THINKING OF BUYING A 97 TJ 4CYL 185 000km WITH A ceaseD CLUTCH for $1400 my friend with a new 2013 rubicon is telling me 4cyl is going to be too weak and unreliable my argument is I'm not going to take it offroading its strictly for cruzing with bigger 32' tires he insists its too weak . im not planing to drive around a gas station with a v8
does anyone have any thoughts or advice on this topic ? please advice

 

Listen to your friend.

Jeep Wrangler TJ Buyers Guide - Jp Magazine

 

Well, I had a 1997 4cyl. Had a 3 inch lift and 33" tires. I loved the thing! It was regeared so I made 80 fairly easy on the freeway although I never really drove that fast. Maybe 70. First of all I think it is the best body style. I really loved mine. I really super wish it had the 6 cyl though. If it had I would still have it today and I would probably be buried in it in 50 years! It was fine driving around. Really it was. No Jeep owner should expect to be the first one across the intersection, or be able to always drive along in the fast lane! That little TJ did just fine on the street with the lift and bigger tires. They were gnarly mud terrains to so big huge lugs. Lots of tire to push around.

Where it lacked is I was always fixing something in that little engine. It was just too much strain. Part after part would fail, be fixed, work for a few months, and then fail again. There was a lack of power with the 4cyl but it never really did bother me. Like I said I loved that little Jeep. With that said I would not get another 4cyl TJ though. I do want another TJ one day. But I will be getting the 6.

Good luck in your decision!

 

My friend used to have the 4 cylinder in his TJ. That lasted a couple of months before he couldn't take it anymore. At that time his Jeep was stock, and kids on Big Wheels were running circles around him. He soon found a deal on a 4.0 and swapped it out. Those inline 6 cylinders are a hell of an engine, and from what he told me, the swap wasn't that big of a deal. (Respectively.)

 

Go cheap on fuel in any old OR new vehicle/engine and you'll pay huge in maintainance /repairs. But what would I know....you get what you pay for

 

I have an 88 YJ with the 2.5, it's stock. It gets around town fine. Given the option I would've gotten one with a 6. Take it for a test drive on the highway and tell us what you think.

 

If it was in my neck of the woods I'd buy it if you didn't. I had a 93 YJ with a 2.5 and 5 speed, and it did just fine. I never put a lift or huge tires on it, but I did go up a little on the tire size with some Mud Terrains. I never had an issue with that little engine in 150k miles. It was bullet proof. I could run 80 on the highway all day, but it never got better than 19mpg.

You don't have to put giant tires on it to be capable and have a blast off road. I rubbed skid plates on my YJ all the time, but that didn't hurt it.

Man, I wish I could come across the deal you are getting. I'd snap it up right now and take whatever storm came my way from my wife with glee.

Show pics if you pick it up.

 

...Another quick thing...I never broke any drivetrain parts with my YJ, despite LOTS of off roading. The "weak" Dana 30 and 35 can handle that engine with no problem. So can the transmission.

JP magazine is a great resource, but they build Jeeps up and break them, then label the parts weak. If you build things up, you have to invest in strengthening the parts. If you are just street cruising, you'll never have to worry about it, but even if planning off-roading, I probably wouldn't do more than 30" tires. That's just me.

 

Thanks for the advice guys I'm going to fix the clutch first see if i like it if not il just sell it get my money back

 

I have a 98 2.5 5spd std it goes pretty good have not got big rubber on it but seem to go through every mud hole I point it at has almost 300000 mm on it top gear with a strong head wind really holds it back that's my only complaint just great in the summer with the top down love it in first high you spin through most mud holes or snow banks like here in Manitoba at the moment poor little thing even started right up in -40 C with out being plugged in earlier this week I think it a great little engine but when it does finally blow up it will get something bigger added!