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What Year is my YJ???

8K views 32 replies 19 participants last post by  MudMagnetYJ 
#1 ·
Hello everyone, I am new to Jeeps and recently bought a '89 YJ that had been sitting for about a year. The vehicle is titled as an '89, but when I started doing some routine maintenance and research I have found some discrepancies.

I first looked at the VIN decoder and found some strange items:

Position 1 is a "2" which I haven't seen anywhere, they all seem to be "1" denoting USA.

Position 3 is a "4" which is vehicle type and denotes nothing

Position 6 is a "3" which is the trim package and denotes nothing

All the other numbers correspond to a'89 Jeep with the 4.2l engine.

It appears that motor is fuel injected, which from my reading means it is '91-'96. I guess there could have been a motor swap or something, but the fuel filter is located on the frame rail in the same position as the newer YJs. I have attached some pictures of the motor.

Sorry for the long post, but I am confused and trying to figure out what I have.

Are there any other ways to tell what year it is?

Is it possible that someone screwed around with the VIN?

Thanks!
 

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#2 ·
Looks like my 95 does I don't think that jeep put abs brakes on anything older than 95. The abs pump is mounted on fender by the air filter and master cylinder. Are the intake manifold runners more square or rounded, rounded would mean it is 2000 and newer, squared it would be earlier. Fuel system wise it has a return to tank line that would be i think 95 and older.Filter housing looks Cherokee style, someone could have changed it. It also looks like it has cruise control don't know when jeep started that. I would be looking up engine numbers on the block and head
 
#3 ·
engine swap to an 89 with abs.. never seen one of those before.. give us a shot of the outside of the jeep.. and the gauges..as they changed those after 89 or 90...
 
#4 ·
That's definitely not an 89 4.2 set up. The F.I., ABS, Brake Booster and reservoir, Power Steering Reservoir, if I'm seeing that correctly hard to tell, isn't even close to an 89. An 89 doesn't have ABS and that set up looks original with the engine and other components. Something else is going on with the vin. The vin tag on an 89, lower driver's side corner on the inside of the window is easy to remove. If you really want to know what's going on, you might not, any law enforcement agency in your area can check it and they know where any hidden vin identification will be. It could be a can of worms, your call.
 
#5 ·
Everything does appear to be original on the engine. It doesn't have cruise control, but it does have power steering and ABS. The ABS light on the dash is stuck on. I will take some more picture of the body and the dash when I get home. I'm starting to really think someone messed with the VIN.
 
#6 ·
Congrats you have a Frankenstein Jeep. Over the years mine has a combination of mods originally an 89 Base Model but now a true Frankenstein. Parts can be a bitch so build a book of what you discover in words and pictures. It will help in maintenance, replacement parts and troubleshooting later on. It's something I did and with my bad memory I use my book a lot for parts.
 
#8 ·
That's an aftermarket radiator it looks like as well and what is hooked up to your oil filter? On my I-6 it just comes straight out the side? Other than that and the ABS it looks just like my 94 on that side of the firewall.
 
#9 ·
Here are some more pictures of the outside and the dash.

That's an aftermarket radiator it looks like as well and what is hooked up to your oil filter? On my I-6 it just comes straight out the side? Other than that and the ABS it looks just like my 94 on that side of the firewall.
The radiator is aftermarket, it has a sticker from a local shop on it. It must be the picture, there isn't anything coming off of the oil filter.
 

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#12 ·
It certainly seems like your Jeep isn't what it is supposed to be.
There should be metal plates screwed to the firewall. If someone simply switched the VIN tag for innocent reasons they could still be there and you can determine the year from the VIN on those metal tags. If they are not there I would proceed with caution in asking the cops about a hidden VIN. If you do go looking for the hidden VIN try googling the question as to where it might be.
It is possible the original tub was damaged (a total loss car) and the frame from the newer jeep was damaged (another total loss car) and a previous owner built one good vehicle out of the two, using the best parts of each. They kept the VIN from the frame.
If you have full coverage insurance you might talk to your insurance agent to see if fraud is covered (in case someone sold you a stolen car with a switched VIN. Good Luck, L.M.
 
#20 ·
I first looked at the VIN decoder and found some strange items:

Position 1 is a "2" which I haven't seen anywhere, they all seem to be "1" denoting USA.

Position 3 is a "4" which is vehicle type and denotes nothing

Position 6 is a "3" which is the trim package and denotes nothing
The "2" means it was produced in Canada. Nothing out of the ordinary. Mine was also.

The "4" denotes MPV. Multi Purpose Vehicle. Not a "truck" or "incomplete"

The "3" denotes an Islander trim package

There should be a body tag on the firewall that has the vin also. It could be near the brake booster



or near the battery.



There also was a sticker on the drivers door. Rear edge of the door below the striker catch. Should have the vin and build date along with tire info.



The secret serial number is on top of the crossmember just in front of the gas tank. Its just the vehicle serial number. (Last numbers of the VIN)

Check the engine serial number stamped on the flat pad behind the distributor. Its a 4.0L.

91-95? the engine number will tell the date

 
#22 ·
If the plate(s) on the firewall are missing, you can simply consider it a '91-'95 Wrangler and skip any brain damage. When buying parts, take the old one off and take it with you if possible.
Also, the first thing I would look into is why is the ABS light on the dash lit. Would that show up on a code reader?
Good Luck, L.M.
 
#23 ·
No, your oil filter is hooked up sideways to something instead of straight into the engine is what I was saying. Like a plumbing T that redirects it back towards the firewall instead of straight out like the pic in post 20. That was all. Good luck with this project though of figuring out what jeep it actually is.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Can't say anything about under the hood, as I have a 2.5L and another fact I've got renders that useless:
Carbs from '87-'90, fuel injection '91-'95
Different dash style starting in '92 (you have the more recent)
According to Wikipedia, the Canadian plant closed in April of 1992, then moved to Toledo
1992 and up have a roll bar for shoulder seat belts
1993 and up have the ABS option
No automatics in 1991
Top brake light came in 1994

You have a kitchen sink Jeep, Frankenstein Jeep, melting pot Jeep, whatever you want to call it.
The "2" in the VIN seems to mean Canada, so it would be placed in the 1992 and below category. Then the fuel injection makes it '91+, so it would be between '91 and '92. Taking into account the dash, its a '92+ (this I'm sure of, I recently replaced the instrument cluster in my '93).

1992

Would you like me to scan and post my Haynes manual VIN decoder? It might help out with the production location and other stuff. I would bet on 1992 being your year.
 
#28 ·
My jeep has ABS, so I guess that makes it '93+

Is the top brake light the one that is above the spare tire? If so I have that.

Also, anyone know what years the factory sound bar was available? I have read that it was available for the '95, but not sure about before then. I have what I believe is a factory sound bar.
 
#27 ·
Also according to Wiki, "From 1988 to 1993 Jeep produced...the "Islander". The package included: "Body-color wheel flares and side steps."

I am wondering if the flares and steps required different mounting holes than a non-islander model. If so, you can check out the body for those holes. That might help deduce what all you have there. This is fun detective work. I go through it everytime I buy a project vehicle.
 
#30 ·
My bad.....I was thinking of the Renegade, not the Islander.
 
#32 ·
If your body plate has been removed, that's a pretty good indication that its stolen, or if not outright stolen, something 's not legal about it. Beware. I'd off it with a quickness.
 
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