[RavenTJ]

Just picked up a 98 Wrangler sport. I work as a tech for Infiniti, and this jeep was our plow truck for the lot. It's a fairly large lot and after 2 years of plowing abuse, the reverse band in the original 116k mile 32RH decided it no longer wanted to be a functioning part of the trans, and grenaded. After a bit of bargaining, I bought it for $1,900. Since it's not a daily driver, it'll get some much needed love as time allows.

I decided that, in my opinion, jeeps shouldn't be automatics. So out came the beat up 32RH and in went an ax15, with all the necessary swap parts. The swap took me just under 8hrs, but needs some final touches. I swapped my original speedo gear (blue teeth) in place of the one that came with the trans/t-case combo I bought, which had a broken connector and yellow teeth, but the speedo doesn't work. I had to bypass the neutral safety switch to get it to fire, and have a check engine light on. I'm assuming it's not seeing the converter lock up, but I haven't scanned it yet. So we'll see about that.

It needs front floors and a new top, but other than that it's fairly solid for being an IL jeep it's entire life. Here's a few obligatory pictures for everyone's enjoyment.

 

[RavenTJ]

 

[Digger84]

98 sport 5 SPd my favorite

 

[Beastmaster]

Welcome to the forum! :wavey:

Click here for helpful tips for newcomers
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[86skl]

Nice jeep! I wish I was closer I'd love to score all the parts to swap to an auto in my 98! Welcome!

 

[Digger84]

Looks like full doors and gambler wheels a nice looking TJ
Which rear diff does it have?

 

[MikeThatsThePilot]

You say it needs a new top, how much is wrong with it? Is it just the material that you'd replace or the frame too? Looking to buy one cheap since I only have a hard top.

 

[Digger84]

Look at this link on a zj 5spd conversion
He claims to have avoided the check engine light issue with a simple work around
Scroll down in first post a very long way to section called
Avoiding check engine light

http://thespeedfreaks.net/showthread.php?12418-My-Euro-5-2L-ZJ-AX-15-5-speed-swap

 

[RavenTJ]

You say it needs a new top, how much is wrong with it? Is it just the material that you'd replace or the frame too? Looking to buy one cheap since I only have a hard top.

I'm going to get a Rampage top. This one is HORRIBLY stretched out. So much so that when it sat on the lot during the summer months, water would fill in the roof and the top canvas would be almost steering wheel level. All the plastic windows are cracked, it's missing frame pieces, etc. You don't want it, lol.

 

[RavenTJ]

Look at this link on a zj 5spd conversion
He claims to have avoided the check engine light issue with a simple work around
Scroll down in first post a very long way to section called
Avoiding check engine light

http://thespeedfreaks.net/showthread.php?12418-My-Euro-5-2L-ZJ-AX-15-5-speed-swap

I messed with it a bit last night and got it to go out. Have no idea how I did it, but it's no longer on. The code is still present and won't clear, and the check engine light illuminates during the gauge cluster self test procedure, but it went out. Who knows. The speedometer is still not working and it's bugging me, so if anybody has insight on that, feel free to chime in. I've tried clocking the VSS in the T-Case with no luck.

 

[RavenTJ]

Looks like full doors and gambler wheels a nice looking TJ
Which rear diff does it have?

I meant to check last night but didn't get around to it. Probably a 30.

 

[MikeThatsThePilot]

I'm going to get a Rampage top. This one is HORRIBLY stretched out. So much so that when it sat on the lot during the summer months, water would fill in the roof and the top canvas would be almost steering wheel level. All the plastic windows are cracked, it's missing frame pieces, etc. You don't want it, lol.

Haha okay. Worth a shot.

 

[ADee1]

Good job.

 

[RavenTJ]

The rear end appears to be an 8.25.

 

[Oldchief]

Welcome to the forum and our world of Jeeps! Nice looking rig for all its been thru.

 

[Digger84]

Get a free build sheet and see what it came with from the factory

 

[RavenTJ]

So a quick update. I've since gotten the speedo to work, it needed to be swapped with my 28 tooth gear that came out of my auto. I also *knock on wood* have gotten the check engine light out even with the auto PCM present. I first removed the torque converter solenoid switch and connected it to my harness and jumped it. That got the light to clear but it would reappear as a part throttle actuation code. So I pulled the valve body off and actually wired the solenoid into the harness, taped it up and zip tied it to the top of the trans. My next code was a P1899 for park neutral switch. I also needed to jump that as it wouldn't start without it, but it keeps throwing the light. So today I messed with the location of the detent switch (the little spring switch thing up by the ignition switch) and it's stayed off so far. My goal is to just trick it to think it's in neutral all the time. Time will tell if it works, but after a few key cycles it hasn't returned yet. Stay tuned!

 

[jarata]

Why should jeeps not be automatic that's a silly thing to say.Probobly wasted a lot of money for something that wasn't even necessary.

 

[BrendonC]

Why should jeeps not be automatic that's a silly thing to say.Probobly wasted a lot of money for something that wasn't even necessary.

Did you not see this part of the original post?

Just picked up a 98 Wrangler sport. I work as a tech for Infiniti, and this jeep was our plow truck for the lot. It's a fairly large lot and after 2 years of plowing abuse, the reverse band in the original 116k mile 32RH decided it no longer wanted to be a functioning part of the trans, and grenaded.

 

[RavenTJ]

Why should jeeps not be automatic that's a silly thing to say.Probobly wasted a lot of money for something that wasn't even necessary.

In addition to what BrendonC was kind enough to add, I also said "In my opinion." I don't care what anyone else's jeep has as far as a trans goes. And after the auto went, it was actually cheaper for me to manual swap it. If the auto trans would've been good still I probably never would've bought the jeep, not because it was an auto, but because I picked it up for next to nothing with a cooked trans. This thread is more or less for people possibly looking to do the same thing I've done, since I have access to a lot of tools and recourses most garage mechanics don't.