I have a 01 xj 2wd and I want to make it 4wd. I took it to a shop and they said they could do it. They found a donor it's a 97. They said it would all bolt up and there would be no problems. Everything is good but they are saying that the transmission is not shifting properly. It can be shifted manually,but auto does not work. Know they are saying it's a bad solenoid. Sorry I am new to this and I don't know. Can someone help me. I have just read that the 97 transmission will work but there needs to have modification done to the wireing.

 

The 97 only used one speed sensor (output). The 98-01 used two, an output AND an input. The 97 was not machined for an input sensor. Did they not notice an extra sensor with nowhere to go?

Heres more on the AW4. Scroll down to "If you have a 1998-2001 XJ".
https://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1053970

 

So they need to find a trans and transfer case for 98/01 I am assuming? Would this be correct?

 

why did they swap over transmissions?

 

My jeep is 2wd and I want to make it 4wd.

 

The output shaft on a 2wd is too short. You have to change it for the 4wd shaft and the only way to do that is to completely disassemble the transmission so its easier to just swap the whole transmission.

 

Makes sense. Thanks for clarifying.

 

About to go through this process, picked up rare rust free (michigan version) 2dr rwd. I have 98 and 99 donor jeeps. 98 has the better funcioning low mileage drivetrain but trans has been sitting for 9 years, how much you wanna bet it will have issues?