need info on 4cyl wranglers

silver

Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Location
winston-salem, nc
I am wanting a jeep wrangler and although i prefer a 4.0, I have come across a 4cyl 5 speed.

I think its a 95 model. What are the pros and cons and what about the power?

Or should I hold out and find a 4.0?
 
my buddy had a 4cyl 5spd, came factory with 4.10s. He lifted it and put 33" TSL's on it, then regeared it to 4.88 and put a lock right in the d35. to my surprise, the d35 never broke, but it was only a matter of time. It drove really good basically like factory with the gear swap. It took a licking and kept on ticking. you can always swap it out later if its really that bad, just dont expect it to be a speed demon.
 
I've never owned one, but have driven a few friends Jeeps. I think it depends on what you are going to do with the Jeep. Bigger tires plus highway speeds = not so good. Small tires and more just around town type driving = fine. Trail riding = fine. A buddy of mine with 32's on his 4 cyl YJ, couldn't even get it up to the speed limit pulling a small 5x8 utility trailer on his way to the beach.
 
Pros: Motor has lots of low end torque and provides for a light weight rig, two less plugs to buy for tune up, usually come with 4:10 gears in the axles, 95 is the sequential multi port fuel injection with external slave cylinder for the clutch

Cons: Motor does not have enough power to turn larger than 33" tires at highway speeds (5th gear will be useless with large tires), AX5 is a weak link when adding larger tires and rough use, transfer case is weaker 21 spline input compared to 23 spline 4.0 input, fuel mileage will be similar to a 4.0 not a gas guzzler, D35 rear axle shafts will not stand up to abuse with 33" and larger tires and c clip axle shaft retention design can present problems if you break a shaft, square headlights (subjective)

IMO a 95 2.5L is a nice option for someone who wants to have a Wrangler, is not concerned about fuel economy, is content to do mild off road trails and intends to run 33" or smaller tires.
 
I did with my '97 exactly what Superflow's buddy did... stock axles, lockright, 4.88s, 33s... I miss that Curb Squirrel. Very fun. Very capable.

You can delete the mechanical fan and replace with a high-quality electric fan to free up a few more ponies. Do not, do NOT waste your time with "cold air" intakes and all that bullshit. Not even worth it with stock exhaust. Probably not worth it w/ aftermarket exhaust. Speaking of exhaust... the manifold will probably crack at some point. It's twice as easy to replace it in the 2.5 than the 4.0.

For a driver/trailrig combo, the 2.5L is part of a stout drivetrain with the exception of the rear end.
 
JC said:
Pros: Motor has lots of low end torque and provides for a light weight rig, two less plugs to buy for tune up, usually come with 4:10 gears in the axles, 95 is the sequential multi port fuel injection with external slave cylinder for the clutch

Cons: Motor does not have enough power to turn larger than 33" tires at highway speeds (5th gear will be useless with large tires), AX5 is a weak link when adding larger tires and rough use, transfer case is weaker 21 spline input compared to 23 spline 4.0 input, fuel mileage will be similar to a 4.0 not a gas guzzler, D35 rear axle shafts will not stand up to abuse with 33" and larger tires and c clip axle shaft retention design can present problems if you break a shaft, square headlights (subjective)

IMO a 95 2.5L is a nice option for someone who wants to have a Wrangler, is not concerned about fuel economy, is content to do mild off road trails and intends to run 33" or smaller tires.
Click to expand...

coming from a man who once had one of the best crawling Jeeps around with a 4 banger in it. But then again, adding 60's, 7.17 gears did help a bunch!

Seriously it depends on what you want to do with it
 
i will never go off road, sounds crazy dont it. We live off the road but theres a driveway to get in, just rough in winter. My inlaws live in virginia as well and there house is about a mile off the road, once again theres a driveway getting in there. May drive out on the beach but nothing rough.

I WILL plan to pull a SMALL trailer with a honda foreman 4wheeler. May lift it a little but not huge.

When running 33's, what gear you recommend? and what would it turn on the highway running 70ish mph? what rpms will it turn?

