Upgrade '85 2.5 to fuel injection.

I want to get rid of the carb on my '85 2.5l and go to fuel injection. I have a '92 I can use as a donor, but I was wondering if someone who have done this could tell me what is involved.
What do I need to move over?
How much time should I be prepared to spend?
What are the things I should look out for?
Does anyone know of a write up somewhere?

Both XJ's are 2.5 l, 5 speed. The 85 is a 4x4 with a NP207 transfercase and the 92 is a 2 wheel drive. I would like to swap the clutch over from the 92 to the 85 as it works better.

Any advice (except from: just get another Jeep etc.) will be greatly appreciated.

what's wrong with the 92 motor?

bolt the 92 motor into the 85. unless it's higher miles. then swap intakes and exhaust, and valve cover (it's aluminum then).

you'll need to swap the ENTIRE 92 wiring harness into the 85. that means the truck will be down for awhile (I could do this project in a weekend, but i'm not sure of what your skills are). when I say ENTIRE i mean complete engine bay and interior wiring harness. they can't be "combined" to work.

other than that, it won't be too bad.

what kind of condition is the 92 in?

it would be easier to swap the front axle and transmission and driveshafts into the 92 than it would be to swap the 85 to FI. it's also worth more money.

Thanks for the reply. The 92 would need to have the engine rebuild or at least have the bearings replaced.
I had been thinking about moving transfer case and drive shafts over to the 92, but I would also have to move over lift, the non-clip rear sliders, bumper etc. If I really need to redo all the wiring that might still be easier though.

yea. you'd have to gut both cherokees inside and in the engine bay, then swap over the wiring. it's all plug-and-play really. of course, that's after you swap the intake and probably exhaust manifold too.

it's not the worst project in the world. I myself would rather do it the wiring route...but most people hear wiring and run away screaming. (you're talking to a guy who has tricked a 96 camaro 3.8 into thinking it's still in a camaro...while it's in my 1986 jeep comanche). I don't shy away from wiring. in fact, I love it.

The wiring is what makes me worry. Moving parts over is easy, but I do have wiringfobia.

If you are not a whizz at wiring stuff....like cutting and splicing and figuring out what goes where....the complete wiring system is different...you need to swap out the complete underhood and under dash looms,the relay packages, and the ecm, the wiring to the fuel tank, the dash assembly and associated wiring loom, the wiring to the vss (and figure some way to make the vss off the '92 work on the 207...the wiring and fuel lines to the fuel tank, the fuel tank....and I'm sure that is the short version...if you plan on using the 85 motor, you need the bellhousing from the 92 to fit up the cps...and there are minor differences that need a bit of head scratching and fab work to make the manifold and accessories from the 92 engine work in the 85 engine (I have done that part when I built a motor for my 85)..and this is not a complete list...i am sure I have left stuff out.

It can be done, and i'm sure it has been done...and some will say it is not that hard, just time consuming...but this paints a difficulty picture for you..To swap the 85 motor into the '92 you will need to swap the harmonic balancer, timing cover and flywheel, valve cover, all vacuum stuff and associated widgets ...and block off the fuel pump hole in the block with a plate (easy)...and of course the axle, trans (but use the bellhousing from the 92 for the cps) and driveshafts from the 85...

I considered doing this myself when I built Heep #1...but i went with the carb bit along with a ton of mods...

the cps hole is there on the 85 bellhousing..I have 3 bellhousings, and just put an 85 tranny and bellhousing into a 91.

were it me, I'd just swap everything onto the 92 and then sell off the 85 as parts, or another project.

swapping a wiring loom isn't hard. you don't have to cut any of it.

swap in an LS1.. haha mind as well.

I have a couple of early bellhousings that have the hole, but were not machined, drilled, or tapped for the CPS. When I converted my 86 MJ from 2 wd to 4wd, I had to build a drill jig to drill the mount holes and vertical mill the mount face for the CPS...(the bellhousing was missing would have been handy since all MJs were EFI..84-85 XJs were not) ...the reason I brought up using the 92 bellhousing is to preclude the possibility of assembling the powertrain only to discover the was no cps mount..and I never said the wiring needs cut and splice...i said the entire wiring harnesses along with all the peripherals need to be swapped...been there have the t/shirt. I put a 93 model dash assembly in it because the original was trashed...bolts right in...but the electrical is completely different....that took a little head scratching.

The swap idea is great and has been done many times....several members have done it with a variety of powertrains at costs ranging from a few hundred bux out of pocket to several thousand...but nothing is more economically viable than swapping out stock parts unless you have access to cheap swap parts and are very good at major fab work...

I'm really having second thought on this. Maybe I should just get a Weber 32/36 or 34/34 to replace the Carter and hope that will help my off camber issues.