Question on the 2.5L

[94BlackYJ]

I have recently purchased my first jeep and have big plans for it but I wondered if the small motor could handle my big plans. I would like to go with a 4.5" Spring over Axle Kit which would be no problem but I was curious on running 33" tires. Someone told me that if I put 33s on it I would never get out of 4th gear or over 55mph(Is this true?). If it is true would running 32s be better or would 15x8 rims make a big differece over 15x10s?

[swbooking]

Ive seen it done, but im sure you would be VERY slow. i have the 4.0 with 33s on my Xj and the minute i hit anything steeper then a speed bump its out of 5th gear and into fourth. I would imagine your going to be hitting high RPMs and slow speed unless you do some regearing. and even then its not guarenteed youd get all your power back. 32s would make a little difference but nothing significant (I just went from 32 to 33) and the rim width would also make little if any difference. (I run 15X10)

[94BlackYJ]

I have no problems with having to shift down on hills or anything but im planning on making trips to the beach which is about 300 miles and i dont want to have to be running 55mph all the way so would a top speed over 55 be possible?

[swbooking]

I dont think that youll be over 55 for very long if you make it there. and trust me, i said i wouldnt really care about being slow. But once you see that every 200 miles you have to fill up unless you drive like a grandma and theres truckers passing you. You'll care.

[94BlackYJ]

What would be a good tire and rim to run on the road and off road then i want to put a little lift just because it is my first 4x4 but it is not my daily driver still...

[swbooking]

Well the rim is optional, but i would have run 15X8s and i know a lit of people that do and like it. I just found used cheap rims and went with that. I think about 30 would do fine, i ran with stock tires for two runs before i got my 32s and they did fine. I met a guy at JV and he was running stock tires and he did everything i did with my 32s. Just get like MT/Rs it will do you fine. If its not your DD then maybe once and a while to the beach at 55 wont be so bad... Just put on some chill music and coast.

[freewaydan]

31's on 15x8 and you will still have to shift out of 5th up any hill or a small breeze, 32 or 33 hope you like to drive in 3rd. Regear, regear,regear.....

[94BlackYJ]

What would be good gears to run for the bigger tires?

[swbooking]

If you have a D35 in the rear, i think you can only go up to a 4.56 before you need bigger spines in the axle shafts. But looking at this chart i have in ORA Mag, it says that your rig should be able to run 33s with 4.56s and be pretty much OK. Just dont be too hard on the throttle or you could ruin the gears or splines.

[freewaydan]

4.56's on 33's and real light on the right foot after that parts will break

[BlueSteel88]

i drive a 2.5L with 33's and a 4" lift, i never use 5th gear because i still have 4.10's but i manage to go 80-85 on the highway in 4th, the hills do kill it though i just downshift or push the pedal down more, usually running around 2-4k rpms

[YJwonderboy]

I honestly DON'T know the capabilities of the 4cyl. I've heard of people running them without many problems. They have a nice center of gravity. If you gear them right, and keep the tire size down, they should prove to be quite fiesty. I like mine. It's only got about an inch of lift and 29" tires, open diffs, and stock gearing...and it does alright. Lol, I don't even have fifth gear on my transmission, and with those tires I feel I actually over-rev once I get up past 50-55 mph. (It's killing my gas mileage. Gasp...it's like my pop I6 on his really good days.) But don't trash the furious little squirrels. In my opinion, since they typically won't pull huge tires unless you gear them way down, you don't need too low of a gear. Maybe put a lower gear in your low transfer, but you can run a chromalloy D35 and run 32's or 33's. Cause you don't want lower gears on the d35's diff. The gears are weak when you start getting down there. 4.10's are about as low as I'd get, and that's pushin' it ^.^

[guardian7]

I run 98TJ 4cyl with 33X12.50 and 4.88's in my dana30/35 and it lets me climb hills on the fwy at 80mph. I also recommend the 4.0L Throttle Body swap and Flex-a-Lite Electric Fan upgrade for a little extra power, I have also upgraded intake, exhaust, and Performance Distributors Ignition components; http://www.performancedistributors.com/

[Roadkill424]

my 4banger with 32s pulls up most hills on the free way around 60mph. anything faster than 70 gets a little scary in my jeep so 60 is just fine with me. i have also found that drafting the big trucks helps. the only performace upgrades i have are the electric fan and magnaflow muffler.

[guardian7]

I had an 89 4banger and there's not alot of of mods you can do to the engine for more performance unless you do internal work such as valve train, cam, lifters, and bore it over. I almost forgot, shaving the head can make a big power gain too. On mine we did the intake & exhaust, home made TB spacer, and flex-a-lite E-Fan. After that I sold it and got a newer 97 model but probably the best power mod would be 4.88 gears which will cost some money unless you can do it yourself.