The Police versions had several options that the standard ones didn't. First a lot of them were labeled as the SE or upcountry. This got them skid plating, and tow hooks. Not all had the skid plates and hooks though. They added extra coolers to the transmission and engine oil, pretty much like adding ones for towing, extended idle switches were put on to increase the idle speed from whatever is normal, to between 1k and 1200rpm. This was for when the vehicle is only in park, and all it really is is a ground to the PCM that is already in place for a PS switch that most never got. They typically got 242 transfer cases as well as rubber floor mats throughout, and didn't always have power windows and locks. Beyond that they may or may not have had other options like MJ steering columns that put the shifter on the column vs the floor(seen two identical ones like this), overhead additional light(ie ticket light), certified speedometers, and specific guage or idiot light packages, DS and or PS or both spotlights, and wiring packages for antennas for radios and roof mounted lightbars, as well as extra reinforcements for above. Beyond these(and maybe other things I have forgotten), they really were just standard. I don't believe they had "higher capacity alternators", as they all seemed to be similar in what they were rated in amps. Forest Service and Police Departments seemed to be where these went, although I have seen some with Fire departments as well, so they had some governmental usages across the boards. I have done pretty extensive research on these units specifically so if there are questions feel free to ask me. Seen models in the early as well as late models, hoping to get my hands on one of the two I used to drive on the FD back in the day, which were '94s, had vinyl floors, manual windows 242 transfer cases, column shifters, and just the parking brake on the floor. Radios were where the shifter was to go. HTH

Jeff

 

thats odd....the one i got at oreillys 136amp was too big and wouldnt fit....honestly i wouldnt trust any product on ebay sunce they could be 90 amp all rebadged at 136 amp and higher especially from china sellers....they are known for doung that......how can a 200 amp motor be same size as 90 amp?.....the area where alternator goes is very tight.....any bigger diameter or length wull not fit without modifying ....just a thought.....unless my police versuon 4.0 engine was diff or had defects that caysed the fit issue......i actually work at chrysler plant that manufactures the jeep grand cherokee...in detroit..im a tradesman tool maker....if anyone has questons regardung thst vehicle i can maybe help......

 

and my 1997 police version has that i know of

skid plates
front tow hooks
rubber lined floors
pwr windows
shifter on floor
tow package
air shocks......although they are useless they leak unstantly....
larger 10inch drum brakes
trans cooler
oil cooler
ext idle switch.......1000rpm

one more thing......i fired up the heater / fan....and air will not switch from floor to center vents to windshield vents....its always blowing to windshield vents.....switcher button isnt switching ...any ideas?

 

by the way...when i bought mine it had none of the police accessories on it....as far as lights etc...it looks like a normal jeep....even the blue paint color is normal which was odd....michigan state police usually use the off blue thsts not typucal.....and i believe mine was a state police car but not sure......i bought it with about 80k miles on it about 11yrs ago.....it has 126k on it now

 

and for the record...i was pretty pissed when chrysler stopped making the strong brand jeep cherkee back in 2002.....i told corporate they were making a huge mistake.....they then came out with brand deluting names lke compass....patriot...liberty.......it was sad.......and a mistake........now look.....they brought the jeep cherokke back...although i personally dont care for the new design......i alwsys thought the dodge nitro should have been branded jeep cherokee.....and have kept the cherkee name from 02 to 13

 

I've not heard of any '97+ column shifters. Probably never made the interior parts for 'em.

Yup this is caused by a vacuum leak. The easy spot to start is way on the passenger side of the engine bay there's a hard line that runs from the bumper to the hood. Under the hood it feeds cruise control and the HVAC doors. The destination under the bumper is to a vacuum reservoir (affectionately called "The Jeep Egg"). Start checking for cracks and unplugged fittings. You can access the reservoir by removing th bumper cap.

Oh but they did. Mid-2001 Chrysler shamelessly decided they were going to try to cash in on the sense of patriotism post-World Trade Center. In North America, the KJ got renamed to the Liberty. It's a Cherokee everywhere else. Same for the KK, which is the 2008-2013 Liberty and Nitro, and looks more lole an XJ than the KJ did.

Now 13 years later everybody's sick to death of the TSA and hyper patriotism and hipsters crave nostalgia... So they brought back "Cherokee".

 

I'm surprised the PC pukes aren't yelling racist because they named a vehicle after a Native American tribe. Look at all the fuss over the Washington Redskins.

 

Thanks. Wealth of knowledge, especially you Salad. I'd love to have a column shift trany, just because it's different. Unfortunately, I bet most of those cruiser XK wound up crushed long ago. You guys that have 'em, good find.

 

IHSCOUTLOVER. Man I'm sorry I credited the wrong person for you're post. Salad does have good, solid info in his posts, but yours was very informative. SORRY IHSCOUTLOVER. I guess my cataracts flared up.

 

Yeah I think the later models were all floor shift, probably due to emissions and sensors and such. I could be wrong on that. I've spent a lot of hours under hoods and around the SE ones as they were labeled. I got the shell of a 95 that I parted the rest out on. The two the FD had that I used to drive, and the PD one that I service as I can. I forgot to mention too that these service units could have also had engine block heaters. Look around your intake manifold for a coiled up extension cord plug end. That's the plug for the engine block heater. I'll get some pictures together to highlight some things.

 

Because the 136/140/160A units use a larger frame than the 70/90/117/120A units.

The 136A can be fitted, but some grinding of the mounting area (don't grind the alternator proper) is necessary - writeups on how to do that are extant, I'm sure there are a couple here, with pictures. About 1/4" of material needs to be removed.

It will fit, it's just not a bolt-on-and-go fit. "Fleet option" XJs 1997-up usually had 117A/120A alternators, and the option of the "EXT IDLE" switch (flip a switch, your idle jumps up to ~1000-1100rpm to get full alternator output. This can be added, since the circuit inside the PDC is extant in general - just add the switch. This "modification" has also been detailed.)

 

Not sure this is correct. I got a 160 on eBay that required no grinding at all. Dropped right in. This not the a ZJ one. Brand new ..

 

Except that Cherokee is an actual Native American tribe, "Redskin" is an insulting pejorative

 

Just an FYI. My 1996 XJ also has the 117 amp.

 

If I had to guess I'd venture that it was about simplicity and declining demand. I think most of the fleet XJs out there are pre-97, and interior bits were the same up until that point. Possibly overstock or a continuation of the MJ column shift. I think by the time Chrysler remodled the XJ orgs were starting to get big into contracts with Ford so the Explorer supplanted them.

There's a difference here. 5-90 is referring to the OE sizes which, for whatever reason, are made at a certain density. You can take a smaller XJ alt and have it rewound for a much higher capacity, and it will still have the smaller frame. Aftermarket is a different story.