So as a few of you may know the 1986 jeep comanche did not come with the legendary 4.0 litre and in my opinion any engine option you could get for the 86 manche was incredibly underpowered. I have an 86 2.5 litre 5 speed 2wd manche and I have just acquired a 95 jeep xj 4.0 4x4 aw4 np231 (stock) that was unfortunately thrown Into a ditch sideways and eventually met a fire hydrant at the a pillar which twisted the roof and these things being unibody beasts, ended its daily driver days. The whole jeep cost me $200, everything is beautiful, no rust 130xxx on that HO the body is just trashed, but at least now I can make my half doors. Anyways I am wondering about the compatibility of the 4.0 with the Comanches 5 speed tranny which I don't know if it's a ax5 or ax15 and then that with the 231 because I would like to make the manche a 4.0 4x4 but I would like to keep the standard tranny for simplicity and I want the aw4 as a back up for my other xj. Any input that would assist me in my project is welcomed. And I already know I will have to re design the Manches engine compartment for the real estate the 4.0 takes up and I will have to re gear because a 5 speed manche rear end has 4.11s and a xj d30 has 3.55s.

 

Last i checked on comanche gearboxes, if it had a 2.5l L4 (like Me) the 4-speed is an aisin ax-4 and the 5-speed is a puegot, the 4.0 had the ax-5. and the splines are different i think, that why for my 4.0 swap I'm looking for a 5.speed wreck. all the harnesses and equipment from under the hood of your wrecked xj should swap right over, so theres very little re-designing to do under the hood.

and i think the 95 still had a cable speedometer, so you can even use its gauge cluster

 

So what your saying is I will either have to find a ax5 out of a 5 speed xj or just put the whole driveline from the 95 xj into my manche?

 

Yes, and honestly i wouldn't trust my aisin ax-4 behind a 4.0l the drivetrains that were behind the 2.5l were built to handle an underpowered engine. the AW$ has a good name and will bolt right in, you should even be able to use the crossmember from the XJ assuming its not bent? and the comanche has panels in the floobroard for the range selector under the carpet already