Calgary Jeep Association

4x4 Related Groups => General Talk => Topic started by: chuckroast on November 15, 2005, 08:26:28 PM

Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: chuckroast on November 15, 2005, 08:26:28 PM
Anybody have a 4cyl jeep that they use for off road? are they maxed with 31 or 33 inch tires? There are always lots of used 4cyl jeeps in the bargain finder and some a cheap, so just wondering
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: 4low on November 15, 2005, 08:30:56 PM
Work fine off-road, not too good in the mud as it's a lot of work to get the tires to spin at obnoxious speeds, but crawl great and work fine (love mine off road) and perhaps less likely to break stuff  because the lack of power?!?

ON ROAD;
they are not fast!

I dont' mind mine, sometimes I get annoyed on the highway havin' to use 4th more than 5th just to maintain 100km/h.

but you'll be passed, and will not pass.....haha, with 31's or bigger.

I don't think I've owned any vehicle slower than my 4 popper YJ (and that list includes a chevette)
well, my scooter is slower, but that's to be expected, I think...haha
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: RedYJ on November 15, 2005, 09:05:34 PM
Ive got one, works fine for offroad.  You are basically maxed with 33's with stock gearing but if you go up to 4.88 you can move those tires fine.  Its been a long time since I passed someone on the highway... maybe I never have?  Definatly work well on the trail, once they get above 2500rpm they have a ton of power for that little engine.
Title: 4 banger
Post by: henry on November 15, 2005, 09:43:10 PM
I agree, offroad the 4 bangers are fine, on road, can be quite annouying getting passed by Vespas.  I think you'd wanna gear up (like previous post mentioned for 33s) and you should be fine.  

I have 31s, and 4:11 gears and its fine, but kinda slow on the steet.  My old '98 TJ 2.5L, I towed my 13 ft. Trillium trailer through the rockies, and it was ok, but you let people pass in the opportune moments.

Darren 8)
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: TJ54 on November 15, 2005, 10:04:08 PM
I have a 97 TJ with a 4 banger 31's 4:10's

Off road it works fine for me, Once it is in 4 low, power very rarely seems to be an issue.  I  like the power band of the engine off road, the 4 banger really likes to rev. Starts to make power somewhere between 2500 and 3003 rpm.

I drive on the highway everyday, I drive at 100 to 110. passing someone is rare, which can be frustrating. So as long as you relax and are not in a hurry  then you will be fine.

The max tire size you should go is probably 33's. with regearing to 4.88's mainly because anything bigger starts to strain the D35 D30 axles. IMHO

Maybe someone could say something about tranny choice, I definatley prefer the 5 spd. to maximize the engines power band. I have never driven an auto 4 cylinder but it seems to me alot those 4 bangers I see for sale have an automatic transmission, and I am not so sure the auto would be a good choice
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: BlackYJ on November 16, 2005, 09:14:05 AM
I like my 4 banger.  I have wheeled 31s for a couple years and love it offroad.  With the 4.11s it has a pretty good crawl speed.  I now wheel with 33s and with the 4.11s it is not the greatest.  It is recommeded that with 33s and a 4 banger, 4.88 are the way to go and I believe it.  Now with the 33s I have run into a few spots where the 4 banger powers out, especially on long steep hills (it probably doesn't my 33s are probably the heaviest on the market).

On the flip side, you have a lot less chance of breaking parts.  I am running an ARB in my D35 with the 33s and no problems.  Also there is the weight savings.  I know a guy that is running 37" boggers with a 4 banger.  It is a great torquey little engine if it is geared right.

Like the others have said it is not the greatest on the highway, but whatever.
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: ramtuff on November 16, 2005, 10:23:48 AM
A 4cyl YJ or TJ with 4.88's ,  a 4-1 tcase and 37" Boggers is hard to beat off-road.  On road is a different story.
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: Fly Guy on November 16, 2005, 10:50:51 AM
If you are looking to buy a 4 banger TJ built for off roading... mine's for sale
http://www.calgaryjeep.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=840&highlight=
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: apex on November 16, 2005, 01:04:42 PM
Quote from: "Fly Guy"
If you are looking to buy a 4 banger TJ built for off roading... mine's for sale
http://www.calgaryjeep.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=840&highlight=


Its a good 'un. I'll vouge for that!
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: Spinalguy on November 16, 2005, 02:45:01 PM
Flyguys is a good deal.
My experiences show that pushing bigger tires (33+) leads to higher RPM's on road and offroad(in mud). This wears engine components quicker and eventually may lead to gernading.

My 4cyl TJ engine with 170,000kms on a fresh rebuild at 130,000 kms.

