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5.2 Swap into XJ

I

IdahoBoy

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Boise, ID
So I've been doing some read up on dropping an entire drivetrain out of a ZJ into my XJ, I loved my old dakota with the 318 and I love the way my cherokee handles so I had to have both worlds. I know someone has done this kind of swap on here before but I cant remember his name on here, but also I want to know if there is a company out there that makes a plug and play kind of harness to drop this motor in to save some time on this project. Any info on this info on this kind of project would be greatly appreciated.
-Harry
 
It comes up once in a while. I only remember a single guy who actually did it - 5.2somethingXJ I think.
Honestly... the 5.2 is / was a fine engine but a Chevy LS swap is going to be cheaper, faster & higher performing. There are just so damn many of them around and so many parts available.
I'm not saying "Don't" or "Shouldn't" I'm just sayin... if you want a V8 XJ, the LS route is probably your easiest / fastest / highest performance option.

Or build a stroker I6 engine and get V8-like torque.

Sorry, I really don't have anything in the way of 5.2 tech.
 
Thought about doing a LS prior but I couldnt pass up a complete running ZJ for 400 bones, body was rolled nut drivetrain was perfect. Thought about the stroker i-6 when it was running until did a lovely number on it wheeling, has a nice hole in the block on it now haha. The block was about to go anyway non original engine and unknown miles on it with a 260k on the chasis already. Around idaho I couldnt find a chevy motor for cheap
 
i wouldn't waste my time with a 5.2 swap minimal gains over a 4.0, even Mopar guys dislike the 318's
 
ROBZ95Xj said:
i wouldn't waste my time with a 5.2 swap minimal gains over a 4.0,
Click to expand...

This. Underpowered for 5.2L and drinks gas like its going out of style. It is reliable though.. perhaps just a bit under the 4.0L in terns of reliability. If it is an auto its mated to a crappy transmission, the 5.9L does have a better transmission. I personally wouldn't swap it in if I was given one for free.
 
Talyn said:
This. Underpowered for 5.2L and drinks gas like its going out of style. It is reliable though.. perhaps just a bit under the 4.0L in terns of reliability. If it is an auto its mated to a crappy transmission, the 5.9L does have a better transmission. I personally wouldn't swap it in if I was given one for free.
Click to expand...

i agree with almost all of above. i have a 5.2 zj and it isnt much quicker than a ho 4.0. Maybe a little, but not enough to justify a swap. I get 13-15mpg in it, stock.

The 5.9 zj has the same trans as my 5.2 zj (46re). i dont know if it is common or not so might want to check yours. I have the dealer build sheet and mine definitely came with it.
 
I forgot that the 93-95 5.2Ls got the 46RH. 96-98 5.2Ls got the 44RE and the 5.9L got the 46RE. The 46 is better, but still isn't as reliable as our AW4s. You must have one of the earlier ZJs then.
 
Talyn said:
I forgot that the 93-95 5.2Ls got the 46RH. 96-98 5.2Ls got the 44RE and the 5.9L got the 46RE. The 46 is better, but still isn't as reliable as our AW4s. You must have one of the earlier ZJs then.
Click to expand...

This is correct.

The year of the donor and the XJ receiving it matters.

I swapped a 5.2/46RH into an 86 MJ. I had to make my engine harness using a 94 XJ and 94 ZJ harness. I then had to swap the dash harness and gauges to OBD-I era wiring. The last thing was to change the fuel pump to a HO era MJ pump.

The reason the years matter is because the OBD-I or II / Renix do not play well together.

There are no off the shelf mounts to bolt a Magnum into a XJ. The stock ZJ frame mounts will work but the engine will sit 2" above the fender line. I made drop brackets and lowered mine down to clear the hood.
 
Talyn said:
I forgot that the 93-95 5.2Ls got the 46RH. 96-98 5.2Ls got the 44RE and the 5.9L got the 46RE. The 46 is better, but still isn't as reliable as our AW4s. You must have one of the earlier ZJs then.
Click to expand...

yea i have a 93 grand waggy.
 
I have a 5.9 in mine. It's fun, but not woth the headaches it's given me with trying to keep it cool.

5.3 ls would have been better money spent.
 
I'm a diehard Mopar guy, but I only like the 318 for it's reliability. I'd put it on par with the 4.0, but I'm used to the pre-Magnum motors.

As far as power, I wouldn't bother with the swap. Not worth the headaches for minimal gains. I'd go the stroker route far before a stock 5.2L swap.
 
Read thread #198 in the link I posted earlier.

Bob gives a review of how everything works after going through the effort of the swap. This is coming straight from someone who has performed a 5.2L swap in an XJ. I think that is important.
 
Even the guy himself said it was a ton of work and time consuming.

As a die hard Mopar guy, I can't see swapping in a 5.2L when you can get a 5.3L LS for probably just as cheap and do the same amount of work and end up with MORE power.
 
I've contemplated putting my 5.9/46RE into an XJ build..

But I'm mid-build on a ZJ, so I'll be swapping the 5.2 out and putting the 5.9/46re into the ZJ..

the 5.9 is a decent amount of power over a 4.0, But a stock 5.2 is not nearly enough to justify the work..
 
I agree that they are not much better than a 4.0 HO. My MJ was a 2.5 and the whole drive train was MIA when I drug it home. I stumbled on a 94 ZJ donor for cheap and said whet the hell. It actually isn't hard at all. The 86's have their own issues that the later years don't have. Mainly the radiator support and firewall are different.

It was a great learning experience and I would gladly do it agian.
 
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