quick history:
i got an 86 jeep xj, that i was told had a blown motor. turns out it don't. my father-in-law is saying that the motor has a bent rod. my question is should or can i fix this bent rod prob or would i be better off pulling the motor outta this 88 xj i got sitting in my backyard?

oh and if it matters the 86 xj has the v6 not the straight 6 like the 88 xj i got.

any advice would be appreciated

Something BENT that rod.. Question is what did it? I'm betting there is far more damage than just one bent rod.
So what I'd do is to take that engine out and pull her apart. Then I'd rebuild what I had to and put her back in there. Changing from an inline to a v type might cost more in the long run. And be a hell of a lot more trouble.
Big Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

i do know that the kid that was driving it when the engine got trashed had almost no oil in it. i've heard of seizing the motor up cause of no oil, but can a rod get bent from it?

btw my apologies for the dumb questions. i'm fairly new to fixing my own vechicles.

When the oil stops flowing the first thing that happens is the hydrolic lifters go flat and start clacking real loud.. That usually wakes up the driver and he looks at the pressure gauge. THEN he shuts off the engine. Most times little is hurt under these circumstances.
Then there is the driver that ignores the clacking and the lack of pressure on the gauge.. The next thing that happens is the rod bearings and the main bearings heat up and turn blue, then they melt, then the rods start going where they weren't meant to be.. resulting in a "thrown rod" which offtimes comes OUT of the engine!

Having ONE bent rod most times is a result of a valve dropping into the cylinder and impeding the rise of the rod into it's respected TDC. The velocity of the piston/rod and the valve being dropped into the path causes both the valve and the piston and rod to be injured.
Many times this also causes either the head or the block or both to be permantly damaged.

I advise, as above, tearing down the engine and seeing just what went on in there. Your engine may be easily repaired...or may not.
Big Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

Do you have the 2.8l V6 or the 2.5l EFI 4 cylinder?

i got 2. one is the 2.8 v6, i think i havent seen it yet. the other is a 4.0L inline 6. the rod is bad in the v6.

The 88 4.0l is a very durable model. I had an 89 with the 4.0l.

Personally, I would work on the 88 and save the effort of swapping engines.

There are significant wiring differences between the two models.

If body work in a factor, it is easier to do uni-body body work than trying to replace the engine.

The firewall and radiator core support are different between the '86 and the '88 bodies, the '86 won't take the long 4.0l without alot of body mods.

A good swap for the 2.8l is an EFI 3.4l V6 from a RWD Chevy. (Camaro) Pretty much a bolt in mechanically, and you could swap in the EFI system for alot more power. Howell may make a harness for the swap, I'm not sure.

You could strip a 3.4l motor down and install the 2.8l V6 manifolds, distributor and carb. If you go that way, you will need to install an electric fuel pump as the 3.4l does not have provisions on the block for a mechanical pump.

that dont sound like a bad idea, how ever, the 88 has the d 35 rear, a bad trany, and has been rolled, where as the 86 has the crysler 525 rear(which im told is a better and tougher rear) and is in near perfect condition body and interior wise.

if anyone is in the thayne wyoming area that wants to give me a hand building one working jeep outta 2, there will be a twinkie or raspberry zinger in it for them. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/mrt.gif" alt="" />

Axle swaps are easy.

Tranny may not be a difficult swap.

The worst part of the D-35 is the C-clip. Not all D-35's are c-clip.

And, Randy's Ring and Pinion has the manufacturing rights to an axle rebuilt that converts the c-clip D-35 into a full-floating axle.

How bad the body damage is a potential issue.

However, the hot ticket is taking the Cherokee and lopping off the top and building a roll cage and running it.

It would be a little uncomfortable in the Wyoming winter....