The Worst Things Jeep Ever Did

[@DEInTheGarage]

**Corrections for this video** *Please Read* I said two things in the video which were incorrect. One was just a brain fart and the other was pure ignorance. 1. The 42RE does NOT have 4 gears plus overdrive. It has 3 plus overdrive. I have been working on the 545RFE so much lately that I described the wrong transmission to you all. This error does not change how I feel about the 42RE. 2. No Wrangler ever had the 3.7L engine. The JK/JKU had the 3.8L. The buddy in that story always called his the 3.7L and we would commiserate together on how much we hated our engines without ever realizing he was mislabeling his. I never questioned it as my Jeeps of similar year had the 3.7L. It made sense at the time. This does not change in any way how I feel about the 3.7L, it just gives me another Jeep engine to hate as well.. the 3.8L pushrod POS. As always, I apologize for these error and thank those who pointed them out to me. I hope you are able to see past these mistakes and enjoyed the video anyway. Thanks for watching!

[@colinstokes3826]

Thanks! I figured it out. The 1995 Zj 5.2 has the 46r transmission. The 4.0 has the 42r.

[@halo37253]

Hey now.... The 3.8 may not be a high power engine. But They are one of the most reliable american v6 pushrod engines ever made. GM never had a V6 pushrod engine that dependable. As most of theirs suffered from intake manifold gasket failures. The 3.8 does 300k+ miles no problem. The trans they pair with them on the other hand.... The 3.7 was a Meh Engine for sure. Suffered from reliability problems too. The 4.7l was a much better engine. The 3.7L's also got the mercedes transmission, and not the better 545RFE. IMO part of the reason why they feel sluggish and have low toe rating. My WK with the 4.7 has over 200k miles running strong. The 08+ 4.7l with the new heads had awesome power and decent mpg. Was a solid alt to the Hemi in those years. 4.7's are super easy to work on too. While the AW4 was a great transmission. I really wished the 4.0 got a 545RFE with the JK's. That would have been awesome. Totally would have taken that over a AW4 option. Sadly we got the 42re.

[@kalebbrown93]

3.8 in the wranglers can be supercharged and end up with better mileage than stock

[@atx-cvpi_99]

@@halo37253 The GM 3800 and 4300 V6 engines were very reliable engines. The least reliable GM V6 engines were the 2.8/3.0/3.2/3.6 High Feature V6 and the 54 degree V6 engines.

[@herbiehusker1889]

The worst thing they did was killing off the Comanche.

[@Bad-Idea-Network]

I would suck my own ass for a new Comanche!

[@thelegendarysandwich4049]

I bought one last year. But now I have another thing to shake my fist at Jeep for. Why wasn't the 44 more common??? My Cherokee should not have a bigger axle than my truck.

[@deathtrapgarage506]

or the scrambler

[@jimcarlson6157]

@@Bad-Idea-Network the seat would appreciate that

[@slant6guy]

It was killed off --> as waiting-in-the-wings was the then new Dodge RAM 2nd Gen. pickup...which is better (on paper) than *_any_* Comanche as it was a much more capable truck overall. Remember here when Comanches were new, but difficult to get one when your 16 y.o. making $6.25/hr.

[@joeykoss7172]

It makes very good sense about how the Cherokee was probably never designed to have the 4.0. Definitely explains why XJs don’t love really hot weather. Great video!

[@trevoro3227]

The 3.7l engine are built like tanks though, i know 2 people with jeep libertys both with 3.7s and both have over 250000 miles on original engine, the “bla” factor is a side effect of durability and reliability. Unfortunately it’s difficult to have both.

[@jasonmarkowitz5397]

got 200k out of mine before i sold it, never ate a head gasket or valves but i never overheated it either

[@MrElvis640]

Grew up in Venezuela during those years and Jeeps were very popular as work vehicles in oil fields in very ragged terrains, Toyota was Jeep’s main competitor with the land cruiser J70 who was also very popular and capable so jeep had to step up their game and offer the best to get fleet sales from oil companies.

[@Miohunter444]

My number 1 is TJ Frames are junk, if you live in any place that uses salt I guarantee your frame will be toast in no time.

[@ironicchannelname6457]

My tj survived Michigan and Colorado so far the frame is solid

[@indridcold8433]

I have lovingly sanded, primed, and painted my frame every year since I bought it new in 1996 as a 1997 Wrangler TJ. It is a labour of love I have done many times over the decades.

[@indridcold8433]

@The TacomaKid I keep mine very clean with yearly attention. But if I let it go, it will become junk. I see them full of holes all the time. However, I noticed the problem did not exist with the YJ. What happened? I have never sanded panted primed my YJ frame and it is in great shape. Oh, you forgot to mention the ridiculous fading TJ Fender flairs. I hate those. I went aftermarket on those a s soon as I could.

[@Miohunter444]

My 99 TJ was in great shape kept it clean but the Frame rusted from the inside out and the rear control arms broke off the frame and the trans support mount at the frame mount completely rusted away lol

[@indridcold8433]

@@Miohunter444 I definitely forsee a future frame change. The sillys at Chrysler foresaw they should galvanise the body so it will be rust resistive. But they thought nothing of doing anything preventative to the ladder frame, short of a quick layer of paint. But I have planned ahead. I already know where I am getting the frame. It will be thicker and galvanised. When the eventuality of frame failure does happen, and sadly it will, it will not end our long relationship. Windi will get her frame replaced. I owe it to her. As for now, I sand, prime, and paint the frame every year in spring and repaint it in late autumn. It has done a good job of keeping the rust fairies at bay. But it will only slow the inevitable down.

