got a few qustions about buying a rebuilt engine. more then likely will be buying a rebuilt motor either from atk or if i can get a few more months from mine will be doing a golen stroker.

My jeeps a 2000 xj 4.0 auto 242 Lp30 35 230k miles. it has the 0331 head and i believe the head to be cracked or blown head gasket but im betting on cracked head. has had issues loosing coolant and gradual oil pressure decrease for the past 4 years and 20k miles. it was my fathers jeep up untill a year ago when i bought it from him for practically pocket change. due to what i know about its history and service records im not rebuilding it but rather replacing the motor.

my question is if i replace the engine in this jeep(2000) will i be able to take my motor out and install it in a earlier 98-99 xj if something were to happen to 00. ive done some research on buying a used low mileage motor from another xj and i keep coming across since all the emission stuff, exhaust and coil rail was added in 2000, to only replace with a 00 or 01 engine. i dont want to have to do any custom wiring or exhaust work to make it work if it will swap over but will if need be

Reason im asking is because i really want a 98-99. i want one for the reason they come with hp30, 231, 8.25, no pre-cats, distibuter ignition, dark grey or black interior and a few more things.
thanks to anyone that can give me any input on this.

 

on a side note and since i have this thread going, i picked up a 97 with a blown motor to grab parts from to swap into mine. rear 8.25, 231 and the full grey interior will be swapped out for the 00's d35, 242 and tan interior. i will be also keeping the hp30 if i can figure out what needs to done to work. people report with the way the exhaust is ran in the 00-01 the driveshaft will hit at stock height and lifted. i only plan on a 3in lift and just need to do more research on it. i do know when the motor is replaced the exhaust will be replaced and maybe the pipe that hits can be re-worked another way.
so basically if i can work out the front axle, exhaust deal i will have built the jeep i have in my mind using my current 00 over buying 98-99. just will have precats and coil on plug

 

Yes, the block and head are compatible. Treat it like a long block, leave the sensors, ignition, and exhaust with the original Jeep.

The 0331 head casting is special just for mounting the coil rail (and the weak spot that cracks, lol). There are other ways to do this, of course:



As for the exhaust and clearance, if you have the manifold with the pre-cats you're pretty much stuck with it. Even if you were to go a totally custom route, everything still has to stay really where it is since the computer expects the O2s and cats to be a certain distance from the engine and certain temp and all that jazz.

 

I will add, if you're installing a lift you won't need to worry about the exhaust at all. There will be plenty of clearance.

 

Ok awsome. So I shouldn't have any problem if I were to transfer it from the 00 to a 99. Just if I do do it, use all 99 sensors.
I know I can't remove the pre cats. But from what I have read, the down pipes hit the drive shaft. What I am thinking is at the point where it hits I could have a good muffler shop bend up a new pipe to move it out of the way the inch or two that is needed. I plan on using performance-curves all 2.5 cat to cat back piping. When I go to have kt welded up I could have them make the new down pipe from 2.5.

 

Sounds like a plan, I haven't crawled under that side of my '01 yet (parts/project Jeep) so I can't really comment any further lol

 

I bought a 97 for a parts jeep and to part out and help a few guys. Just like your 01 you just said. The more I think about it now, I should have just got a junkyard cheap motor for it and either did all junkyard lift parts and wheeled it or sold it. There's not a lick of rust on it and I will feel bad when it gets scrapped in the coming weeks. The only reason I picked it up cause I got it for 150 bucks and knew id make more if I drove it straight to the scrap yard

 

MD? Post it for sale in the North Atlantic regional forum or the For Sale section. Rust-free bodies are a good find.

 

Its going to be a shell in a few days. Grey interior is in process of being swapped for my tan, doors and my panels are sold to a buddy with a older body style, header panels gone, all motor bolt on's, axles, transfer case, driveahafts stuff I'm keeping. Its gonna be just a shell in a few days. I'm looking for someone to buy the hatch, rear glass, overhead conslole, all the dash. Its all pretty much going to good use but the jeep itself