How terrible an idea is one of these as a weekend runabout?
My wife really wants a Wrangler but we have decided that a new Wrangler is not a practical solution day to day so I have been thinking of being on the look out for a cheap automatic 6 cyl YJ for her.
IS the automatic ok? Is the newer 4.0 that much better then a 4.2?
I don't have ownership experience with the Wrangler, but put nearly 90k miles on a 4.0L in a Cherokee. The motor is a thirsty torque monger. Great low end grunt, useless above 4000rpm. 18mpg was a good day. My Cherokee was also an auto, not sure if it's the same trans in the Wrangler. It was a company car, so it lived a hard life. In all the miles I put on it, it was absolutely rock solid. IIRC, it had a minor issue with the fuel injection, but it didn't leave me stranded, just hiccuped and tripped the CEL. Fixed at a fleet approved shop and never had an issue again. Since I wasn't paying for gas, I loved that truck, including the powertrain.
All of the YJs and even TJs up to 2002 still had a 3 speed automatic, probably one of the last to use them, and sadly not the excellent AW4 used in the XJ Cherokee. With a 3 speed and everything else about a YJ they are not a good highway car in any way.
The 4.0 is totally worth it over a 4.2. 60+ hp more, no loss of torque, and better mileage.
If you can find a TJ in your budget, they seem to be better in most ways. N
Yes the 4.0l is that much better. Auto will be a TorqeFlite 999 with the 4.0l, it's only a 3 speed, no overdrive. Not a terrible transmission, but not really a highway friendly transmission.
AX-15 manual will get you a 0.79:1 overdrive.
It's a Jeep, it's not comfortable, or smooth by most standards, leaf springs and solid axles at both ends, but that's part of the fun. Drop the top, and smile. Prepare to wave at every other Jeep you meet on the road.
Speaking of the AW4... is it "normal" for one to get into overdrive at like... 42mph? A little annoying when it insists on trying to chug along at 1200rpms.
There seems to be a "gear" that it doesn't like to use... when i merge hard onto the highway, it'll pull to 3200-3400rpms, then drop to around the 2600rpm range for about... 1 second, then go to overdrive.
Normal? Or have we been driving this thing "missing" a gear for years?
Swank Force One wrote: Speaking of the AW4... is it "normal" for one to get into overdrive at like... 42mph? A little annoying when it insists on trying to chug along at 1200rpms. There seems to be a "gear" that it doesn't like to use... when i merge hard onto the highway, it'll pull to 3200-3400rpms, then drop to around the 2600rpm range for about... 1 second, then go to overdrive. Normal? Or have we been driving this thing "missing" a gear for years?
are you sure its not the torque converter locking up in overdrive? my land cruiser would do that, downshift to 3rd to pull a hill and stay at 70 mph, then when the hill would level out it would shift up to overdrive for a second or 2 then the converter locked. it felt a lot like another gear change
Sonic wrote: All of the YJs and even TJs up to 2002 still had a 3 speed automatic, probably one of the last to use them, and sadly not the excellent AW4 used in the XJ Cherokee. With a 3 speed and everything else about a YJ they are not a good highway car in any way. The 4.0 is totally worth it over a 4.2. 60+ hp more, no loss of torque, and better mileage. If you can find a TJ in your budget, they seem to be better in most ways. N
What makes the TJ so much better? Just out of curiosity. Also could a Wrangler be converted to the AW4?
Not really worried about highway use. Just weekend runabout to go to soccer/ ultimate frisbee games, camping, etc.
I have the same curiousity as you. Looking to replace my Miata. As bad as I want another one, current situation isn't two seater friendly. I want a convertible that is fun in some way, and a Wrangler has always been on my bucket list. Like you, I'd use it as a runabout, taking the kids to football, etc... though I want a manual.
Jeep yjs can be converted to anything. What you have to watch out for when doing driveline swaps is length of the trans and tcase. I swapped a quadratrac setup into mine from a late 70s cherokee and my rear driveshaft was 18" long. 4.0s are better than the 4.2s but I wouldn't call the 4.2 bad, I think the switch from carb to injection made the biggest difference. If fuel injection can be had for close to the same money definitely go injected. It sounds like the four banger would fit your needs also, but stay away from the early tbi four cylinders, they are so underpowered they are almost undriveable IMO. Watch out for rust, bring a flashlight when shopping and look at the frame closely for rust holes. Shopping for a used jeep is a lot like shopping for a honda civic, look for the cleanest one available. They, like civics, are subjected to a lot of questionable modifications.
