Question(s) for the XJ guys

[DOUG]

Picked up a 96 XJ. Basic as they come...doesn't even have a roof rack. 4.0, A/T, A/C, and it's green. It was free, but it needed some work...TC, flexplate, front pump seal, brake lines, PS line, alt, rear brakes, etc...

It's got a 2 gauge IC, fuel and speedo, and a bunch of idiot lights. Can I swap in one from the same year that has gauges? And will they work?

Will 31s fit with a BB?

I'm sure there will be more Qs later.

Thanks

[ZAEDOCK]

Nice find Doug!

I don't know about the idiot gauges (they would probably work with the "upscale" dash). Pat had an Upcountry XJ with a 2" BB and ran 31's


Here's my, uh, Michaela's XJ with 2" blocks, "I don't know, but they're taller than stock" front springs and 33x12.5's.
I'll be trimming some, bastid packing the rear leaves, and installing 3/4" spacers in the front. Surprisingly, the tires stuff up in the fenders quite well.

[johnsxj]

Doug, I know you can swap the earlier cable driven clusters around. Not 100% sure on the electric OBDII system that you have, but in theory it should work. You'll need a cluster from a '96. '95 down had OBDI systems and I'm willing to bet the signals sent to the speedo and tach are different (I know they were different between the Renix and '91-'95 OBDI systems). You'll also need to change the oil and temp sending units for ones that work with the gauges.

A 1.5"-2" budget boost should work fine with 31's. JP magazine just had a nice article on junkyard lifting an XJ. Or you could TJ flare it and break out the cutting impliments to clear 31's with no lift!!!!!

[DOUG]

Thanks John. I'll start scouring the junkyards for a 96.

How much will the AAL you gave me lift the rear?

[johnsxj]

That AAL was from a 3" kit. I got it used and used it myself for a couple years. So I'd say it's good for at least 2".

[DOUG]

Neither the speedo or the fuel gauge work, the speedo just sits at zero (the odo doesn't work either) and the fuel gauge sits way beyond full. This is with the stock 2 gauge cluster.

Any ideas?

[johnsxj]

Blown fuse, or bad ground for the cluster would be my first places to look.

[nostaw]

My '98 XJ's dash has an intermittent connection... The gauges will periodically just stop working. Smack the top of the dash a few times and the pop back into action.

I read a thing in JP a while back about this... Apparently there is a connector at the back of the dash for the instruments which is known for getting a little corroded and causing problems w/ gauges.

That could be what it is...

JW

[DOUG]

Things to look for...thanks guys.

[DOUG]

Bad ground was the culprit for the speedo and fuel gauge. Swapped in a full gauge cluster, installed new oil pressure sender, just need to swap the water temp sender and all will work.
Need to pick up spacers for the front, and center pins for the rear leafs to add the AAL.

[johnsxj]

Cool!!!! Working gauges instead of "idiot light" are always good to have!!!!!!!!!!