Jeep Project "Culpepper" 5.2L V8 Swap

[twister4fun]

Nice write up first of all. Hope you don't mind me adding a link to my build. I recently completed this swap myself also. I had a hard time finding info anywhere and Evan didn't want to talk to me because I didn't buy anything from him. I have a lot of deminsions (such as transfer case input shaft modification), transmision mount modification, wiring diagrams, mistakes I made etc. I too will try to answer anyones questions if they ask by replying here, there, or by PM. Hope this might help someone else out there...

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f22/proposed-4-day-engine-swap-1207521/

 

[Slangy]

Nice write up first of all. Hope you don't mind me adding a link to my build. I recently completed this swap myself also. I had a hard time finding info anywhere and Evan didn't want to talk to me because I didn't buy anything from him. I have a lot of deminsions (such as transfer case input shaft modification), transmision mount modification, wiring diagrams, mistakes I made etc. I too will try to answer anyones questions if they ask by replying here, there, or by PM. Hope this might help someone else out there...

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f22/proposed-4-day-engine-swap-1207521/

Very good write-up. I was going to try to specify which wire color went to what but I figured that anyone doing the swap would need to pull their own wiring diagrams because everyone's application may be a bit different.

 

[Slangy]

I decided instead of starting an all new thread for my adventures in the garage this spring I would just use this thread and show all the changes I do each year. So hopefully no one gets irritated that this thread keeps coming up. Each year I rush like crazy to finish my projects to get ready for EJS. My wife always asks why I don't do them in the summer and all year round and I just tell her that it is not as fun if your not rushed. So here are a few items I need to complete this year before EJS.

-Fix my air intake and get rid of the exhaust pipe I was using, not the brightest idea I have had.
-Outboard my rear shocks
-Fix my power steering pump (leaking)
-Wire lights to my shift bezel
-Redo my harness bar so I can have passengers in the rear seat
-Cut hood and put on new hood louver
-Change all my fluids
-Figure out why my transmission hesitates and excelerates slowly
-Try to convert my aluminum wheels into beadlocks
-Paint all my armor and parts that are looking dull
-Install new ground lights

Last year my temps stayed real nice with the taurus fan but it seemed like the engine bay was extremely hot, you could feel the heat coming through the hole in the steering column. It felt like the heater was on and baking your feet. So in an attempt to try to eliminate that I just purchased a new hood louver from Poison Spyder. I am hoping to have it by this weekend to get it put on.

 

[Slangy]

Poison Spyder Hood Louver install. Very nicely packaged and very high quality product.
To start off the hood louvers are currently only for 03-06 TJ's. The difference between the earlier years is the Spray nozzle for the windshield. You can't use the nozzle from a later Jeep because they don't cover up the cutout in the louver. This was not a problem, I went to Auto Zone and bought a $10 universal set of nozzles opposed to buying the single from the factory for $20. To start I disconnected my plumbing for the existing nozzles and used the parts that were currently on there to convert the plumbing to a single nozzle. This took a total of about 5 minutes.



Next I laid out the template to make sure everything was going to line up before I went to cutting the hood. I had heard that the template didn't match up, mine fit perfect so they must have made the proper adjustments. Although it wouldn't be that hard to figure it out with a messed up template. I measured a section that I wasn't going to cut because my intake sits directly underneath one of the cuts. I then drilled 18 1" holes in the hood to make my cuts, masked everything off and took out my skilsaw and got to work. I ran into the support under the hood that stiffens the hood up but I wasn't worried about it since I had already notched a big portion of it out for my engine swap. After everything was cut I cleaned up the edges and shot some primer on it.

 

[Slangy]

After the primer dried I drilled a total of 4 holes in each corner and secured the louver to the hood so I could continue to drill the remaining holes for all the screws. I also drilled a hole where the new spray nozzle is to sit. Placed the louver back on the hood to make sure I didn't screw anything up and it looks like I cut in all the right places. Now tonight when I get home I will shoot the louver with some primer and some paint and let it dry before I tighten it all down and put the hood back on.

 

[sixstringsteve]

that looks wicked!

 

[skippy]

I have been contemplating this for awhile let us know if it makes a noticeable difference......

 

[Slangy]

that looks wicked!

Thanks, hopefully it looks good when it's all back together. I hope I didn't get any overspray when I painted all those tiny holes.

I have been contemplating this for awhile let us know if it makes a noticeable difference......

Will do, I won't have a chance to see how it works until EJS, I am sure the Jeep will be out of comission until the day it is ready to load onto the trailer.

 

[mbryson]

...
-Try to convert my aluminum wheels into beadlocks...

I'm quite interested to see what you come up with here.

I've also noticed the "heater" affect of the Taurus fan as well (seeing that I don't have a heater)

 

[Slangy]

I'm quite interested to see what you come up with here.

Well I probably won't be doing that until next years rush because I am running out of Jeep funds and time. I am having a hard time spending money on the Jeep this year because me and the wife are trying to build us a new house this fall. It would be nice to have a garage bigger than a single car. But we will see what happens, I wil lfor sure post up the process when I do it.

Friday night I had the house all to myself and I got the hood all fiished and put back on. Doesn't look to bad. I haven't had a chance to test out the heat loss with it but I will report back in April on that.

 

[Slangy]

I also have been trying to change my transmission fluid and filter because it seems to be hesitating a little in first gear. Should be a simple task, right...Wrong. I drop the pan and drain the fluid. No problems until it comes to trying to put the pan back on after I put on the new filter. It won't fit. There is about a 1/4" gap and the pan is hitting the new filter.


So I take the filter back to Auto Zone and they say it's the right filter, which it should be because I looked it up myself. So I figure I would go to O'Reilly where I have a little better luck. He says you have the wrong filter and hands me the same filter. I takje it home thinking maybe I was just smokin crack and did something wrong. Get back under the Jeep and same S***, pan is hitting the filter. I take it back and hit up the google machine in search for a filter that will work. I find that the type I am looking for is the same filter on the 95 Dakota. i head to NAPA and show the guy a picture of what I want and what year. Sure enough he brings out the filter I am looking for. I head home and put it on to check to make sure. Bingo, finally after 3 trips to the auto parts stores I found what I wanted.

 

[Slangy]

I figured while I was changing the fluid and the filter I might as well adjust the front and rear bands because I imagine they have never been adjusted, at least I can't trust the person who had the Donorango before me had them adjusted.
The rear band adjustment is located inside the pan so you will want to do this when your changing the fluids. It is located on the passenger side of the transmission. You have to take a wrench and hold the locknut while you loosen the djusting screw. Loosen the locknut 4-5 turns, then tighten the adjusting screw to 72in. lbs.,then back it out 4 turns, then tighten your lock nut. Easy enough

 

[Slangy]

Now it was time for the front band. I say easy enough for the rear band because it is very easy to get to. I can't say the same for the front band, it was a beast to get to. Although the process is the same you will need to take your time on this one because getting to it without throwing a wrench across the garage is not an easy task. It is located on the front driver side of the transmission by the shift ever and everything else that runs into the transmission. When you finally get to it you loosen the locknut and back it off 4-5 turns. Then while holding the locknut, which is a PITA you tighten the adjusting screw to 72in lbs., then back it off 2-1/4 turns. Tighten the locknut and you are done. At this point you may want to sit down and drink a frosty brew or beverage of your choice to try to calm your nerves because it is a tedious job adjusting the front band.

 

[Bart]

Impressed, to say the least.

 

[Slangy]

Impressed, to say the least.

Not nearly as impressive as the stuff you have done. Most the stuff I am posting is just newbie type stuff to show my learning process.

 

[Slangy]

Okay so I picked up the wrong color of paint at the store today. I was going to touch-up my fenders, bumper sliders etc with the off black color I have been using. It's not quit black and it's not gray. So I get home and start masking things off and then get to spraying a coat down. The damn color is a dark bronze almost a weird tan look. I can't decide if I should keep it this color or go dark. Might be a nice change but I don't want it to look stupid. Kind of reminds me of a desert camo mix next to the green which kind of fits the name of the Jeep.
What is your opinion. Like I said the pics don't quit do it justice but you get the idea.

 

[Slangy]

Nevermind, I made up my decision. Taking the paint back and gonna buy black. The more I looked at it the more I hated it.

 

[STAG]

I think it could be pulled off IF the rest of the jeep was satin and not so glossy...

It doesnt look bad if you really really really squint, and close one eye. Ha

 

[Bart]

I kind of like it, but I can see that it would look good in black also.

 

[Slangy]

I think it could be pulled off IF the rest of the jeep was satin and not so glossy...

It doesnt look bad if you really really really squint, and close one eye. Ha

It's not as dull as it looks in the pictures but I still don't like it. I took off the paper around it to see what it would look like surrounded by the green and it pulls a very brownish color.

I kind of like it, but I can see that it would look good in black also.

Yeah I think the black contrasts the interior and tires etc that are all black.