My 81 SX/4 Project with 4.0 Swap

[BenM]

I used a cheap 1/4" 12 point wrench to get one off the parts car.
All my small wrenches and sockets were 6 point or too thick to fit on the bolts. I have never understood the reasoning for the 12 point bolts on the straps; Allen or Torx sockets I'd have not questioned. You can have a dozen perfectly good 1/4" wrenches and sockets and not have a thin enough 12 point among them.

[maddog]

I bought a set of the sockets a sears but you can get them at advance auto.

[idahosx4]

Well, as it turns out, it is a 12 point 1/4 inch. But the 1/4 socket in my set was mislabeled and is actually a 3/16. It took me measuring my sockets and the bolt head with calipers to figure that out. Well onward I go.

Also, reposting this paragraph I just posted in the wanted section:

I found an '81 SX/4 for sale in Eastern WA for very cheap (Supposedly with rebuilt engine!?). It has all four of the coveted bumper end caps, but the owner doesn't want to part out despite the absurdly low price. Unfortunately I have no room for a parts car. Does anyone live in the NW that wants an SX/4 parts car that I could take the floorboards from!? I'm almost tempted to buy it, take what I need, and then junkyard it, but I would feel awful about doing that, the body is in very good shape from the pics.

[idahosx4]

And here's an update. It's been slow work as I recently moved to Utah from Seattle for a new job. Didn't touch the AMC for a couple months during the move. But have been steadily doing more work and have a new spacious two car garage. My stage one of the project is a complete engine bay restoration before I drop a new motor inside.  I've finally got the complete drivetrain removed and most of the components in the engine bay.  My next step is to power wash the engine bay to help prep for rust repair and new paint. Pics below.

The new spacious garage with my new daily driver on the left. (Volvo S70 T5). At least until the AMC is done.


This is where I was at this morning. Didn't want to buy a transmission jack so I ended up manhandling it out from underneath the car all by myself.


Was debating unbolting transfer case from transmission before I got it out from underneath. So I unbolted the shifter as per the FSM, then discovered something missing ...


Then went to remove more nuts and saw, oh, they were already quite lose for me!


Decided it was going to take too long to separate the two and just gave up and dragged it out from underneath.


Engine bay about ready for powerwash. Going to remove brake master cylinder, clutch cylinders, and steering box after power wash. Then I will still be able to roll it but no stopping!

[Prafeston]

Where in Utah did you move? I'm down south in on Lake Powell now. Good to know I'm not the only Eagle fan in Utah!

[idahosx4]

Just north of SLC. Working in Ogden but spend a lot of time in SLC.

[idahosx4]

Ugh, hard to believe it's been 5 months since my last post. Done some minor engine bay cleaning, power wash, and preperation for a new battery tray, but not much else. I'm posting here to hold myself accountable and do things that are important in life like working on my AMC. Who cares about the day job!?!

Still looking for replacement sheet metal for the area just underneath the battery tray. Anyone have a parts car that'd be willing to cut this section out and send it my way?

[Prafeston]

I'll keep you accountable! Mine is still in hibernation...stranded at the Rambler Ranch in Denver.

[idahosx4]

@Prafeston -  Thanks!

I've been looking for AMC parts cars in nearby junkyards and on craigslist, but can anyone let me know what other AMCs have the same engine bay as the SX/4? Does the Eagle wagon share the same engine bay body parts? Or the Spirit by chance?

[amchornet]

Yes the engine bays are the same....there is a really good write up of an 4.0 install in an sx on the amc fourm site. Its called the eagle heart transplant. He also had the Manuel  trans