engine swap for '89 4.0 Cherokee

[superj]

i was thinking, with all our comments, we might have gotten off topic a bit. is the original poster looking for a block and head that will work with his current electronics and stuff or is he wanting to swap all the wiring and stuff? i think if he is just swapping the mechanical parts and uses his original intake, he can use any 4.0/4.2 block and probably any ho head? someone who knows can comment on bolts lining up with holes but it seems logical to me

 

[XjShake]

Thanx guys... Ill just wait for a 91 to 95 to come in... the guys at the junkyard call me when they get any xjs in so I usually get first dibs

 

[superj]

i had a renix cherokee and loved it. i put a bored out throttle body on it and never had a problem. it ran great and had good power and always started. i had HO cherokees also though and never had trouble with them either

 

[jps4jeep]

I probably contributed to that, I appologize. as for just swapping intakes or heads, not sure, assuming the motor is a 99 and down motor, I don't see why not, but the intake gasket is a different part number between the two motors, not sure why though. the 4.2 block would not work so well, there are water jackets that do not match up from block to head, I have heard of people swapping with using spray foam to block off the water jackets, but not something I would trust for long term use.

the easiert thing is probably just rebuild what he has or source another renix motor.

 

[XjShake]

If you guys think highly of the renix then ill just get another and stroke it and just swap them then stroke my current motor and have a back up... what would cause my jeep to have a long start up... no matter if its warmed up or cold it takes bout 10 seconds of cranking to start? Would it be due to a cps or what?

 

[Jester32]

Low compression. Fuel draining back to tank. By the looks of the pics you showed me earlier ima go with low compression. Needs to crank it to build up. I had same thing. Sucks when the 4 l get tired. They seem ok then bam. Done.

 

[XjShake]

Haha... that's what I'm afraid of... I thinly ima keep an eye out for a first gen Ho block and stick my stuff on that

 

[XjShake]

Jester how is the 350 swap going?

 

[Jester32]

Not bad got my headers made. And mounts all fabbed up. Just have to get a rad built and put it all together.

 

[XjShake]

Nice... keep me updated... take lots of pix and keep a build thread going... I would like to watch as it progresses