Pending Purchase: 4-cyl KJ

[cryption]

Hello Friends!

I've been looking into a Liberty for some time now, been doing my reading but everything is centered on the 3.7 engine. Yes, I know the 3.7 is the engine to have, etc etc and I'm sure I'll get flamed for looking at a 4-cyl. However, this particular one has a 6 speed manual transmission - and an Auto is a non starter for me. This liberty is the only Manual transmission within 200 Miles of me as well, and I'm looking to move ASAP.

This Liberty is NOT going to be a daily driver, I have an Audi A4 for daily duties.

My question is thus: Aside from the engine are they mechanically the same? Suspension stuff is my primary question, I understand engine stuff is obviously different.

Thanks for the impending 4-cyl flaming! I'd love some serious answers tucked in with the flames lol.

the Jeep in question

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[O5berylgrnrenegade]

I believe the chassis would be identical perhaps with different coil spring specs? Like spring rate. But otherwise Id say if its what you want get it 4cyl or not i love my six speed in my renegade but i have the 3.7L

 

[tommudd]

Everything is the same except engine, but not flaming but the 4 gets less mileage , has no power at all even with a manual. Trust me you'd be a lot happier with a 6 cylinder. Keep looking

 

[cryption]

Thanks for the response tommudd! I'm going to check it out tomorrow and drive a 3.7L with an auto and the 4-cyl with the manual just to compare. I'd never buy an auto. I know I'd be happier with a 6-cyl and a manual - but I just can't find one within 200 miles - and this one I'm looking at is 5k and in pretty minty condition.

I'm wondering HOW bad it would be. My last off-roader was a 2nd Gen 4runner and it was dog slow, but in 4Lo and 1st and 2nd gear it just didn't make much a difference.

I have anecdotal evidence that says the 2.4 is a bit more reliable then the 3.7 but I can't say from personal experience. I've never owned a MOPAR product, I've spent my life in the Toyota offroader world, and the VW/Audi tuner world But I have some turbo goodies laying around and I've built my fair share of turbo kits in my day so if the 2.4 is killing me with slowness I could turbo it relatively easy. It's been done for years in the Neon world it wouldn't be much different.

a KJ with a FMIC could be kidna sexy

 

[cryption]

I believe the chassis would be identical perhaps with different coil spring specs? Like spring rate. But otherwise Id say if its what you want get it 4cyl or not i love my six speed in my renegade but i have the 3.7L

Here is the one thing I'm wondering - all the kits I see are for the 3.7. I would assume get the "medium" kit and not the "HD" kit since the front end is a little lighter

 

[Dave]

Welcome. No flaming. Nice looking KJ.

The 4cyl were only made from 02-05 and not many were made. The only thing different I know of is they have 4:10 gears. Everyone with a 3.7L and A/T has 3:73 gears and if they lifted and put on bigger tires, they would love to have your 4:10 gears.......guard your gears...LOL. (just kidding about guarding your gears) I think some of the 3.7L came with a standard shift ****** and with 3:55 gears.

Dave

 

[tommudd]

It will be dog slow on any hills , build up your muscles on your right arm .
I drove one 4 cylinder with manual that a friend was looking at buying . 10 miles was 9 miles too many for me. LOL
It seemed ok at first but the further we went it was getting old.
4 cylinder KJs are good for one thing,.....their front and rear diffs. :icon_razz::icon_razz:

 

[tommudd]

Here is the one thing I'm wondering - all the kits I see are for the 3.7. I would assume get the "medium" kit and not the "HD" kit since the front end is a little lighter

I answered in your other post

 

[O5berylgrnrenegade]

The 2.4L in my wifes Pt Cruiser has been a reliable motor but in all honesty the 2.0L in my old sx2.0 had more power

 

[cryption]

Thanks for all the responses everyone, you've given me a lot to think about. I've always loved the KJ platform and get impulsive with purchases when my heart says go lol. This has been a super helpful form, as a newbie to this community I am overwhelmed by the helpful posts.

I hope to learn and contribute in my own ways! thanks again friends!

-Ben

 

[K9JEEP]

I wouldn't get any 4 cylinder without a turbo. My 3.7 gets terrible mileage compared to my GTI and I drive it almost daily but I am very happy I got the 3.7.
That aside the rig in the pics looks pretty clean.
In the end get what you want, it's your vehicle and your money [emoji106]

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

 

[cryption]

Yes everyone here has echoed my concerns about performance - this is essentially what I was expecting. I would love to find an equally clean 3.7 with a manual under 5k but I'm not sure such a thing exists around here in Houston.

I do enjoy speed and power, it's possible tomorrow I'll hop behind the wheel and I'll be coming here to post you guys are totally right.

for references I've been playing with a 92 4runner with the 3.0 V6, and has similar output to the 2.4L in the jeep and only a 5 speed manual vs a 6 speed the Jeep offers. For performance the bar is set pretty low.

