Hi!

[Hantke]

Newbie alert
 


Hey, i just found this forum the other day and figured id see what its all about! ive already read alot of stuff on here and it seems you guys really know your stuff! i feel like i just struck gold while i was fishing for some trout or something! (really weird analogy, but it kinda makes sense if you think about it, maybe im just wierd?)
but seriously this is great!
anyways i had a couple questions, and was wondering if you guys could help me.

Do these cars really get in the high 20's for MPG? i saw a picture of some papers (on this site i believe) and it was like 29 highway i believe. i also read that they dont shift out of 4WD, or was that just someones personal car?

The AMC eagle SX4 is an amazng car, and i just saw they had a turbo diesel (im willing to bet im never gonna find a nice one around me (NW oregon incase you happen to have one ) (okay that really wasn't relevant but i'm addicted to diesel things, couldn't help myself!)

okay, are all eagles 4WD? i saw there was a Inline 6 and a 4cyl version of alot of them, i was thinking an inline 6 or a turbo diesel 4WD SX4 would be an amazing car, ive sat in my room wishing there was something like it for quite a while then proceeded to facepalm myself when i remembered the AMC eagle, is there a standard for these cars?

sorry if most of this is in the wrong section, im a bit excited right now!

[Prafeston]

The '80 Eagle was Full-Time 4x4. After that they switched to the 2wd-4wd switchable.

And as for the MPG, that was EPA for the 4cyl. Which they didn't actually make a lot of.

I think they only made something like 7 of the diesels...all wagons.

All Eagles are 4wd...or switchable.

[maddog]

it was about halfway thru 81 when the Eagles became switchable. as for the miles per gallon there are some on here that claim to get high teens low 20's even with the 6 cylinders.

[Hantke]

Oh okay, cool.
im  assuming that i'm not going to find much as far as 81's or older so i doubt that'll make a difference.

yeah i just saw there are like 2 diesels left as of '08, any1 ever do any conversions?

[Whuntmore]

Welcome to the nest!

someone on this site (IIRC) was/is doing some kind of diesel conversion and posting it.

Are you looking just to do a diesel, or just to get better mileage?

[Whuntmore]

Actually, my wagon gets pretty decent mileage, and I did the ignition upgrade (plugs, wires, coil with 12 volts, HEI, dist, etc) and the Motorcraft 2150 carb.  Now I'm only in the mid 20's for fuel, but that's not bad.

But don't let that worry you, because There are other transfer cases that came equipped on jeeps that will mate up with an eagle.  some need a change in the yokes (or something like that) but otherwise, will work/fit.

Also, earlier jeep trannies (something like 80's thru till early - or mid 90's) will fit the eagle engine.  If it has a 4.0 straight six engine, they should (I'm not 100% sure) mate up and fit. 

That means more t-cases to choose from.  Might have to have a drive shaft modded, or a yoke, but that's probably easier to have done then trying to get a NP-128 or a NP-129 rebuilt like casper says - They're getting expensive/hard to find.

so you could put in a 4 speed auto with OD.  That's what I'm looking at doing. 

And depending on what you want to do with the motor, you could get alot more fuel mileage. 

Some simple upgrades (better carb, HEI, ignition, etc) some more moderate upgrades (cam, 4.0 head, headers), swap to a 4.0 HO motor, or do a stroker.

I guess the point is - I don't think it's a stretch to own an Eagle that gets 30+ miles to the gallon. 

[standup650]

Diesel that's neat. I didn't know amc did that. was it a good motor? I've thought about a VW diesel conversion in my wagon, but i didn't know i kinda like the old 258 even if poorly tuned or some other issue pops up you can usually limp them to were you need to be.

[BaldEagle]

Hello fellow Oregonian! I live in Rhododendron, on Mt. Hood, and just bought an Eagle yesterday. Whereabouts are you?

[carnuck]

They used the Renault diesel like in XJ/MJs till '86? Bad engine design for a diesel. French Paris-Rhone electrics, Bosch pump that leaks and a rubber timing chain that needs replacing every 30,000 miles on an interference motor. What could possibly go worng?
   I'm currently looking into using a DJ 904 from an Audi 2.0L to a VW diesel (if it will bolt up) to bolt into my '88 MJ.

[rollguy]

As far as MPG, I got an average of 21.6 on my road trip last year:  http://forums.amceaglenest.com/index.php?topic=36168.0

1983 Eagle wagon 4.2 automatic.

[eaglebeek]

from mid '81 till i THINK early '84 they were STOP shift to 4x4, then drive. from mid'84 on, they were shift on the fly. the stop and shift cars had a front axle disconnect. you have to stop to allow the front axle to engauge. they are all vacume activated. the transfer case, and front axle lock. the vacume lines for the 4x4 are the biggest problems. melted/cracked/dry rotted lines, and people dont know how to fix, and hate them. they are quite simple if you just folow the lines. they have a viscous clutch in the transfer case, so you CAN run them in 4x4 all the time. i wouldnt reccomend it, as the viscous clutch in these cases are getting hard and expensive to find when they wear out.

To confirm what Casper said, our '84...build date Oct '83...has stop 'n shift 4WD. It still has a good viscous coupling after 163K miles. I've seen MY '84s both ways.

[BaldEagle]

from mid '81 till i THINK early '84 they were STOP shift to 4x4, then drive. from mid'84 on, they were shift on the fly. the stop and shift cars had a front axle disconnect. you have to stop to allow the front axle to engauge. they are all vacume activated. the transfer case, and front axle lock. the vacume lines for the 4x4 are the biggest problems. melted/cracked/dry rotted lines, and people dont know how to fix, and hate them. they are quite simple if you just folow the lines. they have a viscous clutch in the transfer case, so you CAN run them in 4x4 all the time. i wouldnt reccomend it, as the viscous clutch in these cases are getting hard and expensive to find when they wear out.

To confirm what Casper said, our '84...build date Oct '83...has stop 'n shift 4WD. It still has a good viscous coupling after 163K miles. I've seen MY '84s both ways.

Sorry, if I'm highjacking but how can you tell if it's a Stop shift 4X4? Mine's an '84, but just has a slider on the dash to switch between.

[Prafeston]

The older switch had a pull down thing and a switch that went right to left. It also says on the switch something about needing to stop to switch into 4x4.

It's hard to read in this picture, but this is the only photo I could find of the switch on google images.

[BaldEagle]

The older switch had a pull down thing and a switch that went right to left. It also says on the switch something about needing to stop to switch into 4x4.

It's hard to read in this picture, but this is the only photo I could find of the switch on google images.

Thanks, apparently the writing is worn off in my car, but it does have the pull-down switch.

[Hantke]

Welcome to the nest!

someone on this site (IIRC) was/is doing some kind of diesel conversion and posting it.

Are you looking just to do a diesel, or just to get better mileage?

ill have to look into that!
that really depends, im currently talking with somebody about their SX4, and if i do get it im not going to mess with the  engine, however if i had the time (who knows, it could happen) i wouldn't mind getting one with a broken down engine for cheap then throw in a diesel perhaps.

for the most part the diesels with better MPG isnt a big deal to me, i just have this wierd attraction to diesel, always have, probably always will.

Hello fellow Oregonian! I live in Rhododendron, on Mt. Hood, and just bought an Eagle yesterday. Whereabouts are you?

im right by hillsboro / cornelius area