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I want to make the swap from my XJ to a WJ...

2K views 21 replies 6 participants last post by  tennesseewj 
#1 ·
OK, so since I have a 9 hour drive home from college, and I do not use my XJ to its full potential, I have decided that I would like to look into getting a WJ. I love the way they look and the added luxury over my X. As of now, my xj gets aroung 15-17MPG at 70MPH on the way home.

What should I look for and look out for when shopping for WJ's? What gas mileage should I expect? Is there a better engine/trans/axle/year combination, or any to stay away from?

If/when I get a WJ, I would leave it pretty stock besides a 3.5" trailblazer lift, BFG m/t's, CB, roof rack, skids, recovery points and equipment, and possibly a rear locker.

Here is a picture of my XJ.

Any advice/input would be great!!!
Thanks!
:2thumbsup:
Mitch

THE RED ONE IS MINE
 
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#5 ·
dont know too much, i got a 95 zj straight 6 and i love it. my friend has a 99 wj and he seems to like it alot. i think the wj is much nicer riding street car then the zj is. personally i like the zjs better because they are a little easier to work on from what i can see (never really worked on his too much). i know 99 to about 2001 the wjs had alot of problems, if you were to get one i would look for a 2002 or newer. and i prefer the 4.0L just because it just never dies, and has more stuff you can do to it. (heard the 4.7's are so tight there is no room for anything really). again dont know too much about the WJs but its something haha.
 
#9 ·
Yes they still have the 4.0 unless you get a Special Edition or a Limited. If you're pullin 15-17 highway in your XJ you really won't get that much better in a stock WJ. Depending on how you drive and where you're driving, you'll see around 20 highway.

If you're sticking with a 4.0 you don't have too many problems to look out for. Early years had warping problems due to old style calipers.

Check out wjjeeps.com
 
#7 ·
yea they were, 4.0L, 4.7L, and a 4.7L H.O. i think those are the only engine options, but not sure.
 
#10 ·
I went from an XJ to a WJ. I moved to the plains/city away from the small town/mountains so the lifted XJ just wasn't good to drive around on the freeway all the time. All things considered I like the XJ better, but the WJ has been treating me well. It drives really nice and is a bit more comfortable then the XJ. I have the 4.0 and it is alright for the WJ. If you get that combo you will notice that it feels slower then your XJ did when it was stock, but not to bad. My wife on the other hand loves the WJ and was not a fan of the XJ, she is a creature of comfort and on 5' 2" so it was hard for her to get in.

I get 16-18 in town (85% highway driving) and 18-20 at 75 mph. I have only taken it on the highway in the winter so it might get a little better in the summer. All in all it is a good ride and will work fine until I can buy a 4-door wrangler.
 
#12 ·
I was running 4.5 inch with 32x11.5s and it was a 1996. It was a short arm set up and I had regeared to 4.10s. One of the main reasons that I liked it so much was I spent time and money building it for myself. I really like the square body style of the XJ, I think it is one of the best looking cars ever made. The size was perfect, enough room to haul friends and gear, yet small enough to fit down some pretty tight trails. The XJ never let me down either, any problems I ever had were caused directly by me!

For everyday driving I like te WJ better. It is more comfortable (seats are way better then the XJ IMO). The ride is smoother, but I can't really remember what my ride was like before the lift. I really like the selec-trac 4x4 system in the WJ. Having the option of full-time 4x4 is nice when the roads are just icy in spots because I don't have to worry about going from snow and ice to dry pavement like I did in the XJ. Also, I never had cruise control before, and that is just an amazing invention (its the little things in life that make me happy).
 
#14 ·
the quadra drive is nice because your always in 4wd and never have to worry about switching. however, if the viscous coupling starts wearing out, its a very expensive repair (close to a grand for labor and parts at a dealership). happened to me already, just did a junkyard swap for now, looking into a 242 swap next time it happens though.
 
#17 ·
however, if the viscous coupling starts wearing out,
WJ's don't have VCs, it's a progessive coupling - but can still wear out over time. The most common fix is, like kmd said, swap in a 242

Well thats good to know. How much worse on gas is the v8 versus the 4.0?
You should see 1 mpg difference MAX. I have a 4.0 and mom has the 4.7, and when I drive them I get a tenth of a mile per gallon difference.
 
#16 ·
i think the straight 6 and the v8 are very close, i feel the biggest difference in the gas would be what gearing you get. if u get a straight 6 with the 3.55's, itll probably get much better gas then the v8 with the 3.73's (towing package) now i think you can get the 3.55's in a v8 and a straight 6, but 3.73s are only availible to v8 towing??? (not positive about that)
 
#20 ·
OK, good to know about the mileage...

So I should try to stay away from the full time?
I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you get one, just keep an eye for a good deal on a 242 to pick up. Should be able to find one for relatively cheap since you won't be a hurry to purchase one.
 
#19 ·
i think its all preferance, some people like the convinence of always being in 4wd and never having to worry about it no matter what the weather is, but your also taking a gamble on not knowing when the coupling can wear out.

the next thing is money, if you have the money to throw around and get it fixed when it comes up, then its not that big of a deal for you. but if your on a tight budget.... who knows when you can start getting problems. the problems usually start off small, and then id say about a 1000 miles into it, it gets to the point its so bad its un-driveable.
 
#21 ·
youll also need to pickup the center console that goes with the 242 if you want to know what selection your in
 
#22 ·
Good point, I think they also make a sticker you can place over the existing console. I'm not positive of that but I could swear I've seen one
 
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