[@jerryrodriguez5471]

Imagine the ZJ with a aw4 and a regular D44 what a monster it would have been

[@nathanoller4921]

Dana 44a also known as the 44HD is actually a very good axle even though the center section is aluminum. With a pumpkin skid and truss kit you've got an axle stronger and lighter than a standard Dana 44. The only real downside to the 44a is the lack of support with lockers. If you have the Varilock diff in it and matching Varilock front axle and diff then you've got gold as these are extremely effective progressive lockers with proper fluid. If you have the open diff version then your only real option is a lunch box style locker which is also very well available.

[@ryan07jeep]

I had an '07 with the 3.7--no complaints till I got an '11 with the 3.6. I was blown away at the power. Of course my '94 5.2 will always be my true love!

[@DEInTheGarage]

That 5.2 in the 90's Grand Cherokees is a thing a beauty

[@Folfumis]

I would guess they got 44s because they have poor infrastructure and they would be used more as utility vehicles rather than family haulers. Plus you need strength, especially when you might have little money or trained workers to fix your car. This is why simple, brick like cars are still very popular in countries that demand work horses. Rangers, Bare bones Land Cruisers/Land Rovers, small pickups etc.

[@frankcorpus12]

Partly right. There was also some taxes regulation back there that made the XJ a heavy duty car if equipped whit the D44 front and rear, therefore gaining some tax privileges. I’m from Colombia and i got an auto 4.0 99 XJ with the double D44 and NP242 transfer case. Love it

[@Folfumis]

@@frankcorpus12 Interesting! Did this apply to other solid axel suvs like the 90 series land cruisers or was this a tax on American imports?

[@shujin12345678]

I can't stand the axles under my '93 YJ .. And cried when I found out they had the 3:07 gears :(

[@sjgerber]

Mopar is weird - the 42 RE is mechanically the successor to the older Torqueflite 904. The transmission was used behind slant sixes. So, when they used slants in dodge trucks and taxi’s, the auto option was a Torqueflite 727 using a factory adapterplate. WHY did they just not use a 46RE, or rather RH with bellhousing to match the 4 Litre?

[@s3vR3x]

slight correction: the 42re is a 4 speed only. no 2 second gears. It's actually a 3 speed torqueflight A500 with a 4th gear over drive unit bolted on the back. Youre thinking of the 545RE which is in your WJ. Those came 99 and later on v8's. Sorry, i hate being that guy that posts these types of comments. Love the channel!!!

[@punkrocker10115]

I was just thinking the same thing. That's why it has a 4 designation for gearing. 545 would have been a nice trans behind the 4.0 though. The kickdown gear would help a lot.

[@DEInTheGarage]

Dang, I am not sure what I was thinking. You are correct. I have been working with the 545 so much lately that I seem to have diluted my 4.0/42RE knowledge. Thanks for catching that. I really appreciate it as I want to provide solid content at all times. I will add a retraction to that comment

[@andrewchristiansen8311]

On dana 44s they did the center out of aluminum for two reasons. 1) no corrosion 2) acts like a heat sync keeping the fluid & your ring gear cooler while towing. Hense "Tow Package" cracking it while rock climbing wasn't on the list of priorities. Same reason I got an aluminum cover for my D35c. Keep it cool when towing.

[@alexthorpe1606]

Fun Fact, there was one XK with the Dana 44. It was only offered with the Overland Hemi, 2WD and tow package.

[@DEInTheGarage]

I think some HEMI WKs got them as well. Great fact!

[@davidvoinier6008]

One of the problems with cooling the 4.0L in the XJ is there is no place for airflow from the radiator to get past the front of the engine. Without the accessories in the way, there is but how can they do that?

[@sjgerber]

To add to the list - making the new Gladiator not look like a original Gladiator. Now it will vanish in the Wrangler cloud

[@wildbill23c]

My 96 ZJ had the 42RE and it got beat on a lot offroad never had an issue, my current 98 ZJ has the 42RE as well, no issues with it so far. 96ZJ had 232k on it 98ZJ has 157k on it. My 96 ZJ when running around offroad it was getting to the point I couldn't do it very long otherwise it seemed to have a limp mode where it would refuse to shift out of 1st or 2nd gear until it cooled back down then it would be just fine. You are right its definitely the weak link but I haven't had a failure....the Ford A4LD on the other hand that transmission is by far worse than the 42RE.

[@DEInTheGarage]

Yea buddy, I know some folks with that issue as well. I know some people install trans temp gauges on the cooler lines to keep an eye on it

[@wildbill23c]

@@DEInTheGarage I need to do a temp gauge in the Bronco 2, and been thinking of doing the same in the Jeep as well...just so I can monitor it.

[@DEInTheGarage]

@@wildbill23c Yea, it is nice to have the peace of mind

[@jacobpartin4553]

One of jeep/chryslers biggest mistakes was not making the gladiator wayyy earlier, And not keeping the cherokee name even if the libertys didnt hold a candle to the straight six cherokees

[@xanderlander8989]

The aluminium center Dana 44A was probably a cash savings. Aluminum is easier to machine and cast from old soda cans lol

[@donnelleeustache4549]

I had a 98 gc leadoff 4.0...it had a very stalling and cutting off problem.....I change almost everything...still the problem never went away...had to get rid of it

[@off-roadprojectsandfun6868]

I agree with you on the fact that the 4.0 wasn’t designed for the Cherokee, but as long as all your cooling components work, you will be fine. I have done some off-roading mine and I have done a lot of sitting still idling and revving it up. As long as you understand it’s limit you will be totally fine. Only once have I slightly over heated it, and even then it only got hot enough that it ejected some coolant all over the place but the thermometer said that it was only just above 210 degrees the whole time. Plus, I have fixed that problem by making it so that I can turn the e-fan on no matter what so it is always cooling the engine. Watch that video if you want to. Thanks for the vid, I loved it!

