[96ZJ318]

Ok, so I did a full rebuild of my 5.2 Magnum about 5 weeks ago. All the internal parts were replaced all the way down to the Freeze Plugs and Bearings. I bored it .030 over & installed a comp cam 20-602-9 for some sound & performance as well as crane 1.6 rockers, new mopar lifters, 2.5" true dual exhaust, Mopar ECU, K&N CAI, E-fan, MSD ignition + coil and wires, and finally some good old OEM Champion Copper plugs.

Now, with all that installed and in the ZJ I could probably safely assume I make about 280HP and probably about 330TQ at the motor, right?

Well as good as it sounds (the build and the motor itself), my Magnum still feels like it doesn't go. I mean actually go. You step on the pedal and the Jeep feels like it drags and that it weights 5000+ lbs (I've been on a scale, with me in the ZJ it weighed 4274 lbs [I'm 153 lbs, 100 lb subwoofer, and a few other goodies.]). My best 0-60 was a pathetic 8.2 seconds... That's around or worse than stock speeds....

My question for the Drive-train Section here is "Is my transmission holding me back?" I say this because I have 179,014 miles on it and it's the original 44RE. I have a friend with the same build as me but with 2.02 indy heads, different cam, .040 over, and he only has 99,482 miles on his 98 5.2 ZJ and his truck did a best 0-60 of 6.6 seconds...

 

[Utah_ZJ]

You sure you don't have the 42RE transmission in there? And when was the last time you serviced it?

 

[96ZJ318]

You sure you don't have the 42RE transmission in there? And when was the last time you serviced it?

All V8's came with 46RH 93-95 or 44RE 96-98. 42RH and 42RE were only put behind the 4.0L I6. I service the transmission every time I change my tires

 

[Utah_ZJ]

Weird, both the 42re and 44re use the same pan, threw me off last time I changed the fluid so I thought maybe the 42re was behind both engines. I have no insight on what could cause bogging in the transmission if the fluid is good and it's not displaying any obvious issues.

 

[96ZJ318]

I have no insight on what could cause bogging in the transmission if the fluid is good and it's not displaying any obvious issues.

Well the way I see it, it has 179,124 miles on it now, it's 16 years old, I've changed the fluid but I don't know if the previous owner did or how they treated the Jeep (abused or whatnot), and when WOT it slips when shifting from 2nd to 3rd but not every time...