Its just not a robust engine. It was intended for commuter cars but ended up in other stuff that needed efficiency over power. Less than 150 HP output for the 2.8L class and doesn't hold up to being pushed hard.

 

That's the funny thing about this XJ. It has the anemic V6 in it, yet is set up with full skid plates underneath.

I asked my bud if he would just sell me the skids for my '89... after all, the next owner will never know *wink *wink.

He said, "Sure man... fer eight hunnert bucks."




I don't know what's going to happen, we'll see.

 

How hard would it be to swap one back to the four banger ???


I occasionally see the 84-86 XJs for sale around here and one day I might pick up a beater just to play with.


As far as the vehicle in question, $800 seems cheap for a running 4x4 that's not all beat up. I guess that it all depends on whether you need it or not. It would be great for a HS kid to get to school in the snow, but sounds like not so good for a build project, based on what the resident experts are saying about the v6.

 

Another good swap is a chevy 4.3 v6. Good motor and decent amount of power. Look into swap its pretty strait forward. I wouldn't pay more then $600

 

It's a junky, leaky, low horsepower engine that cam in the first gen S-10 pickups and Blazers.

 

That's pretty damning evidence, right there

 

Must be nice to liv in a land where vehicles are cheap. Around here you'd be lucky to get a parts jeep for less than $1000. I recently picked up a 98 that needs a complete interior for $650 and that's a good deal around here. My first xj was an 88 I paid $800 dollars for with well over 200k on the clock. And that was like 15 years ago. And it was far from perfect.

 

Seems like I recently saw a 84/85/86 v6 XJ on CL locally for $2500 !!!


It was pretty nice though. I didn't pay much attention because we have our 88 now.

 

Its a gm 2.8 v6 same thing gm put in everything in the 80s in to the early 90s.They run ok but are really gutless.