[@LZGAjeepslav799]

As an owner of an 04 WJ, I must say I got unlucky to have the 42RE, Dana 30/35C combination, Quadra-Trac II etc etc. I like the 4 liter don’t get me wrong, but if I’m already rolling and I need to really get on it and pick up speed, it just doesn’t have the beans. I’m on my fourth 42RE. Every time they break, it’s due to the torque converter welding itself together or 2nd gear exploding and shooting bits of gear out the oil pan. As I type this, the fourth one in it now has been rebuilt once with a new torque converter that welded itself tighter. And I by no means go off-roading with it as it’s my daily driver. The transfer case I believe got hot at one point and therefore is always sending power to both driveshafts regardless if it senses speed difference between front and rear. I take the front driveshaft out during warm months and my fuel mileage goes up to 16-17 city. The diff on the D30 makes ungodly noise, the CV joints at the hubs bind up if I have to turn sharp. The D35C blows axle seals left and right. And I do my damndest to service everything on a regular basis, but alas it makes no difference. I will eventually do a 4.7/545RFE swap and throw a select-trac in as well (as I grew to love the trans in the 5.7 WK I had). I would do a complete regear of both axles and chromoly axle shafts up front to eliminate the CV joints, but is it even worth trying to beef up a D30? I love my WJ and I could never compel myself to let anyone else have her, nor do I plan to make it a MOAB rated rig, but sure cannot afford to keep replacing these same parts on a regular basis. Oh well, over the next year or so as funds allow, I’ll rectify these problems and she’ll be good as new.

[@navystatue8]

I have an 86 with a 2.8 with the 3 speed 30RH that has 161000+ miles on it. The transmission for the most part has been reliable but every 1000 miles or so something goes wrong with that motor. I believe partly due to the previous owner not knowing how to do mechanic work.

[@ironicchannelname6457]

I ran my aw4 completely dry on a trail when i caught a line on a log and it not only got me off the trail i towed it home replaced the line filled it up and its still going strong

[@DEInTheGarage]

That is an AW4 for ya!

[@ironicchannelname6457]

@@DEInTheGarage the thing is stout its lasted through 220ish thousand miles and a ton on different offroading adventure with 33s

[@BuBBz]

no joke, my wj with the 4.7 was averaging 22 mpg on a long trip we took. That was with a 2inch BB and bigger tires!

[@drewsey5733]

Man I wish my stock 4.7 wk got that have you done anything to your engine? Or was it stock

[@buddy8225]

Ive owned two Cherokees, a 91 XJ with the 4.0 and a 98 with the 2.5. Great vehicles. I currently owned a 2017 MK Compass. Love that thing. I get 33 miles to the gallon on the highway. I became a Jeep fanatic when my best friend let me drive his 82 CJ7.

[@DEInTheGarage]

My wife's daily is a 2018 Compass. We love it!

[@matadorprime]

As always, thanks for letting us be your passengers man! If I was an actual passenger in your Jeep I would still probably just shut up and listen to you anyways. Haha. One of these days do a video about the history of the Rubicon trim. It is very interesting to see how it almost didn't become a reality and what the engineers had to do to get it approved.

[@DEInTheGarage]

I love that suggestion! Thank you!

[@joncarroll9613]

If my memory serves me correctly, the Jeepster Commando as you called it, originally ( when you are referring to the 4wd version) first had either a Dana 25 or 27, up until the last two years. Those two years saw the change because of AMC and used a Dana 30. Even when using the 304 ( biggest engine) a Dana 30 was used.

[@fantaseahorse4696]

3.7 was never in the JK or any other Wrangler

[@squatchfromearth4076]

Correct, the 3.8 was in the Wranglers.

[@indridcold8433]

The sluggish Pacífica 3.8 V6 was in the first JK Wranglers. Then the 3.6 litre Pentestar V6 which made a huge difference.

[@slant6guy]

@@squatchfromearth4076 Yup! The soccer-mom minivan v6 motor.

[@FoamSquatch]

I had the 3.7 in an 07 Dakota. It sucked. Same MPG as the 4.7 v8 in that vehicle, with no damn power. Only saving grace was the 6 speed trans. I got rid of it because parts to repair were expensive.

[@regulatorg573]

Love the passion! Keep it up!

[@tadavis12]

I could be totally wrong, but I’m almost certain that the 07-11 jks had a 3.8 v6 not 3.7. I currently have an 11 jk rubicon with the 3.8 and yes the motor kinda sucks

[@jipgarage7887]

This is correct ! They never had the 3.7 on them

[@MajorWeakness]

You are correct. The 3.8 is underpowered but reliable. A throttle controller will help the drivability

[@DEInTheGarage]

Yep, I was completely wrong on this as I only just found out. My buddy always called it the 3.7 and I didn't know he was wrong so I just went with it. I assumed the JKs got the 3.7 as only minivans and cars got the 3.8. My mistake.

[@markjavaine174]

I'll admit at first I hated my 3.8 in my jk but as I racked up mile after mile all the way to now 350000mi I've come to fall in love with especially since most guys I know with the pentastar have done or are planning on v8 swapping mostly because their 3.6's are failing

[@tadavis12]

Mark Javaine yeah man i know what you mean. As the miles go up on mine, the more I’m realizing it’s not THAT terrible of a motor.

[@jeepcollector91]

When I needed a Dana-44 rear from a late 80's XJ, I found one fairly quick at the local U-Pull type salvage yard. Took 15 minutes to remove and cost me $80.

[@DEInTheGarage]

You are a lucky man. I have been crawling yards for halk my life and never seen a stock XJ D44 up for grabs

[@toledojeeper2932]

@@DEInTheGarage ...Dana 44 was only available in late 80s for just a couple of years with tow package I believe...but if there was a axle shortage on the assembly line sometimes we installed a 44 ..it didnt happen often . Also if a employee ordered a XJ we could follow them down the line ..we would throw in a 44 for them .

[@greynolds17]

meanwhile im here with a built dana 35 while everyone is whining about not having dana 44. lasted a few years of wheeling completely stock until the bearings went bad. the reason 35s break is people stick lockers in em or bounce the hell out of them on rocks. but im only on 32s

[@DEInTheGarage]

Yea man. They are fine until you start taking them out of their comfort zone

[@greynolds17]

@@DEInTheGarage I've taken the whole jeep out of its comfort zone

[@klarahfenderson1374]

Not only heat soak, but the ol' Cherokee fan-meets-radiator trick.

[@danmcelroy6584]

I think the Dana 44 should be in anything with a 4.0 and larger engine. And they should have kept solid axles in the front on everything.

[@DEInTheGarage]

Agreed. I hate IFS

[@jtmoffroad]

I agree with you on the 44 issue. Should have put it in more platforms for sure. Blew my Dana 35 up but I abuse it and threw 35” tires at it haha.

[@DEInTheGarage]

Seriously... how much more expensive could it have been??

[@indridcold8433]

The stupid engine auto stop and start design flaw in the Wrangler JL is rediculous. I pushed the bypass button and took the Wrangler back to the dealership in less than a kilometer. I am not going to pay for something I hate just to bypass it every time. The button should be to activate the stupid auto stop and start function, not deactivate it. It should default to having that annoying junk off. I have a 1990 Jeep Wrangler YJ, a 1997 Wrangler TJ I bought new, and a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited that I was going to trade for a JL. However, the test drive changed my mind. I will not buy a JL with that garbage engine auto stop and start garbage.

[@DEInTheGarage]

I totally agree. My wife has a Compass with that feature and it drives me insane when I drive it. I am told it is a tax break emissions thing that manufacturers have to do now. I hate it!

[@indridcold8433]

@@DEInTheGarage That stupid design flaw was enough for me to choose to take my 2012 JKU back home with me and leave the JL. I may get a JL someday. But it will be used and very affordable for me to consider it. I know I will not be buying a JL new because of the stupid forced design flaw that will inevitably shorten engine life to save a tablespoon of fuel per tank full. I bought my 1990 YJ new, my 1997 TJ Sport new, my 2012 Sahara JKU new also. But I could never bring myself to pay for the JL new. I would be paying for forced design flaws I do not want. Once it has been around and I figure a permanent way to disable the design flaw disguised as a feature, I may get a JL. But not anytime soon. There is no way an engine that is turned off, goes to zero oil pressure, and then gets turned back on again, over and over, is going to last as long as an engine that is allowed to idle and maintain proper oil pressure and operating temperate.

[@Wyatt_Craig5]

Looks like your drivers seat sags to the right just like mine, start to feel it in your back after a while

[@DEInTheGarage]

It sure does, but and I sure do! In my 2000 WJ I actually had the driver seat restuffed and it was the best money I ever spent. Thing sits up high and is super comfortable

[@joseybarra2046]

Hey, thanks Doug! You basically answered my questions about the other remaining two-letter model codes I was wondering about from the last Jeep Insult Video! I've owned an XJ with the 2.8L V6. Yeah, it's not fast at ALL, but mine was not as bad as everyone seems to say. It never ran right from the day I got it, always ran rich, smoking black whenever I would get on it. I got it with 165,000 miles on it, and finally sold it with 280,000+. It had the 5-speed manual, which I think was its saving grace. that, and the fact that it was a 2-door😉. It always had a bit of an oil leak, from the rear main seal most likely, but never had any big problems, and it was actually quite torquey. They were rated at 145 lb-ft which was a good amount more than the 2.5L 4-banger. Especially in low range, I was never of want for more torque. More horsepower, DEFINITELY! LoL 😂. I couldn't keep speed up a hill on the interstate to save my life, but I once had that thing hub-deep in sugar sand going up hill, and the engine was lugging and starting to knock, but refused to stall. Then I looked down and realized I hadn't even put 'er in low range yet! Slapped 'er in low, and got out of there no problem! Another time, I was camping at Elephant Butte Lake in NM, and I found a pallet someone had abandoned there on the beach, and I decided to take it for firewood. I didn't want it inside the Jeep as it was covered in sand, and the roof rack didn't work because I didn't have any straps to secure it. So I got out a crappy little tow rope I had, and hooked it to the hitch, planning to drag it back to my camp site. I had 275/60R15's on it at the time, which were AMAZING for the sand; the Jeep literally floated over everything. I drove for a while, then the rear started to axle-wrap and I was like, "huh, seems like a bit of an easy spot to need low range" but I went ahead an shifted into low and kept going. Then, about 100 yards more, and it started axle-wrapping, AGAIN! I though, "Wow, I really shouldn't be getting stuck here, what the hell's going on?!". So I got out to look around. When I got to the back I was like, "Where the hell did the pallet go?!". The I saw the tow rope was super taught and led right down into the ground and was impossible for me to pull out! That pallet had worked its way down into the sand as I pulled it along. It was no less than 3 feet under by the time it started impeding the Jeep. I just unhooked, turned around, and pulled back the other way to get it out. BTW, that pic of the old grey XJ you show near the end... Did you notice someone put the freakin' grill on UPSIDE-DOWN?! I hate when people do that. Shows how little they pay attention to what they are doing!

