How bad are the 4 cylinders?

[NickDanger_XJ]

I have a buddy who is getting rid of his '89 Wrangler with the 4 cylinder. I really want to get back into Jeepin and this is a super nice rig other then that motor. I've always just paid attention to the 4.0l and I know it's bulletproof. How about the 2.5 though, is it worth even bothering with? I don't want to get it and regret it.

The reason I'm mainly looking at this one right now is because he is interested in trading it for a car I have ('91 BMW 318i), so that would make things easy.




Anybody interested in trading a nice XJ for a Bimmer? lol

 

[crazymoose1990]

I guess that depends on what you plan on doing with it. If you were going to wheel it, gear helps huge amounts. Thats how the Toyota guys can run 35" tires. As far as fuel economy its probably a wash, once you start to change tires sizes and gearing you will probably get the same MPG as a 4.0 liter? Its a tough call. I would sell the Bimmer and wait for an XJ there for sale on every corner, hell I saw 3 decent XJs for sale on my way to Forest Grove yesterday. I am unsure about longevity of the 4 cyc
Hope this helps.

 

[souske]

I thought the 4.0 was just a lengthened 4 cyl....

Is this going to be a toy, trailered to trails? Or your DD?

If it is going to be a DD, I would hold out for a 4.0

 

[parkbenchbum]

Reliability is not as good as 4.0, My cousin had a 95 with only 90,000 miles and had several problems. Waterpump, tranny, and head gasket etc. I have talked to other people with some of the same problems. Hold out for the 4.0 you will be happier.

 

[streetxj]

They are slowwwwwwwwwwwwwww..... lol

 

[BoringDave]

I have a 95 with 150+k on it runs great more power then toyota's. I have 33 on it now but plan to gear to 488's. I like mine I have a 4.0 also way more power but way more fuel to.

Dave


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

spikeypuck is on his second 2.5l XJ.. He drives it like a high school kid with a honda (ok.. it just sounds that way) and puts half a million miles on it a week.. It's not gonna tow a car trailer, or win any big races. but it treats him well!

 

[crazymoose1990]

Now he has a roof rack that should add some weigh. Spike its time for that 4.3 liter swap, lets go hit up the JY its half price this weekend.

 

[spikeypuck]

Yea I am planning on hitting the jy this weekend..

As far as the 4 banger. I drive 37 miles each way to work. I cruise between 65 and 70. Now with the rack and all of the added steel I have welded to it I am cruising at 64 to 68 I have roughly 274,xxx miles on the motor and I still consider it reliable enough to commute and take it to Browns camp.

I would like to gear it to 4.88's when I go to 33's but I really can't complain about how it has treated me. My problem is I have a heavy foot and am wanting to find a little more power,but at the same time I don't want or need any tickets.

About the repairs. I have swapped everything that is attached to the motor. My first one was pretty neglected and I had no choice but to keep fixing it. After I finished with everything from the starter, to the radiator I haven't had another issue besiides that damn carb not wanting to tune right.

I do owe Dragthatsht a mention on the fact that he is nice enough to keep tuning my carb as I screw it up :doh:

 

[crazymoose1990]

Dont worrie about tickets Spike even with a 4.0 there not that much faster with 3:55 gearing I can hit 105 but it takes like 30 minutes standing on the gas pedal to achieve this. My XJ has 124 thousand so its still a baby, I beat that little motor, I i ever find a job that pays again I would like to do the 4.7 liter down the road if I ever blow up my 4.0 liter. So probably another 20 years.

 

[spikeypuck]

Oh op. one thing I have learned is that it is not true that all 4 bangers come with 4.10 gears. The 4 speeds have 3.73 and the 5 speed has 4.10. Not sure what the auto has, but I would advise against getting a 4 banger with an auto.

Here is a forum about 4 bangers. You can find all the info you might be interested in before the buy
4bangerjp.com

I can't remember if it is bad to post forum links if it is and it gets removed pm me

 

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

Oh op. one thing I have learned is that it is not true that all 4 bangers come with 4.10 gears. The 4 speeds have 3.73 and the 5 speed has 4.10. Not sure what the auto has, but I would advise against getting a 4 banger with an auto.

Here is a forum about 4 bangers. You can find all the info you might be interested in before the buy
4bangerjp.com

I can't remember if it is bad to post forum links if it is and it gets removed pm me

just an FYI 2.5 with the AUTO, has 4.56s stock:looney:

 

[BoringDave]

A few people has heard mine make that zing zing zing noise as it bounces off the rev limiter quite a few times. I think when I have the front axle out for the re-gear I am going to roll some rod bearings in it though.

Dave

 

[crazymoose1990]

Scott I though the 4 Cyc had 4:10 stock? Depending on auto or man

 

[spikeypuck]

Scott I though the 4 Cyc had 4:10 stock? Depending on auto or man

That is a myth.. However bigfoot it real :twak:

99Redxjbuilder. If I rev mine too much it just coughs.. lol Well I was on the hwy behind someone doing 10 under. When I could I got over dropped it to third and when I heard it coughing like it was gonna blow I looked and I was at 70, in third way in the red.. Lmfao I guess the 85 doesnt have a limiter

 

[old_man]

There is no absolute mapping of the gear ratio against engine and tranny. The dealer could order it any way they wanted. There was a dealer in AZ that ordered a lot of manuals with 4.56's.

 

[BoringDave]

Yea my buddy has a tj that has a 4.0 ax-15 rear 44 with limited slip and 3.73's. He don't know jack about jeeps and just bought it off the lot like that. I even read that some xj's came with a 2.5 aw4 and 4.56's in 87.

Dave

 

[NickDanger_XJ]

I talked to the guy some more, here are some specs:

It's a 5 speed, he's had it regeared to 4.88's, I forgot the mileage but it was relatively high, and he think's it needs a new head gasket pretty soon. Worth the trouble? He's more or less babied it, definitely never wheeled it. But, it's wired with nice offroad lights, hi lift on the hood, dual battery set up, rock rails, BFG MT 33's, full size spare, I think aftermarket front and back bumpers

I think the thing that interests me the most about it is that it's so done already, and thats one of the reasons I gave up on my XJ was that I couldn't afford all the extra stuff I wanted.

I think my main use for whatever Jeep I get would be mostly light duty offroading, camping, stuff like that. We also just moved way out of town so it would be nice to have something that doesn't suck gas like my pickup for quick town trips and stuff.

 

[dragthatsht]

Has milage will about the same with a 2.5 our a 4.0. Probably around 15 with it set up like it is.

 

[Mnkyboy]

My MJ has the 2.5l AX4 and 3.55s,its got well over 200,000 and runs great.