MJ Model Year

I see a lot of XJ posts with a lot favoring the '99 like myself (I currently own one, not just saying that cause I own it ).

But I was curious as to what people think the best MJ model year would be? I haven't seen any threads on this as of yet on here or commancheclub.com.

Personally I would think 91 or 92 only cause the HO. I'm sure u could put that bad boy in the older ones and make it work just fine. Other than that I know on those last 2 years I think everything went electronic and sensor like eg. the speedometer, idk if they had OBD-II or not back then, I think it was in '87 where they went fuel injected instead of carbureted. Maybe dif axles though through the years? Maybe transmissions / gear ratio too? Other examples would be Transfer Cases, Driveshafts, etc. Just want to gather some of your opinions.

I know a lot about the XJ trims but what about the MJ what came standard on the different trims and colors? Also Short bed or Long bed?

I like JJacob's MJ. All I know is it is a '90, really nice, and fast. Wondering specs on his maybe if he sees this post he can elaborate some.

What's the curb weight too on the MJ's? I can't seem to find that anywhere. I'm sure there a dif between the SB and LB like with 4x2 and 4x4 setups.

It's really a shame they don't make MJ's or XJ's anymore. Sure the XJ got a lot of the spotlight throughout the years with the MJ only having a short lifespan in comparison to the XJ.

89 or 90...

Still Renix, but no more Puke-outs....

Sadly mine is an 88.

Early 89s will still have the Peugeot tranny. MJs were built on the same assembly line as the XJ, and have the same powertrain combos as XJs. Rear axle options were different of course since the D44 was more widely available.

Jim www.yuccaman.com

Yucca-Man said:

Early 89s will still have the Peugeot tranny. MJs were built on the same assembly line as the XJ, and have the same powertrain combos as XJs. Rear axle options were different of course since the D44 was more widely available.

Jim www.yuccaman.com

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Yea.. brain fart this morning...


Define 'different'... D-35 standard or D-44 in the metric tonne. Vs. D-35 standard or D-44 in the towing packing(maybe in 89, probably not in 90). Axle ratios were the same selections. 3.07, 3.31, 3.54, 3.73, 4.10, 4.56

best year? anything later than 86..the 2.8 sucks (i fixed it by dropping a 3.8 camaro engine in it)

best power? 91-92. electronic speedo btw. 92 is uber rare. most 89's still have pugeot tranny..which sucks. 90 is second-best to the 91's.

Hmm sweet! Yeah I bet 92 is rare doesn't look like they produced too much in those last 2 years. Guess that's why I see a lot of old MJ conversions using newer Cherokee parts and newer Cherokee's being turned into the MJ by cutting off everything behind the 2 front seats. Maybe if Chrysler guys actually left the office they would notice how many of these things are still on the road today and that maybe they made the wrong choice by killing it. Oh well least u can still find 'em!

Went to Autozone other day and I swear everywhere I go I always get compliments on my XJ. I've had ppl just walk up to me and be like "How much u want for it" lol... Since I live in the Desert and ppl know that the XJ/MJ are godly.

God I would love to have a Renix era (87-90) Comanche. Couldnt imagine having a Renix Comanche to go along with my Renix Cherokee. I drool over the pics at comancheclub.com all the time.

Yeah I want to try and track down a nice one someday. I've seen a lot of junkers but I've seen some spiffy ones that are gorgeous. Same goes for the XJ though too. U can buy one all beat up and fix it, or buy it fixed up. Difference is the price and the fun experience ripping it and gutting it to replace everything. I just don't have time nor the place to be able to do such a thing so I'd have to buy it all built up. (Yeah homeowners association lol...)

88XJSport said:

God I would love to have a Renix era (87-90) Comanche. Couldnt imagine having a Renix Comanche to go along with my Renix Cherokee. I drool over the pics at comancheclub.com all the time.

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I have to admit, its pretty nice.... At one point I had two Renix XJ's and two Renix MJ's, Now I'm down to one of each.

The only problem is I look at that D-44 under the MJ and think about it under the XJ all the time.

jeepcomj said:

best year? anything later than 86..the 2.8 sucks (i fixed it by dropping a 3.8 camaro engine in it)

best power? 91-92. electronic speedo btw. 92 is uber rare. most 89's still have pugeot tranny..which sucks. 90 is second-best to the 91's.

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Arn't the camero engines a 3.4?

Well..I have a 1989 Comanche and I think its the best..so I say 89

88XJSport said:

God I would love to have a Renix era (87-90) Comanche. Couldnt imagine having a Renix Comanche to go along with my Renix Cherokee. I drool over the pics at comancheclub.com all the time.

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I love my renixes. My 89 MJ is great. It does have the puegeot tranny but nothing wrong so far.

Frankly, I'd love to have a late 1989 or 1990 MJ 242/5-sp, but I'd take any RENIX MJ and find an AX-15 for it later (I just happen to prefer manuals.)

I happen to like the RENIX system over OBD-II. It's possible, of course, to drop a 242 in a 1986MJ (it's been done with the XJ, and the XJ and MJ are identical from the firewall forward,) but it's more work than I'd care to do on short notice.

