1997 4x4 swap

Hi folks,

I just bought a '97 XJ 2x4 to replace my severely rusted out '95. The plan is to just swap over all my parts from the '95 to the '97. So, the question is, does anyone see a problem with installing a '95 engine and trans into a '97?

Also- an idea that I've been rolling around in my head: Is it possible to pull the engine, trans and transfer case as one unit provided you remove the radiator, radiator support and header panel?

Thanks!

You'll need to move all of your sensors and injectors from the 97 to the 95, since they are going to be different. The 95 will have a gauge sender at the back of the head (a small threaded post sticking up) which you can leave installed or replace it with a 1/4 NPT bung if you want. Check the fuel rails, they may also have different plumbing. You'll want to move the intake manifold and power steering assembly (including bracket) from the 97 to the 95 to keep the later style tensioner.

Some people have been able to remove and install the whole powertrain in one go, but I couldn't

I need more information on the 97 and the 95.

Do they both have 4.0s?

Both automatics or both manuals?

The devil is always in the details.

joe_peters said:

I need more information on the 97 and the 95.

Do they both have 4.0s?

Both automatics or both manuals?

The devil is always in the details.

Click to expand...

Yep- both 4.0/AW4.

I forgot to say the ignition parts may also need to be swapped, specifically coil and distributor

You're going to have to splice some cables and stuff for the transmission wiring harness and maybe a few other bits, but yes, I would swap the whole drivetrain. You're going to need to swap the shift handle for the transfer case as well, you may need to get one from a 97-up donor at the junkyard but I am not sure.

What's wrong with the engine and trans in the '97? You could just swap the 4x4 parts from the '95 to the '97 and save yourself some hassle assuming the '97 drivetrain is fine.

Switching a 4x2 trans to a 4x4 capable one is a pain... basically you have to gut the transmission, change out the very bottom part (output shaft), and reassemble it. It's simpler to just change to the other transmission. And personally, I find it much easier to pull the whole drivetrain as a single unit, then work on it outside the vehicle and stuff it back in.

kastein said:

Switching a 4x2 trans to a 4x4 capable one is a pain... basically you have to gut the transmission, change out the very bottom part (output shaft), and reassemble it. It's simpler to just change to the other transmission. And personally, I find it much easier to pull the whole drivetrain as a single unit, then work on it outside the vehicle and stuff it back in.

Click to expand...

Ah, I wasn't aware the output shafts differed - I thought the tailstock on the trans was the only difference, but it would make sense that the 2WD transmission has a longer output shaft than the 4WD.

I definitely agree with pulling the engine/trans/t-case out as a single unit. I pulled just the engine out on my '01XJ and then decided to remove the trans/t-case after the fact. If I were to have pulled it out as a single unit, I could have just done it with the engine hoist. Instead, I had to get creative when I was pulling the automatic transmission. There was a flatbed cart, engine hoist, tow straps, and a floor jack involved...it was an interesting procedure - one I wouldn't really want to repeat. I put the engine/trans/t-case back into the Jeep as a single unit and it was so much easier than the removal. Lesson learned.

kastein said:

You're going to have to splice some cables and stuff for the transmission wiring harness and maybe a few other bits.

Click to expand...

Do you know any of the details of this? Is it simply swapping out the connectors or is it more of a schematics-needed operation? I've heard that the '97s can be a bit of a pain when it comes to all things electrical...

ehall said:

I forgot to say the ignition parts may also need to be swapped, specifically coil and distributor

Click to expand...

Again- does anyone have more info on this? A quick parts store website search showed the same part numbers for both on the '97 and the '95.

kastein said:

And personally, I find it much easier to pull the whole drivetrain as a single unit, then work on it outside the vehicle and stuff it back in.

Click to expand...

How far do you need to strip the front end down in your experience? Remove the whole header panel/radiator/support/condensor or do you have a way of fanagling it all out of there with minimal disassembly?

