I am in the Virgin Islands...on St. Thomas. I recently got caught in a flash flood and as a result, seized the engine on my 2001 Cherokee sport. I have a mechanic here telling me he found a '94 engine that he can put in even though it has a distributor cap type ignition. Mine has electronic ignition. He says he can make it work. I also looked at a '99 engine yesterday, also a distributor cap set-up. I raised concerns over how he would secure my coil bar (?) seeing as how there is no holes in the '94 block. I've been searching for an engine for over a month with no luck and am ready to give him the go ahead. Anyway, my question is will either of these engines be OK in my Jeep...even if the coil pack winds up being "rigged" on???

 

I've always been under the impression that it would be less expensive to take down the '01 engine, and displace the water, and put it back together, replacing what you need to / want to / can afford.

 

He's correct. It can be done.

 

Also be careful. If the engine is out of a wrangler you will have to swap about EVERYTHING out. Even the water pump is different, engine brackets, oil filter housing, almost everything.

 

Even if the engine is completely seized?

 

Not true at all. Here's the chart on how all that works below. A 94 engine out of anything will work.

OP, go for it.



XJ Cherokee and ZJ Grand Cherokee 4.0L engine blocks interchange.

2000+ TJ Wrangler and WJ Grand Cherokee 4.0L engine blocks interchange.

XJ/ZJ blocks and 2000+ TJ/WJ blocks do not interchange without significant modifications. (1991 to 1995 YJ and 1997-1999 4.0L TJ Wrangler blocks will interchange in XJ/ZJ and visa-versa).

TJ/WJ 4.0L Engine blocks underwent clean sheet design changes effective in the 1999 WJ Grand and 2000 TJ Wrangler. These blocks are not interchangeable with XJ/ZJ engine blocks. The reason is motor mount bolt holes and belt driven accessory mounting bolt holes are in different locations, or not present at all, TJ/WJ vs. XJ/ZJ.
　
XJ: "Regular" (not Grand) Cherokees 84-01
ZJ: Grand Cherokee 93-98 (Gen1)
WJ: Grand Cherokee 99-04 (Gen2)
YJ: Wrangler 87-95 (Gen1)
TJ: Wrangler 97-06 (Gen2)