best year & model

[black2door]

97 2 door with ...............a 5 speed

 

[Big Red]

97 2 door with ...............a 5 speed

or 98' & black :laugh3:

 

[Bdiddy11]

Correct me if i'm wrong... wouldn't a 98 be better than a 99 because you could swap the intake from a 99 to the 98 and get back roughly 15 ponies that it lost with emissions? Or are they still the same intake? I'm unclear if they are the same... but to me, if they aren't that seems like the best. All the newer options,body,interior, axles etc... and then you could swap in the 99 intake for more ponies?

 

[Big Red]

Correct me if i'm wrong... wouldn't a 98 be better than a 99 because you could swap the intake from a 99 to the 98 and get back roughly 15 ponies that it lost with emissions? Or are they still the same intake? I'm unclear if they are the same... but to me, if they aren't that seems like the best. All the newer options,body,interior, axles etc... and then you could swap in the 99 intake for more ponies?

Exactly good point, that's a way for a few more ponies under the hood. The 99'+ got the better intake, but then lost the extra ponies with some other restrictive stuff so adding this to a 4.0L HO, or maybe any 4.0L :dunno:
will give you a little more HP, if I was going to do this I'd do a K&N cone filter and cat back as well. It's never a bad idea to do the little stuff that is easy then go into the motor and change out the cam and bore the motor etc that takes more time and $.

This 99'+ intake would be especially great on the 91'-95' OBD1 4.0L. Whenever I read about the XJ 4.0L and the best years to modify...91-94' come up as good years due to it being easy to tweak and still being under OBD1, 95' is the last year of OBD1, but I think it was starting to head towards OBD2 so it might be a little more restrictive as it made it's move to that 96'+.

Troy

 

[Bdiddy11]

So... if you wanted to build a good DD w/lots of performance upgrades... and still have the newer look, I could do something like this...
Buy a 94' w/HO engine, swap in sturdy axles to run 32" tires and be able to add many performance mods to this set up and then do a front end conversion to a 97+... So essentially it would look like a new Jeep.. But still be a lot more mod-able?

And the newer Cherokees that just say 4.0L and don't have a HO badge... are or aren't HO? That's where i'm confused... whether or not they just stopped putting the badge on there for HO? Cuz I seem to see lots of 97+ w/out a badge... Thanks. Hope that question is clear.

 

[XJoshua]

This is all personal preference again. Id say '88s made by AMC but distributed by Chrysler. If its a 4x4 with a 4.0L and the HP Dana30 and a tow package you got the best XJ ever.

 

[XJPhoenix]

It's very clear, and you needn't worry; the 4.0 still has the punch and power of the H.O. designated I-6. The reason I believe they dropped the H.O. designation (even though it's pretty cool to have) is that there were no other I-6 options available to order.

Take the 4.7 V8 for example; it has been available in two configurations that can be custom ordered from the factory. There was the 4.7 standard, and the 4.7 H.O. that had more ponies under the hood. With the 4.0 if you ordered your XJ with the 4.0 there was only one option; the H.O. designation became superfluous.

Of course, I could be smoking crack and be waaaaaay off base...

 

[Bdiddy11]

If I understand Phoenix correctly.. they stopped with the HO? Isn't the HO more engine mod performance friendly though? I have an 87' Chief and plan on making that a trail only rig once I can get my hands on the right year/model to build into my dream DD rig. Trying to decide which year + engine would be best to be able to mod it the way I want to. I like the new body style but can always do the front end conversion. So mainly, looking for best set up engine + axle wise and options. Also with the HO you can swap in the 99 intake on the earlier models for more ponies unlike a renix set up..

 

[IH8RDS]

I would say a '99 w/o ABS. Still has the high-pinion 30, 29-spline 8.25 rear, regular distributor, etc.

I'm going to have to agree with vetteboy on this one

 

[black2door]

or 98' & black :laugh3:

Yes.....Black ...... as in black2door

 

[black2door]

or 98' & black :laugh3:

yes.....black

 

[akamcbird]

let me update the question a little...im trying for the most bang i can get out of one donar...
-my mj is an auto so ill stick w\auto - the aw4 was availible '87-'00
-the updated interior availible '97
-the hp d30 availible till '99
-the 8.25 29 spline availible '96-'01

so...'97-'99 4.0 L powertech i6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I6, 190 hp had a number of changes what should i look for and why

also: np231 w\comand-track or np242 w\ select-track and why

 

[Big Red]

The High Output badge was a bit old as this came out in 91' and the 97'+ just said 4.0L, but rest assured, they are High Output, but now also OBD2.

