AMC Eagle Den Forum
The Shop => Altered Eagles => Topic started by: Rucuss on February 19, 2013, 10:38:19 AM
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Ok, i'm done messing with the original inline six and various suspension, steering, electrical, transmission, and drive line problems in my 83 wagon. :banghead: I'm looking to swap it all out and change it out to a 4.0ho from a newer jeep. What I would like to know is, If anyone has some experience in doing this?, What models will be the best and what years to look for.
Thanks for any information.
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Wish I had time to help. I'm sorting stuff out on mine as well and I'm not quite physically able to do what I want to mine either.
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I have done this swap in a gremlin. 93 and up jeep with obd1 is the easiest later models with obd2 are a little harder.
The early jeeps with the renix on pre 93 you want to avoid. Get the donor engine and wire harness with the computer and transmission modular if an auto. Only takes 5 wires to connect. Install an electric fan and run the fuel lines to the tank with an electric pump and a return line.
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You may have to alter the mortor mounts and the tranny mount as well. IIRC the tranny crossmember is forward of where the new tranny needs it ot be. Also, there will be some mods required to the front axle bracket to allow the 4.0 exhaust to clear it. Check the drive shaft lengths as well.
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Install the motor (use the Eagle motor mounts and brackets) I'd use '91 to '95 wiring (OBDI HO and easiest) After the motor and trans are installed, make a trans crossbar (that's what we did with SOTE) and then make the driveshafts to fit. Exhaust pretty much last so you can see how everything clears.
Which external accessories will you use? York AC compressor won't work without cu$tom pulley$. If it's an XJ motor, you need a ZJ or Wrangler waterpump and fan/clutch or swap all the SX4 pulleys, etc to the 4.0L Just the PS bracket to the intake needs modding to work. I prefer serpentine to Vee belts nowadays.
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I have done this swap in a gremlin. 93 and up jeep with obd1 is the easiest later models with obd2 are a little harder.
The early jeeps with the renix on pre 93 you want to avoid. Get the donor engine and wire harness with the computer and transmission modular if an auto. Only takes 5 wires to connect. Install an electric fan and run the fuel lines to the tank with an electric pump and a return line.
Jeep/Chrysler OBDI HO system is 09/'90 to 08/'95. Renix system is fine, but it's as tough to put in as OBDII and 1/2 of it and the wiring is under the dash.
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My wagon is a 5 speed and I don't mind swapping to an auto. Also I am aware that in some cases some mods are going to be needed. Just looking for what is going to be the closest/easiest to work with. I've been looking at mostly 92 and up Cherokees? Basically I want to keep the Eagle body and change everything else. Also is there going to be much different if a two door is used as a doner vs a 4door?
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Nope. Very little drivetrain differences except the length of the rear driveshaft. '91 to '95 is easiest. Renix has EGR like the Eagle with an air tube between exhaust and intake. HO has no pipe or EGR. Throttlebody and intake are different too. AX-15 isn't hard to put in since you had std already. If you want to measure the ax15/NV231 trans/tcase for size, I have a pair on my for sale stuff. (external slave)
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another thing to consider is that in no way will the front accessories from an XJ cherokee fit, the fan and alternator placement are all wrong.
grand cherokee or wrangler is where you want to get your engine.
mine was from a 98 grand cherokee
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I've got a couple engines here that are on the local list 1 runs and 1 needs rings. the 1 that needs rings has an extra head with it. 1 is a 96 and 1 is a 97.. What is opinion for what to get if I can get 1. Is the extra head worth getting to build a Stroker and 1 a 4.0 head swap? The 97 has the bad rings and the extra head.
The 96 seems complete but from an automatic $175
and the 97 with 2 heads is $250
Both are Grand Cherokee motors.
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You can swap the waterpump from an XJ for a ZJ one and it's pulley and fan. That's what I did when I put a 4.0L in my '84 J10. The XJ fan turns the right way at least. Some ZJ pumps had metric bolts and some had standard. The "HELP!" rack has both styles of studs.
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Ressurecting from the dead, but I have to ask which engine is the preferred engine to swap?
I see the XJ's are good since they are simple and preferred because of no security system, but the fan is a bugger since it's offset.
Is Renix, OBD1 or OBD2 preferred for the swap if I keep the fuel injection?
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The obi 1 is the easiest. Find one from a high output donor. The fan is no big deal use electric fans for the radiator. I have done this swap on my 72 Gremlin. Went from a 232 one barrel to multipart fuel injection with overdrive.
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Got a random Facebook message. Someone has a 94 Cherokee with 114000 km on it that they want $500 for. Bet I can beat them down to $350, load it up and drive away.