[@DEInTheGarage]

I didn't notice, but that is crazy! Take some pride in your Jeep!

[@claytongranberry305]

The 42re in my 03 wj 4.0 has been rebuilt twice, still shifts rough, great engine, transmission killed it😑

[@claytongranberry305]

Update* The jeep has a new coat of transmission fluid all up in the undercarriage, so a trip to the shop it is again

[@mitchb2440]

I have 280k miles on a wj with 42re and 4.0 all original not a single issue it still runs and shifts like brand nee

[@mitchb2440]

I also have a wj with 4.7 140k miles and lots of engine problems. Which I am fixing right now

[@themrrd12345]

Same here my 4.0 WJ has 256k on the original Engine and Trasnmission.

[@saltyymannscustoms6989]

The v6 only gets 15 mpg in the city. Me my xj that is stock gets 10mpg on the highway

[@jeepthingsoutdoors1973]

My biggest beef is getting rid of the 4.0 and that the H.O. intake only added 18 horse power!

[@DEInTheGarage]

Yea buddy. I am with you there!

[@jacobwhittaker6241]

I didn't realize the little gm 2.8 got so much hate. I had an 1986 s10 with it and it was decent to say the least i put over 200k on it with nothing but oil changes and a carb cleaning every once in a while. the trucks frame ended up rusting all to hell so I scrapped it. Motor ran when I scrapped it. lol

[@merrittmcdowell8675]

If you are going to build a cherokee whats the best to start with im torn between an 04 grand cherokee and the box cherokee

[@infinitybandofkent]

The terrain is way more crazie down in south america. we have paved roads for the most part, down there they dont.

[@juanpozzi4940]

Aluminum has much better heat dissipation than steel. That may be why the D44a has it.

[@Joe-dt6qf]

I have an 85 XJ Chief 2.8 still running with posi

[@Buckskindrifter]

The 3.8l that got tossed in the early jks seems to be a decent engine and has been reliable for me. The main problem is it uses oil and when paired with the 42rle and trying to move 4,500 pounds it builds up a lot of heat.

[@DEInTheGarage]

Yea, that same buddy who didn;t like the 3.8L burned up his 42REL as well. He just didnt have goo luck with that Jeep

[@HellFighter55]

Speaking of that D&E In The Garage, I just replaced the inner bearings in a 1997 D35... Absolute garbage. And you wonder why I I changed out the D35 out of my 95-XJ for a 05 Chrysler 8.25 from a KJ Liberty Because it has a 29 Spline with stock 3.73 ring & pinion not to mention handles like a D44 with thicker tubes compared to the stock 1993 C8.25 which happens to have a 27 spline & is just a little thicker in the tube compared to the Dana 35.. Besides the spline count. Having issues with the pos ABS and brake sensors.

[@DEInTheGarage]

damn.. solid swap. The D35 is a good for a boat anchor and not much else

[@alejandrocaraballo2768]

I am from Venezuela, and there is a culture for the 4x4 is gigantic and the routes for off road are very extensive, and everywhere, that's why Jeep and Toyota compete in the South America market

[@buddy8225]

The dauntless was a 225 V6, but Buick did make a 198 version for economical purposes. I rate the 225 up there with the 4.0 six cylinder as a good motor. If it were me I would rather have seen that motor back in the XJ than Chevys 2.8 V6. Or they should have designed the Cherokee around the 4.2 six cylinder, but again that motor had a single barrel with only 112 horsepower. The four cylinder had a two barrel with 105 horsepower. On the axle question I say blame the government. Thanks for the rant. I read to much. Great video.

[@paulgorhamiii9926]

I got lucky and got a 1993 ZJ with a 4.0 and aw4, the only thing I did was swap the np249 tc for a np242 tc...I should have went with the np231 but I'm happy still, my next project will be a rear axle swap, currently I have a D35 under there but would like a D44 or Cryco 8.25, still undecided but leaning towards D44, great video by the way.

[@camilollanos4814]

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[@DEInTheGarage]

The plow Jeep we have on this channel occasionally has that setup and we live it. 1993 4.0 with an AW4 and 231. Solid setup!

[@brianvandy4002]

If my 42RE starts failing, which should I drop in behind my 4.0L?

[@fixinggrace]

I had the 3.7 in my Dakota and it lacked power and got horrible fuel economy. It was also a very noisy truck. I have a 2006 Chevrolet with a 4.3 L in a manual that is far quieter. The penta star 3.6 L is a great engine. It has more power, much better fuel economy and a lot quieter. As for the GM 2.8 L, I had one of these in a 1986 Camaro. Even with the multi port fuel injection, it didn’t have the power to get out of its own way. This is especially true with the automatic transmission. Allegedly you could get some speed out of this with the manual, but it would still take you time to get there.

