4 banger yj

[NOITALEVER]

Beside a swap for better engine what are the best things to do for my 4 banger yj ?

[Mickey]

Have gears yet?

[NOITALEVER]

No, my only upgrades are 4.5 lift w/ 31x10.50's, pro comp shocks w/ relocation brackets on the rear and four lights on the bumper. Until I can't list what I have upgraded I will not be satisfied with my Jeep.

[Desert Dog]

The first thing to do is bring the engine up to good running order (plugs, wires, cap/rotor, seafoam treatment, etc). Check the compression to make sure that the engine is performing well and you don't have other issues like a head gasket or bad cylinder. Engine mods are a waste of money if this stuff isn't in order.

GEARS: make a huge difference in being able to maintain speed without shifting all over the place. My son has a 2.5L automatic on 33s with 4.88 gears. Before the gears, we had to go up the pass in 2nd gear at 25 MPH - now it does a whopping 45 MPH up the pass!

One of the best things you can do for a good running 4-banger is let it breath better.

Cold air intake will help it inhale. Header and exhaust will help it exhale.

COLD AIR INTAKE: Be mindful that adding a CAI will increase the possibility of hydro-lock during water crossings. So if you add one, stay out of deep water.

HEADER: Don't get the cheap Pacesetter header for it, those are junk and crack faster than the stock manifolds; run the Dynomax or Gibson made for the 2.5L (they are Cali legal). Be mindful that a header adds a lot more heat to the engine bay, so you may need to install a header blanket and wrap the fuel rail if heat-sink or vapor lock issues arise (I had to do this on my son's 2.5L). The header will be useless without adding a good aftermarket exhaust too. The headers for the 2.5L will make a big difference in performance at highway speeds, but may lag a little while taking off.

You did not state the year of your YJ? If it is a 91 or newer with MPI fuel injection, you can swap out the throttle body for a 4.0 throttle body. This will give a little more umph and better throttle response off the line.

Even with all of this done, and the ability to actually do normal highway speeds and stay in gear is achieved, these engines will still only do 45MPH up the pass. Just the nature of the beast, and one of the reasons why the 2.5 Jeeps has a very low resale value. But, these little engines get good MPG, make for a light jeep, don't blow axles like the 4.0 does, and are reliable as hell.

[NOITALEVER]

Seafoam tratment?

[TheBigDogg]

[quote="NOITALEVER"]Seafoam tratment?[/quote]
be careful with that stuff.....never tried it, but have heard some bad stuff

[Desert Dog]

Used it in all my vehicles for many years. Dont put it in the crank case (this is a mistake that some people make). Let half a bottle run through the brake booster vacuum line, and put the other half in the fuel tank. Do some research. About 99% of people who try it on older vehicles notice positive results. Jeepers have used it forever. At most automotive shops (even Walmart ), their $60 "engine treatment" is simply seafoam. The chit really works .

[NOITALEVER]

3,000-6,000 lbs winch or should I go higher

[Desert Dog]

[quote="NOITALEVER"]3,000-6,000 lbs winch or should I go higher[/quote]

Minimum of an 8000# winch. The smaller stuff is for ATVs.

At this point in your build, your money would probably be spent better on stuff that will make your jeep more trail worthy (sliders, 33s, gears, a locker, air compressor, snatch strap, CB). Too many new jeepers put money into things like winches and lights, and neglect the things that actually make your jeep more capable on the trail. Right now, your 31" tires are going to limit you to the easier trails, and if you don't have sliders, body damage will be possible even on some of the easy trails. And don't forget a CB.

[AA-CJ7]

[quote="desert dog"][quote="NOITALEVER"]3,000-6,000 lbs winch or should I go higher[/quote]

Minimum of an 8000# winch. The smaller stuff is for ATVs.

At this point in your build, your money would probably be spent better on stuff that will make your jeep more trail worthy (sliders, 33s, gears, a locker, air compressor, snatch strap, CB). Too many new jeepers put money into things like winches and lights, and neglect the things that actually make your jeep more capable on the trail. Right now, your 31" tires are going to limit you to the easier trails, and if you don't have sliders, body damage will be possible even on some of the easy trails. And don't forget a CB.[/quote]

Solid advice.

[Mickey]

Desert dog... brings a tear to my eye am so proud of him... he has come a long way... lol seriously thou, good job on all the solid advice you give people on here. It's always nice to have some one to go too who is going to be straight with you. If he knows it, he knows it! and if he dont know it, he isn't afraid to admit it! well sending you to the right people or finding out for you.! Just thought i would give you a thumbs up chris!

[NOITALEVER]

I have aq CB just don't know how to hook it up

[TheBigDogg]

[quote="NOITALEVER"]I have aq CB just don't know how to hook it up[/quote]
get with me, I'll give you a hand, I will PM you my number

[NOITALEVER]

Air or electric locker?

[NOITALEVER]

Front or back first?

[Desert Dog]

[quote="NOITALEVER"]Air or electric locker?[/quote]

Both are good and reliable. Go ARB for an air locker or Eaton e-locker for an electric.

If you want to run a permanent on-board air compressor to air up tires and such, then the ARB would be a natural choice. If you don't want on-board air, then the e-locker would be better/cheaper.

If you are working with a really tight budget, an Aussie locker or Lock-Right in the front axle will make a world of difference off-road, but at the expense of losing some street manners. This type of locker (lunch box) is cheap and easy to install, but not as tough as a full carrier locker. lots of people use them and have no problems, and I'm sure that they will be plenty strong with 33" tires and the low torque of your 4-banger.

[Desert Dog]

[quote="NOITALEVER"]Front or back first?[/quote]

This is a matter of huge debate in the off-road community, but I will just relay my personal experiences to you;

Rear Locker only:
PROS = Does really good for steep hills. Helps get you through deep mud. Needed to pull a rear tire up from under an overhanging rock.
CONS = Tends to make it hard to control the jeep in tight spots. Tends to push the unlocked front axle into the rocks making it hard to maneuver in rock gardens.

Front locker only:
PROS = Really excels in the rocks, pulls the jeep up and over rocks rather than pushing against them. Allows for tight maneuvers while locked. Gets the front of the jeep (the heavy part) up onto ledges and waterfalls.
CONS = Not as effective as rear locker only on hills. The rear axle can get hung up under overhanging rocks. Makes weak stock front axle components more prone to failure.

I have a Detroit locker in the front and an Eaton e-locker in the rear. Honestly, I almost never turn on my rear locker. This is probably because I run mostly rocks. YMMV

[Dirty LJ]

My 2c is to go with e-lockers.

I have had a Detroit Locker in the front with the factory limited slip in the rear. That combo worked great! When the transfer case was in 2wd you would never know the Detroit was up there. The only downside was when wheeling in really slippery stuff steering became difficult, the Jeep only wanted to go straight (normal behavior for a front locker).

What I like about the E-lockers is that when they are unlocked they are limited slips, not open like the ARBs. Also I feel it is much easier to fix a wire if it gets messed up than an airline and if it is unfixable you still have limited slips to get you out of trouble.

And just for the record I have a separate onboard air system

[Desert Dog]

[quote="Dirty LJ"]What I like about the E-lockers is that when they are unlocked they are limited slips, not open like the ARBs.[/quote]

The only E-locker like that is the Auburn ECTED. That unit is a POS though. Very prone to failure, and has clutches that need to be pulled and rebuilt periodically.

The Eaton E-locker performs exactly like an ARB.