Serious buyers question.. 5.2 V8 or 4.0 I6 ?

Candymancan · 08-27-2010, 08:27 PM

Ok, so some of you know that I have a Jeep grand Cherokee I6, however its not actually mine, its my mom's i just drive it so i consider it mine lol..

However im looking for a Jeep for myself as she doesnt want to give me hers "likes it too much". Ive been checking craigslist for Jeeps in my area and they are either $3-4k which is overpriced IMO, or they are dirt cheap and have major problems, or just expensive problems. That or they are 95 and under. I prefer the 96-98 because of the more (Updated) looking interior dashboard, and electronics and transmission.

Ive narrowed it down to 2 Jeeps. Both look exactly the same on the outside painted green and the plastic panels are painted.. Both run and sound great, no rust and so forth.. The thing is one is a Inline 6 and laredo, the other is the 318 V8 5.2l limited. The price is $2k for the i6 and $2300 for the V8 and it need s A/C work, and the engine has been replaced. Both are 1998

I want to the V8 and im thinking of offering $2k for it, but my mom is insisting i get the I6 because of gas mileage.. She thinks i wont be able to afford the gas in the V8 which could be true if gas ever goes to like $4 a gallon again lol. However gas mileage isnt THAT much diff from both cars. I was just wondering what do you all think i should get.. Im not made of money and im more familer with the I6 engine.

Thing that turn me away from the v8 is the tan leather... Tan leather is hideously ugly in Jeeps, and the fact the engine had to be replaced. The I6 seems like a better choice because he has ALL the service records for the vehicle.

Here is the I6

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Here is the v8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee

**freakinheep89** · 08-27-2010, 08:41 PM

its kind of a trade off deal. with the 5.2 you get the better rear end and a stronger motor, but the PIA transfer case, with the I6 you get the better case, but the weaker axles and motor( i say that in terms of HP/TQ, not reliability for those who like to flame). AC problems are easy to fix, usually an o ring somewhere if its leaking. get some UV dye and find out. they get around the same gas mileage if both are in proper running order.

I would go look at both and do an exam, see if there are any other probs not mentioned

Candymancan · 08-27-2010, 08:48 PM

Yea im going too in the next few days.

little_Jeep · 08-27-2010, 08:49 PM

As far as power plants go, both the 318 and the 4.0L have a proven history of being strong engines. However, I prefer the OEM equipped Jeep over one that has had a motor swap. Also, you will have to look at the leather that you don't like each time you get in the vehicle....... that will get old quickly. As far as MPG go, I suspect it's like rest of the Jeeps, there isn't enough difference in MPG to even give it a second thought. Like I said, go with the 4.0L,.

**freakinheep89** · 08-27-2010, 10:12 PM

just to give you a little insight, the guys with V8s are gonna lean toward V8s, and vice versa. but i do agree with the motor swap thing. kinda makes you wonder what happened to the original, its hard to kill a 5.2 if you maintain it

**phitmein** · 08-27-2010, 11:10 PM

What do you want out of a Jeep ???

Will it be just a street ride or will you be wheeling it too???

And, if so, what kind of wheeling ???

**ratmonkey** · 08-27-2010, 11:25 PM

No reason to get the 4.slo when a v8 is the same price. They get the same mileage.

I'll go against the grain and say take the one with the motor replacement over the original one.

Candymancan · 08-28-2010, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phitmein

What do you want out of a Jeep ???

Will it be just a street ride or will you be wheeling it too???

And, if so, what kind of wheeling ???

Mainly street, but i want to try some offroading as ive never done it before. I want to modify the exhaust system to sound like a monster. Thats one reason for wanting the V8.. That and after driving the Inline 6 my mom has I noticed the engine doesnt really seem too powerfull, in fact its slow, i feal myself having to put my foot on the floor almost when climbing large hills. Or when i turn right into traffic, i have to litteraly floor it to catch up with traffic.. My main concern for the V8 is how i keep reading about the transfer case dying, or transmission dying, or the actuall engine dying.. Mainly from the engine being powerfull... the Inline 6 seems to be more lasting mechanical wise for the truck as a whole.

I aslo was thinking of getting a tow hitch, i dont have anything to pull right now, but i keep thinking like down the road i might.. Maybe im making excuses to get the V8 lol..

**phitmein** · 08-28-2010, 01:22 AM

if I were you, I would not be so eager here, to make a concrete decsion now on the two ...

And, I would instead be studying up more here, on what I wanted and what color int., ext., motor and so such things ...

Mainly a street ride right ???

What do you want it to look like, and how dow you want it to sound and behave ???

Note: That is exactly what you are doing here, and I am just trying to pointing it out to you ...

Keep on shopping, until you find your real girl ...

Phit

SnowLeopard · 08-28-2010, 01:34 AM

A fully operation 249 in a 96+ ZJ is going to be awesome. It was the subject of rave reviews years ago when the ZJ was THE SUV to own. Just because it's worn out on a lot of Jeeps doesn't mean it's worthless. It's better in Full-time than the 242 as it's an LSD. It doesn't fully lock in high, no, but it will in 4-low. Still, it's easily a top-quality transfer case.

The 5.2 is worthwhile over the 4.0. If I were you, or if I had it to do over again, I'd wait to find a 5.9. For a DD the 5.9 is such an awesome street ride, and it's still great for light off-roading.

As Phitmein said, there's no need to rush into anything.

**sskilla** · 08-28-2010, 01:39 AM

having owned both the 4.0 and the 5.2.. take the v8. or at least dont piss and moan to us when your 4.slo doesnt "have enough power". lol. my opinion obviously.

**98BlackZJ** · 08-28-2010, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sskilla

having owned both the 4.0 and the 5.2.. take the v8.

agreed. My 5.2 with 33's feels stronger than my 4.0 with 31's ever did.

A 5.9 would be nice but you seem to be on a budget and finding a deal on those can be tough. Like you I hate tan interior on pretty much anything so that would eliminate that one for me. I'd do some more research and try to find another 96-98 with a 5.2 (or 5.9 if you're lucky)

**sskilla** · 08-28-2010, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeep-ZJ_97

agreed. My 5.2 with 33's feels stronger than my 4.0 with 31's ever did.

try the 4.0 on 33's! lol going up hill on a freeway was soooo much fun

redfoxbody · 08-28-2010, 10:43 AM

I have the 4.0 and it is a great motor. but with bad o2 sensors im getting 13mpg right now. If I did it again I probably would have taken the extra 100 ft/lb that the 5.2 has over the 4.0 for the same price

Candymancan · 08-28-2010, 11:03 AM

The engine on the 5.2 had to be swapped because they blew a cylinder head he said. A woman was driving it over the years, so they probably never did any maint on it... Gonna stay away from this one.

The 4.0 he has all the paperwork for the stuff they did, recently he changed the starter, and the Jeep needed a new tie rod, the problem was the Jeep wouldnt shift. It was like stuck in 2nd gear or something.. Im not sure what causes that... What comes to mind is the transmission fluid needing changed or flushed. My mom's Jeep did that because she never changed the fluid. They couldnt remember if they ever changed the tranny fluid so they probably didnt, and its been driven 80kish miles since they bought it.

The Interior has the grey/black leather, a CDp layer, select trac transfer case and the engine sounded fine.. I like this vehicle but the tranny meh.. Its so hard finding Jeeps around here, iv been looking for like 2 months and they are all 4.0's and the V8's have major problems

5.2 has 75b more torque not 100. The 4.0 has 225b toruqe the 5.2 has 300