You really cannot go wrong with the 4.0L tranny: AW4/AX15 t-case:231 or 242 These were available from 87-01'.
Keep in my mind that the 90-91' went to 23 spline from 21 spline.

As far as the best XJ ever I'd say the 87' 4.0L AW4 242 Select Trac with non disco 30 and dana 44. Not all 87's had these, but you could find them mostly in 87', some in 88-89' as well, but not as much.
This is the XJ I have sold the XJ44 for cash and am now trying to sell the whole XJ with a 8.25 rear axle.
You might be on the look out for Select Track models as they have a non disco 30 with said 297 u-joints, I've heard this, but at least the non disco 30 is a given. After about 93' or so the disco 30 was eliminated which is nice.

 

[Bdiddy11]

Thanks for clearing up the HO issue Big Red. Now how do I go about figuring out what my 87' Chief has? If it's 242 Selec-trac w/non-disco 30. It's got a 44 in the back i'm 95% sure that's what it is. I don't really know how to tell the difference. I just bought my Chief not knowing much about Jeeps other than the fact they look sweet, I don't have a car payment and I could off-road it really well. I'm just starting to learn mechanic stuff but id'ing... still not that great. It's also an auto with 4x4 if that helps at all...

 

[Big Red]

Thanks for clearing up the HO issue Big Red. Now how do I go about figuring out what my 87' Chief has? If it's 242 Selec-trac w/non-disco 30. It's got a 44 in the back i'm 95% sure that's what it is. I don't really know how to tell the difference. I just bought my Chief not knowing much about Jeeps other than the fact they look sweet, I don't have a car payment and I could off-road it really well. I'm just starting to learn mechanic stuff but id'ing... still not that great. It's also an auto with 4x4 if that helps at all...

If it has 2 4 wheel high modes then it's a 242 Select Trac and should have a non disco dana 30. It is has a hexagonal diff cover in the back compared to a round cover, it has a dana 44 rear axle...if it's stock that is. If you have these things (242 and dana 30 non disco front axle, dana 44 rear axle...you are off to a good start my friend)! A 8.25 rear axle has a round cover like the dana 35, but is bigger and if you look at it from a distance, it has a flat bottom, not on the cover, but the housing. I'm pretty good at seeing what rear axle a XJ from quite a distance. The flat bottomed diff of the 8.25 is easy to spot.

Troy

 

[XJPhoenix]

As far as the H.O. being more mod-friendly, this is quite true. The aftermarket support for the later (OBD I and II models) is staggering compared to what's out there for the earlier models.

 

[ihscoutlover]

What years were the High Pinion(HP) 30s availible in?

Jeff

 

[87baseomatic]

My 87 renix 4.0L, aw4, np231, d44 rear and disco d30 front was a beast but had a fair amount of rust (read I could see my muffler from the back seat) and was rather problematic. Numerous electrical problems, body rot, broken this and that due to old age and high miles and being abused. But for what I paid for it and what I had into it. It was beyond well worth it. I should have kept the factory rear tire carrier and the d44.

My 92 is awesome, 4.0, aw4, np 242, d35 rear d30 front. Its a laredo and fully loaded. Its been good to me both on and off road. I like it more than the 87 I had. But it doesnt feel as solid as the 87 did.

My father has a 01 xj. Coilpack 4.0L, aw4, np231, 8.25 rear and lp d30 front. It treats him well, and has been good in mild wheeling and great in the winter. Short of check engine light crap its a nice rig.

I like the styling and ride in his better than my 92. It I could take the drivetrain from my 92 and some stuff from my 87 and put them in the later body style I would. That would be perfect for me.

 

[GlennH]

What are the odds of finding the following? this is what Im looking for but in the canadian prairies its pretty tough.

-1998 or 1999
-8.25 w/29 spline
-HP Dana 30
-NP231
-Transmisson: AW4/AX15
-4.0L
-NO ABS Brakes
-3.55 Gearing

 

[XJPhoenix]

It sounds like pretty good odds to me.

If it has the 8.25 rear end, then it doesn't have ABS. The AW4 is more common than the AX 15, and some folks think it'll last longer too. The HP D30 is the only front axle on the XJ until 2000 or 2001. 3.55 gears are on ALL automatics, unless you have a special order with 3.73, or a 4 cyl (2.5) standard, then it'll have 4.10's and you'll have to watch out for axle-hungry 4.0 guys like me.

The 29 spline 8.25 started in 1997, (or was it 1995? I'm really tired and can't remember the exact year...) and was the only spline count.

Best way to find what you're after is to look for a 1998-1999 automatic-equipped 4.0 litre XJ with the 8.25 rear-end. It'll have the options you want, or better.