[@Nathanallenpinard]

Just bought a 4.0 with a 42re. It's going out (or it has a few screws loose, still looking for the solution) but it's lasted 207k

[@DEInTheGarage]

I mean... if you got 270k out of it, I guess it served its purpose

[@vinny-p1j]

Do you need the kick-down (TV) cable from the AW4 trans. for an AX 15 on a 1998 Jeep XJ?

[@brendanjames7122]

The Overland, coming with skid plates, taller suspension, limited slip front and rear, and rock sliders, sure as hell should have had a Dana44 in the front also. Dropped the ball on that one. What kind of mileage you getting with your WJ? I'm at 19.1 with the Overland. As for the Dana35 looking small, they all look small after working on the axles under my CUCV.

[@DEInTheGarage]

What is in the CUCV? 14 bolt? I am pulling around 18-19 if I am conscious of it on the highway. I love the 4.7 and 545RFE on the highway. Never downshifts up hills like the 4.0 does

[@brendanjames7122]

@@DEInTheGarage Glad to see my mileage is about right. I like seeing the tach sitting at 2000rpm on the highway lol. Has been a lot of highway, bout 1/4 of it back roads. The engine tranny combo never work at all, just smooth sailing. The CUCV has the 14 bolt in the rear and Dana 60 in front.

[@JeepTJWheelin]

I had an '06 KJ Renegade with that 3.7, it was brutal. But if you had to have a Libby, it better be the Renegade edition which was somewhat cool. Next was an '08 JK X 2 dr. With an even worse engine, the 3.8

[@gryffydd42]

I’ve definitely noticed some of the pain in the ass aspects of the 4.0 in XJ. Accessing the rear most valve cover nuts is frustrating experience, as well as change out the firewall to engine ground cable (ditching the OEM aluminum flat braid for copper cable from Big 7 kit). The space for doing oil filter change is not great either. It’s clear about the “shoehorn” done to fit it in, even with firewall alteration to make just enough clearance. But the 4.0 has been so damn solid, and never had any issues. The Cherokee rebadging to Liberty for US only had my eyes rolling. But one solid evidence of its lineage is the fact that you can direct swap “Liberty” rear disc brakes onto XJ, including the parking brake cables. Only thing you have to tweak is using ZJ soft brake hoses and proportioning valve (I don’t like the one piece soft and hard line combo they changed too on Liberty- $400 or more for that and it doesn’t work without mods on xj anyways. No thanks). The Dana 44 thing surprises me - they are least could have offered it as option through life of the XJ run. I didn’t even know a Dana 44 for front existed - wow. If money were no object, I’d likely export front and rear 44s and drop them in (through as a mostly daily driver occasional light off-road or foul weather, the Chrysler 8.25 seems to do fine).

[@jfish9014]

Wish my beard was as majestic :(

[@randallsavage13]

Love your videos they are a huge help and very educational great work... I have a 99 v8 grand Cherokee limited and was wondering were I could buy the best aftermarket stuff for a cheap price I'm a firefighter with a wife and 2 kids so I dont have lots to spend lol but any suggestions would be great thanks..and jeep on

[@themrrd12345]

Hey man, I've been watching your videos and they are very good, you also seem to work on your own jeeps so I had a question. My 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee I6 has an issue where the electric cooling fan isnt turning on. I've replaced the relay already and then one day i noticed it wasnt turning on so i wiggled the connector that goes to the fan and it turned on. Only thing is its kinda difficult to turn the fan on now. Only thing saving me from overheating is the mechanical clutch fan but even that doesnt help the A/C much. I actually cut out the connectors for the fan motor to relay at a junkyard, you think that would help out with the issue?

[@DEInTheGarage]

Yea, I would try replacing the connector. From what you are saying that is where your issue is

[@themrrd12345]

@@DEInTheGarage Thank you I'll give it a try hopefully that fixes it lol. Bought the car for $300 so cant complain much lol

[@cespool]

That Dana 44A has a Dana 60 diameter pinion shaft. Which is why they also called it the Dana 44HD. But it's still aluminum. One more thing. If you ever have to rebuild one. You can get a Spartan locker for $38 more than a new set of spider gears.

[@DEInTheGarage]

Yea, the aluminum stretched and bents so they spin bearings and dont even try to crawl over rocks with one

[@davidvoinier6008]

The XJs in Central America were fleet vehicles used in the oil fields.

[@MajorWeakness]

I hate my 3.8 (torque...but it has been reliable) in my JK but love the 4.0 un my XJ. A Hikeit throttle controller makes my 3.8 now feel like my 4.0. Great video

[@DEInTheGarage]

Is that true? I will have to check that out

[@Irishcream216]

the 42re's greatest single flaw was the shitty design desision to prevent lube circuit flow in park. the idea was to crank up the vehicle in park and allow the engine and transmission to come to operating temp before moving in the winter. Well, if you park somewhere to eat, you can roast your clutches and steels in short order idling in park on a hot transmission. aside from that and the electronics, it's not THAT much different than the old school torqueflite 727 from classic MOPAR.

[@strictlyxjs8750]

It all comes down to cost with the dana 44. Amc used lots of outside vendors to supply parts (much to their demise) such as dana spicer axles, new process transfer cases, japanese transmissions gm engine... when chrystler took over it was all about cost cutting and cheaper for them to use the 8.25 manufactured in house. If you got abs they didnt have an axle that supported it abs time so they looked to spicer for the 35. That being said i love my factory xj dana 44

[@strictlyxjs8750]

Venezuala got dana 44s (and factory ramsey winches) to classify them as a "work vehicle" to avoid expensive import taxes. Yes it was cheaper to outfit them with heavy duty parts then pay the taxes on them as regular passenger cars.

