Looking at a 97 ZJ Limited
 

Hey everyone. I am new to Jeeps and trucks in general but I have the opportunity to buy a 1997 ZJ Limited for $1,800.00. It's in great shape both inside and out with just a few very minor flaws which I can fix.

The two things I am considering with this purchase and wanted advice on is that the motor was replaced with a 4.0 inline 6 that has 140k miles on it. The only issue I can see is that it has a lifter tick.

Second thing is that the Axles were replaced during a build by the previous owner and the current Gear ratio is 3.55, not 3.73. What is the major difference here? Will I need to upgrade to go off-roading and mudding?

With the condition of the vehicle and the fact that it has upgrades, like a 3" lift, 31" Tires @ 75%, Pro Comps all new suspension bushings & the 4x4 moves smooth... it seems like a great deal.

What are your thoughts? Based on this info are there any issues you would be concerned with?

Thanks!

I always look to get a Ford 9inch rear end and Dana 44 front end if I'm going to upgrade axles. That's what I'm currently running with 4.88 gears.

Well, depends on if it is a lifter noise... If so and not a injector, or cracked manifold noise, didja check for water in the oil? Im sure u did, being a guy and all..... Just checkin ;-) my YJ has a lifter tick and I use Rotella T5 in it, itseems to quiet the tick, it has 149k on it. I also have a 97 zl limited but with big arse V8 5.2 engine with 168k and I love it, motor purrs like a kitten!

Yeah, coolant is nice and clean, so is the oil. Im told the vehicle only has about 5k miles since the engine was swapped.

Thanks for the feedback.

Welcome to CF. With the 4.0L and those 31" tires, those 3.55 gears are a little high (numerically low) which tends to overwork the engine. I'd rather have at least 3.73's, or better yet, 4.10's.

So what axles were swapped in? That has to be gutless with the 3.55s and 4.0.

The 4.0 is a noisy engine, but it will be noisy for hundreds of thousands of miles without a problem.