XJ (V8 swap) vs ZJ V8

[ArmyGuy45]

What would you guys say is better for parts, support, strength, reliability, etc in a Cherokee V8 swap vs a Grand Cherokee with a V8 already in it.


And.......GO!

[4.3LXJ]

Grand with one already in it

[07Negative]

5.3L if you don't mind the costs, labor, emissions. But Steve's way smarter than I am. Listen to that guy

[4.3LXJ]

The reason I said that is that if you don't like or know how to work on all of it, you can't afford to have someone tinker with it for you

[07Negative]

That's no joke! Motor, tranny, tcase, labor. A cool 10 grand.

[rabies]

could always get a crate 350 cheap. use a 4x4 trans that fits. custom driveshaft.
make motor mounts and wire it up. plan it out it can be cheap and easy but some time to do. but ..i think my response might be off topic. ..but hey. opinions are free and worthy what you pay ;D

[4.3LXJ]

If you can use a carb, fine. Smog laws make it difficult though

[rabies]

true...if you live in CA NY etc :)
buuuuut here in iowa...carbed 283s on homemade gokarts drive to gas stations for gatorade

[07Negative]

true...if you live in CA NY etc :)
buuuuut here in iowa...carbed 283s on homemade gokarts drive to gas stations for gatorade

Where in Iowa you at? I miss home.

[rabies]

davenport. QC area. lots of mud and misquitos

[TeXJ]

Stock will be cheaper...but what's the fun in that? haha

[NW99XJ]

LS1 FTW
(that is all)

[Rocco83]

If it isn't going into a DD I would say plan it out and do the swap into an XJ. When putting it in you'll have an easier time fixing things when they break and a little first hand knowledge on it. LS1 swap is pretty sexy. Around where I live you can get a 350 with a mated tranny for peanuts.

The fact that I hate ZJs may make me partially biased though.

[bluedragon436]

I'd say the Grand with the V8 already in it... But that is just cause there are so many items out there for them, where as there is no support redly available for a V8 equipped XJ.. with the exception of mounts and adapters and such.. so everything would have to be custom made/fabricated, which then just creates more expense.. I mean I guess either way they'd both stink due to them both being unibodies which will twist and tear apart over time...

[ArmyGuy45]

I'd say the Grand with the V8 already in it... But that is just cause there are so many items out there for them, where as there is no support redly available for a V8 equipped XJ.. with the exception of mounts and adapters and such.. so everything would have to be custom made/fabricated, which then just creates more expense.. I mean I guess either way they'd both stink due to them both being unibodies which will twist and tear apart over time...

Even the Grand is a uniframe?

[bluedragon436]

It is indeed.. the only Jeeps I know of that are full frame are the Wranglers and the old FSJ's (not even positive on the FSJ's).. The MJ's are unibody in the front and then semi framed in the rear..

[ArmyGuy45]

It is indeed.. the only Jeeps I know of that are full frame are the Wranglers and the old FSJ's (not even positive on the FSJ's).. The MJ's are unibody in the front and then semi framed in the rear..

Wow, I guess the Jeep 'name' is from the Wrangler background due to its ruggedness. How long can a unibody take abuse before it gives out and can you fix it?

[07Negative]

The FSJ is not a unibody. But the MJ is a unibody. But I wouldn't really sweat those details all that much. There are plenty of folks wheeling the crap out of a unibody and there are plenty of folks who have ripped the leaf mounts right off a non unibody.
V8 power is nice to have, no question on that. But there's nothing wrong with the I6 the XJ comes with. It's old technology. But it's a long lasting power train.
I just saw an add for a LS with tranny, mounts, ECM, yada yadas for $8500! That's alotta coin. And if you don't know what you're doing in regards to the swap. Now you have to factor in labor. I'd suspect $5K easily.
Now one might be able to get all that stuff much less. But the parts were advertised as all new.

[bluedragon436]

Well another good thing is, if you're looking at doing an LSx swap into your Jeep, you can look at picking up an LQ9 instead of an LS1, it is slightly heavier then the aluminum LS1, but it is the same basic engine, just the truck version, so not as many people want them to swap into Camaro's, 240sx's, and other cars that folks are swapping LSx's into. so they can sometimes be sourced a bit cheaper... I know when I was searching for an LSx for a friend's 280z's swap, we managed to pick up an LQ9, T56 trans, FAST LS1 intake and a few other nice upgrades for the same price that he could find an LS1 w/ T-56 completely stock with no money left over for upgrades.. so just another option you can look at if you are looking at doing an LSx swap.. I think if I had the money to build up one, I'd look at picking up either a ZJ or a WJ w/ a V8 already in it... most likely I'd stick with the ZJ, as it would be cheaper starting price for purchase, not to mention the 5.2 and 5.9 V8's seem to have a lot less issues then the 4.7 that is found in the V8 WJ's....

[TeXJ]

For me the stock 4.0L is just fine for me on the trails. I've geared it, 4.56, for the tires and I truthfully dont need anymore power. Because the more power you add the more your weak points will become apparent. Then starts a whole slew of other items that will need to be upgraded due to the new found power of the V8.

[bluedragon436]

For me the stock 4.0L is just fine for me on the trails. I've geared it, 4.56, for the tires and I truthfully dont need anymore power. Because the more power you add the more your weak points will become apparent. Then starts a whole slew of other items that will need to be upgraded due to the new found power of the V8.

Very true.. but with enough wheeling, most of those weak points will end up upgraded anyways.. so might as well have the extra power to push the new upgraded parts!!! MORE POWA!!!!

[TeXJ]

Very true.. but with enough wheeling, most of those weak points will end up upgraded anyways.. so might as well have the extra power to push the new upgraded parts!!! MORE POWA!!!!

haha

I'd like 60s under my rig! But, Honey I need the Dana 60s so that I wont break anymore :D

[bluedragon436]

haha

I'd like 60s under my rig! But, Honey I need the Dana 60s so that I wont break anymore :D

Sounds reasonable for either a 4.0, 5.2, 5.9, 4.7 or GM V8's... it's still seems reasonable to need/want some 60's underneath it!!

[TeXJ]

haha Im with ya on that one :D

[cantab27]

waste of coin ...better to throw coin at lift / winch / muds etc etc...once ya made a trail / rock warrior then 8 it ...or if shes just a show pony 8 it ...v8 in jeeps what next .....

[TeXJ]

waste of coin ...better to throw coin at lift / winch / muds etc etc...once ya made a trail / rock warrior then 8 it ...or if shes just a show pony 8 it ...v8 in jeeps what next .....

^wisdom

[XJ Wheeler]

In my simple opinion.

Cool factor = v8 xj
Reliability, expense, ease, parts support = v8 zj

Sent via messenger pigeon - i talk, he types.