Newbie wanting help on engine and transmission choices for a cj7!

[CJ7 Guy]

Hi, i'm trying to redo my CJ7 and was wondering first about the engine and Transmission . Iv'e heard alot about jeep trannys going out at 30,000 miles quite alot on the newer wranglers thats why I decided on the CJ7 . I got a really good deal on a CJ7 because the engine and transmisson were blown. I'm going to use it as my primary vehical and don't mind the noise and uncomfort of it.

So 2 things are important to me: Reliability and being able to drive 75 on the highway. So I need some expert advice on my engine and Transmission options. But I don't want conversions I just want to choose from the factory choices for the CJ7 . Which transmissions are reliable and which ones are not? Same for the engine.

I tried researching on the net, but didn't find much from the reliability stand point. I would like input on both good and bad ones and some input on reliability of auto vs. clutch. I will be doing a combination of highway driving to work, and light off roading, so i don't need a hard core Transmission that only goes 35mph.

Oh and side question, what is the top speed of the CJ7 ? I know I asked alot but I really need and appreciate the help. Thanks in advance.

 

[BrockGrimes]

What year CJ7 ?
What current engine and Transmission ?
Pics are good.

 

[CJ7 Guy]

1982 is the year
AMC 232 i6 i6 engine
not sure on the tranny? clutch though
I don't have a camera.

any more advice will be helpful

 

[coldwater]

The T-150 3 speed, the T-18 four, or th T-176 / 177 are all great trannies, and aside from the highly desired T-18 , are easily available for a bargain price. Unless you have an aftermarket over drive all trannies have the same 1-1 ratio in top gear, so you will need to address ring and pinion gearing to obtain high speeds on the highway. IMO, doing 75 mph on the highway is not what the little CJ was designed to do well.

 

[CJ7 Guy]

Ok great advice, now on those trannys you just named you said I will have to address ring and pinion gearing, i'm kinda new to this so what does that mean? And would it be a good option to put an over drive on those transmissions? Thanks.

 

[Old Dog]

So 2 things are important to me: Reliability and being able to drive 75 on the highway. So I need some expert advice on my engine and Transmission options. But I don't want conversions I just want to choose from the factory choices for the CJ7 . Which transmissions are reliable and which ones are not? Same for the engine.

IMO, doing 75 mph on the highway is not what the little CJ was designed to do well.

As cw said all tran's. from the same eara will be a 1:1 frnal drive. A 82 might have 2:73 gears which will be good for you, but IMO you will need V8 power to push that brick down the road that fast, if you have any hills at all.

 

[IOPort51]

:ww:from the Republic of Texas.

I have no idea how you ended up with a AMC 232 i6 in an 82 CJ7 . On the distributor side of the block just below the head, about in the center of the block in a stamped block number, if you can find it we can confirm the size and year of the engine.
There are some that will argue the horse power potential of the l6 but I don’t think anyone will call them undependable. If the drive train is what I would expect, AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l l6, T-150 3 speed and Dana 20 Transfer Case I am surprised that the engine is “blown” and amazed that the Transmission gave it up. I would like a little better description of what the term “blown” involves. For a DD you already have a winning hand, I suggest you play it.

1982 is the year
AMC 232 i6 i6 engine
not sure on the tranny? clutch though
I don't have a camera.

any more advice will be helpful

 

[BrockGrimes]

If you check out: The Novak Conversions Transmission Information Gateway you can look at the pictures and look at what you have to figure out what Transmission you have.

Ring and pinion are the gears in the axles.

 

[LongHorn]

Do you off road at all? Or is this a strictly street Jeep?
IMHO any Transmission is fine on the street, it's off road that separates the rockstars from the groupies.

 

[CJ7 Guy]

I do off road but more like trails and steep hills than anything extreme. It is a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l with what appears to be a T-5 tranny, hope that helps.

 

[LongHorn]

I do off road but more like trails and steep hills than anything extreme. It is a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l with what appears to be a T-5 tranny, hope that helps.

I by trails you mean you never get off the dirt road & your gentle on road the T-5 maybe viable. Overall it's a known weak sister. It is nowhere near as strong as the world class T-5 in Ford Mustangs. For someone like you I would recommend the T-176 , it's very civilized also strong enough to last.

 

[mylittlecj5]

where are you at in OK?

Personally I like a 360, but they are not a good DD due to being a gas hog!

 

[CJ7 Guy]

I appreciate all the helpful advice, I believe I have enough info to put me on the right path. I will take it to a mechanic to see if the engine and tranny are really blown, that is something I should definately do before I throw a ton of money at this, since the guy I bought it from had no mechanical skills he could have sold me something that could be reasonably priced to fix. Much Thanks.