So basically ive been saving up for a new car and realized that i have so much time blood and tears in my baby it would kill me to see her go to some ass hole who is going to low ball me to death, that being said I have a little chuck of change to fix her up and want to know a few things before i go ahead and spend it.
Jeep specs: 95' jeep wrangler, 2.5 L, 2.5" suspension 3/4" shackel lift, 31x10.5x15 tires.
I am running roughly the same setup as you. '95 YJ, 2.5L/AX-5, 2" Black Diamond lift, BFG 31x10.5x15's. Works pretty well, doesn't it?
-well the first thing im doing is buying a new trans and clutch assembly, The synchros have been gone in 2nd since i bought her and its cheaper than a rebuild. Should I have anything checked out on the jeep before i do this?
The only thing I can recommend is that you buy a clutch kit instead of individual components. You may also want to buy a new flywheel to replace the old one in case it's warped or etched, they run about $50 plus a core charge. The reasoning for this is since you're already down there you might as well replace the flywheel/pilot bushing/throwout bearing while you have access to the clutch, and the 'kit' saves you some money.
-I would also like to do a 62mm TB and spacer, Taures cooling fan with a DC controller, and a safari snorkel or CAI. Might be a stupid question but i have read that the ax5 cant handle many engine mods should these effect it at all?
That depends. The AX-5 is generally seen as weak, this is true. The same can be said for the stock D35 rear axle. In my experience the AX-5/D35 can handle the extra power from a bigger throttle body and a better intake. I would assume it will also handle an e-fan swap just fine. In my opinion, as long as you're not running tires any larger than what you have now, you should be okay. There are others on the forum with lots of engine mods that are still running the AX-5, so you will likely get some better answers than this one. If you decide you want to go to bigger tires in the future I would consider fixing then selling your 2.5L YJ and trying to find one with a 4.0L HO and a D44 rear, then just swapping over your mods. It would be simpler in the long run and probably will save you some money compared to an engine/trans swap. The AX-15 is the 4.0L transmission, and is a much stronger transmission. Unfortunately it does not bolt up to the 2.5L and, as far as I know, no adapters exist for it.
-I would like some info on why regear. What should I experience if i regear to 4.88? Gas mileage, speed, overall power, exc
When you re-gear with the 'proper' ratio for the tires you're running it just puts you back in the correct torque ranges. This will improve your ability to maintain speed in 5th gear on the interstate. You'll also be able to get up to speed faster. MPG will take a small hit because you'll be running at higher RPM at the same speeds, though.
If I remember correctly, the 'right' ratio for 31's is 4.53, or close to. The problem is that you already start with 4.10's and 4.53 isn't enough of a change to warrant the money and time spent. 4.88 is a better choice for this reason but that ratio is meant for 33's. Not only that, if you were going to re-gear in the first place I'd consider finding a D44 for the rear first. The stock D35 rear is relatively weak and 33's often prove to be too much for it. Re-gearing itself is very expensive in the first place, and if you're going to spend all that money you might as well spend it on a better axle. For reference, it's also a good idea to re-gear the front, and the stock D30 front should be strong enough to handle it.
Thanks alot guys any help will be greatly appreciated, Id just like to get your expert opinions before i throw most of my savings in this project, I keep telling myself it will be worth it
Well, I feel obligated to tell you that I don't consider myself an expert on anything I told you up there. I implore you to get multiple opinions before you make your decision. But personally, I like my 2.5L and I don't see anything wrong with it right now. In factory trim it's a little underpowered but the mod possibilities and aftermarket are both there. I will admit that if I ever have the money to do it properly I'll consider swapping in a modern smallblock 350 with EFI mated to an NV4500 transmission and running D44's or better front and rear. To me, that would be like the holy grail.
