Jeep Comanche - Drivetrain

Drivetrain

The inaugural 1986 model year Comanches could be equipped with one of three engines. The AMC 150 2.5 L, 150 CID I4, The General Motors LR2 2.8 L V6, or the Renault 2.1 L I4 turbo diesel were all offered from the start.

The V6 engine, which was the same basic unit used in the first generation Chevrolet S-10, had 7 hp (5 kW; 7 PS) less than the base four-cylinder, only slightly more torque, and was equipped with a two-barrel carburetor instead of the four-cylinder's electronic TBI fuel injection.

Changes to the engine lineup happened in the truck's second year on the market. For 1987, the 2.8 L V6 was replaced by the new fuel-injected 4.0 L, 242 CID AMC 242 inline-six that delivered 173 hp (129 kW; 175 PS), or 63 more hp than the previously outsourced V6. The new six-cylinder was also more fuel-efficient. The slow-selling turbodiesel was dropped during the model year.

Other changes under the hood occurred in 1991, when Chrysler adopted their own engine control electronics to replace the original Renix systems. One effect of this change was that the 4.0 L, 242 CID, I-6 engine gained 17 hp (to 190 hp (142 kW; 193 PS), having already gained 4 hp (3 kW; 4 PS) in 1988), while the 2.5 L, 150 CID, I4 engine jumped from 117 hp (87 kW; 119 PS) to 130 hp (97 kW; 132 PS).

During the production life of the Comanche, six different transmissions were offered, manufactured by Aisin, Chrysler, and Peugeot. Aisin provided the AX-4 (four-speed), AX-5 and AX-15 (five-speed overdrive) manual transmissions, along with the AW-4 four-speed automatic that was used beginning in 1987. This is the same Warner transmission used in early- to mid-1990s Toyota 4Runners with the 3.0 and some 22re 4wd. The AX-15 was phased in to replace the Peugeot BA-10/5 five-speed that had been used from 1987 until mid-1989 behind the 4.0 L I6 engine. The Comanche came equipped with weight sensing rear brake proportioning valve.

Although Chrysler purchased AMC in 1987, only one Chrysler transmission was ever used in the Comanche, and that was prior to the takeover. 1986 models equipped with the 2.5 L I4 or 2.8 L V6 were offered with Chrysler's three-speed TorqueFlite A904 automatic. Throughout the Comanche's production run, Chrysler would continue AMC's practice of purchasing Aisin automatic transmissions.