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2000 xj 2wd to 4wd..

randomguy310

NAXJA Forum User
Location
kentucky
my doner xj is also a 2000 4wd, my question is what all do I need to make it all work like oem the shift indicator lights and all that haven't tore into either just trying to wrap my head around it.. on my 2wd will it have the harness there just unused.. thanks any help would help.
 
you will need the trans/TC harness off the donor 4x4... very simple plug and play on that.
Very easy conversion if ya have the donor vehicle to get everything off of.
 
Gonna need to know if it's 4.0 or 2.5 engine and whether it's auto or manual. Also what rearend you have.
 
d35 or 8.25 rear diffs?

Stuff you need to swap:
Transmission, transfer case, front driveshaft obviously, rear driveshaft, transfer case shifter linkages and brackets, front axle.

I'm not sure if the bulb is installed in the instrument cluster already, it should be. If it isn't, swap the instrument cluster, or stuff a bulb in it in the proper spot.

The transmission wiring will simply plug right in.

I believe the transfer case switch wiring goes as far as one of the connectors by the trans dipstick, but I'm not sure. When you pull the donor drivetrain out along with the harness, be nice to it, and look at how it plugs in. If it just plugs in, do that, if not, you may have to splice two wires to make it work, or swap the engine bay harness if you don't want to splice your harness.

I'd check my FSM but I misplaced the closest year I have to a 2000 (my 1998) and haven't been able to find it in something like a year now. Either way, it's two wires to the transfer case switch/sender, when they're connected together, the light comes on. Super simple, and since you have two of the same year for your swap, you can compare pretty easily.

The only remaining question I have is whether the recipient and donor have the same rear diff. If they do, you can just swap the rear driveshaft. If they don't, you need the rear driveshaft for a 1996-2001 4.0/auto/4x4 XJ with the same rearend as the recipient has. If the recipient has an 8.25 and the donor has a d35, find the right driveshaft, if the recipient has a d35 and the donor has an 8.25, do yourself a huge favor and swap the rearend and driveshaft, you'll want a new set of U-bolts to install the rearend, but it's worth it because the 8.25 is significantly stronger.
 
I just did this swap to this year xj. Donor vehicle was a 99. Took the trans, tcase and harness, driveshafts, front axle, shifter stuff. The 4wd light is there already I was thrilled when it turned on haha. Anyway it's a very easy swap. There is a hole already for the shifter too it's just blocked off
 
That sucks... gonna need to find a rear driveshaft to match a 96-01 4.0/aw4/4x4 with an 8.25. Fortunately that is a very very very common combination, you can't swing a dead cat in a junkyard around here without hitting a few.
 
Length. The d35 has a shorter pinion snout than the 8.25, so a d35 shaft is longer than an 8.25 one, holding all other things (4x4 vs 4x2, auto vs manual, 2.5 vs 4.0, 95 down vs 96 up) constant.
 
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