Matt_the_Butcher

Hi,

I got a killer deal on a clean Florida 97 2wd XJ 4.0 aw4 last year & after a few tweaks & tinkering I fixed it to be a DD. I'd like to make a 4x4 out of it. I know a 00 4.0 aw4 is probably 1 of the worst ideas for a donor but I got 1 really cheap. Its from Indiana, body is rotten with rust, 0331 head cracked & p/o royally f-ed up an engine swap. Here's my opinions...
1. Sell the 00 beater & 97 and buy a decent 4x4 BUT I won't learn a thing & isn't a challenge.
2. Get a 98 PMC so I can use the 00 wiring harness so I can use the 4x4 aw4 & bolt up the 4x4 guts without weird malfunctions or cel codes.
3. Get/make an adapter so I can use the 00 headers on the 0630 head, intake, make brackets for coil pack and swap 00 PCM in. Does anyone know if I can use the stock 0630 exhaust on a non-CA XJ?
4. Pull wiring diagram & swap connections for 00 aw4 & whatever mods necessary to make it work.

Any opinions & insight are most welcome. Thanks!

EvanM

After doing some research the aw4 seems like it may be a solid automatic as long as it's got a good torque converter.
a good torque converter for my cummins pickup cost me 1000.

you could do a rad shifter and not even mess with changing or modifying the harness.
I would give rad a call, to me there websites confusing.
http://www.radesignsproducts.com/winters-elec.-control-kits.html

strip the 2wd suspension plate the frame. Get enough brackets from ruff stuff, barnes offroad, or fab your own brackets tied into frame stiffners.

figure out trans crossmember.
Might bolt on factory crossmember ?
really wouldnt be that much more work than doing a 3 or 4 link on 4wd..

the auto xj has 355 gears so you'll want those axles to.

would be a cool project

Matt_the_Butcher

I'd just reuse the stock cross member from the donor. Luckily both are 3.55 and C-8.25 rears. I'm really hoping someone will chime in on whether the 98 harness swap would work. It would be the easiest & cheapest way. Aside from the lift, I'd like to stay pretty close to stock. I'm planning on moving up North some time soon. I'm not thrilled about the LP D30 but it'll be fine to get through winter.

Matt_the_Butcher

I've been all over the internet looking for more info and all I've been able to find is people using a 97 trans in thier 91-96 or 98-01. I've seen 1 or 2 posts about 91-96 swaps but nothing in detail about using a 98-01 aw4 in a 97. My understanding is that I need to either repin or cut/splice the harness and match the color of the wires and cap off the 2 or 3 not being used b/c 97 only has 5 wires. I know I have to swap the sensor & sensor rotor frim 97 to my new 00 or build some kind of circuit to dumb down the 00's sensor so the 97 pcm can understand it... But that's kinda over my head. Anything else? This is my first time even pulling a transmission so any and all help is appreciated. Its just getting cool enough down in FL to do any nonessential repairs & I'd like to take advantage of the cool front this week. Thanks !

MonacaYankee

Matt_the_Butcher

I have. I've read the 30-something page long thread "Everything You Need to Know About the AW4," several times as well. All I have been able to find is people using 97 aw4's in older XJs or trying to dumb down thier 98-01s ECU to understand the simpler 97 sensors. If there is information about using a 98-01 aw4 in a 97, I'd be most grateful for the knowledge or the link.