Has all the parts I need (engine, computer, hopefully the rear axle is the right one that is 3.55, rear speaker bar, maybe the seats) and I can sell parts off to get my money back :D
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I compiled a bunch of 4.0 swap information into one thread awhile ago. Even contains links to other good swap threads.
http://forums.amceaglesden.com/index.php?topic=43087.msg334827#msg334827
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The fan is no big deal use electric fans for the radiator. I have done this swap on my 72 Gremlin. Went from a 232 one barrel to multipart fuel injection with overdrive.
I wouldn't worry about fans either. The big Ford/Lincoln electric fans are popular and move plenty of air. Your water pump should live longer without the stress. Good luck!
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Not a bad bunch of ideas ;)
Does the 4.0 need anything extra to attach to the stock Eagle automatic?
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Swap the XJ waterpump for one from a TJ or ZJ along with the fan. Leave the XJ fan in the parts pile.
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Whats this pilot bushing / adapter thing needed for mating the 4.0 to the 998?
Or would it be easier to slam the XJ transmission in?
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You need a crank position sensor for the EFI to work. There is no hole in the Eagle 998 trans for one so you need to mod it and use a Wrangler 999 flexplate or get the harmonic balancer CP$ kit (@$400 last I checked)
I have a Wrangler 999 case I was going to put the internals of my 998 into but never got around to it. I used the original 999 internals to beef up a 904 from a 4 cyl XJ.
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You need to pick up the flexplate used for 4.0 Wranglers and drill the case for the crank sensor. The Wrangler used the 4.0 with the 998/999. I'm pretty sure the one for the AW4 will push the torque converter back too far. You use the 4.0 starter with it.
Make sure the flexplate is for the correct computer, Renix or Chrysler.
Or use the 258 flexplate and a crank sensor relocation kit. You use the 258 starter then.
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Head swap with a GM TBI starting to look better and better lol
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The 999 case is for sale!
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OK, here's my 3 plans atm, barring something stupid happens and none happen. I am looking at a 94 XJ with low KM as the donor, with all hopes the engine is running good so it'll be my donor for a few different parts.
1 - Head swap - simple, carb it up and run with it. Swap in the 4.0 cam and whatever else for a bit more horsies.
2 - 4.0 swap - this seems to be the biggest headache of the bunch. Deciding to stay carb'd or go fuel injected is kind of a issue that I can't decide because of the 998 + CPS headache bit. Don't have the moola for the CPS relocation kit.
3 - Full 4.0 + transmission + t-case swap - keep it all, toss it in, cut the floor if need be and adjust the XJ transmission mount. Been thinking about this, haven't decided (do driveshafts have to be cut? Can the Eagle stock t-case be mounted to it?)
Although the 4.0 swap might seem like a headache, tossing in the 4.0 and staying carb'd until I can spring for the CPS relocation kit is kind of appealing. It seems rather simple and straight forward. Of course, I'd probably need a better carb than the mechanical Carter I have now to get the full oomph out of it.
Oh the decisions :/
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Thinking of the carb'd 4.0 as the easiest swap until I save the dubloons for a CPS relocation kit.
Would there be a benefit of doing the head / cam / ? versus the 4.0?
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I'm thinking that the engine swap would actually be easier than the head and cam swap, especially if you go with a carb. Has anyone weighed in on the difficulty level of modifying the 258 bell housing for the 4.0 cps? I know its another step, but it doesn't seem like it would be that difficult. Would be good to hear from someone who has actually done it.
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I think it was mentioned in this thread (or somewhere else) that to mate the 4.0 to the 998 and go fuel injected you need a flexplate from a Wrangler with the 3 speed, then a hole needs to be drilled in the precise location and a nut or whatnot welded on for the CPS to be relocated to.
It says here ( http://amceaglesden.com/guide/index.php?title=Can_I_swap_in_a_Chrysler_4.0%3F ) that a computer from a manual Wrangler / Cherokee is needed if your not using the transmission from the Jeep as well. Any confirmation on this?
IMO, slapping in the 4.0 and getting it in there and keeping it carb'd while I beg the wife for the $$$ for relocation kit would be worth it.
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With the Renix and ODB1 computer the transmission controller is separate. There are some minor differences, like idle speed. They can generally be changed one for the other, knowing that you may have to deal with idle speed issues or a chance of stalling at a sudden stop.
ODB II used an integrated computer. It doesn't like not knowing the transmission is there.
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You would be best to use a std trans CPU for teh correct fuel curves.
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If I carb'd the 4.0, would the mechanical Carter do a good enough job, or would it have to be a beefier carb?
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Mechanical carter worked on my stroker just fine.