[@DEInTheGarage]

THANK YOU! I finally have an answer that makes sens. I was losing sleep over why they all had 44's front and rear

[@michaelcj51]

Worst design flaw?? The oil filter adaptor on the 2001 Cherokee 4.0L. Bound to start leaking eventually. #60 torx to get it off. 50lb torque with lock tight. And no clearance to get any tool known to man on it to remove to replace the O rings. Hell they were so embarrassed when they realized... it is not mentioned anywhere in the 12 lb Diamler/Chrysler service manual. Speaks to your last comment about engine bay design.

[@DEInTheGarage]

Yes! 100%

[@michaelcj51]

@@DEInTheGarage Think I have it sorted..... just waiting for the Oring kit to arrive. 1. Short #60 Torx bit from snap-on 2. 3/8 drive extra short socket { waiting for the torx bit to measure what size fits the shank of the torx} 3. Spring loaded belt tensioner tool [ 1/4" thick by 24" long flat bar with a 3/8 drive nub on one end] to crack it loose. 4. open end wrench [that fits the torx shank to get it hand loose and off]. 5. Reverse order to install 6. Semi Wild Ass Guess at 50lb torque with the flat breaker bar Holy Crap Batman.... I can see why they left it out of the Service Manual!

[@bassickly420]

Damn I had a 87' XJ with the tow package didn't know what I had. Drove it to 306k miles then put a 90' motor in it with 114k loved that Jeep.

[@toledojeeper2932]

The employees of Toledo Jeep Assembly say the #1 stupid thing Jeep did was move production of Jeep YJ to Canada in 1987 .

[@DEInTheGarage]

Agree!

[@5stardave]

I really liked my 85 XJ Laredo with the 2.8L. I had over 350,000 miles on it before the engine broke its flywheel. My current 91 XJ Limited with the 4.0 is a much better ride.

[@DEInTheGarage]

Damn... 350K?! I'd say you got your moneys worth

[@rustyreed4730]

I’m shocked that nobody said one thing about the Dana 30.. such a weak axel for anything serious off road.. thoughts??

[@DEInTheGarage]

Definitely would not disagree. I am more annoyed at the weak rear because I find you will outgrow your D35 rear before your D30 front. You can get away with the D30 a bit longer in many applications. Why not put the D35 up front and give everything a D44 rear?? Never see a D35 front

[@brossovitch]

Yea, my ZJ has Danna44 in rear. It's a 5.2L V8. I wanna update with a swap. I was thinking about figuring out doing a axle swap from the WJ, I know they're wider, bit I wanna lift and put bigger wheels/tires anyway. Trying to find a 242HD to use also..

[@DEInTheGarage]

Sounds like a nice project!

[@brossovitch]

@@DEInTheGarage I just learned the JK Rubicon D44 is direct bolt on for ZJ.....

[@dieviolent529]

I have the 01 TJ sport with 3.73 gear tow package with dana 44 rear

[@DEInTheGarage]

That must be a nice setup. 4.0?

[@dieviolent529]

@@DEInTheGarage Yes sir!

[@s3vR3x]

yassss! another D&E video!!!!

[@gcanaday1]

That 44/44A thing for me is huge. Also bother: unibody >:[ Cherokee began as framed. They kill frame in 84. Grand Cherokee never had a frame. Wagoneer gets 44s and frame, they kill Wagoneer. They haz the dums. Love 'em, but they dum.

[@jdmjimmy]

What about the cvt jeep compass

[@DEInTheGarage]

Like i said, i didnt want to just bash models we all hate anyway, I wanted to discuss some terrible things about models we DO like

[@rudyfinney9450]

Just curious as to what aftermarket parts are there for the 8-1/4? I have looked for lockers/ spool of any kind with no luck. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[@DEInTheGarage]

Your best bet is going to be a lunchbox locker. I got mine from Lokka, but Aussie and Spartan both make them for the 8.25 as well. That is about it. That is why it is usually better to just invest in a D44 if you can swing it

[@rudyfinney9450]

Thank you for responding, is greatly appreciated! I'm definitely going to be ordering one of those lockers and trying it out. Tired of just welding them up

[@mikesanchezgsxr]

What do you think of the WJ Grand Cherokees with a 4.7 4x4? Been thinking of picking one up.

[@DEInTheGarage]

I drive one daily and I love it. They have some known issues, but if you keep up on maintenance, they are really good engines with a very strong trans and a decent amount of power for the weight of the vehicle

[@darrenbishop4327]

I bought one recently and it has 196,000 on her and it is strong. I purchased it from a pilot who purchased it from a pilot friend. He purchased it with 36,000 miles on it and kept every single record on everything that was done to it.

[@TA_Plus_Hemi]

It is funny that you mentioned that the 3.7 existed with the 4.7 both of them powertek V engines. The 3.7 liter was somehow essentially the 4.7 with two cylinders missing. I say somehow because if you do the math two cylinders should work out to more than one liter.

[@DEInTheGarage]

Yea, I have heard they were designed side by side. They look similar in the engine back, but having worked on both they are miles apart

[@oengusfearghas9608]

If my 4.0 XJ ever overheats I'll be shocked. In fact the cooling solution I have in her is so effective the computer has a code that it is taking longer than expected to achieve normal operating temperature.

[@DEInTheGarage]

Interesting... What do you have done to it?

