or other.

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Any luck on this?

Nobody else?

Can anybody point me to an online write-up on swapping an engine? Or, can anybody walk me through it? Never done one before and could use some tips and advice! Should be simple enough but if I need a windshield wiper belt spanner wrench to ease in pulling the flux-capacitor off or something, I'd like to know about it before I'm knee deep in 4.0! Thanks!