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4wd Conversion

M

MudslinginXJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Pennsylvania
Well i just stared the 4wd conversion a couple days ago. First step was to take out the Transmission and transfer case. I found out that the Tranny is a AW4 and the Transfer is a NP242. Soon, probably this weekend or next i will start to remove the front differential and all that stuff. Then once all thats done its time to put it all in the jeep. Just wanted to keep you fellow jeepers posted as i get closer and closer to my finally 4 wheel drive cherokee!

I'll keep you posted as the conversion progresses.
 
Great, good luck with the conversion...mine was also a convert and i love it like one of my kids now that its a 4wd.



Mike
 
MudslinginXJ said:
Well i just stared the 4wd conversion a couple days ago. First step was to take out the Transmission and transfer case. I found out that the Tranny is a AW4 and the Transfer is a NP242. Soon, probably this weekend or next i will start to remove the front differential and all that stuff. Then once all thats done its time to put it all in the jeep. Just wanted to keep you fellow jeepers posted as i get closer and closer to my finally 4 wheel drive cherokee!

I'll keep you posted as the conversion progresses.
Click to expand...


awesome man! keep us posted and most certainly keep up the good work! :cheers:

I am very interested in a write up! I have been thinking of doing the same thing! Mine is a 2000 4.0L 4dr... and sadly 2wheel drive... sniff sniff

Please post pix and document it if you can. Thanks a bunch!

What year Jeep ya got? Is the parts ya got from all sorts of years or ya simply got a whole Jeep? Sorry about the questions!
 
Backdraft said:
Great, good luck with the conversion...mine was also a convert and i love it like one of my kids now that its a 4wd.



Mike
Click to expand...
sorry didn't mean to ignore you Backdraft, had to take care business, hopefully you got pix and advice as well too. Would to look forward any sage advice from anyone who did the conversion. My hats to ya all! :patriot: :viking:
 
dogtired said:
awesome man! keep us posted and most certainly keep up the good work! :cheers:

I am very interested in a write up! I have been thinking of doing the same thing! Mine is a 2000 4.0L 4dr... and sadly 2wheel drive... sniff sniff

Please post pix and document it if you can. Thanks a bunch!

What year Jeep ya got? Is the parts ya got from all sorts of years or ya simply got a whole Jeep? Sorry about the questions!
Click to expand...

I'll definetly keep you posted. As of right now i dont have any pictures but i will get some soon. While working on the conversion i am also going to be putting a 3inch lift on it. The Jeep is just a bone stock 4.0ltr. H.O 6 cylinder 92 cherokee and all of the 4wd parts and the differential and stuff are coming from what i believe is an 88 cherokee, i could be wrong though. I dont mind answering questions, so if you got a question and i know the answer..i'll let ya know :p

Also if anyone has some helpful tips on doing this conversion, feel free to post them.
 
Where in PA are you at? I converted my MJ this past summer up in PA, and unfortunately it's still up there (sniff, sniff...) I'm going up this weekend to wrench on it a bit, weather permitting. I've got to replace the prop valve and run a new exhaust system from the manifold back, and some other stuff if time permits.
A little tip to help you out...go ahead and remove the front axle assembly first and block the front end as high as you can safely get it. I found it easier to work on the rest of the drivetrain with direct access from the front as well as the sides. Tranny jack isn't essential, but would make your life alot easier, considering the weight of the AW4 (I luckily have an AX5 :)) You may want to install the trans without the TC attached to make it easier, then bolt the TC to the trans.
Shoot me a PM if ya want...maybe if you're close enough we can meet up this weekend and compare notes and wrench a little. I'll be in Johnstown, southwest PA about 40 mi. east of Pittsburgh.
Jeff
 
I live in Monaca, PA. Its probably about a 20-40 min. drive to pittsburgh depending on how fast you drive. Im turning 16 soon so right now im just fixing it up.

One question though. Its about the torque converter. The cherokee i have that im putting the 4wd on is a 92 6 cylinder 2wd. I was wondering if the torque converter thats on the engine and tranny now would work instead of having the bolt up the torque converter that came with the 4wd tranny.

Also If it helps the 4wd tranny - transfer is a Aisin AW4 - NP242.
 
Update

Just wanted to inform you with our progress with the 4x4 conversion. Well we started the day off by unbolting the exhaust and stuff so that the transmission could be dropped. Couldn't get a bolt loose so we had to cut it off with a grinder. That was just the first dilema. After we got the exhaust out of the way we got all of the wires disconnected from the tranny and unbolted the starter. Also took on the shield that covers the torque converter. Now our next dilema was the 16mm bolt that holds the tranny to the engine. None of the sets we had consisted of one so we looked through a drawer of loose sockets and found only one 16mm. Put it on, then busted the socket. Since that happened we decided to come in. So tomorrow we're going to buy a couple 16mm sockets and finish removing the tranny, then put the new one in and work on replacing the front end.

Also will the torque converter thats already bolted to the engine work with the AW4? Im not sure what tranny is in there now but its a 92 2wd 4.0ltr. if that helps.
 