I'd like to eventually have a RENIX MJ (no preference, really, for SB/LB) with the 242 engine, AX-15 (external slave by preference) transmission, and NP242 transfer case. Find me a Metric Tonne MJ, and I wouldn't have to bother finding one D44 for the thing (but I'd probably eventually go D44 fore and aft.) Or, find a NV3550, put a NP242 behind that, and go 60/44 with the axles. Gear to 4.10 or 4.56 for towing and pulling, and put ~4" and 31's under it.

That would be a nice "little" truck - but I'd still want an M35A2 for a "big" truck.

Id love a 88 or 89 MJ Chief SB, dont care what color.


I saw a few months back on autotrader, some used car lot was selling a 91 MJ Laredo. Red SB, gray cloth buckets, LOADED, center console, gauges the works. 60k miles, but the idiot wanted like 8k for it. It looked new, and was owned by an old couple....

Oh man that sucks.

I beg to differ my 86' 2.8 has far more pwer than the 4.0L even the 3.8 camaro motor and still stomps the 4.3 by a long shot. 2.8L stroked and bored to a 3.3L pumping out 260 HP. Before i rebuilt it everyone said it was the biggest piece of crap chevy ever made. Well if that were the case why would they still be making it and why would it now push out more power than a mid 80's 350 chevy motor. Mine held together with the way i drive it for a whoppin 327,468 miles tell me your 4.0L could do that or even the 3.8 or even better chevy's 350 motor.

cherokeedriver420 said:

I beg to differ my 86' 2.8 has far more pwer than the 4.0L even the 3.8 camaro motor and still stomps the 4.3 by a long shot. 2.8L stroked and bored to a 3.3L pumping out 260 HP. Before i rebuilt it everyone said it was the biggest piece of crap chevy ever made. Well if that were the case why would they still be making it and why would it now push out more power than a mid 80's 350 chevy motor. Mine held together with the way i drive it for a whoppin 327,468 miles tell me your 4.0L could do that or even the 3.8 or even better chevy's 350 motor.

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The production 2.8L was just about the biggest crap GM made (not the worst - that's reserved for the SB Chevvy converted to Diesel in the 1980's...) The 60-degree V6 was vastly improved when it was upsized to the 3.1L, and improved a bit yet again with the next increase in displacement to 3.4L.

Can the 2.8L be built into a decent engine? Sure - people doing performance buildups tend to pay more attention to details. Can a 2.8L be built that will walk on a 242? Sure - as long as you're working within the given role for the V6 (they tend to be better at high-end horsepower, while the inline excels at low-end grunt - and usually runs a bit smoother, but that's why GM tried to make the bank angle 60* instead of 90*.)

But, having owned both a 2.8L and a 3.1L in comparable platforms (1988 Cavalier and 1991 Corsica - both four-door sedans, and the Corsica was about 400# heavier, IIRC,) I'll continue to stand by the position that a production 2.8L V6 can either be built into a "mouse that roared," or you can get 300# of Sakrete and 200' of 1/2" proof coil chain for a cheaper upgrade. Punch a hole in the intake, drop about six feet of the chain through the hole, and fill with Sakrete. Give to your buddy with a boat. The 3.1L is a good start on a useful powerplant (but it tends to be a bit "high-strung" for a hauling truck...) and the 3.4L is much the same way, but capable of more power.

you're delusional. of course stuff can be BUILT to be better, but a 2.8 v6 cannot be built to be efficient AND powerful. it's also most definitely NOT a stock, or production motor. now, the 3.8 camaro installed in a jeep isn't stock either, but it beats the 4.0 for speed in stock engine form (non-modded engine) as well as torque.

I feel that it is a toss up as to which year MJ might be "best", as my '86 LB, 4wd, 5spd is really easy to work on under the hood, since the 4 popper doesn't take up much room, but my '87 & '88 MJ's take the cake as far as power goes, both sb too- the '87 is 4.0 AW-4 242, consoled, bucket seated, et etc., all factory, and the '88 is 4.0, B/A-10 (still won't die- 399,813 hard miles on it), 231,bucket seats, console, sunroof. Both of the Renixers' have grey interiors', while the injected '86 has a black interior.
Don't get me started on the XJ herd here...

ren said:

I feel that it is a toss up as to which year MJ might be "best", as my '86 LB, 4wd, 5spd is really easy to work on under the hood, since the 4 popper doesn't take up much room, but my '87 & '88 MJ's take the cake as far as power goes, both sb too- the '87 is 4.0 AW-4 242, consoled, bucket seated, et etc., all factory, and the '88 is 4.0, B/A-10 (still won't die- 399,813 hard miles on it), 231,bucket seats, console, sunroof. Both of the Renixers' have grey interiors', while the injected '86 has a black interior.
Don't get me started on the XJ herd here...

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Putz. I have been through four Peugeot gearboxes in 70K miles! The only thing I think they're good for, in a Jeep, is being hauled to the scrapyard (since there's about ten pounds of aluminum in there.)

I don't think I've pushed them that hard - I came up on the old Muncie Rock Crushers and Ford Toploaders, so I know I can abuse a transmission, if I think the box can handle it. I've blown Peugeots up while I was babying them! The gears are actually too hard, the synchronisers are aluminum, and there was always too much backlash in them anyhow (I did a report on one that I blew up for Manufacturing Materials & Processes a couple of years ago. Found out a bunch of things I didn't like...)

If you've got one that's lasted; then that, mein freund, is a fluke. Don't buy a lottery ticket - you've already used up your luck!