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2.8? Need Advise!!

R

rockcrawler873

NAXJA Forum User
Location
GA
i got this jeep for christmas last year and i love it im thinkin about installing a 6.5" lift with 33x12.50s
ENGINE
GM 2.8L V6 - 115 hp @ 4800 rpm, 145 ft lb @ 2400 rpm

can someone please explain the 2.8L?????
this is my DD and i will only off road every now and then but with the 2.8 will it perform well on and off road (once again its not an offical off road jeep yet haha) thanx
---chris
 
I just sold my 85 that had the 2.8. It had about 5" and 33's with the auto and factory 3.73's. It was a pig (40 over, Edelbrock cam/carb/intake, ported & polished heads, Accel ign, etc.), honestly. First hand experience, it really didn't like 33's. I was looking at 4.88's to keep up, but after looking at it, I bought an 89 4.0 for less than gears and install. HTH.
 
rockcrawler873 said:
i got this jeep for christmas last year and i love it im thinkin about installing a 6.5" lift with 33x12.50s
ENGINE
GM 2.8L V6 - 115 hp @ 4800 rpm, 145 ft lb @ 2400 rpm

can someone please explain the 2.8L?????
this is my DD and i will only off road every now and then but with the 2.8 will it perform well on and off road (once again its not an offical off road jeep yet haha) thanx
---chris
Click to expand...

The 2.8 is an underpowered V6 built by GM, it is carbed not EFI and unless you also regear the axles you will have a very tough time driving. ZERO acceleration, ZERO power, I dont think I would go over 31's without a gearing change.
 
yeah no shit, that engine is a boat anchor, Ive got one in my 86 cherokee chief. Hate it, and first change I get im dropping it and putting something else in, but either way i gotta regear when I put in my 9" so it will do for now
 
oh boy.....this can take awhile...:laugh: ...:smoker:
langer1 said:
As many as it takes to find someone that likes a 2.8L GM :laugh3:
Click to expand...
 
Yeah the 2.8L was a major disappointment. Had one in my 86 Cherokee. Way under powered. I have a 96 Cherokee with the 4.0, lots more power and believe it or not much better fuel economy between 22-24 on the highway. You will need to regear if you plan on using that as a DD with any increase in tire size.

Adam
 
This guy has a nice writeup on his website for replacing the 2.8 with a 3.4

http://www.lunghd.com

Sorry, but nobody is going to tell you what a great engine that is, because it's not. That same 2.8L was used in '87 and older S10 blazers and it was trash. They seemed to go through head gaskets like they were going out of style, not to mention the leaky a$$ valves that when you start in the morning would create a cumulonimbus cloud of oil smoke that would come out of your tailpipe.

My advice? change out the 2.8 or get another Jeep, you'll hate the one you have if you don't. Pretty simple.
 
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Actually, depending on who you talk to, rumor has it that the S-10s got the "better" blocks and Jeep got the leftovers. :laugh3:
This is the best statement I can come up with about the 2.8L in my MJ: 180k+ miles and it accelerates just as fast empty as it does with 3000 lbs of dirt in the back. :D
Jeep on!
--Pete
 
A lot of people bash the 2.8, and regarding the power output rightfully so. Brand new, out-of-the-box they are rated at something like 115 hp. Not great. Now, in the last 3 years I've had an 84 and an 86, both with the 2.8, and what I love about them is the fact that they rev like a freakin' banshee. If you regear a bit to accomodate 33's, lock the rear diff, and aren't afraid of the skinny pedal, that thing will suprise the crap outta you. As far as reliabilty, well, some people get lucky, some don't. They have oiling issues, something to do with the intake gaskets failing too. If you want something you can pound on without ever opening the hood, the 2.8 is not for you. If you don't mind some shop time now and then, then have at it! For me personally, a 2.8 with not-so-great exhaust pounding up a hill just sounds cool. The only reason I'm still not running mine is that after 280,000 miles the whole thing just got too tired, and I picked up a 4.0 model for cheap. Here's a clip of my 86 running up Ski Jump hill at the Iron Range park in Gilbert, Mn. (copy/paste it to the address bar).
http://www.angelfire.com/ult/nswsparky/uphill.WMV
 
hey gump, ive got the 2.8 also, it does rev like a whore in a snow storm but it does have some disadvantages, exe..carbed is the big one, low torque and hard to get power out of. I do have a question, on the left side (pasenger side) of the engine, there are 2 canisters side by side, looks like bean cans that are black..what in the hell do those do? They look like a vacuum of some sort.
Also in front of the radiator their is another "radiator looking grill" thats the ac cooler right? Im taking out all the ac products and i wanted to be sure I could drop that out to along with the compressor and tubing
 
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Yeah, that carb is one touchy MoFo, it don't like sloshing too well. I don't miss that part of it! As far as the canisters, I can't quite remember, but I think one is vacuum reservoir and one is a charcoal canister for emissions. But like I said, I can't remember for sure. The cooler you're looking at is likely the A/C condenser, but follow the lines from it to be sure. It could also be an auxillary tranny cooler.
 
The canisters are vacuum reservoirs. They may serve as reservoirs for other devices but in particular, the one nearer the firewall is for the HVAC controls and on mine, at least, the forward one is for the cruise control.
 
well i dont use cruise control so that one is gone, what is Hvac used for? and yeah im trying to pull as much stuff out as i can, im pretty sure that front is the air condensor tho gump. also do you have pics of yalls 2.8?

**what else can I pull off the engine to make space and clean it up, this is strictly a trail rig thanks**
Thats the fiancee by the way not me : )

dormroom0224nn.jpg
 
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