BIGSLVRXJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Des Moines, Iowa
Well as some of you know I have been off and on planning this. And then those of you that are on ComancheClub know that I've gotten more serious. Got some encouraging words from 1999MJ, gathered all the parts, and decided to tear in today. While I do consider this thread more of a personal record of my achievement, I encourage everyone to check back frequently, and I hope I can be of help to some of you that are thinking of doing part or all of this yourself.
So here's a little background on the Jeep going under the wrench, and some reasons I'm doing what I'm doing...
First off, this is my baby. It has been since the day my family bought it in 1995, it was 5 years old and 150,000 miles young. I was 7 years old then. For some reason I've just always loved the damn thing, even when I was really little. When I turned 14, my Dad knew I loved it so much, he gave it to me.
This is what it looked like...
I've driven it daily for about four and half years, and for the first about 2.5 years it was really good to me, no real problems. I've been through an engine and a tranny since then. I had the AW4 rebuilt, which was a huge mistake, and last summer I put in an 87 Renix engine with a 1999+ intake. Since then it hasn't run right. It does have quite a bit of power, but it backfires something fierce. I've had many people say to me "it's just an XJ, why go to all that trouble swapping the newer dash in when you can just buy a new one". Well I now have a 1999 as well that I can drive daily and not worry about the same problems I ran into in the 1990. I plan to have my 1990 around for a long time, simply because it was my first love, so I want to update it. I know it's just an XJ, but it has been here for me for the first 4 years of my driving age, and I just want to better it.
The gains...
I hope to come out of this with a functioning, running, driving, dependable Jeep. Not only that, but it will have pw, pl, pm, airbags. The donor didn't have cruise, but I'm going to try and return the non cruise column and get one with cruise, so I have that too. Not to mention that it should be quieter, because it seems like all 97+ are quieter, I think partially from the thicker dash. Forgot to mention, I have a 1999 OHC in there already that only has compass, temp, and timer because the 1990 doesn't have the brains for fuel economy, etc.
The worries...
It is a LOT of friggin wiring and I don't really have a great know how of it. I know how to run a multimeter and trace circuits somewhat, but I'm relying more of everything just working when I lay it in place.
I don't have a welder, and one is needed to weld the new column bracket support in place. I may try to just bolt it through the firewall if that is an applicable way. I may not be able to get around to the other side though.
The Jeep was rolled over, so I don't know whether the engine sustained damage or not, I'm sure hoping it didn't though.
Anyway, enough jibber jabber here's the specs...
1990 Jeep Cherokee Pioneer with 229,000 miles (manual locks, windows, mirrors)-already has open cooling system, 1999 intake, header panel, fenders, OHC, etc.
4.0-backfires like a sombitch, thinking distributor since all sensors have been replaced
AW4 (had to have original one rebuilt, crapped out a year later) now have another one in that is still good but can't keep it with the 1999 dash and such.
NP-231
Rusty floorboards-when I have this thing apart I plan to Por-15 the entire underside and probably inside too. I was thinking that'd be easier with the tranny and dash out, that way I can go all the way up the firewall.
Cracked dash panel, wiring hanging everywhere underneath, fusebox has been on fire and cobbled back together.
The donor Jeep...
1999 XJ Sport with 80,000 miles (power windows, power locks, power mirrors)
4.0
AW4
NV-231
Dash is in perfect shape, airbags didn't deploy, wiring harness is also good.
Here's the before pics...
And here's where I got after only about an hour and a half of work...
Anyway, like I said, everyone feel free to comment or ask questions...
So here's a little background on the Jeep going under the wrench, and some reasons I'm doing what I'm doing...
First off, this is my baby. It has been since the day my family bought it in 1995, it was 5 years old and 150,000 miles young. I was 7 years old then. For some reason I've just always loved the damn thing, even when I was really little. When I turned 14, my Dad knew I loved it so much, he gave it to me.
This is what it looked like...
I've driven it daily for about four and half years, and for the first about 2.5 years it was really good to me, no real problems. I've been through an engine and a tranny since then. I had the AW4 rebuilt, which was a huge mistake, and last summer I put in an 87 Renix engine with a 1999+ intake. Since then it hasn't run right. It does have quite a bit of power, but it backfires something fierce. I've had many people say to me "it's just an XJ, why go to all that trouble swapping the newer dash in when you can just buy a new one". Well I now have a 1999 as well that I can drive daily and not worry about the same problems I ran into in the 1990. I plan to have my 1990 around for a long time, simply because it was my first love, so I want to update it. I know it's just an XJ, but it has been here for me for the first 4 years of my driving age, and I just want to better it.
The gains...
I hope to come out of this with a functioning, running, driving, dependable Jeep. Not only that, but it will have pw, pl, pm, airbags. The donor didn't have cruise, but I'm going to try and return the non cruise column and get one with cruise, so I have that too. Not to mention that it should be quieter, because it seems like all 97+ are quieter, I think partially from the thicker dash. Forgot to mention, I have a 1999 OHC in there already that only has compass, temp, and timer because the 1990 doesn't have the brains for fuel economy, etc.
The worries...
It is a LOT of friggin wiring and I don't really have a great know how of it. I know how to run a multimeter and trace circuits somewhat, but I'm relying more of everything just working when I lay it in place.
I don't have a welder, and one is needed to weld the new column bracket support in place. I may try to just bolt it through the firewall if that is an applicable way. I may not be able to get around to the other side though.
The Jeep was rolled over, so I don't know whether the engine sustained damage or not, I'm sure hoping it didn't though.
Anyway, enough jibber jabber here's the specs...
1990 Jeep Cherokee Pioneer with 229,000 miles (manual locks, windows, mirrors)-already has open cooling system, 1999 intake, header panel, fenders, OHC, etc.
4.0-backfires like a sombitch, thinking distributor since all sensors have been replaced
AW4 (had to have original one rebuilt, crapped out a year later) now have another one in that is still good but can't keep it with the 1999 dash and such.
NP-231
Rusty floorboards-when I have this thing apart I plan to Por-15 the entire underside and probably inside too. I was thinking that'd be easier with the tranny and dash out, that way I can go all the way up the firewall.
Cracked dash panel, wiring hanging everywhere underneath, fusebox has been on fire and cobbled back together.
The donor Jeep...
1999 XJ Sport with 80,000 miles (power windows, power locks, power mirrors)
4.0
AW4
NV-231
Dash is in perfect shape, airbags didn't deploy, wiring harness is also good.
Here's the before pics...
And here's where I got after only about an hour and a half of work...
Anyway, like I said, everyone feel free to comment or ask questions...
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