So I have a 1999 XJ with a lot of rust on the roof and rockers and quarter panels but a healthy engine. I have an opportunity to get a 2001 with bad rodknock for really cheap and I will transfer my parts over. Since the 01 uses coil packs and my 99 uses a distributer, would it be a simple engine swap? Never done an engine swap before so would the ECU and stuff have to be changed? I've only worked on cars with a distributor before so I honestly have no idea how coil packs work. Could I convert the distributer engine to use coil packs? Any help or links to related questions would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

I did the exact opposite. I rolled my 01 and bought a 99 body. Everything moved over fine. All I had to do was put the distributor in place of the cam sensor.

All you'll need to do is pull the distributor and put the cam sensor in its place. I'm pretty sure the exhaust from the 99 will be fine in the 01. I had to reuse my 01's exhaust in the 99 due to a different exhaust port design change. That wasn't fun...

 

Does the 1999 have the same head as the 2001 because if they are different you will need to use the 1999 exhaust manifold .

 

The previous owner said the 99 head was replaced at one point but I forget what it was replaced to. I also found a company who sells exhaust adapters for this purpose

 

Thanks for the reply. I heard from another website that the NSS would have to be bypassed... maybe I'm thinking of the post for switching from the ax15 to the aw4 trans... I forget. Anyways I found a company who makes adapters for the exhaust manifolds so that will be useful.

 

I wouldn't see why. It's the same transmission from 99 to 01 (i think). Either way bypassing that is a breeze. I had to do that on my 01 when the NSS failed.