a bit of tech advice

Sometimes you just have to wonder. :/

injection different? As far as I can tell bodywise they're

Looked, but only thing I have is the 93 XJ FSM.

Best suggestion I have is to try here.

you browse through the 92 parts you can seeif they cross up to later model years. The 1992 short block just says 1992, and next year crosses

1993-1995 so it might not be the same. Could be as simple as mounting positions or bracketry.

1993 was when they came out with the ZJ and I'm betting they used the same technology in the XJ from that period.

From what I remember from swapping out the BA10/5 tranny I had in my MJ, all the roughly 89 and up YJ/XJ/MJ with the 4.0 and manual tranny was the the AX15 5-spd ahead of an NP231 tc driving either a D44 or D35 rear end. The D44 was heavier and showed up a lot in XJ's - pinned axles and all around stouter than the D35 - but I've beat my D35 pretty hard with no problems. They changed to a different tranny in either the late 90's or early 2000's but the AX15 is plenty of gearbox for the 4.0. Toyota used it in 3/4 ton pickups and mine has been rock solid. Matter of fact, my AX15 and clutch setup came from a wrecked '94 Wrangler. Starting in 89, the Mopar MPI system came into use and I think it's same one used on the 4.0 until they killed the engine line.

Only real weakness is the rear end - the floating axles in the D35 are problematic for serious rock climbing and other heavy off-road use behind the 4.0. The floating style vs. the C-clip retainer is a bummer if you twist off an axle. Unless you intend to get really serious with it you just have to watch getting on the go pedal to hard when there is a risk of a wheel spinning then grabbing hard.

OK, that's about what I needed to know. I'm fairly familiar with the Mopar FI, and I've been inside the AX5(and I'm about to go inside the AX15 in my wife's '94 YJ). I just wasn't sure of the years they dumped that French POS or changed to the Mopar FI. We don't do anything harsh enough to strain the D35's although it seems axle bearings/seals are a problem with high mileage units(I've done bearings/seals in at least 3 outa the 5 I've owned). I sold my '95 YJ to my kid about 2 years ago and I've been driving my '61 F100 ever since. I love that truck, but it sucks trying to get out of my driveway in the winter with it. I think my wife will probably take this '92 with the hardtop and I'll start driving the '94 with the bad synkros. Found a kit on ebay with all new seals, blocker rings and bearings for like $190. Just hate the thought of pulling the t/case/trans on the floor of my shop.

My 88 MJ came with the BA10/5 and Renix MPI so I can pretty well define the change-over the AX15 and Mopar MPI - 89's used the newer version. I'm not real sure when they went to the next version tranny but it was later than what you're looking at.

I think the AX5 and BA10/5 were both in the same boat: just not enough beef for the 4.0. Like you, the garage floor is not my favorite work surface but when I went at it, I bought a rebuilt AX15, transfer case input shaft, bell housing and clutch works for something like $600 and swapped the whole mess in. I had to go the whole route to get rid of that !@#$%^ internal clutch slave so I got pretty familiar with the components.

Once I got the gearboxes and clutch upgraded, I figure the old beast is good to go until they use it to carry my casket to the graveyard - 210k miles on the clock should just be getting that 4.0 broken in ;-)

All this is moot anyway. Went and looked at the '92, and while it looks nice on the outside, the rear frame rails were rotted away at the rear spring hangers, and the rear frame crossmember was also going. The floors looked pretty good except for where the body mount under the drivers seat was. All this has repair parts available, but I've already got enough projects, I'm looking to buy a driver. I don't think the guy was prepared for a buyer who knew something about what he was looking at. Told me that at $3500 he was loosing money. Some BS about not being able to get his license back after he bought the Jeep, and that he'd never noticed the rust. We walked.