'89 to '97 4.0 motor swap
01-26-2010, 06:31 PM
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'89 to '97 4.0 motor swap
Hey guys, I am new to the forum. On my 5th Jeep though and a '95 Grand Cherokee was my first vehicle. Anyways, I have a 1989 Jeep Cherokee with the AW4 transmission and (had) the 4.0 inline 6 motor in it. The motor had 278,000 and finally went bad on me last week. A buddy of mine has a '97 motor and said I can swap it into my Jeep pretty easily.
Has anyone done this? What do I need to look out for? He said '97 was the last year the motors had a distributor so I can swap it in pretty easily. Will I have to change the wiring or can I leave the '89 wiring? I think he said I would have to use the flex plate of my '89 motor which is fine if I can do so.
Just wondering what I need to do in order to do this swap right and if it is even worth it?
Any help or advice is great!
Thanks!
-Chris
Has anyone done this? What do I need to look out for? He said '97 was the last year the motors had a distributor so I can swap it in pretty easily. Will I have to change the wiring or can I leave the '89 wiring? I think he said I would have to use the flex plate of my '89 motor which is fine if I can do so.
Just wondering what I need to do in order to do this swap right and if it is even worth it?
Any help or advice is great!
Thanks!
-Chris
Last edited by NCCcummins; 01-26-2010 at 06:44 PM.
01-26-2010, 06:50 PM
#3
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Year: 1990
Model: Comanche
Engine: 4.0 I6
your 89 is a renix motor and the 97 is a HO... the head is ported diff...so you will have to swap a ton of stuff to make it work... search renix to HO swap...
01-26-2010, 06:53 PM
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Year: 1990
Model: Comanche
Engine: 4.0 I6
cherokees had distributors all the way up until they stopped making them... Grand cherokees had them until 98... 99 was distributorless... TJ's stopped way later too... so thats wrong info also....
01-26-2010, 06:56 PM
#7
2000 and 2001 XJ 4.0s had a distributorless ignition. They are fired by a coil pack.
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01-26-2010, 06:59 PM
#8
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Year: 1990
Model: Comanche
Engine: 4.0 I6
hhmm... why you keep teachin me stuff... lol... i guess i havent really messed with any of them that new... my bad... hey your axles are pulled by the way... finished up work early so busted my hands on some bolts...
01-26-2010, 07:01 PM
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01-26-2010, 07:07 PM
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bring it! lol
come over to the Cummins Forum somtime (www.cumminsforum.com) you will see me there with the same user name
as for the motor swap..you guys told me real fast I am using an 86-90 motor...keep it simple!
come over to the Cummins Forum somtime (www.cumminsforum.com) you will see me there with the same user name
as for the motor swap..you guys told me real fast I am using an 86-90 motor...keep it simple!
01-26-2010, 07:19 PM
#12
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Year: 1990
Model: Comanche
Engine: 4.0 I6
im on there but i dont use it much... not nearly as much help like cherokee forum gives me on XJ's... competition diesel is becoming more of my fav... ive seen your truck on one of the 2... think maybe u posted in acouple of my threads... youve got more motor work done i think but i got jeff garmons auto tranny so it would be close... lol
01-27-2010, 10:02 AM
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im on there but i dont use it much... not nearly as much help like cherokee forum gives me on XJ's... competition diesel is becoming more of my fav... ive seen your truck on one of the 2... think maybe u posted in acouple of my threads... youve got more motor work done i think but i got jeff garmons auto tranny so it would be close... lol
Yeah man I like comp d because there is no BD in their threads. Mostly all of them have helpful info!
Garmon's is an awesome trans man!
01-27-2010, 04:57 PM
#15
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Year: 1990
Model: Comanche
Engine: 4.0 I6
i live 5min from him... just cut a 2'x2' in his roof at his house lol... cause it was leakin and rotted out... do alot at his place and the shop... good guy... helped me out alot on stuff with mine... now i just gotta hookup... ive got posi but itll burn only one tire and its on 37's... so gotta lock it or something... lol