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what a steal!!!

Olympia

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Olympia
I bought my '85 Cherokee, 4 door, auto, 2.8 V-6, 4X4 for $60 and a 12pack of beer from my brother. It runs pretty good, its just been sitting outside for a couple months. The two driver side windows got smashed by some punks, and the one of the headlights is smashed. Other than a little mold and water damage, and a quick jump its a great trail rig to start working on.

Any suggestions on what my first steps should be with looking at the engine? Anything else I might need to know about it?
 
i'd say just a tune up, switch out the oil and take it out to the trails to see how it does...after a good trail ride you'll know what needs to be changed
 
I am getting a 91 HO 4.0 4wd AW4 cherokee tomorrow
interior looks brand new, pw, pdl, spotless. Exterior is good except the rockers are rusted out. Figure I will weld in some 2x4 steel and call it a day
200 bucks with a tranny issue, and I happen to have an extra aw4 laying around
$200
 
i have a 84 2.5 crysler8.25 rear and disco dana30 front if you need extra axles...i cant use them.also it has a manual tranny if you know anyone interested.
 
Geez, talk about a thread hijack. :scared:

There are few if any 2.8 L V-6 fans here, but since it is an 85 V-6 and the engine still runs, I say it keep it, it will be a rare and valuable antique before much long, as most of the V-6 engines died long ago, or so I have heard. How is the gas mileage?

There are less than a handfull of V-6 owners here, I think.
 
i have the 2.8 and my biggest hate is the carb, otherwise i just imagine i'm driving a 4cylinder so i dont feel so bad about the lack of power.
 
Mstrkage said:
i have the 2.8 and my biggest hate is the carb, otherwise i just imagine i'm driving a 4cylinder so i dont feel so bad about the lack of power.

If I had that problem, I would be temped to upgrade the intake to a fuel injection system, either throttle body or multi port. Was the 2.8 offered in later years with those options?
 
ECOMIKE,

Since the 2.8 is basically a GM engine, than yes the TBI system GM used could cross over. Probably from the S-10 or Astro Van. Check out Howell Engineering, they make after market fuel injection systems. I installed one of the TBI kits on a 1977 CJ-7, it was a remarkable improvement over the carb. I was working at Buick at the time and so crossed referenced all the parts and found the TBI parts were from an Astro Van.

On my way to the shop with your info, will check back later,
Tom
 
From what I have heard an upgrade to fuel injection, with an O2 sensor (*) should give him even better gas mileage. Won't it up the power a little as well?

* I am guessing the carb system did not have an O2 sensor, but that may be wrong. Even if it did, the fuel injection upgrade would require a computer upgrade with its favorite sensor styles.
 
Ecomike said:
Geez, talk about a thread hijack. :scared:

There are few if any 2.8 L V-6 fans here, but since it is an 85 V-6 and the engine still runs, I say it keep it, it will be a rare and valuable antique before much long, as most of the V-6 engines died long ago, or so I have heard. How is the gas mileage?

There are less than a handfull of V-6 owners here, I think.
hey i got a 85 with the 2.8l v6,it runs like a beast and has 230 000 km on it! and yes it is very hard to find help for this motor on here
 
The best way to upgrade the 2.8L is to swap in the 2.8l follow-on engine which is the 3.4L engine. Most of the 2.8L accessories should bolt directly on to the 3.4L so its almost a straight drop-in. The hp increase is in the neighborhood of 40hp. Use the stock 3.4L as a base-line if you want to soup it up more rather than souping up a 2.8L.
Do a general web search on this site and beyond this site on this. Most conversions I have read about are the Chevy S-10 which started with the same 2.8L engine.
I don't know know if anyone on this webpage has done this upgrade as the Cherokees were upgraded with the new 4.0L engine and a different engine compartment in '86, I think, so there are few people here with the 2.8L, V6.
 
Just a quick ? I would figure that people who want to swap out the 2.8 would opt for the 4.3 instead of the 3.4, since chevy's base v6 was the 2.8 and the bigger one was the 4.3 during the 80's and early 90's. What's the deal?
 
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