Hey if I get it there will be an active member with a 4-cyl for all the 2.4 related DIYs. silver lining hah.

 

[Cardhu]

Thanks for all the responses everyone, you've given me a lot to think about. I've always loved the KJ platform and get impulsive with purchases when my heart says go lol. This has been a super helpful form, as a newbie to this community I am overwhelmed by the helpful posts.

I hope to learn and contribute in my own ways! thanks again friends!

-Ben

Never pay money for nostalgia and buy the V6.

Theirs a long list of what that V6 isn't but at the very top of that list is a very disapointing 4 Cyl.

If your still unconvinced. Spell out your long term plans for a KJ, that should make your decision very quickly. If your remotely like any member here with 50 posts a lift and bigger tires is in the cards and thats a dead issue with the 2.4.

Wellcome to the forum.

 

[cryption]

Never pay money for nostalgia and buy the V6.

Theirs a long list of what that V6 isn't but at the very top of that list is a very disapointing 4 Cyl.

If your still unconvinced. Spell out your long term plans for a KJ, that should make your decision very quickly. If your remotely like any member here with 50 posts a lift and bigger tires is in the cards and thats a dead issue with the 2.4.

Wellcome to the forum.

With the 4:10 would the lift and heavy tires make that much more a difference?

Long term I picture 2" of lift and keep it on the 31x10.50 it's sitting on right now. Primary usage will be the beach. I'm in South Texas, gulf coast. No rocks or anything around here.

My heart really wants it, but I promise all the responses here are going to weigh into my decision after I drive it and see for myself.

 

[tommudd]

With the 4:10 would the lift and heavy tires make that much more a difference?

Long term I picture 2" of lift and keep it on the 31x10.50 it's sitting on right now. Primary usage will be the beach. I'm in South Texas, gulf coast. No rocks or anything around here.

My heart really wants it, but I promise all the responses here are going to weigh into my decision after I drive it and see for myself.

YES huge difference.
Even with the 3.7 , that size tire benefits the use of 4.10s
I'm running 4.10s on my 03 with 265-70-16s, ( 30.7 inches tall) and its about perfect. With the 4 cylinder, .....well

 

[dude1116]

1) Curious about those wheels. They look like 15 inch Cherokee wheels. The calipers look like they're barely fitting. Not a bad thing...Just curious.

2) Stick is annoying off road. If you're using it only for that, the auto would probably be a better option.

Of course I know you're feeling about wanting a stick. My other vehicle is a stick. Just makes driving that much more fun.

 

[JasonJ]

Except in very specific use cases, manual transmissions aren't the hot thing they used to be... don't exclude the auto just because you're nostalgic about manual transmissions.

I know the vw/audi tuner world.... was there myself in the sport compact tuner scene... rules and generalizations about manual versus auto transmissions don't translate over to a Jeep. Unless it's a 1947 CJ2a .... ugh, just no.

I wouldn't even want a manual rowboat transmission in a new Corvette... DSG's are so much faster shifting with better fuel mileage.

 

[Cardhu]

With the 4:10 would the lift and heavy tires make that much more a difference?

Long term I picture 2" of lift and keep it on the 31x10.50 it's sitting on right now. Primary usage will be the beach. I'm in South Texas, gulf coast. No rocks or anything around here.

My heart really wants it, but I promise all the responses here are going to weigh into my decision after I drive it and see for myself.

Tom has already answered this.

Only thing i'll add is;

When your running the V6 and 31 inch tires, you can go to 4.10's. And you will want to immediately despite more power.

With the 4, you have no options, A Dana 30A ifs diff only has a max ratio of 4.10. The next option is buy a JBA steel diff for about 3 K once you put everything you want in it to get to 4.56 or 4.88. Couple years ago another guy with the 4 cyl went to lift but no diff and sounded pretty disappointed. I didn't go 4.10's and if i had long term plans of keeping the jeep I would have. Was hateful to not have 4th gear but by far the worst was the bottom of 3rd gear when doing 50 km/h.

Also not a 100% sure but I think the 4 also has a timing belt to change which is another task you'll probably have to undertake sooner than later unless you know it was changed. Theres some solid logic in why the 4 is hated so much. Plus the forum is well supported for the maintenance on the V6. Its not just the preferred engine, its the only engine imo. Besides, every time a 4 cyl dies, a V6 gets 4.10s

 

[cryption]

Well - I guess I'm going to save the hour drive on this one then and keep my eyes peeled for a 3.7L.

Anyone want to trade for a Miata lol

 

[u2slow]

Our 3.7L/6spd wasn't too hard to find. Not many out there, but they were cheaper when found.

I would sit tight and wait. They do come up. The 08+ and Nitro also came stick.