2WD or 4WD the auto transmission is an AW-4. As far as I know the torque converter should be identical.

Just remember that if you leave the TC bolted to the flywheel (flex plate) when you pull the tranny, you're going to get a face full of tranny fluid. Put a large pan as close as you can get it, and don't put your face where it'll get pee'd on.
 
MudslinginXJ said:
I'll definetly keep you posted. As of right now i dont have any pictures but i will get some soon. While working on the conversion i am also going to be putting a 3inch lift on it. The Jeep is just a bone stock 4.0ltr. H.O 6 cylinder 92 cherokee and all of the 4wd parts and the differential and stuff are coming from what i believe is an 88 cherokee, i could be wrong though. I dont mind answering questions, so if you got a question and i know the answer..i'll let ya know :p

Also if anyone has some helpful tips on doing this conversion, feel free to post them.
Click to expand...

I'm getting ready to do the same exact thing... Only diff is my Tranny and T-Case just came out of a 87 :) But i have a 92 XJ 2door 4.0 Sport. 2wd for now. As soon as I get all my parts together, the conversion will take place. Please definately keep me updated with any problems you may run into. This is my DD ATM and I kind of need to be as pepared as possible. Thanks
 
its defenetly better to unbolt the torque converter from the fly wheel first otherwize its a pita to get it on the splines when reinstalling. I used the torque converter that came with my 4wd trans when I did mine just incase it was a different stall.

the only bolts I had a problem with were the 3/8 inverted torques at the top.

and it was defenetly easyer to leave the trans and transfercase mated because of the bracket on the drivers side

good luck
 
Update

Well got the transmission and exhaust in a couple days ago. Put in the front differential today. About 90% complete with the total conversion. I have a couple questions though. First is: On the old 2wd transmission there was a sensor type thing on it towards the rear...now on the transfer case there is a place for it. There is a wire that came off of the sensor thing and connected to a plug up by the Windshield washer container. I was just wondering if this was needed on the 4wd transfer. Also would anyone happen to know what its called?

Question #2:
In the xj dash that i got the 4wd tranny-transfer there is a power/comfort switch. It is currently not in my dash and i was wondering if this is needed? If it is needed, how much of a pain is it to install?


The help everyone has given me is greatly apprciated! Hopefully one day i'll be able to help someone out as i learn more. :)
 
MudslinginXJ said:
First is: On the old 2wd transmission there was a sensor type thing on it towards the rear...now on the transfer case there is a place for it. There is a wire that came off of the sensor thing and connected to a plug up by the Windshield washer container. I was just wondering if this was needed on the 4wd transfer. Also would anyone happen to know what its called?
Click to expand...
Sounds like the speedo sensor. Yes you kind of need it as that's what makes your speedometer tick :D
 
Thanks Kejtar. I got it off of the 2wd tranny but when i put it on the transfer case the nut busted so i'll have to get another one.

By any chance would you know if the power/comfort switch is necessary?
 
The newer AW4s (’96 and up, I think) don’t have the power/comfort switch. So I don’t think that it is necessary, but it is desirable to have. The switch lets you adjust the stall speed; comfort mode – torque converter locks up at lower rpms, power mode – torque converter locks up at higher rpms. The power mode comes in handy for towing or going up long steep mountains. The wiring should be pretty easy to run and mounting the switch should be no big deal. Since you already have the tranny and switch out, can you tell me how it is set up? I’d assume that there was a resistor or something in the switch or wires running to it. Can you tell or is it just wires running to the power comfort switch?

MudslinginXJ said:
Thanks Kejtar. I got it off of the 2wd tranny but when i put it on the transfer case the nut busted so i'll have to get another one.

By any chance would you know if the power/comfort switch is necessary?
Click to expand...
 
As I understand it, and I could be wrong, the comfort/power switch goes to the TCU or the combined ECU on later models. If you've got a later model then it was never designed to acomodate the cmft/pwr switch... I could definately be wrong, my XJ is pretty old and I don't know much about the newer ones but my wiring diagram shows the switch connecting to the TCU.
 
Well my 92 xj..which is now 4wd didn't have the switch. But what i believe is an 89 that i got the 4wd out of had it. I dont have the switch out yet but when i get it out i'll take pictures of it.

Thanks Guys.
 
90 and earlier had a power comfort switch used for trailer towing and fuel economy 91 and after did not the only reoson that I can find for using the switch is if you used the ecu with the trans. I have a 90 trans in my 94 using the 94 ecu with no problems. hope this helps
 
tkm said:
90 and earlier had a power comfort switch used for trailer towing and fuel economy 91 and after did not the only reoson that I can find for using the switch is if you used the ecu with the trans. I have a 90 trans in my 94 using the 94 ecu with no problems. hope this helps
Click to expand...

Im not really sure with all of the terms (im somewhat of a noob) like ecu and tcu or something. I got a couple questions though. First one is will the tranny be fine if i dont use the power/comfort switch?

Second question is my 92 Xj just has idiot lights in the dash, now the 89 i got for parts has the dash with the full gauges and stuff. How hard would it be to put the dash with the gauges in? Would it be an easy swap?
 
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