Hmmm... Don't know what to tell you. It's funny, because my brother Dave has a Jeep, (Safari edition) with a 4.0L engine in it that I've worked on many times, and I know it has a carb on it. We changed the combo intake/exhaust manifold gasket just before winter last year because he had an exhaust leak. As to my neighbor, since I've never looked at the engine I'm only telling you what he told me, and he told me that he has a 4.0L with a carb. And I can attest that every winter now for the 4 years he's lived next door to me he grinds that thing for about a minute, pumping it etc, until it starts. And I just put my key in my Cherokee and it starts instantly.

As to the gearing etc, I'm not a mechanic, and since I've had no problems with mine I have had no reason to get into the drivetrain. But I've never replaced anything but the oil in my transfer case, transmission or differentials. Never replaced a CV joint, wheel bearing or anything else in the drive train. About the only complaint I have is that they seem to eat exhaust systems, ...and brake lines and power steering lines seem to rust through about every 80K miles. (But that could very well be because of the towing to the shore)

Not even talking about the Grand Cherokee vs the Cherokee. I'd never own a Grand if I could avoid it. Hell, my other brother Steve has a Grand that he loves, but I think it's a POS.. but that's just my opinion. But again, I'm basing my opinion on my own personal observations, and his Grand Cherokee, which seems to suffer from poor trim work, and a lot of little things, is still running great mechanically.... And he has the 4.0L engine in his, with an auto trans 4WD and over 200,000 miles on it without any major repairs. So I don't know what to tell you other than I guess it all depends on how you drive, how you maintain your vehicle, etc. Based on that, I have to stand by my original opinion though, that I think a grand Cherokee with the 4.0L in it is pretty reliable, but NOT the ones with the V6's and V8's in them.

I think your confusing the 258 with the 4.0L. The 258 was used up to 90 in the WRANGLERS, but it was a 4.2L engine. On the outside it looks just like a 4.0L, but uses a 1/2" longer stroke crank, and I think it's a 1/4" smaller bore internally. It gets confusng because the 4.0L came out in 87 for the CHEROKEE, COMANCHE, and WAGONEER. But the WRANGLER kept the older 4.2L engine until 90, then starting in 91 they went to the 4.0L in the WRANGLER. The other thing that really throws people is the fact that the 258 used a plastic valve cover, and the 4.0L used an aluminum one, BUT the 258 4.2L used in the 87-90 WRANGLERS had an aluminum valve cover. I can assure you they never made a 4.0L 242 cubic inch engine with a carb as the 4.0L camshaft never got cast with a fuel pump lobe, and the 4.0L blocks never got cast with a fuel pump boss whereas the 258 4.2L got both. And there is no factory intake to match up to ANY 4.0L cylinder head(258's had a slightly different cyclinder head port heaight, but uses the same bolt pattern).

what do you think of like the 1998- 2004 trailblazers? they seem to be in good supply and pretty cheap. if I can get 5 or 6 for mine and get a trailblazer for 3 or 4 I can put a buck or two towards a little boat i'm looking at.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/cto/4496318274.html

http://newyork.craigslist.org/stn/cto/4494398928.html

http://newyork.craigslist.org/brx/cto/4505243568.html

The 4200 inline 6 seems to have been a good engine from what I have heard, but the electrical in the actual trucks have been troublesome once they get some miles on them. All and all though from what I have heard they are good rigs. I don't like the ones with a sunroof though as it made the headliner hang down a good 3 inches lower than a regular one, and cost alot of headroom.