4-Cyl Wranglers - Worth a E36 M3?

I'm seeing a plethora of 4-cyl 5-speed 4x4s on craigslist. Are the 2.5L engines worth a crap? I know they're bulletproof engines, but do they have enough passing power or are they slugs? I thought I heard that they get reasonable mileage for a 4x4.

Slow as molasses going up hill in January.

Fine off road. Mileage sucks as bad as the 6 cylinder. Top speed of 55 give or take, so they suck on the highway. If you live off road and on 2 lanes, they are fine. If your life involves interstates, get the 4.0

Perfect for LSx

Not many hop-up parts out there for the AMC 2.5L I-4, at least according to a guy I met who rallies a four-banger Comanche.

DILYSI Dave wrote: Fine off road. Mileage sucks as bad as the 6 cylinder. Top speed of 55 give or take, so they suck on the highway. If you live off road and on 2 lanes, they are fine. If your life involves interstates, get the 4.0

This, but you can get a little more than 55 out of them. I rove one for a year. I loved it, but it was miserable on the highway. I even plowed with it.

Don't get an automatic.

Don't even think about wasting your time trying to swap in a 4.0. It's cheaper and easier to just buy a six.

I had a 2001 Wrangler with a 4 cyl 5 speed. Stock height with 33 inch all terrains. I got about 18mpg everywhere and I really loved the damn thing now that its gone. I used it almost exclusively around town but ran it up and down the highways a few times. I picked it up for $750 with a battery drain, no top, rusted seat frames, no doors, radio etc. Sold it for $3500 after putting in about $750 of used replacements and a new battery, shocks etc.

I could do 70mph without a problem and hit about 90mph as a top speed. For around town I would say go for it. If you need to go on the highway a couple times a week I would pass or move to the 4.0. Also I understand the trans and axles are weak if you plan to off road it. I only did real mild stuff so I can't comment on that.

Greg Voth wrote: I could do 70mph without a problem and hit about 90mph as a top speed.

I'm not sure whether I'm more stunned by a 4 cylinder capable of that, or the fact that it didn't result in fatalities.

You can race people away from every stoplight, and your competitor will usually not notice.

And you will still lose at least half the races.

Don't get an auto. And I had my 89 4 banger at an indicated 90 mph. Other than that, they are fine. Sure they could use more HP, but around town and off-road they are just fine. Just don't go anything bigger than 31's with them unless you stay in 4-lo as soon as you get off-road.

Dave,

I was suprised how relatively stable it seemed. Took forever to get there and was windy as an SOB but the truck did fine. 70mph was OK but you let of the gas and you could just feel the wind slowing it down.

Streetwiseguy wrote: You can race people away from every stoplight, and your competitor will usually not notice. And you will still lose at least half the races.

I resent that statement. I could pretty much smoke anyone until second gear ran out. A guy in an Accord was apparently mad I left a light faster than him. At the second light we caught I had him until I shifted to third then it was over.

Despite the short wheel base it still slid around in the rain pretty well too. It was always fun chirping the gears into second.

I owned one and I think they're just fine, everyone will deride them... But mine worked just as well offorad as the big 6. On Road It was a bit of a struggle on hills, but If you've owned a toyota pickup you know the feeling.

I had one for a year. A 1999. Bought it for 4900, sold it for 7000. It was a turd on the highway, but would maintain speed. Slowed down alot on hills. Fun around town, and my buddy said it felt like his auto 4.0 in the accel department. I always figured that REAL Jeeps had fours... The Inline sixxers were the newcomers.

Joey

Greg Voth wrote:

Streetwiseguy wrote: You can race people away from every stoplight, and your competitor will usually not notice. And you will still lose at least half the races.

I resent that statement. I could pretty much smoke anyone until second gear ran out.

I drove a 2.5 Commanche for most of a decade. Never once won a drag race with it...but it was a good enough truck I kept it that long.