howellrobby

OK I have done a lot of searching but can't really find the info I need to make a purchase. I have a 00 stock xj I am thinking about buying a 98 or 97 my head/motor issues have inspired me to do this. Will 00 axles, transfer case, transmission, radiator or any other parts.Fit 97-98 model xj? I'd like to buy a year without the head issue and just have a ton of spare parts from my 00 makes sense right? 2500ish for new motor 800 good head/parts to mate. Plus I'm no master mechanic. So buying another one just seems like a good option for me I just dont want money I spent on 00 to go to waste. Sorry if this has been asked before I have searched. Just trying to weigh out my options

howellrobby

BTW 30diff in front, 8.25 rear, np231 tcase. Automatic transmission,2000 sport.

Fred/N0AZZ

The 00 has the LPD30 that most want to get rid of, the 97-99's are the best years to find with 99 the best. Most other things will swap to those yrs and the most to the 99's.

howellrobby

OK please forgive my ignorance. So u r saying my front diff is not the best? I can live with that, Especially if I'm gonna buy a later model with better front diff. I'm trying to stay away from 99-01 due to the head casting issues on those models. Mine has a hairline crack and oil psi is barely at min spec. I would just go to the pull yard and grab another 00 motor only then I'd still b stuck with a 0331 junk head which is why I would like another xj with a better casting on head. Then if and when I have issues later down the road which require a new motor I'd be able to to go pull a motor from the yard without having to worry too much if the head on it is cracked also. So what u r saying is if I find a 97-99 my 00 parts will match up if needed as spares

howellrobby

Additionaly I'm not trying to buy a p.o.s that needs all my 00 parts, would just like to be able to use some if needed. As I said I'm not a master mechanic but my uncle is pretty close, And doesn't mind helping me learn he has a hoist ect. So I'm not going 2 b taking a lot of these repairs on myself. This is my first off road vehicle all the ones before were lame Lil sports cars like v6 mustangs ect.
I've had a lot of issues with my jeep but I'm hooked.

Hi desert xj

I'm not positive but I don't think the 99's had the 0331 head. I know mine doesn't, and its a '99 with over 200k on the clock. I would look for a '99 it has the hp (high Pinion) dana 35, and a good chance your 2000 parts will fit. Oh and it doesn't have the emissions headache of the 2000-01

MoparNJeep

Most your parts are a direct swap. 1999 again best year. 99 does not have the 0331 head. It's 0630 head for 99. The 97-99 have the better front end (HP30) if you get one that has abs brakes if will have the Dana 35 rear which is not the best. Radiator, T case, engine, trans, and axles are all bolt in. The 00-01 are coil pack motors is only difference but you can drop a distributor from 97-99 in the 00 block and run it.

MoparNJeep

Or you could spend $400 on a upgraded casting cylinder head, $80 for head gasket kit with new head bolts and $150 on a used HP30 for your 2000 cherokee and save the added expenses of another rig

Or do what my buddy did is buy a 0630 or 0720 head and build some simple brackets for the coil pack. Took me all of 20 minutes with some aluminum sheet metal some shears and a drill to make the brackets..

howellrobby

Hmm got a point. I am definitely over thinking it all I guess the idea of having two rigs is a little appealing to me. Maybe I'll just find a good 99 make it my dd and rig out the 00 that way I don't have to worry what I'm gonna break
When I do hit the trail. Either way the conclusion is 99 is a good donor for 00 and vise versa?

extrashaky

As Fred mentioned, the 00 and 01 had a low pinion front Dana 30. It's slightly weaker, loses you a little bit of ground clearance and can cause some drive line issues if you lift it. So you won't want to put that in an older XJ.

The 00 has a different exhaust setup from the prior years because of a change in California emissions that year. The exhaust manifold and exhaust forward of the rear cat will not swap directly over. If you have California emissions (with four O2 sensors), the computer would also not be an easy swap to an earlier year.

You probably realize you have no distributor, so the ignition system on yours is not directly compatible with the older XJs.

Your rear axle is a good swap candidate for an older XJ with a Dana 25 rear. All the body panels and doors should be direct fits for a 97-99. Transmission and transfer case should be fine also.

Starting in 1999, there was an improved intake manifold that will swap into the earlier models fairly easily. If you got a 97 or 98, you could swap that in and improve your fuel/air flow.

Personally, I would either swap in another engine and just keep the 00 running, or I would let it go to someone else who could do the swap and find another XJ in good shape to replace it, one that didn't need any of those parts to be a reliable daily driver. Keeping it as a parts Jeep just seems like too much trouble and potentially a waste of a good shell.

Teephphah

Dude, I'm no master mechanic either and I just replaced my cracked 0331 head. We have the internet these days. Anything is possible. Got a new(-ish) TUPY head from a guy in my jeep club for $200, gaskets and head bolts for about another $100 and BOOM, I can now say that I've replaced my own cylinder head (AND IT EVEN WORKS!), and I didn't have to buy myself an entirely new vehicle.

Now, if, as you mention, you're just trying to justify having another XJ laying around, I can totally respect that, but I'd tell you that you don't have to be afraid of getting your hands dirty and learning yourself some new skillz. XJ's can be pretty forgiving. That, or I've just been really lucky.