Thank everyone for your help- I really want to address any possible problems because I would really like to get the drivetrain out of the '97 and have the '95's in it and running in one day. I'm going to be doing all of this in the base hobby shop, so time is of the essence!

Not much required if you have a picker and one of these!

RCP Phx said:

Not much required if you have a picker and one of these!

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lol... I was just thinking about one of those!

Splicing - don't have the info on hand but I will find it tomorrow.

How far to tear down? Header panel off, radiator and upper bracket removed, condenser can be flipped out of the way but you'll also be messing with the compressor so you may as well pull it and save some hassle.

Definitely get that load balancer. I got a 2 ton hoist and a load balancer at harbor freight for uunder 200 and they have taken my abuse without failure.

kastein said:

How far to tear down? Header panel off, radiator and upper bracket removed, condenser can be flipped out of the way but you'll also be messing with the compressor so you may as well pull it and save some hassle.

Click to expand...

The load balancer worked like a champ. I didn't have to remove the header panel or radiator on either Jeep. Just tilted the whole combo with the nose to the sky and "finessed" it out. I did have to let the air out of the 33s on my '95 in order to clear the header panel, but so far so good. Tomorrow I'm hoping to have the '95's guts installed in the '97 and running by the end of the day.

Your shop floor is too clean.

joe_peters said:

Your shop floor is too clean.

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HA! I wish it was MY shop floor! It's da gubbmint's! And besides- that was at the end of the day after I had spent 20 minutes mopping up the cocktail of gas, trans fluid, anti-freeze and dirt.

It's in and running. Here's the skinny for anyone looking to do this themselves:

The transmission connector does need to be swapped out. It's a simple 3-wire spice job unless you want to drop the pan, unhook the solenoids and swap the whole harness. It's so easy a caveman could do it- white to white, purple to purple and green to green. Also, the speedometer wire harness is too short. I didn't get to it today, but I intend to just add a few inches to it using the harness off of the '95.

Other things that need to be swapped:

Intake manifold with all attached sensors/throttle body, injectors, injector rail, coolant temp sensor, crank position sensor (the plugs are different- of course I realized this after the motor was bolted in!), and oil pressure sender. Also, when swapping the updated belt tensioner/ PS pump bracket onto an older motor there is a big ol' nub in the vicinity of the timing pointer that needs to be ground down so it won't interfere with the routing of the serpentine belt. There is a very subtle difference in the quick disconnects on the trans cooler lines. I fought those friggin' things for an hour before I decided to just pull the fittings off and inspect them. After that they went together like butter. here were a lot of little annoying details that had to be addressed, but all in all it was pretty straight forward. To all you pansies that swear the only way to convert a 2wd Cherokee to 4wd is to trade it in I say if you can do basic maintenance and are confident with a wrench, you can tackle this project.

Now I just need to swap in the front end and trow the lift springs in. I was unable to drive it today as my driveshaft is too long to use with stock springs, But all things considered it was a success. It even runs better- and it doesn't even have an oxygen sensor yet seeing as how I decided to yank the wires out of it when I pulled the motor...

moneypit said:

It's in and running. Here's the skinny for anyone looking to do this themselves:

The transmission connector does need to be swapped out. It's a simple 3-wire spice job unless you want to drop the pan, unhook the solenoids and swap the whole harness. It's so easy a caveman could do it- white to white, purple to purple and green to green. Also, the speedometer wire harness is too short. I didn't get to it today, but I intend to just add a few inches to it using the harness off of the '95.

Click to expand...

awesome, was gonna look at my '95 FSM here at work (I keep the FSMs for the years I don't own at work, and the ones for the years I do own at home...) and email myself the info, then look at the 97 wiring harness I have at home in a few minutes, but I guess you've got it covered already! :cheers: glad you got it working.

I hope I got it figured out! We'll find out when I take it for its first drive and it shifts straight from 1st to OD!

I'll be shocked if you didn't. Usually year to year wiring color code changes don't swap two colors, they change to completely different colors (or change the stripe color, etc), not even Chrysler is THAT evil. My bet is on your success.