[@oengusfearghas9608]

@@DEInTheGarage Aftermarket high capacity tig welded aluminum radiator. Replaced the belt driven fan with a 2nd electric one custom wired so the computer can activate both along with an override switch that allows always on, off or auto. And hood louvers to allow the hot under hood air an easier way out, looks great and bonus the floorboards don't get near as hot as they used to.

[@libertybarker7401]

a manual automatic. ( no clutch & i decide what gear)

[@off-roadprojectsandfun6868]

Liberty Barker that’s funny

[@Norseman195]

I got a 94 Grand Cherokee and loves it BUT the 42re transmission is garbage.

[@DEInTheGarage]

Unfortunately, yes.

[@TheBeardedJeeper]

Always a wealth of knowledge

[@DEInTheGarage]

Thanks buddy

[@wheelman013]

So a Dana 44 from the late 80 s is worth something I have 2 personal I like the Chrysler 8 1/4 what is a Dana 44 worth ?

[@DEInTheGarage]

All depends on condition and application. I have seen them go for a few hundred

[@TengrioftheCrimsonSky]

So I definitely agree with your summary given what I know and have heard. Just curious if you're interested in helping another Jeeper? Working on 95 Grand Cherokee Laredo build and can't diagnose for the life of me an issue.

[@DEInTheGarage]

Sure, what is the issue?

[@TengrioftheCrimsonSky]

@@DEInTheGarage so I have an odd odor, my dad a mechanic of 40+ years swears it's 90W but we can't find a leak. I figured it might be the same as your new Jeep after watching some of the older videos but it's a pretty sizable puddle on the ground and we never found a source. Also I can't seem to get rid of the source of a "service 4wd switch" code. The fluids we're topped off but the message still fluctuates on and off. The fuses are fine from when I checked last. Just a lot of troubles in what's a fairly low mileage (85k, 10k is mine from the last two years with constant oil changes every 6 months.) So I don't really know how to feel about keeping her. She's a 95 Grand Cherokee Laredo 6cyl for what it's worth. Thanks for any tips or help you can give. Oh and I was going to do the same liner (literally) but never got a chance before winter hit lol.

[@DEInTheGarage]

@@TengrioftheCrimsonSky Well the only place you would have 90w in a Grand Cherokee is (should be) the differentials. Maybe you have a blow axle seal? You can usually tell because the inside of your rim is wet from the escaping oil. As for the 4wd light, that is like an issue with broken wires behind the EVIC. Those Grands are notorious for wires breaking and causing strange error message. You may want to consider getting behind the dash to see if the evic wires are all intact

[@TengrioftheCrimsonSky]

@@DEInTheGarage thanks I'll give it a look, if not I don't suppose you want another project Jeep? Lol.

[@camilollanos4814]

In Venezuela the have to use the dana44 because they have to compete with Toyota and the Landcruisers which are the main offroad vehicles used.

[@gggehlen]

Here in South America there are some hard conditions and in the 90's and 00' Venezuela was growing in the petrol industry. That's why they need tough vehicles

[@walterarroyo5220]

The Jeep Cherokee KL was not good either with that bad 948TE 9 speed automatic they put in that had a bunch of problems and then they tried using software updates to fix it . 🤦‍♂️

[@atx-cvpi_99]

And the ones that have the 4 cylinder engines were prone to major engine problems. The 3.2 V6 engines were not that bad.

[@ZacharySolomon0429]

Have you ever seen an old AMC/Renault xj or mj with the 2.1l turbo diesel? If so what do you think of it. Its weird to think that the French had a lot to do with xj and we just seem to forget about it but I digress. Also, I think another major xj fail was the Renault BA/10 transmission.

[@DEInTheGarage]

I have not. They are damn hard to find in the states (Any diesel jeep is), but from what I hear they are legendary. One of our viewers in Ireland has one and speaks very highly of them

[@PaulKaiser42]

I believe you mentioned the JL has a Dana 44 in the rear but it’s a modification on the 44 the axle tubes are weaker(thinner) then Dana 44 of the past. 🤦‍♂️. In my opinion anything that is going to be ‘trail rated’ should have a Dana 60 in it but that’s just me 😂😂

[@JustJeep_It]

It hurts me to say two things I don’t like about Jeep LOL, but one is the WJ spare tire - gas tank set up. The other is the new style Cherokee. Other than that, Jeep can do no wrong in my eyes and I will love it forever and ever amen.

[@mickbenq]

I have the wg 2002 4.7 Ltd has 218000 on the clock...runs like new..no prob with mine..

[@DEInTheGarage]

The 4.7 has a MUCH better transmission. The 545RFE. Only the 4.0 for the 42RE

[@richardelliott7022]

I have a ram 1500 with a 3.7 v6 and it has decent power and mpg. I towed 7500 pounds in a hilly area

[@jeffreyjones4798]

Actually the 3.7 is a lame due the 3.08 axle ratio the wk was stuck with. I had a rwd 2008 wk with a 3.7. I modded it and regeared it to 3.73's. that thing would walk pentastar chargers

[@FIREPHILSPENCER]

Had a 2.8 that had over 200k that was weak in power but was very reliable and never leaked.

[@hernymejias]

I got a 04 Grand Cherokee Overland and the worst thing is Jeep discounting the clutch package to rebuild the Vari-Loks. 👎👎

[@tankscrittersandurbanhomes5579]

My first jeep was an 86 xj pioneer 2.8. I've never driven a more gutless engine in my life. 4 low was decent for torque but that's it. IFS is another foolish decision

[@DEInTheGarage]

Agree! I hate IFS