I know the 2.4 came with the NV1500 and the 6 speed, I forget the model #. Did it come with any other stick shift?
Any idea if a AX-15 or NV3550 can be adapted?
this is what i found
http://www.jeepforum.com/wiki/index.php/TJ_Wranglerand if you look down '05 to '06 models both 2.5 and 4.0 had the NSG370 6spd tranny - it doesn't mean anything just as info
also, same site says "The 2.4 entered production in December 1994 for minivans and cloud cars with the four speed automatic transmission. In 2002, it was titled "PowerTech" in the Jeep Cherokee. It is due to be slowly replaced by the 2.4 liter World Engine" here
http://www.jeepforum.com/wiki/index.php/2.4L_I-4i couldn't find any cross reference other than the one you already mentioned NV1500 but i don't see anything that would tell if you could use some bellhousing to adapt an AX15 or 3550 to the 2.4L
the only other thing i could find is that NV1500 is called the "little brother" of NV3550 and that there are little differences between the 2, however there is no reference to belhousing pattern - if it's the same you could potentially use an NV1500 bellhousing off an 2.4L and bolt it to an NV3550 but that remains to be seen if they will mate properly.
found another post somewhere saying this (i have no idea if it's true or not) and i also think that the 2.2/2.5 he's referring to is not the same as our I4:
To add something. The 2.2/2.5 K engine and the 2.0/2.4 'Neon' engine share an almost identical bolt pattern. The biggest difference I'm aware of is the starter motor location being on the front for a 2.4 vs on the back for the 2.2. and 1 bolt hole on the transmission side being off. but it allows a newer 2.4 to be bolted up with an older 2.2/2.5 transmission.
buy if it is the same bolt pattern (or very close) you could maybe make it work with a 96+ Dakota bellhousing to an AX15 or NV3550 (same deal as swapping to a 2.5).