California or Federal Model XJ?

Hey guys I just checked a CarFax report on my new XJ. It seems it was first sold in NY state, but came to Cali after about a year. This makes me pretty sure it is not a california model. Then I started thinking about what differences there may be. I've been checking this forum, and my hanynes manual and cannot get any specifics about what is different for my year XJ (1999)

Can anyone tell me what obvious differences there may be, and if there is any way I can check visually to see if I have a California or Federal XJ (like a VIN number digit or xtra sensor)


Ben
99 4.0 w/NP242

Just read the bottom of the emissions label (the one with the vacuum diagram on it.) It should say "Conforms to Federal Standards" or "Conforms to California Standards" - or wording to that effect.

5-90

5-90 said:

Just read the bottom of the emissions label (the one with the vacuum diagram on it.) It should say "Conforms to Federal Standards" or "Conforms to California Standards" - or wording to that effect.

5-90

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IIRC from the little research I did in that area for 97+ XJ's, the difference is 98 year when it comes to emissions. 97 has no LDP, 98 CA (and maybe NY) has LDP while other states do not, 99+ all have LDP (leak detection pump).

Thanks alot guys, yea the emissions sticker says conforms to California standards so I guess thats the awnser.

Another reason I need to know is that I plan to swap in an AX-15 for the AW-4, and I need a new ECU, so I suppose I'll be looking for a 99 california ecu as opposed to the federal one. Anybody got one lying around?

Ben

99 4.0 NP242

XJ858 said:

Thanks alot guys, yea the emissions sticker says conforms to California standards so I guess thats the awnser.

Another reason I need to know is that I plan to swap in an AX-15 for the AW-4, and I need a new ECU, so I suppose I'll be looking for a 99 california ecu as opposed to the federal one. Anybody got one lying around?

Ben

99 4.0 NP242

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Thats odd that a CA Standards Jeep was first sold in NY.

Another possible difference: my son's 98 w/ CA emissions has a pre-cat, my '99 Federal does not.

Also - I don't think you need a replacement ECU when going from an AW-4 to AX-15. Just remove the TCU and figure out how to rewire around the neutral safety switch and backup lights <== maybe not - I thought I had read this somewhere - Kejtar did this swap.

Er - on later models, the transmission controller was integrated with the PCM, so it is an issue for him. I believe you're thinking RENIX, and some early OBD-I models. ChryCo got the idea to integrate everything into the SBEC/SMEC (I don't know why...) when they took over.

5-90

5-90 said:

Er - on later models, the transmission controller was integrated with the PCM, so it is an issue for him. I believe you're thinking RENIX, and some early OBD-I models. ChryCo got the idea to integrate everything into the SBEC/SMEC (I don't know why...) when they took over.

5-90

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What year? I am pretty sure that through 99 it was still separate module (I can guarantee that that was the case through 98 at the very least). The only thing that changed was that in the newer models ECU received more messages from TCM then before (for example lack of TCM would throw a check engine light, or an error in the TCM would throw a check engine light along with the appropriate TCM code)

Yea I thought it was wierd that a california jeep was first sold in NY also. Could have been a military thing though, I've heard of guys from CA buying CA models while in another state because they planned to go back. Any here ever decoded the VIN numbers to find out what digit is what?

As for the ECU i'll track down the TCU and pull the connector and idle for about 15 min to see if it throws a light. I'm not in that much of a hurry to do the trans swap as I have plenty to keep me busy (SYE for the 242, RE 5.5 lift, ect.) but I'm keeping an eye out for parts now.

Ben
99 4.0, NP242

As I recall, the VIN doesn't often break down between "California" and "49 States," but I haven't looked at those notes for a while, and I haven't written that VIN decoder page yet.

However, I don't find it so odd that a CA vehicle was sold in NY. Consider that CA emissions standards are tighter than Federal, and they can only sell so many vehicles in CA. If they don't sell here, they get routed to other states, where they'll pass emissions anyhow.

California was - and is - about two years ahead of the EPA on passing new standards (not always a good thing...) so a CA vehicle should pass any sniffer test if it's up to scratch. I just wish they'd only test with the sniffer, and stop checking everything else. Honestly - who cares how I make the numbers, just so I make them? If something isn't working, it's probably on purpose, and as long as I'm passing emissions by my usual wide margin (or more!) there's no reason to give me any crap because something you checked manually isn't working. I thought that's what the sniffer was for?

5-90

XJ858 said:

As for the ECU i'll track down the TCU and pull the connector and idle for about 15 min to see if it throws a light. I'm not in that much of a hurry to do the trans swap as I have plenty to keep me busy (SYE for the 242, RE 5.5 lift, ect.) but I'm keeping an eye out for parts now.

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It will throw a code and it will be a code that says something about a main bus error or missing or something like that.

If remember correctly when I was training for my smog license a number of years ago that most car manufaturers make mostly Ca compliant cars and will sell them in any state and even some fed cars are ca compliant without the lable. I cant remember why though

Actually, it makes sense that it may have been sold in New York with CA-compliant emissions. Four states other than California (Maine, Massachussetts, New York, and Vermont, IIRC) follow CARB emissions guidelines, which are in addition to federal standards. Because of this, it's likely that manufacturers only sell CA-spec cars in those states.