89 Wrangler with a problem - Who can help?

[60biscayne]

:shock: I'm into Old Chevies & my mates over there told me that you guys are the experts - so........ I hope you gents can help me out!
We (it's a father / son project) have an 89 Wrangler currently with a 4.2 & 5 Speed. We put in a 4" lift kit & 33 x 12.5 tires etc......
I hate the carb & it lacks guts also the mileage stinks! My wife has a 95 Cherokee that runs great so I figure I'll put a 4.0 with a throttle body etc & that will solve the problem.
I'm told that I would have to change the trans & transfer case also! Is this true???? If so, I ther's a Cherokee 1987 in a junk yard that is standard shift with a 4.0, the motor is junk but would this trans/transfer case work??
Another & maybe easier fix I'm told is to just get a 4.0 head & intake + exhaust with the TBI unit........What am I missing with this change-over??? Computer? Harness? etc............
Any & all help would be greatfully appreciated -
P.S. I'm retired on fixed income which means I'm also pretty broke! :lol:
Thanx,
Jim (from the Chevytalk Forum)

 

[odjeep]

You could swap out your carter carb for a motorcraft which gives you a lot more power an a lil better gas mileage... http://www.tricountyweldingsupply.com/carb/carb.htm
Your 89' with the 4.2 has the same ax-15 trans that the newer jeeps with the 4.0's have. It should be an easy bolt-up swap. You would need the entire engine wiring harness and computer from the 4.0 doner vehicle. The head swap on the 4.2 is a bit more complicated and requires some machining of the head surface. For this swap you would also need the entire engine wiring harness. You would also need the 4.0 head, intake manifold, exhaust manifold, computer. The flywheel position sensor would have to be installed on the 4.2 flywheel. I'm not sure if the 4.0 flywheel with the sensor will fit on the 4.2 or not, but im sure somebody here will know. http://www.off-road.com/jeep/new/40conv.html Hope this info helps.

od

 

[red89yj]

hey odjeep- did you do the nutter bypass before or after you did the carb swap? im currently running without a nuttered ignition and im curious if it will give any noticeable improvements if i do it now.

(sorry to hijack the thread 60biscayne, but its my experience that PM's dont get answered and there is no email link)

 

[odjeep]

Red89yj, I did do the nutter a couple months before I did the carb and, in my particular experience, it did do a lot of good for power and mileage. Check your ignition timing with a timing light and if your timing is jumping all over the place like mine was, I'd do the bypass. Hope this helps.

od

 

[red89yj]

Re: balancing 39.5 swamper tsl's

k ill give it a shot- thanks