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Putting 96 motor in 90 XJ

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Old Jan 23, 2019 | 07:07 PM
  #1  
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From: Klamath River, Ca (State Of Jefferson )
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 1991 - 4.0 ltr Factory Installed
Default Putting 96 motor in 90 XJ

I need help on this. I noticed the only thing different is they turned the throttle body 180 degrees to use the cruse control cable. Does anyone know of any other things to look out for ?
Thank You For All The help I have gotten in the past. (I am using an adjustable fuel regulator so I have that covered )
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Old Jan 24, 2019 | 06:36 AM
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Year: 1990
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do it the easy way?CRUISER'S MOSTLY RENIX TIPS

HO INTO RENIX SWAP

OCTOBER 31, 2015 SALAD 48 COMMENTS EDIT

This swap is easier than some will lead you to believe. And generally Pooh-poohed by those who have never done it. Those of us who have done it, like myself, will share with you the things that need to be done for a successful swap. Just think of it as swapping in a long block.
  • XJ Cherokee and ZJ Grand Cherokee 4.0L engine blocks interchange.
  • 2000+ TJ Wrangler and WJ Grand Cherokee 4.0L engine blocks interchange.
  • YJ and 1997-1999 4.0L TJ blocks will interchange in XJ/ZJ
  • XJ/ZJ blocks, and the 2000+ TJ/WJ blocks do not interchange without significant modifications.
TJ/WJ 4.0L Engine blocks underwent clean sheet design changes effective in the 1999 WJ Grand and 2000 TJ Wrangler. These blocks are not interchangeable with XJ/ZJ engine blocks. The reason is motor mount bolt holes and belt driven accessory mounting bolt holes are in different locations, or not present at all, TJ/WJ vs. XJ/ZJ.

Now that we know which engines we can use, let’s get down to business.

The HO and Renix have some differences but none that can’t be overcome very easily.

One running change was that the rear of the head was no longer drilled and tapped for the temperature gauge sender beginning in the 96 model year. The sender can be relocated to the threaded hole in the thermostat housing taken from an HO engine. You’ll have to extend the wire to that location. Some brave souls even drill and tap the HO head at the rear for the sender.

You will be using the intake and exhaust manifolds from your Renix, along with all your sensors and wiring. Since the intake ports of the HO are slightly different, you use a new Renix gasket. Exhaust ports are identical.

An alternative on exhaust manifolds:

As far as exhaust, you can use the Renix exhaust manifold and be fine.
If you want to use the HO exhaust manifold, you must go with an HO headpipe and screw your O2 sensor into that headpipe. Standard Renix harness is plenty long to do so.
A bung can be welded into the HO manifold to accept the EGR tube.

You will need to use your Renix distributor as it is different than the HO design. See Tips #12 – Setting Your 4.0 to #1 TDC and #13 – Distributor Indexing to be sure you get the distributor installed correctly.

The flywheel or flexplate from the Renix must be used so your CPS gets the correct signals. The valve cover from the Renix allows you to keep your CCV system intact and requires no modifications.

The HO block will have a plug in the coolant galley on the driver’s side of the block, closest to the front, which needs to be removed so your Coolant Temp Sensor can be installed in it’s place just as it is on the Renix. It requires a 5/16” square drive or a modified 3/8” drive that has been ground down to fit. Do this before installing the engine.

As for the knock sensor, which is located just above the oil pan on the driver’s side of the engine about mid way, all the blocks I’ve seen are threaded for it. If not, I’ve heard they may be drilled but not tapped. Tap the hole if that’s the case.



XJ: “Regular” (not Grand) Cherokees ’84-’01
ZJ: Grand Cherokee ’93-’98 (Gen1)
WJ: Grand Cherokee ’99-’04 (Gen2)
YJ: Wrangler ’87-’95 (Gen1)
TJ: Wrangler ’97-’06 (Gen2)
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Old Jan 26, 2019 | 10:55 AM
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From: Klamath River, Ca (State Of Jefferson )
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 1991 - 4.0 ltr Factory Installed
Default Engine Swap

Thank You All For The Help.
Luckily our 90- came with a 91 engine so it will be much easier. the engine and transmision are going together so I will just put a new CPS and rear bearing seal in while I have it out and dangling from the cherry picker. we will also use the transfer case from the 91 since we just topped it off with gear lube and we know it is in good working order.

We are sad to see our engine go south becuase it has been so good to us. We think of it as an old friend.

Thanks again for the help
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Old Jan 26, 2019 | 01:27 PM
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From: Klamath River, Ca (State Of Jefferson )
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Engine: 1991 - 4.0 ltr Factory Installed
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Thanx Your info was highly detailed. Were going engine and transmision, transfer case.
You know your ****e.
Thanks again
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Old Jan 26, 2019 | 02:02 PM
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Year: 1999
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1990 was the last year for the 21 spline aw4/tcase so you may need to match the trans with the tcase. Since you say yours has the HO and not the renix you may have the 23 spline of the later years. Either way the tcase shouldn't have gear oil in it. It should be filled with some sort of atf (I prefer dex/merc since that's what the aw4 uses).
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Old Mar 10, 2019 | 04:26 PM
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Year: 1993
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Quick question @cruiser54 ... I may be in the market after discovering a slightly bad rear main cap bearing. Will the 89 swap into the 93 without any issues, to your knowledge?

Here is the bearing just fun:
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Old Mar 10, 2019 | 05:41 PM
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actually, they may be different as in the locating tab placement.
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Old Mar 10, 2019 | 10:21 PM
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Originally Posted by cruiser54
actually, they may be different as in the locating tab placement.
Not sure what you mean by locating tab.
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Old Mar 10, 2019 | 10:25 PM
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The bearing has tabs that locate it in the journals and they're different for certain years. I ran into that issue when I rebuilt my motor they ordered the wrong bearings for itPutting 96 motor in 90 XJ-photo998.jpg
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Old Mar 10, 2019 | 10:43 PM
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Thanks SatiricalHen. I wasn't clear on what I meant when I asked my question to cruiser54 but you answered it in the thread I started. I was actually asking about the 89 engine in a 93, not the actual bearings.
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Old Mar 10, 2019 | 10:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Scott91370
Thanks SatiricalHen. I wasn't clear on what I meant when I asked my question to cruiser54 but you answered it in the thread I started. I was actually asking about the 89 engine in a 93, not the actual bearings.

Engine can be swapped easily. I can show you how.
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Old Mar 10, 2019 | 10:49 PM
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Originally Posted by SatiricalHen
The bearing has tabs that locate it in the journals and they're different for certain years. I ran into that issue when I rebuilt my motor they ordered the wrong bearings for itAttachment 404197

I stole your photo.
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Old Mar 10, 2019 | 10:53 PM
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Originally Posted by cruiser54
Engine can be swapped easily. I can show you how.
That would be great. Is in one of your write ups that I maybe have't come across yet?
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Old Mar 10, 2019 | 11:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Scott91370
That would be great. Is in one of your write ups that I maybe have't come across yet?

Pretty much HO into REnix swap but backwards.
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Old Mar 10, 2019 | 11:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Scott91370
Thanks SatiricalHen. I wasn't clear on what I meant when I asked my question to cruiser54 but you answered it in the thread I started. I was actually asking about the 89 engine in a 93, not the actual bearings.
Posted up in your other thread some answers
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