Wheeling with a 4-cylinder

meh_kick · **Posted:** Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:05 am

I have no specific questions, just curious. How popular, of the wheeled KJs, is the 4-cyl?

Without adding a ton of equipment (bumpers, sliders, winch, steel wheels, 10ply tires), the jeep should still be pretty torquey and good off road, right?

EDIT: Any active LOST members own one?

Blue KJ in PA · **Posted:** Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:29 am

If I remember correctly...memory is slipping lately...I was thinking jferg had a 4 cylinder....either that or he had a 2wd that he wheeled.

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:44 am

The KJ is so heavy...the I4 Gasser seems like it would struggle if rockkrawling...but would probably do OK on rolling terrain ect. Even with the Manual Tranny and 4.10 gears...any bigger tires would really hurt the gearing.

Now if you added a KLUNE to double your crawl ratio or a Rubicon 4:1 transfercase...maybe.

Guest · **Posted:** Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:04 pm

I drove a 2wd KJ with a 5 speed. Gutless doesn't even BEGIN to describe it...my '89 Trooper with the TBI 2.8L Chevy V6 would seriously have outrun it, and at least that Trooper was geared LOW (a .999:1 "overdrive", 4.777 gears, and a 3.3?:1 low range with a 4.xx:1 first gear I think?)

I find my V6 KJ lacking power in some situations off road (and quite a bit on road, too)...I really couldn't imagine trying to wheel the 4 cylinder...I don't like using 4 low all that often:P

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:10 pm

It would probably be sad. I know I have troubles in thick mud with the 3.7L if I leave it in 4parttime. You usually need momentum for mud so low doesnt work all that great for that.

Ive only done it a couple times, but Ive held it to the floor before and the Jeep didnt even move.

Pablo · **Joined:** Thu Feb 02, 2006 10:06 pm **Posts:** 1201

My 4 cylinder works great off road. Plenty of torque and no problems moving in the mud.

Just make sure you are running the right fuel... it makes all the difference.

FastTRX · **Posted:** Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:09 pm

Pablo wrote:

My 4 cylinder works great off road. Plenty of torque and no problems moving in the mud.

Just make sure you are running the right fuel... it makes all the difference.

Hehe...

meh_kick · **Posted:** Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:37 pm

Pablo wrote:

Just make sure you are running the right fuel... it makes all the difference.

Heheh. I did mean the 2.4 gassers.... But thanks for the input, Pablo.

Saber · **Joined:** Fri Jul 07, 2006 10:48 pm **Posts:** 160

Pablo wrote:

My 4 cylinder works great off road. Plenty of torque and no problems moving in the mud.

Just make sure you are running the right fuel... it makes all the difference.

best post I read tonight

C co Crusader 2/127 · **Posted:** Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:23 am

hmmm. ... whenever i drop the pedel to the floor the torque management kicks in for a second the it shoots off but i still lay a bit of rubber..... with one wheel..... god i hate that

mikekj_cda · **Posted:** Fri Nov 30, 2007 10:58 am

Right after I got my Jeep in 05, I started looking for one 2.4 for my parents. They don't off-road or drive all that fast either so it would have been good for them

. Couldn't find one used in Canada anywhere. From some reading and talking with a couple local dealers it sounded like dealers North of the border didn't even stock them. I assume people somewhere factory ordered them but haven't seen one yet.

InCommando · **Posted:** Fri Nov 30, 2007 12:07 pm

I have never seen a 4wd 2.4 KJ, either. I am not sure they offered them, or for how long they offered them if they did.

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Fri Nov 30, 2007 1:53 pm

They did and 3.7L 4WDs are always looking for the front 4.10 gears!

2006KJSPORT4x4 · **Posted:** Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:54 pm

What he said^^^^^^^^^

1300ZUK · **Posted:** Fri Nov 30, 2007 4:08 pm

I've ran across a few 4 cyl 4wd Kj's, Yes they would probably be okay offroad, but slow and powerless.

Light trails i imagine they would be fine, but hill climbing or possibly dune driving it would probably bog down and not be so great.

Does anyone have the actual weight difference btw a v6 4wd and an L4 4wd? Either way its a heavy car with a 4 cyl, so their probably won't be a big change in fuel economy to make it worth it.

InCommando · **Posted:** Sat Dec 01, 2007 2:34 am

DarbyWalters wrote:

They did and 3.7L 4WDs are always looking for the front 4.10 gears!

I remember that now that you mention the gears. Were the 4cyl/4wd's available the whole model run?

mikekj_cda · **Posted:** Sat Dec 01, 2007 4:24 am

InCommando wrote:

DarbyWalters wrote:

They did and 3.7L 4WDs are always looking for the front 4.10 gears!

I remember that now that you mention the gears. Were the 4cyl/4wd's available the whole model run?

the 2.4 was avaiable until 2005.

Wheeling with a 4-cylinder

Who is online