I have a 2000 Grand Cherokee 4.0 w close to 300,000mi. getting a slight rod knock so im swaping it out. my question is ----
Will a Grand cherokee 4.0 out of a 90's model work?

---found a 97 GC 4.0 114k mi for $300---

- I will be swaping over brackets and items (alt, ps, fan, a/c... etc...)
- It is a 4x4 if that matters.

Can somone give me a black and white answer to this question? found plently of posts with this question but mixed answers.
* please somone who has done this swap or knows first hand the answer to this would be great! thanks a TON for your guidance

 

1996 or later will do. You might have to change out sensors as connectors change but the engine (block and head) will work. Just use the accessories from the 2000 motor on the other motor. Just be mindful of the crack prone 0331 head on the late '90s 4.0s.

 

You know this from experience? The mounts will be the same... And will line up w Trans fine?

 

I have a 2001 WJ with a blown motor and I have a 98 Grand Cherokee 4.0 motor as a replacement. I’ve done allot of research on the swap and I can’t get a straight answer. One guy yes the other guy no, from what I can tell it’s doable. I have to make a coil bracket, replace the distributor with the camshaft position sensor and use all the brackets off the 2001 motor, the water pump hose is about 30 degrees off from the 2001. My concern is the mounting holes on the block for the brackets, worst case I could make adapter plates. May be together we can figure this out

 

the 4.0 is a awesome engine. It will fit, you'll just have to swap sensors and such. just pull the engine compare the two and swap the stuff over. Make sure you grab the flex palte from the bad engine and put it with the donor engine. You need the same flex palte since thats what the grand's comp is set up for.

 

You CAN NOT use an XJ/YJ/ZJ or early TJ engine in a WJ. You need another WJ or later TJ engine.

I know this from personal experience with both engines side by side when i swapped engines in my wife's WJ. Thers a thread here with pics showing the difference in the "clean slate" block.

 

 

THANK YOU OVERLAND!
Found a 01 4.0 from a Wrangler w 100k for $500 i'm gonna grab that.

 

Glad you found one from a 2000+ TJ. OverlandZJ is absolutely right on!!
(And no, we don't make mounts for the Grands)

 

You say it can’t be done, what is it that can’t be done? Is it the motor mounts, the water pump, ring gear, the bossing on the engine block won’t accommodate the older brackets. What is it please explain.

 

You say it can’t be done, what is it that can’t be done? Is it the motor mounts, the water pump, ring gear, the bossing on the engine block won’t accommodate the older brackets. What is it please explain.

 

The biggest hurdle is that the WJ engine mounts wont bolt to the before mentioned blocks, the bolt hole locations were moved on the clean slate (WJ/TJ) block.

 

Overland is absolutely correct if trying to install in a ZJ (he knows from experience).
If attempting to install the clean slate design on an XJ, engine mounting brackets are available from Brown Dog (not listed in catalog; only available by calling). However, if installing a clean slate 4.0L an XJ all accessories should be brought over with the donor engine. We know of only two customers who have made this work without bringing all the accessories over. One made/modified all new accessory mounting brackets. We haven't been able to get details from the other. Of course anything is possible....

 

You know, I just figured out why my 00 WJ 4.0 doesn't rattle like my 97 ZJ does. They must have made internal changes as well! I read something in the owners manual that gives me the whillies though. They say that 20 psi oil pressure at idle is sufficient! OMG! If I only had 20 psi, I'd shut it off and investigate why!

 

Yep, i found out the hard way too. I'v been sitting on a 60K mile 96 XJ 4.0L for a decade figuring i'd use it in something someday. Thought that day came when the Mrs WJ needed an engine...typical piston skirt failure. I got lucky and found a low mileage rebuilt WJ engine in Atlantic City out of a wreck.

Karol, H8PVMT is one of the guys who put a WJ motor in an XJ using your adaptive brackets, i think he has posted everything he had to do in a thread at NAXJA.