o/t Jeep Wrangler 4.0

Do any of you guys have experience of the above 4x4? Might be getting the chance of one soon and just wanted to know what you think of them as the are fairly thin on the ground over here. Its a 1997 model with the straight 6 gas engine linked to the auto box. I have heard they are very thirsty, cannot tow much but can go most places as they are very good off road.
Any thoughts welcome.
Bill

had a cherokee (91) with that engine and automatic and liked it. It took between 14 and 20 liters to 100km tho....... If you enjoy a rough and noisy ride, grab that wrangler... Had a 91 with the 2.5 and it would go anywhere, but you felt like you'd been everywhere when you drove it. Tastes are different tho......

(quoted from post at 14:37:37 09/21/12) Do any of you guys have experience of the above 4x4? Might be getting the chance of one soon and just wanted to know what you think of them as the are fairly thin on the ground over here. Its a 1997 model with the straight 6 gas engine linked to the auto box. I have heard they are very thirsty, cannot tow much but can go most places as they are very good off road.
Any thoughts welcome.
Bill

Click to expand...

BIL had one, never took it off road. Killed the tranny towing more than it could handle. If I remeber right it had about a 1500 LBS (680KG) towing rating. Thats the weight of the trailer included. Good engine, tranny was weak. Like it's gas.....a lot!

Rick

I've got two '97 4X4 Jeeps with the 4.0 inline six. One is a manual tranny, the other is an auto. The manual tranny gets pretty good gas mileage, the auto not quite as good. If you buy it, be on the look out for the valve springs. On a lot of late 96 engines through the 98 year, they had some valve springs that get weak or break. (Google it) They also had a tendency for carbon to build up on the valves. I've had to replace the valve springs on both of mine, not really such a bad deal as Mellings has them for ~$3-something a spring. I've also had to replace the head gasket on one of them, also not really a big deal. Pros: Replacement parts such as bumpers, fenders, clearance lights, etc. are cheap. The 4.0 engine is simple and fairly easy to work on. Cons: If you really can call it a con, they are more of a utilitarian vehicle instead of a luxury vehicle as compared to similar-yeared Ford or Chevys. If I found one that's priced right and in good shape, I'd buy another in a heart beat.

the auto transmission in that thing wont have overdrive like the cherokees have, if i recall right, you will be turning about 2100 rpm at 100km vs the 1800 of an auto cherokee. Id say the biggest drawback of the tj would be the rear dana 35 axle, those things are complete garbage. The stronger dana 44 was an option in the tj so lets hope thats what your getting if you plan on doing any towing with the limited towing capacity.

Pretty lousy fuel economy. I picked a 2001 up a year or so ago, the barn jeep. My dogs adopted it. 4.0 automatic. It goes places in the snow without a doubt, and I have a sister that works nights at a hospital about 20 miles away in the Lake Michigan snow effect area that I loaaned it to last winter and will this winter as well, because she can store her car for the winter and know that it will get her there safely with its on the fly front end engagement, but it is really lousy on fuel economy. I am honestly thinking of putting a 3.9 V6 in it, which was an option that I hear isn't as powerful or as torquey as the inline six 4.0 (think 258 CID?), but is better on fuel, and then taking that 4.0 down to the barn and mating it to a generator head that I hope not to need too often.

The wrangler was bread and butter, but reliable. I think on the highway though, I got about 18 MPG in 2H when I drove it a few hundred miles. That was highway. My full size Cummins Dodges get 20 or 21. I run premium in the jeep, which is as expensive as diesel, so the Cummins save me money.

Good luck in your decision. My lab and golden love their jeep. Someone says "Jeep", and out the door to the barn they go, tails wagging.

Mark

I don't have one that new. I have a 1975 CJ-5 with a 258 inline six which I bought in 1998 and restored. Mine is thirsty, about 15 miles to a gallon. I get better gas mileage with a full size 1993 Chevy van. As far as towing, I drug a Chevy Nova 200 yards across my property with the brakes locked. It would do it where the van would not. I have also pulled a 16' trailer loaded full of kitchen cabinets 75 miles one time when my van was down. It pulls good however it is so light it doesn't stop very good with a load. I'm in the process right now to build a trailer for it with electric brakes so I can safely pull a trailer. I would recommend buying the Jeep. Its a lot of fun.

Don"t forget to check the main frame for being rusted out. It"s a severe problem in Jeeps in rust country. I"ve one now that will be parted out soon-no frame to build to.

My friend has that engine in a Cherokee wagon.
gas mileage is 17 miles per gallon. It's a good
engine, though. It has 7 main bearingss and it's
heritage goes back to American Motors,"Ramblers"
and may even to NASH.
It's amazing that Chrysler Corp has left it alone
and hasn't screwed it up.