SnowPouncer

Hello,
My name is Steve and im considering buying a super clean 86 cherokee 4 door, v6 5 speed with a small lift and 32s.
Now i dont know much about jeeps so i am about to ask some really simple questions....
What issues can i expect with an 86?
Is the 2.8 really as bad as everyone is telling me?
I am strictly into snow wheeling so it must have good snow potential... does it?
Since it would be a daily driver in addition to snow runs can one of these be considered reliable?
Its time i move on and build an SUV and i just love that station wagon kinda look that it has
It has 160,000 on it.
Thanks for any info.
Steve

myHEEPis.rad

Hey and welcome to CF! cant say that i've read/heard alot of good stuff on the 2.8 cause it doesnt have alot of potential(could be argued tho). but i can tell you what to look for and that would be Rust! as for issues with the 86 dont know any major issues but i bet someone can fill ya in on that one possibly.. how much does he want for it? you know 4.0's dont go for that much for a clean one or possibly lifted.

xjrev10

wow a v6 with 160k! never seen one get that many miles before somethings gone wrong. just in my expirence. if its cheap, i would probably buy it and run it till it died, then take the parts and put it in a 4cyl or 6cyl Cherokee.

4.3L XJ

I had one of those. 160K is a lot for that GM engine. They have some weak points. See how much oil is coming out the rear main. They are prone to leak there even on the show room floor. Make sure the 4WD works, the vacuum disconnect can fail, but not hard to fix. Other that that, they don't have a lot of power. A cheap upgrade for more hp is to run Bosch +4 plugs. They will add 100 rpms on the top end and corresponding hp. Mine is a great snow rig, I have driven it for thousands of miles on snow and ice.

SnowPouncer

Thanks!
After looking around the net and even the wrecking yards today its obvious that buying a 4.0 model for a little more money is a better investment. So again being new and trying to learn these things... im wondering how good the automatic in the 4.0 models are.
I have been into nissans for years and even though i love automatics i would never consider a nissan with one.... what could i expect and how reliable are the auto/4.0 models? im finding most of them have over 200k on them. thanks
Steve

4.3L XJ

It's a Toyota tranny and nearly bulletproof behind a 4.oL

84wagoneer

i run an 84 with a 2.8, with pretty close to 200k miles. its still going strong, but its not the motor im worried about. the auto transmissions that came with the 2.8 arent as good as the 4.0 autos were, and the np207 transfer case with the 2.8 isnt as tough as the np231 with the 4.0 trucks. but all in all this is a good truck so far. only payed $550 so its been worth it.

SnowPouncer

toyota? wha?

trapper

avoid the V6... look for an inline-6

4.3L XJ

It is an Aisin/Warner 4 or AW4 tranny, made to go also into Toyotas