Topic: Where to start?

[Colin]

So I have just recently joined a club, and have been seriously looking into modifying my Jeep. I have most of the general rule of where I need to go in my build up, but I want more performance out of my engine, and so I'm here.

I have a 1993 Jeep Wrangler YJ Sport, 2.5L 4 banger, 31x10.50x15 tires, and the basics to get me into a club pretty much.

I am mildly mechanically inclined, and so getting a little more top end power without reducing my low end is something I am quite interested in.

It seems that the way to go is:

-Throttle body and spacer from a 4.0L of the same era
-Cold Air intake

Anything beyond that I'm not really sure on. It doesn't seem like there is a performance chip for my engine, which sounds like it is a great improvement.

A high flow exhaust is something to be thought of as well, but I also plan on banging my rig around on the rocks, and so I don't want to spend $500+ on something I'm going to end up smashing on a wheeling trip.

If you guys have any tips or suggestions on where I should start, I'd appreciate it. I've been reading through the forums for awhile trying to get a stance on things, but figured I'd throw this out there anyhow. It seems like most of the people here are beyond stock, so if there are any routes that you'd take now that you wish you had when you were stock, please give me a heads up.

 

[jcsanders79]

Regearing is the most noticable performance mod.  When you put the 4.0 throttlebody on pick up a TB spacer off ebay, also if you can us 19# mustang injectors they add a little.  Get a good suspension lift the first time!

[lanulos89]

elec fan, a real cool air intake not just an ebay special like i have    nd open up ur exhaust rlly let it breathe header all the way back.

[Erik]

cold air intakes are for cars.

unless your club is a bunch of mall cruisers i'd imagine they actually wheel their jeeps... that being the case a "cold air intake" would be more properly named a "fresh water intake"

if you want an intake buy a snorkel.  they are actually functional when you leave hte pavement.    and remove the reducer thingy in your stock intake setup... that'll help and it's free.

why don't you worry less about trying to turn your 4 banger into a race car and concentrate more on off-road capabilities?  suspension lift perhaps?  sway bar disconnects? bumpers? winch? sliders?

[dunklervogel]

unless your club is a bunch of mall cruisers i'd imagine they actually wheel their jeeps... that being the case a "cold air intake" would be more properly named a "fresh water intake"

if you want an intake buy a snorkel.  they are actually functional when you leave hte pavement.    and remove the reducer thingy in your stock intake setup... that'll help and it's free.

x2

Don't think I'll ever get a cold air intake on my jeep.. that just seems to be asking for problems once you hit any sort of water at all.  They make the stock airbox that way for a reason I'm sure       If anything a K & N drop-in filter would work just fine.

Headers and exhaust would help the performance in the upper rpm band but low end torque for offroading will suffer when you lose your back-pressure with an open exhaust...

4.0 throttle body with spacer and an electric fan are a plus.
I would say a chip but they don't make any for a 93

[Colin]

why don't you worry less about trying to turn your 4 banger into a race car and concentrate more on off-road capabilities?  suspension lift perhaps?  sway bar disconnects? bumpers? winch? sliders?

To be honest, I am working on this.

Came to this forum to honesty try and figure out how to get some more power out of my engine without sacrificing torque and the like. I know where I want to go with my Jeep build wise, but getting more power out of the engine (and keeping the lower RPMs strong) is something I don't know about.

Sounds like the intake is out, and snorkel may be a good call in the future. I know a guy I can get a 4.0 Throttle body for cheap so I may just go along that route sooner rather than later. Does getting the larger bore spacer worthwhile as well for it, or would I be wasting my money and "upgrading" something that doesn't make a difference?