And lastly, ive never driven a jeep. How would one handle with enough lift for 33's?
 
I have a 97 2.5L, I have 31" all terrains and I have dealt with it for a year and a half now, and I'm about through (I paid $3500 and it only had 54k on it). If you put the doors and top on and don't run the a/c it will do 80mph all day on the interstate at about 13-14 mpg, but turn the a/c on you can barely run 70 and idk what kindof gas mileage, take the top and doors off, you have to leave it in 4th to stay at 70 mph unless going down a hill and I average about 11-12mpg. But if you just driving around town and not getting over 60, I have gotten almost 17mpg that way. I plan on swaping something into it. Probably a stroker 4.0L just because I am that tired of the 4cyl. Don't get me wrong I love my jeep and it does have a lot of low end torque, and I feel like I can go anywhere in it. I just drive 98% highway and it just gets me aggravated with the slowness and mpg. I could deal with the lack of power and slow highway speeds, if I was getting over or around 18-20mpg.

Edit: Hold out for 4.0L IMO
 
kilby said:
Speaking of exhaust... the manifold will probably crack at some point.
Click to expand...

Mine already spit out two manifold bolts, idc enough to even look if they are broken or just rattled loose and fell out. and cracked some where, I'm sure.
 
I have and wheel a 2.5 Wrangler with 35s, I love for what I do which is mostly trail riding, Would I drive it everyday, No, Would I recommend it for highway driving, No, Not even with stock tires.

So its a real good trail and drive around short distances Jeep, But I wouldn't drive it on the interstate.

Mine is still geared 4.10
 
I have a 04 with the 2.4 and a 5 spd running 31x10.50's and its my dd.I want to go to 33x10.50's and 4.88s but cant see regearing the d30 and the d35.So Im waiting around for a better set of used axles and will evetually put a 5.3 in it at sometime when I buy a tow rig. But for a dd its great with the 31's.
 
if your going to put 33's on it, you will need 4.88 (lowest available for the d30). My buddy used to only drive it at about 60-65 on 264 heading back from greenville to raleigh. If a semi was coming up to pass he would draft off of it and be able to hold 70-75 no problems. His didn't have a/c, it was a soft top. He also towed a small trailer with it.

Really if you aint gonna off road it, just run 31's. running 33's wont gain you anything except wearing out the trans.
 
I'll Play
My pros: Light weight, low gears for a stock rig or mild wheeler, more affordable than a 4.0 wrangler

Cons: 47 mph on the wva turnpike
 
I have a 97 TJ with a 2.5l proformance catback, 31x10.50x15 AT's
i have my sway bars off B/c they broke

Pros of my 97 tj 2.5l....i have a jeep wrangler?

When im on the trail its a tank , nothing a 4 liter can do i can't so far.
only my tires make me get stuck

came with decent gears so i could play and it was 2400 less then the 4.0's i looked at

cons.- its slow as shit on the road ( alot of people say its just a little slower but in reality its a big differance from the 4.0)

when im pulling a trailer on the highway i cant get over 70

5th gear is worthless with even 31's

if you like having to down shift for every hill in the road, i mean every hill

If you dont plan on offroading the inline 4 2.5liter engine is worthless

if you plan on doing a lot of offroading and pulling your buddies outta a rut the 2.5l is great




Either way. Owning a Jeep tj cj or a yj is the american dream and is great fun


jk's arnt true jeeps ><
 
like my 4 banger

94 2.5 auto it is not the fastest thing on the road but not the slowest either. pulls good can maintain highway speeds.
Will downshift, but keep speed on most hills. just about idle through most trails I have been on in 4 low. I plan on a v-8 in a couple years. but the 4 cyl. is adequate if you dont expect to do a lot of towing, or want to go fast everywhere you go. I have 4.10 gears with 31 M/T's on it. it is my first jeep, but have driven alot of others from 4 bangers to v-8's. Just like any other vehicle you will have things you love and things you dislike about it. Enjoy your vehicle
 
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