Jeep 2.5 ltr Performance

BiggMayn · Jan 8, 2009

Has anyone built a "performance" 2.5 ltr? My buddy's TJ has the 4 banger and he wants to rebuild the motor and add some extra power. Any thoughts?

Dude · Jan 8, 2009

I had a 2.5 97 TJ, I would just swap out for the 4.0. There is no hope for the 2.5. He would be wasting money on that 2.5. You can find an 4.0 HO with computer and trans on CL for what he would have into trying to build that 2.5.

Pat · Jan 8, 2009

Not worth it. But for what it is the 2.5 is a good reliable motor.

Also beware the trap of wasting money on things like air intake and headers, not much gain to be had with the 2.5.

Not Jobless · Jan 8, 2009

Turbo.

Drone637 · Jan 8, 2009

Put a 4.0L Throttle Body on it and a short ram air filter. That will give you a bit more power and faster throttle response.

And it will stop you front drinking water when you go in a mud puddle, the stock air intake is pretty good about doing the opposite.

tomsbrokeagain · Jan 8, 2009

Gear the piss outa it and run it on the rev limiter. :awesomework:

There are NO GOOD upgrades for power. That little engine will run quite a while though

Pat · Jan 8, 2009

Jackazz said:
Turbo.

That is the one way to juice up the 2.5 but for the cost you could buy a whole pile of 4.0 motors, or V8's for that matter.:haha:

KarlVP · Jan 8, 2009

Pat said:
That is the one way to juice up the 2.5 but for the cost you could buy a whole pile of 4.0 motors, or V8's for that matter.:haha:

If I got balls deep into the turbo project for my 2.5L It would run me about $1000 to do it RIGHT. Most of it is in fuel management to get the most out of the turbo.

I wouldn't throw any money at that motor. I've been wheeling the PISS out of mine and it has more than 150K HARD miles on it, both on and off road.

I would just gear the jeep to the moon and ride the motor hard. I know a few folks that have blown them up... you can find 'em pretty cheap.

KarlVP · Jan 8, 2009

Also a 2.4 liter out of a dodge neon with the turbo package will bolt up to the AX-5.

If you rip everything out of a neon including the turbo, that would be pretty neat. Those are quick little cars for what they are.

Pat · Jan 8, 2009

KarlVP said:
If I got balls deep into the turbo project for my 2.5L It would run me about $1000 to do it RIGHT.

Wow. When I looked into it for mine it was looking like almost $3000 to do it right. And the couple I had seen done were problematic, the tools came out constantly on the trail.

The SRT-4 swap would be badass, if I had the money (and the motor- they are insane expensive as a crate motor). But if I had that much money to burn I would burn it on an LS1.

slednecks1124 · Jan 8, 2009

PHP:

I had a 2.5 97 TJ, I would just swap out for the 4.0. There is no hope for the 2.5. He would be wasting money on that 2.5. You can find an 4.0 HO with computer and trans on CL for what he would have into trying to build that 2.5.

Yah your best bet is prob. to swap it out with the 4.0. My buddy has a newer rubicon with the HO 4.0 lifted and that thing has some balls.

I have heard alot of peoople putting in SBC 350s in them as well, then you would prob. want to beef up the drivetrain though. The problem with trying to pump that motor up is then you lose your reliability and you would not gain very much HP anyways, to me its a waste of time,energy & money. :beer: