Jeep Project "Culpepper" 5.2L V8 Swap

[Slangy]

Thanks for the information, Still haven't got the engine in. My cousin had to borrow back his engine lift which isn't much of a problem as I have to drill out a exhaust bolt, now broke it off when I was taking off the old headers.

Another question I have the same advance adapters engine mounts you used. Did you weld in you engine mounts at a angle or are they level?

No problem glad to help.
What you do is place the pin on the mount into the small hole in the frame just behind the shock tower, then rotate it so that the top of the bracket matches flush to the top of the frame. If that doesn't make any sense let me know and I will take a picture for you.

 

[north50]

Great thread and a bunch of good info. I'm in the middle of doing this same swap and will be trying to work out the harness myself as well. Any videos of the jeep with 5.2L in it? did you end up adding the cats to the exhaust? Like you I'm in the black so far after buying this donor for $300 and scrapping it for $496.

But may have to find another harness because I fear the harness from the van maybe to short. Also no 4x4 so either getting a 46RE or converting the 42RE that was in the van.

Still working on getting the 4 banger out of the jeep, but will be picking your brain for sure on some small issues if that is ok.

Thank You again for a great write up, and nice Jeep by the way.

 

[Slangy]

Great thread and a bunch of good info. I'm in the middle of doing this same swap and will be trying to work out the harness myself as well. Any videos of the jeep with 5.2L in it? did you end up adding the cats to the exhaust? Like you I'm in the black so far after buying this donor for $300 and scrapping it for $496.

But may have to find another harness because I fear the harness from the van maybe to short. Also no 4x4 so either getting a 46RE or converting the 42RE that was in the van.

Still working on getting the 4 banger out of the jeep, but will be picking your brain for sure on some small issues if that is ok.

Thank You again for a great write up, and nice Jeep by the way.

I just used the cat from the 4 cyl. and so far, no problems. It looks like you have a nice work area to do your swap, unlike my small single car garage. Feel free to ask as many questions as you need. I have been getting a lot or questions so I try to reply as quickly as possible. If I dont reply right away don't worry I will get it in a day or two, sometimes I forget to log in on the weekends and don't get all my messages.
Thanks for the kind words, I truly appreciate it.

 

[DB556]

Great thread and a bunch of good info. I'm in the middle of doing this same swap and will be trying to work out the harness myself as well. Any videos of the jeep with 5.2L in it? did you end up adding the cats to the exhaust? Like you I'm in the black so far after buying this donor for $300 and scrapping it for $496.

But may have to find another harness because I fear the harness from the van maybe to short. Also no 4x4 so either getting a 46RE or converting the 42RE that was in the van.

Still working on getting the 4 banger out of the jeep, but will be picking your brain for sure on some small issues if that is ok.

Thank You again for a great write up, and nice Jeep by the way.

I'm probably not going to come out on top cost wise I bought a already pulled engine, transmission and computer and harness previously for $1200 and then I got around to cleaning them up and found the engine had water in it. And the yards 'warrenty' disappeared once I called them on it. So I bought the van I got the current engine out of for $700.

If its a ram van like a B1500 it should have a 46re in it (though it is a 2wd version if you want to swap rear of the case it would work, thats what I'm keeping the one from the van for encase the first transmission is bad)

I have that same engine on that same engine stand next to a nearly the same TJ with a same cavernous engine bay holding the same four popper.

As for the engine mounts when you mean flush, do you mean the horizontal flat surface of the mount to the top of the frame? or the vertical corner or the bent back section of the mount brought flush?

 

[Slangy]

I'm probably not going to come out on top cost wise I bought a already pulled engine, transmission and computer and harness previously for $1200 and then I got around to cleaning them up and found the engine had water in it. And the yards 'warrenty' disappeared once I called them on it. So I bought the van I got the current engine out of for $700.

If its a ram van like a B1500 it should have a 46re in it (though it is a 2wd version if you want to swap rear of the case it would work, thats what I'm keeping the one from the van for encase the first transmission is bad)

I have that same engine on that same engine stand next to a nearly the same TJ with a same cavernous engine bay holding the same four popper.

As for the engine mounts when you mean flush, do you mean the horizontal flat surface of the mount to the top of the frame? or the vertical corner or the bent back section of the mount brought flush?

When you put the bracket up against the frame and into the pilot hole, rotate the mount so that the top of the mount right after where it is bent is flush with the top of the frame. Explaining it is actually harder than doing it
Make better sense?

 

[DB556]

I got some surprise help today so I got a lot done!

Now I need to dig up a cherokee front shaft to cut down for the rear, fab up a mount for the transmission to fit the skid plate or make and new skid plate, Wiring, exhaust, etc. So Much to do left.

 

[Slangy]

Looking good, I am glad to hear you got a lot done and had a helping hand. It is great to have someone lend a hand. My buddy Brett drove to north Ogden from Highland from February to April every single weekend. Sure I bought all the beer but he spent twice as much on gas getting here to help me.
If you have anymore questions ask away.

 

[Slangy]

I have noticed a lot of people are still viewing this thread so I want to just encourage anyone who is looking for information to feel free to ask me any questions you might have and I will be happy to do my best to help you out. If you don't have an RME account take 2 seconds and get one and ask away. I had a lot of questions when I started this swap and I was lucky enough to find someone to help answer a majority of my questions, so I would like to return the favor.
That is all.

 

[Bart]

Good. Keep the thread alive for another 12 months. That's about when I'll get to my swap.

 

[north50]

If its a ram van like a B1500 it should have a 46re in it (though it is a 2wd version if you want to swap rear of the case it would work, thats what I'm keeping the one from the van for encase the first transmission is bad)

I have that same engine on that same engine stand next to a nearly the same TJ with a same cavernous engine bay holding the same four popper.

Funny how many people do this swap and find this thread. Really the best place to discuss this process I've found.

How can I tell if its the 46re or 42re? Here is a picture of it if that helps. It is out of a B1500 and swapping the rear was the plan for the tranny but I was thinking it was a 42re.

Was able to get the engine and trans out of the jeep today, also the entire harness.

Next up for me is tearing into the 5.2L donor and rebuilding it. And figuring out the transmission bit

By Build Thread
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f22/97-tj-heep-zombie-killing-jeep-build-1167238/

 

[north50]

I have noticed a lot of people are still viewing this thread so I want to just encourage anyone who is looking for information to feel free to ask me any questions you might have and I will be happy to do my best to help you out. If you don't have an RME account take 2 seconds and get one and ask away. I had a lot of questions when I started this swap and I was lucky enough to find someone to help answer a majority of my questions, so I would like to return the favor.
That is all.

This is very nice of you and I'll be taking advantage of your knowledge. I can't imagine doing this in a one car garage? I'm lucky to have space at work to do the swap and it's a good thing because my wife would freak if our garage was full of a gutted jeep and parts everywhere

 

[Slangy]

Good. Keep the thread alive for another 12 months. That's about when I'll get to my swap.

Judging from your expertise you won't need any advice from someone like me.

This is very nice of you and I'll be taking advantage of your knowledge. I can't imagine doing this in a one car garage? I'm lucky to have space at work to do the swap and it's a good thing because my wife would freak if our garage was full of a gutted jeep and parts everywhere

I just do with what I have, I am trying to build our new house which will have a much much larger garage but in the mean time I am just glad I am not working in the driveway. I didn't just have the garage full of gutted parts, I also took the gutts and laid them out on the kitchen table

 

[north50]

If its a ram van like a B1500 it should have a 46re in it (though it is a 2wd version if you want to swap rear of the case it would work, thats what I'm keeping the one from the van for encase the first transmission is bad)

Good call on the 46re, I called the dodge dealer and asked him the build code for the donor van and you were right 46re. Not sure why I felt it had the 42re in it but this was great news. Thank You. Now I need to find a tail off a 4x4 version. Any suggestions on the best way to convert my transmission to bolt to the np231? And if I'm using my np231 out of my previous 4cyl jeep do I need to change the shaft to fit the 46re? I have a SYE coming and wanted to do any needed work to the trans case while it's apart.

 

[Slangy]

Good call on the 46re, I called the dodge dealer and asked him the build code for the donor van and you were right 46re. Not sure why I felt it had the 42re in it but this was great news. Thank You. Now I need to find a tail off a 4x4 version. Any suggestions on the best way to convert my transmission to bolt to the np231? And if I'm using my np231 out of my previous 4cyl jeep do I need to change the shaft to fit the 46re? I have a SYE coming and wanted to do any needed work to the trans case while it's apart.

The output shaft from the 4 cyl. is a 21 spline, you will need to swap it out with the proper 23 spline output shaft.

 

[DB556]

If the 4cyl is the auto(30rh) it will have a 23 spline, (well mine did) but it will be the long version so you would have to either turn it down on a lathe (that is what I did) or get a new input.

 

[Slangy]

If the 4cyl is the auto(30rh) it will have a 23 spline, (well mine did) but it will be the long version so you would have to either turn it down on a lathe (that is what I did) or get a new input.

Sounds like your getting it all figured out. I think you have more skills than I do, I couldn't turn my own on a lathe. Way to go, keep us posted on your progress

 

[north50]

If the 4cyl is the auto(30rh) it will have a 23 spline, (well mine did) but it will be the long version so you would have to either turn it down on a lathe (that is what I did) or get a new input.

This is true, come to find out the 4cyl with an auto has a 23 spline in it. I was afraid it might be the wrong length. Which still leaves me needing to adapt it somehow. so there is a long, medium(rare) and short version. Am I to assume I need the short version to fit with the 46re? You have any pointers for turning it down on a lathe or how much to take off?

 

[DB556]

Well I mated my my transfer case to the transmission and then when it was snug not tight at all I measured the gap and and added a eighth or so (probably 3/16") to it and took that off then end. I want to say it was 9 or 11/16ths? If you have a good hand you could probably take it off with a angle grinder and a thin cutting wheel then clean it up with a flap wheel.

Right now on my swap I'm doing the rear drive shaft got a Cherokee front shaft to cut down and I noticed my front drive shaft is pretty close to the levers and sensors on the 46re. Also how did you go about the transmission mount? Reused the Jeep mount or the dodge? Still trucking away on the wiring harness cleaned harbor freight out of wire loom the other day.

 

[Slangy]

Right now on my swap I'm doing the rear drive shaft got a Cherokee front shaft to cut down and I noticed my front drive shaft is pretty close to the levers and sensors on the 46re. Also how did you go about the transmission mount? Reused the Jeep mount or the dodge? Still trucking away on the wiring harness cleaned harbor freight out of wire loom the other day.

I used the stock tj mount but had to modify it to get all the things to line up. I will probably redo it this spring because I don't think it was the best route to go.
I used a ton of split loom as well, I would buy what I thought was enough only to find myself going back to buy more. I never realized how many wires a harness had, it's crazy

 

[Jared]

Now I need to dig up a cherokee front shaft to cut down for the rear,

Be wary of using an XJ front drive shaft on the rear. They are cheap and would work, but would be better suited for a spare. They have a fairly small diameter slip spline and aren't overly strong. For a rear shaft behind a V8, it would likely be worth the investment to have a local shop build you a new shaft. These generally run in the $300 range.

Good luck!
Jared