I found a 87 commanche w 4.0 5 speed np231 t case, Its only 400.00 so i was thinking of buying it and rebuilding the 4.0 and swapping everything over to my 85 4cyl 4 speed cherokee. I am gonna do a np231 swap regardless if I do an engine swap or not but I was wandering how many of you think its worth the trouble?

 

If the tranny and t-case work well, totally go for it. The MJ and XJ were made on the same assembly line, so if I remember correctly, it should all line up. I dunno if you'd need the ECM as well or not. But like I said, if it all works, do it.

 

i dont see any problem with that. sounds like a good plan. but i am pretty new to jeeps. like a year or so and not to familiar with mj's. did the mj's come with an AX15? that would be the only "issue" i could think of, but once again im new.

 

do it!

 

i had a 92 manche eliminator, that thing was untouchable. the guy i sold it to did a ford 5.0 engine swap i wish i kept it haha good luck man

 

nope... wont work... youll have to swap the entire engine harness... engine... transmission... transfercase... and the motor mounts are NOT the same... not the bolt in mounts... but youll actually have to cut the mounts out of the frame and weld in the ones from your other jeep... this is not worth it because your better off just buying another XJ with a 4.0 already in it where the rest of the jeeps still in good enough condition...

 

that is true

 

so much for what i know. LOL

 

guess ill just keep looking for an ax5 and np231 for my 2.5.... thanks guys. I love my jeep so getting another one is not an option my dad and I have spent alot of time working on this thing together, ill doubt ill ever get rid of it.

 

nvm misread lol

 

is cutting of the frame required in every 2.5 for a 4.0 swap?

 

Huntingman is correct but he left out some details....

You are dealing with two different generations of vehicles...

Your 85 is a first generation. The Comanche(which is a heck of alot of fun) is a second generation. There-in lies a bunch of the problems. The first generation of the XJ/MJ wasn't designed for the size of the 4.0l motor. The second generation was.

 

yeah the firewall is not pushed back... but that is a easy part... nothing a sledge cant take care of... ive seen threads of people doing it but its not worth it to me... if i was gonna do a motor swap in a 2.5 id swap a 360 or something... would be easier anyways since you dont have to worry about wiring if you run a carbed setup...

and yes they all take cutting the mount style out of the frames... thats why if your gonna do it a V8 is better in my opinion... but keep the 2.5... just a good as the 4.0 and just the same power as long as you run the right gears...

nothings about motor and power... i thinks gears are cheaper and more important then power...