93EXCivic wrote:Sonic wrote: All of the YJs and even TJs up to 2002 still had a 3 speed automatic, probably one of the last to use them, and sadly not the excellent AW4 used in the XJ Cherokee. With a 3 speed and everything else about a YJ they are not a good highway car in any way. The 4.0 is totally worth it over a 4.2. 60+ hp more, no loss of torque, and better mileage. If you can find a TJ in your budget, they seem to be better in most ways. NWhat makes the TJ so much better? Just out of curiosity. Also could a Wrangler be converted to the AW4? Not really worried about highway use. Just weekend runabout to go to soccer/ ultimate frisbee games, camping, etc.
Yes AW4 can be swapped into the 4.0l Jeeps, done many times and documented on the related forums. Worked with a guy that had swapped one into his TJ, claimed it to be the best mod he had done for a dual duty, mall crawler.
The link suspension and coil springs is the biggest improvement the TJ has over the YJ in my opinion. All TJ bodies are galvanized, only the later model YJs were. No guaranteed to fail vacuum central axle disconnect on the TJs front axle. Ergonomics of the TJ are better, you don't have to ask your passenger to read the dash gauges for you. All TJs got MPFI, and Renix (4 letter word to most Jeep owners) was long in the past by the time the TJ came around. Also, real jeeps have round headlights. 
I own a 1st year TJ, but I wouldn't completely disregard a later model YJ if I was looking for my first Wrangler. All Wranglers are stupid expensive these days though, seems to be a sellers market for some reason.
Real Jeeps have leaf springs. I don't have a dog in the fight, but can't let that headlight comment go unchecked.
I think the best bang for the buck in Jeeps is the TJ. Slightly more expensive than a comparable YJ, but worth it. Better tops, better interior, better suspension, more aftermarket support.
The 4.0 will last forever. Which is unfortunate because the best Jeep engine is the Chevy 5.3.
In reply to Lee,
It seems like prices on jeeps have started to creep back down towards reasonable around here, which makes me happy because I wouldn't mind finding another in the future.
If you are serious, I know of one local to me for sale. Hard top, clean, nice. How much are you looking to spend? You're in MI, right?
Ninja Edit. Nope, you're in AL, right?
DrBoost wrote: If you are serious, I know of one local to me for sale. Hard top, clean, nice. How much are you looking to spend? You're in MI, right?
Not seriously looking right now. I need to finish paying something off, sell the truck, get rid of my Yugos, etc. It will be next year before I start looking seriously.
I am not sure of budget yet. It is looking like what I was thinking for budget is too low. I was thinking $2.5k for a bit of a fixer upper.
Maybe i'm the odd one out (again, as usual) in this Jeep related conversation but i dont really like TJs better than YJs.
They ride a little better, but it's a jeep. Why did you buy it? As for the interior, it's the same basic shell with thicker door panels and dash, which takes it from feeling ok in a YJ to fairly cramped in the TJ.
A TJ is better for someone who is not a true believer because it is more 'normal'. I wouldnt exactly say that makes it a better jeep. I really appreciate how coarse and goofy a YJ is. I wouldnt pay extra to 'tame' it!
Funny thing is, ask me the same question about the two 'generations' of XJ and i will tell you the later one is vastly better even though it's mechanically almost identical and suffers the same interior shrinkage.
Vigo, I have to disagree. The TJ is better than the YJ in just about every way. Before I go and open my internet mouth here, I'll say that I've never owned a TJ. One of the few Jeeps I've never owned. But, I've 'wheeled with lots, and lots of them. They articulate better than a CJ or YJ. That articulation allows them to tackle obstacles easier, and with less traction aids than a CJ or YJ. to whit:
There was this nasty hill I used to try and try to climb in my YJ, open diffs in both ends. Then I built the CJ in my avatar. Locked up in both ends, basically a Rubicon before there was one. I could go up the hill in 2WD (thought it was SCARY). Then I go out there with a couple guys in TJ's. Same size tires, same amount of lift, so a real close comparison. The video shows multiple times that I only have two wheels on the ground, opposing corners. The lockers are what took me to the top. One TJ, limited slip in the rear, open in the front went up it with little issues, all 4 tires on the ground at all times. The next TJ, open front and rear, had to work for it, but he made it up. Had I been open front and rear, I'd have made it about 1/3 the way.
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