Looking for engines to swap in place of my 97 2.5L

KCsTJ

TJ student
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I'm looking for engines to swap in place of my 97 2.5L.
I found a 97 Grand Cherokee 4.0L complete engine.
Will motor mounts and accessory engine brackets be the same ? Or will major modification be needed, rather not deal with that.
 
Not going to be an easy swap. Motor mounts are different, as are a host of other things. If you want the swap to be easier, you'll want a 4.0 from a TJ.

And as mentioned above, you will need to cut the stock motor mount brackets off and weld new ones on for the 4.0.
 
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Knew the motor mounts would be different. Just trying to stick with a 4.0l. The LS1 swap adds another $1000 or so.
I read accessories like air conditioning brackets might be different, but was wondering if it can be done.
If so im looking at a 4.0L complete engine for $350.
 
2.5 to 4.0 is not that easy.

I LS swapped mine from a 2.5. Not easy or cheap.

Mine was too clean and I wanted something different. If its a beater, just buy a 4.0 , it will be cheaper!
 
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I spent a good chunk of time researching the 2.5 to 4.0 swap and ended up settling on the 5.9 Magnum swap because time, cost, and labor wasn't much more to go to the Mopar V8 over swapping in the 4.0. I found numerous posts both here and other forums of guys that had done the 2.5 to 4.0 and just about all of them said in the end they regretted not just taking the little extra effort to put a V8 in. I picked up a running 5.9 with complete wiring harness and PCM for $500. The guy even pulled it and put it on a pallet for me at that price. I couldn't find a 4.0 (especially running) near that price. Just remember, even if you swap the 4.0 in you'll still need a different trans. The Ax5 and the 4.0 don't cooperate.
 
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I would think if the ax5 won't hold up to a 4.0 then a Kubota with 300 ft/lbs would definitely need a stronger transmission. Drivetrains are rated by torque input they can handle. H.p. may be given, but it is the torque that blows a drivetrain up.
 
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The Ax5 won't marry up to the 4.0L.
I'll probably get a TH350 and rebuild that.
Would love the Kubota but it's pricey so I'll either go LS1 or 4.0L.
I have a 1997 2.5L and 30rh ready to trade.
 
I have a 1997 TJ SE that I swapped the 2.5 & 5 speed tranny for a Dodge magnum 5.2 V-8 & 44RE transmission.
I had looked at other options also and then decided to go with the V-8 since it is about the same about of work to swap in the I-6 4.0 engine.
The nice thing about doing the Dodge V-8 swap is that the computer for the V-8 mounts in the same spot as the stock Jeep one. And because it is a Mopar product the computer will talk to your stock dash. There is a ton of information about doing this swap on the internet. The other popular swap is to use a Chevy LS engine and transmission. I am not familiar with this swap so I can't offer much info. The Chevy LS V-8 engines make more power than the Dodge V-8 engines.

No matter which engine you go with you are going to have to change your transmission as the AX-5 will not work with anything except the 4 cyl. You will also have to change the input gear for your transfer case.
 
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Go big or go home. I haven't heard of anyone putting a Hellcat in a TJ, but you could test that out for us, right? I mean, 707 horses would be a nice little step up from the 2.5L stock engine, I'm sure.
 
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Go big or go home. I haven't heard of anyone putting a Hellcat in a TJ, but you could test that out for us, right? I mean, 707 horses would be a nice little step up from the 2.5L stock engine, I'm sure.
About 700 horsepower in a TJ .... that would be something.
I want to stay around 300 -350 HP so I will probably go with LS1 unless I can find a 4.0L.
Either way lots of work but that's what I call fun, 👍🤗
 
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I have a 1997 TJ SE that I swapped the 2.5 & 5 speed tranny for a Dodge magnum 5.2 V-8 & 44RE transmission.
I had looked at other options also and then decided to go with the V-8 since it is about the same about of work to swap in the I-6 4.0 engine.
The nice thing about doing the Dodge V-8 swap is that the computer for the V-8 mounts in the same spot as the stock Jeep one. And because it is a Mopar product the computer will talk to your stock dash. There is a ton of information about doing this swap on the internet. The other popular swap is to use a Chevy LS engine and transmission. I am not familiar with this swap so I can't offer much info. The Chevy LS V-8 engines make more power than the Dodge V-8 engines.

No matter which engine you go with you are going to have to change your transmission as the AX-5 will not work with anything except the 4 cyl. You will also have to change the input gear for your transfer case.
Chevy v8 parts are cheaper and more common as well.
You can use the Chevy PCM with the Mopar PCM which allows the use of the stock TJ instrument gauge cluster. Found a guy that can handle the wiring.
So if anyone has a 4.0L 97 or newer, I'm lookin 👍
 
Thanks @NDSpeed- well the reason to go 4.0L would mainly be budget.

The LS will cost me about a grand more, unless I decide to rebuild the engine then it's $2000 more than the 4.0L swap. I'm happy either way it shakes out.
 
Chevy v8 parts are cheaper and more common as well.
You can use the Chevy PCM with the Mopar PCM which allows the use of the stock TJ instrument gauge cluster. Found a guy that can handle the wiring.
So if anyone has a 4.0L 97 or newer, I'm lookin 👍

Which again is why I like the Mopar V-8. Only have to run one PCM and you can do the wiring yourself. Yes a LS engine makes more power and they are cheaper to get power out of but a 5.2 or 5.9 magnum engine are cheap to buy and there have been some who have done the V-8 swap for under $2K. Find a wrecked Ram truck/Dakota/Durango/Grand Cherokee and you have most of the parts right there.

Mine gets the same fuel economy as a 4.0 and has a lot more power. But I understand the draw to a LS engine.
 
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Have you been looking into vehicles at copart.com. I believe you can buy them in Texas like I was in NC. That’s how I started with the Hemi swap for my Jeep. I bought an entire rolled over Grand Cherokee for $1300. That gave me the motor tranny pcm 8.8 axles and transfer case.

Which is going to be awesome when I put that into my 55 Ford F100.
Since I put the Cummins in my TJ