Topic: Who's got an automatic 4 banger

[keithert]

Who has automatic 4 bangers?  Do you love it, tolerate it, hate it?  Is it constantly hunting for the right gear or does it do okay?  In a 4x4 I prefer an automatic but want the 4 for gas mileage.  My 98 SE performs adequately with the 5 speed, but I wonder how an automatic would be.

[cringb]

I have a 97 with a 4 cyl auto.    Put 31's on it and regeared it (4.10s).      We just drive it offroad and for play purposes, and for that it is great.    It is REALLY slow on take off.     Once it is cruising it's not bad it will run 70mph on the highway without a problem.   It bogs down on hills and always has to down shift.      Don't even think of trying to pass someone!    I also have a 4 cyl manual and it much faster!     So it you think your 4 cyl manual is marginal for performance, don't even think about the auto.

[DemonicHuey]

gas mileage?...i get 120 miles to the tank on my 98 SE...and its an automatic running on 32x11.5 bfg mudders..oO(still need to do the Tank MOD)

top speed ....i had it up to 65 once and that was down hill

as far as Off Road i have out witted my buddys 93 YJ a couple of times .....
made some trails look easier the ever.

[gomi]

I've got an auto, it's okay. It's my daily driver and I'm too lazy to shift in traffic so it works out I guess.

[keithert]

What kind of gas mileage are people getting from the automatics?

[lanulos89]

i got mine with 31's, stock 3.73's and i get a bout 180-200 miles per tank, depending on the mood im in and how i drive.  This spring the whole drivetrain is coming out tho and a 4.3l v6, 4 speed auto tranny, and diff tcase are going in its place, i can't wait

[jagular7]

I've got an auto, picked it up 2 yrs ago. Stock then with 225's and 3.73 in the 97. Sluggish back then. I did notice that it locks/unlocks the tc during highway speeds. Hit the brake and it'll upshift 3-400rpms. Not enough for the 4cyl to reach its higher hp rpm, but still bumps the torque band pretty good in the 3200rpm range. I think the 4cyl hp rpm is 4500-4800 as I usually had to run into 2nd to get enough momentum to drive pass someone. My TJ is not a dd, but optional. Its what I drive to the trails and back from the trails.

Now its geared at 4.88, turns 34" LTBs, running a TBI spacer, and upshifts into 2nd before 5mph. It's there till about 30 then goes into 3rd, up to 65-70 an hour later. Its a slug for sure. Best mileage I got was 15 at 1 time. Normal is 11-13mpg (yah really need the gas filler tube mod). I usually control the shifting manually and get up going that way. I do hit the 5200rpm mark on the highway but for a short period of time when I want to get around an idiot. I recently installed the spacer so that has affected the take off scenario, but highway, there is power in them higher rpms. As for off-roading, auto works for me with the gear ratios I've got. I'm working on getting a doubler low setup for better low speed crawl. Too bad there is nothing for the high side of the system. I would like a 1.4 for that.

Overall, I would like a 6cyl, but cheap Jeep is a cheap Jeep.

[Sidscan]

I have an auto in my 97 2.5.  31's with 4.0 tb, 1" tbs and rock-it intake and open filter.

Mixed city and freeway 12-14 mpg.  Speedo was not adjusted for larger tires so maybe 1-2 mpg difference...at least it wish it's true.  It will run pretty well in the 65-75 range on flat at about 2.8k- 3k rpm.  Hills beat this thing up though if you don't have a running start  :cry: .  Hills here in Seattle are pretty close to the hills in San Fran.  

Off the line though the auto isn't too bad it has pretty good torque.  Freeway driving  :roll:

[dexetr30]

I've got an 02 se with an auto trans. It's not bad with stock tires but I wouldn't go any bigger. It would barely go above 70 before I did a few engine mods. It's great as a daily driver but I won't do any suspension or tire mods to it without a better set of gears in the axles. I wonder... do they make aftermarket torque converters for these things?

[kamikaze124]

I installed an auto in my 94.. I love it... Great on the trails, and not to bad on the highway.. Maybe 55 or 60.

I am running 39.5 Iroks and 513 gears and an atlas, so that all helps out to..

[Jesse-James]

I love mine on the trails also, just sucked when I hit my starter on a rock and had no push start option. I get 14-16mpg.

[robertsjjad]

I have a 95 4 banger with auto on 32 X 11.5, with 3.73 gears. not bad start off, on the highway its not bad i think i can stay with the flow. Unless I come to a hill than it down shifts. I plan on going up to 33 X11.5 later and I will probably change the gears.

[oldjeep]

94 2,5L with 4.10 gears and 35" tires.  AW4 tranny, with manual shifting.   Works fairly well, but I need to swap in the 4.88 gears that are sitting on my workbench.