87 XJ Cherokee upgrade or...

Right now I have Jeep Cherokees (2 x 1987) and am looking to upgrade. I can get a 1994 Cherokee for around $4k if I can find one. I am in Denver area.

Complaints about Cherokee are low power (I drive between 6,000 and 11,000 feet above sea level), not so great mileage (20 mpg on a good day) and poor towing capacity (snowmobile trailer w/2 sleds). Cherokees have about

180-190k miles on them.

Chains don't fit well on rear wheels - low fender clearance, low spring clearance (leaf springs).

Engine compartment is tight, cargo capacity is OK. Off-road capability is good.

I am looking for 5-speed manual, maybe a more modern engine (24 valves?) than the straight six in the Cherokee. Cherokee supposedly has 177 HP, newer (HO) engines have 190, I think. At 6,000 feet and above, my 86 SAAB 900 Turbo with 160 HP and weighing 2,900 lbs (Jeep weighs around 3,100) will suck the doors off either of the Jeeps at 231k miles.

It seems the Toyota 4runner is lower power and heavier vehicle, also a lot more expensive. Got a loan of an Izuzu Rodeo and it seemed like a nice vehicle but they are notorious for burning up engines. Don't even talk about the Ford Exploder. Nissan Pathfinder is not impressive. JGC (ZJ) does not come with 5-speed manual, so that is out (although some early ones did but they are hard to find).

Would most power in a light (3,000 lb) SUV be maybe a 94 or so Cherokee with a free flow cat-back exhaust? I seem to keep coming back to Jeep for light vehicle with power and low cost.

I know you guys are gonna favor Jeep but maybe you can say what to really stay away from, besides what I already mentioned. Or what comparisons have you made before buying Jeep?

Thanks in advance,

Charles.

Reply to
Charles Stoyer
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Well ... I needed to pull a 3000 lb boat/trailer, do the daily drive, and do the weekend trips. The '96 Cherokee 4.0 litre HO, 4spd auto, Command Trac suited perfectly ... a basic machine that best met my requirements.

- 4.0 litre HO lots of power, regular gas ... and provides lotsa heat in the winter (246,000 km and running as new).

- Cherokee ... 3100 lbs, 4 door ... comfortable ride.

- 4 spd auto with lock up ... makes towing easy, relatively economical.

- Command Trac ... gives me RWD for day to day, 4H for winter, 4L for pulling the boat outta the drink ... just put it in gear and it'll idle it's way up the ramp/beach/stones.

Reply to
bowgus

...just in time to rebuild and hot rod.

? Have you checked the Security Chains fitment at their website?

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According them, you can run their chains on the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee if you use these tire sizes: [and stay under 30mph] P215/75-15 P225/70-15 P245/70-15 P225/70-16 P225/75-15

If you can find a Cherokee in "engine rebuild" state, you can try stroking it to 4.7, which will also raise the compression ratio a bit, into the low 9's. [See HESCO or Clifford Performance websites for details.] This may be enough to help you a bit at high altitude.

Or visit the Hesco website and drop a blower on a stroked engine to help with what I call the "I-70 pull test".

Or win the PowerBall and buy a Turbo Cayenne...

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Reply to
L0nD0t.$t0we11

But are you driving at 7,000 to 11,000 feet where your 190 hp engine now has

150 to 125 hp?

Aside from the fact that I don't do auto, 5-speed should give me at least as much power to the wheels. I am beginning to think that at 3,100 lbs or so, I won't get any more power, not without buying something new.

Reply to
charles stoyer

Now that is an option I never thought of. Is there room for a supercharger or turbo in there?

Jeep XJ no. 2 did not have front axle working at hunting camp. Chains on rear wheels P215/75-15 kept hitting something.

thanks,

Charles.

Reply to
charles stoyer

Ping DougW, pretty sure he has a charger, but think his is a ZJ. However you can check the HESCO website for kits for a Cherokee.

Reply to
L0nD0t.$t0we11

Reply to
L.W.(ßill)

Ok so ... 1% to 2% loss per 1000 ft ... let's assume 2% ... so that's about

20%. Now, I myself never run at 190 hp, so that says to me, run at about 20% more than I do down here, and I'm even. Now, I'm never above about 2000 rpm ... absolutely no need to ... shifts at about 1800 rpm, about 1800 rpm at 60 mph ... so I'm guessing a gear change and another 1000 rpm would more than do it for me. I'd go find you the power/torque curves but ...

Reply to
bowgus

Oh yeah ... I'd also look into a higher octane fuel to prevent detonation ... if I ever moved to 11,000 feet that is .... maybe build a still ... 1 part alcohol to 10 parts gasoline if I recall gives a higher than you'd think octane ... hmmm ... maybe I'll build the still anyway ... like the guy said ... most of my money I spent on booze and women ... the rest I just wasted :-)

economical.

comparisons

Reply to
bowgus

Reply to
L.W.(ßill)

My wife's first XJ('94 2WD)had chains on it every winter for the last

3 years(of course this year she's got a 4x4 Cherokee and it ain't snowed yet). We run P235/75-15's and once I got the chains fitted properly I never had any clearence problems. Were you running bungee's on the chains to tighten them up?

-- Old Crow '82 Shovelhead FLT 92" 'Pearl' '95 Jeep YJ Rio Grande ASE Certified Master Auto Tech + L1 TOMKAT, BS#133, SENS, MAMBM, DOF#51

Reply to
Old Crow

Oops yer right ... I was focussed on the detonation problem associated with less air. So there's another reason to go with the good old low octane 4.0 litre Cherokee ... if yer gonna stay stock, that is.

Reply to
bowgus

That's 3% per 1,000 feet. At 11,000 feet there is 2/3 the air that you have at sea level. My watch has a barometer on it. At sea level it reads around

  1. At 11,000 feet it reads around 20.

Compound that with the fact that the hills are both steep and long. I know one road goes uphill for 50 miles (along Cache la Poudre river). It is not uncommon to have steep hills several tens of miles long.

Even empty (well, myself and a dog) the Jeep has to be in third (of five) gear to maintain 65 mph on I-70 near the Eisenhower tunnel.

It won't pull the hill like that in fourth. Never mind fifth.

Charles.

economical.

comparisons

Reply to
Charles Stoyer

Towing capacity is only 2000lb with the 5 sp manual. With the automatic and heavy-duty cooling, the XJ is rated to tow 5000 lb. Power is plentiful with the 4.0. I have towed a popup trailer over the Grapevine in So. Cal. (about 5000 ft elevation). No problem. The Jeep easily maintained 65 mph uphill.

Mine is 5sp. I see no advantage whatsoever. Why do you insist on the stick?

Kamen

93 XJ 4.0

Charles Stoyer wrote:

Reply to
Kamen Penev

Reply to
johnny

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