(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/Spinalguy/180_8055.jpg)
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: Jaguar on November 16, 2005, 03:13:41 PM
I know you said used 4 cyl. but I have a new 2.4L "05 with the 6 Speed tranny, and I am impressed with the performance. I ran the old 2.5L and the 4.0L and would place the 2.4L w/ 6 speed in the middle as far as power goes.... prolly closer to the 4.0L... For running around town, I don't notice a difference from my old 6 Cyl. On the highway it's definately a dog. I was heading up to Airdrie one day with a srtong wind, and had to really push it to get up to 110, but 100 wasn't too much of a problem. With no wind, she coasts pretty good at 110. I have taken the back seat out and usually run around with only half a tank of gas, and she's pretty peppy. But the real plus side is I'm getting 500KM+ out of a tank :)
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: TJ54 on November 17, 2005, 08:18:54 AM
Cool pic Tom :)  

It seems to me that if a stock tj with 4.10 and 205/15 tires, then you step up to 33's even with 4.88's your rpm's will still be lower than stock. So the only reason that rpm's are higher than stock with 33's is your right foot.
Me too though, and I would not be suprised to see the same thing in my TJ one day.

So are you going to put a 350 in that TJ now. It's the perfect time :wink:
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: redbull on November 17, 2005, 12:34:32 PM
Quote from: "Jaguar"
On the highway it's definately a dog. I was heading up to Airdrie one day with a srtong wind, and had to really push it to get up to 110, but 100 wasn't too much of a problem. With no wind, she coasts pretty good at 110. I have taken the back seat out and usually run around with only half a tank of gas, and she's pretty peppy. But the real plus side is I'm getting 500KM+ out of a tank :)


Sounds a lot like my 260K 4.0L, with 3.07 gears.
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: apex on November 17, 2005, 01:06:19 PM
Quote


Sounds a lot like my 260K 4.0L, with 3.07 gears.


I second that. even with the 235/r15s it sucks in a headwind. No big suprise though, we drive 4x4 cinderblocks. The only curves on a jeep are on the headlights, and if you drive a YJ yer screwed.
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: 4low on November 18, 2005, 12:38:15 AM
As far as Tom's engine failure is concerned, it COULD be related to shoddy rebuild, and/or various other things.

My original engine looked like that 10 k after I had a minor hydrolock incident.

Catastrophic failures are sooo cool.
(as long as they don't happen to you) haha
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: Spinalguy on November 18, 2005, 08:16:44 AM
Ian,
350? i wish but it would require so much more to do it.
Its my wifes TJ now so we need to get it back on the road asap (as she is driving the rubi full time now).
i bought a TJ motor with 104 kms on it to put back in.

i agree that the reason the abuse of 4cyl engines is so extreme is because of the 4.10 gears. If upgrading to 4.88's than pushing the big tires on and off road would be much kinder toi the engine.
i was never kind. Even when i was running 33x9.50's for the winter to help out, the rpm's still ran pretty high on mountain highway runs to ski resorts.

Mike, Varsity did the rebuild of cylinder #1 at 130,000 kms. It was piston #2 that gernaded.

Tom :)
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: youngen18 on January 12, 2006, 02:09:40 AM
I have a 97 tj 2.5L with 31's and i believe its geared 4.10

Had a few times in the bush where it failed me but it was my fault haha.  I have gone up some pretty steep inclines and wasnt able to be followed by the 4.0Ls i was with. Perhaps weight difference and gearing helped me there though.

All in all I'm happy with it in the bush.

As for on the highway.....

Its not to bad on the highway. 5th gear rarely gets used especially with a headwind coming against you. As for speeds. I usually have no problems staying at 110 although if i notice a big hill coming up i usually gain speed because i know i will loose it on the way up.

The in city gas miles are better then the highway miles i get at least.

For the amount of highway driving I do, I kind of wish I had the 4.0L but in the city and on the trails, the 4 banger does just fine for me.
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: blackrube on January 14, 2006, 10:19:58 AM
if dodge put the same 2.4L  thats in my car in the tj ,they woul have lots of power

230 hp
240 t
Title: 4 cylinder jeeps
Post by: CJ-7 on January 14, 2006, 01:21:44 PM
Well before I built the new inline 6 for my jeep I had a old worn out 2.5 in her.

I ran 35" tires all year and was able to keep up just fine    !!THE FREEWAY IS WHERE I HAD MY DOWNFALLING
It more or less comes down to other mods for off roading....ie tires ..lifts....suspension.....gearing.......and most of all the driver. I'm not the best driver but I learned alot haveing a small package under the hood. ....lol

It's not the size but how you use it......lol :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

I had not broken a part all year but spent a great deal of time fixxing others rigs.

Basically if your jeep doesnt clear the ruts .......you are going to get high centered ......regardless of how fast you spin those tires while they are not touching the ground........

I like the inline 6 alot for on road use but can't wait too see what breaks on me this year with over double the torque and the 74 extra ponys.


My 2 cents.................