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Mileage of 2wd vs. 4wd

BSD

NAXJA Forum User
Location
OKC
Looking to get another XJ as my DD. Thinking of getting a 2WD. Anybody have an idea of how much better the mileage is on a 2wd vs. a 4wd? If it matters, thinking of an early 90's one.
Thanks
BSD
 
Wow, this sounds familiar. I swear someone just posted this. Anyway, my XJ (96) is 2wd and my dad's Jeep(01) is 4wd. We get about the same mileage... respectively. So... I don't think it matters much.
 
'hmm, a '96 vs a '01? Well maybe this will help some. My '91 4wd with almost 300k gets 22 hwy/17 city more or less. And my wife's '92 2wd auto seems to be around 19hwy/20city but she has a real light foot too. We both have a K&N filter and I maintain hers tip top. I have upgraded exhaust, tb and spacer as well as plugs and wires. So without all this I would guess I'd be about 16/17 avg for a manual. They will all be pretty close on the earlier years with the 4.0 if the miles are close and it has been taken care of. Now I dunno about this acetone thread I read, gonna try it a few times to see if I can get an extra mpg or 2 unless of course Uncle Sam decides to lower gas here.....hahaha
:bs:
 
2wd makes negligibly better mileage than a similarly-equipped 4wd.
 
Thanks for the replies. This might be anecdotal, but it seems that earlier model XJ's seem to get a little better mileage than later model ones/ I wonder if the difference is in going from non-HO to HO or maybe the fuel management in Renix vs. OBDI? Lastly, I wonder if the power curve changes significantly between the HO and non-HO? If I recall correctly, the non-HO had it's peak efficiency around 2,100 rpm.
BSD
 
I suspect that HO vs Non-HO... 5-speed vs AW4... and heaviness of the driver's foot are the major variables. Non-HO's definitely seem better in these MPG threads.

My '00 got 20mpg on my last tank... and I was very grateful! it very rarely gets much over 18 or so.

Hint: if you want a daily driver that gets good gas mileage... buy something else!! Use the XJ for fun! :cool:

Den
 
my daily driver is a 2000 f-150 with the 5.4. I get like 15 mpg. my trail xj is a 90 aw4 6 cyl with 3.55s and 33's that i get 18 city. 75 a week in gas for my truck sucks balls.
 
rckclmbr said:
my daily driver is a 2000 f-150 with the 5.4. I get like 15 mpg. my trail xj is a 90 aw4 6 cyl with 3.55s and 33's that i get 18 city. 75 a week in gas for my truck sucks balls.
3.55s with 33s and still getting 18mpg city? Are you sure? I've got 3.55s with 32s and only get around 15-16 city and about 18 highway. I drive in 3rd while in the city. If I drive in OD, it shifts too far down the powerband and I lose another mile or so per gallon.
 
My stock 2000 4x4, with 225/75-16 got 21 on my trip in March going from San Diego to Vegas and back. I have gone to the desert, driven 80 miles of offroad and back on the highway and got 18.6. Around town, I am typically getting 17-18. I was quite happy since the 2004 Xterra SC 4x4 that the ex took, got 16 on the trip to Vegas and about 14-15 around town. I towed a 1300# trailer to the desert and back and got 10!

I am quite happy she took the X and I bought an XJ!!! :D
 
I have a stock 4WD '98 with a 5 speed stick, I tend to get about 26 on the highway when its flat and on very gradual hills. Keeping it under 75 is key though, at like 75-80 its really drops off. I also have a 4WD '00 XJ with an auto and manage about 20 or so. In the city, I get about 16-17 with both. If your looking for an early 90's XJ, watch out for the carbs, I had a late 80's XJ fall due to the bad fuel system. The later models have electronic fue injection and are extremely reliable aswell as efficent. I've used, 2WD autos and manuals and they tend to get a tiny bit better milage, nothing really worth fretting about. Plus, if it 'aint 4WD, is it really a Jeep??
Of course it is, but you get ym point.

NAXJA
 
rckclmbr said:
my daily driver is a 2000 f-150 with the 5.4. 75 a week in gas for my truck sucks balls.

Its a Ford, thats why. :)

I get approx. 24 hwy, 16 city. AX15, 3.07, 29" BFG MT's, 4WD. Not too shabby, but I drive like a granny now since prices are so high.

Last fill up was $50.00 for 16.8 gallons @ $2.97
 
MTS said:
I have a stock 4WD '98 with a 5 speed stick, I tend to get about 26 on the highway when its flat and on very gradual hills. Keeping it under 75 is key though, at like 75-80 its really drops off. I also have a 4WD '00 XJ with an auto and manage about 20 or so. In the city, I get about 16-17 with both. If your looking for an early 90's XJ, watch out for the carbs, I had a late 80's XJ fall due to the bad fuel system. The later models have electronic fue injection and are extremely reliable aswell as efficent. I've used, 2WD autos and manuals and they tend to get a tiny bit better milage, nothing really worth fretting about. Plus, if it 'aint 4WD, is it really a Jeep??
Of course it is, but you get ym point.

NAXJA

Early 90s XJs never came with carbs, and neither did the 4.0. Only '84-'86 XJs ever had carbs, and they either had the 2.5 I4 or the 2.8 V6.

I get around 15-17 city and 19-21 highway in my '89 XJ 4.0 aw4
 
The way I see it, if you're going to get an XJ.........get a 4WD. The mileage is about the same as a 2WD. Properly tuned XJ's usually seem to get around 20-21 MPG highway in my experience. Which is good mileage compared to my stock DD '85 CJ-7 on 31's....it gets about 15 MPG regardless of where or how fast I drive.........
 
Great link...My 1990 5-speed manual gets 1-3 mpg better than friends' with the AW-4 transmission. Also like the RENIX knock sensor, which allows the engine to run on 87 Octane without a hitch.
 
thanks for th einfo and the link. The difference is not nearly as much as I had expected.
BSD
 
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