Vehicle in question is my daughter's 2000 Cherokee Classic. It has the typical "knock" so it's time for major engine work. Instead of rebuilding, it's quicker, easier, and cheaper (for me anyway) to replace the engine with a known good unit. I have located a good running low mileage engine from a 1994 Grand Cherokee. I want to verify the blocks are the same. I have read the later Grand blocks are different for the mounts but am not positive on the earlier ZJ blocks.

If so, what other issues will I have?

 

I can tell you now the intakes are different and the heads are different so if your looking for a direct swap not going to happen 98-04 4.0 is what you need

 

I was thinking of swapping over the head as I knew the manifolds were different.

 

The block on a 2000 4.0 is different from a 94 where the engine mounts are located.

 

Are you sure? That's what I am getting conflicting information about. I have read the XJ and ZJ 4.0 blocks interchange. It's when you get into the WJ is when you have those particular problems.

 

That is not true

I have a 2000 cherokee sport and I swapped all the parts from my blown 2000 motor to the '88 4.0 motor with 58k on it that i picked up for 350$.

It really wasn't that bad of a project now that i think of it, but at the time it was hell since it was my first time ever really getting my hands dirty on any vehicle.

If a 1988 block works in a 2000, a '94 should be fine..

 

That is exactly what I would like to clarify first as there are conflicting statements.

Will an engine from a '94 Grand bolt into my '00 Classic? If so, I realize I will need to swap over accessories, etc., and for ease I'd also want to swap the head and manifolds over too.

 

Ask the seller for the casting number.

Year Casting No
1987-90 53005535
1991-95 53008405
1996-98 53020569
1997-?? 53010341
1999-04 53010449
3010328 (2000+ wrangler/XJ)
53020569 (2000+ Grand Cherokee, some bolt boss and MM differences)

 

The tag on the motor reads 53020762 M2ZJ.

Below that it has 9 762 4890 660280.

That does not correspond to this list. Any help on what this motor is?

 

Quit arguing.

XJ Cherokee and ZJ Grand Cherokee 4.0L engine blocks interchange.

2000+ TJ Wrangler and WJ Grand Cherokee 4.0L engine blocks interchange.

XJ/ZJ blocks and 2000+ TJ/WJ blocks do not interchange without significant modifications. (1997-1999 4.0L TJ Wrangler blocks will interchange in XJ/ZJ and visa-versa).

TJ/WJ 4.0L Engine blocks underwent clean sheet design changes effective in the 1999 WJ Grand and 2000 TJ Wrangler. These blocks are not interchangeable with XJ/ZJ engine blocks. The reason is motor mount bolt holes and belt driven accessory mounting bolt holes are in different locations, or not present at all, TJ/WJ vs. XJ/ZJ.

 

I apologize if you think I am arguing. I'm not. I am new to Jeeps and don't have a clue and there seems to be conflicting statements on what will work as a replacement engine.

Additional background which I should offer: The potential donor engine was pulled 4 years ago and put into dry storage. The seller of this engine *thinks* it's from a '94 Grand but is not positive. This is why I am asking, by way of the engine tag, what this particular engine came from.

 

I was just screwing with ya. Get the 10 digit number that's cast into the driver's side of the block and/or the numbers and letters stamped into the passenger side of the block above and to the right of the distributor.

 

Here's the tag.

 

That's not what we're looking for. Try the places I described in the earlier post.

 

After further review, I'm not so sure it is a rod knock.

The Jeep belonged to a good friend. It developed the very loud ticking sound so the head was removed and all the lifters replaced. The loud tick continued so he assumed (as I did with his diagnosis) it was a rod knock instead. He chose not to repair so I bought it with the plan to replace the motor.

The tick is extremely loud at idle and pretty much goes away when the engine speed increases. I counted the number of tick sounds at idle and it's about 300, half of the rpm's. I have great oil pressure, 40+ at idle. The sound is so loud I cannot isolate it with a stethoscope.

What else could this be?