1983 sedan offroad eagle

[jonb8]

Finally back on project, had to spend a few day's getting the wife's mud racer ready for the season. She started out pretty good with a 1st and a second on Saturday. I finally got some Eagle stuff done, the 8.8 is on the property and the white jeep (floor and unibody donor) got most of the big stuff cut off and gone to the crusher. At least now I can do some better measuring. The red jeep I took to Harlan is now in the garage getting stripped so I can have the drivetrain and lift out of it for the Eagle.

[jonb8]

That 4.0 will bolt in and be just like the 258. the crank sensor just needs to have a spot in the floor cut out.

The problem I'm having is the 4.0 sits back into the firewall on the xj, here's a pic of one I welded into an old style 4cyl xj when I swapped it to a 4.0...



Now the eagle has a straight firewall and the motor set's forward and has more front overhang than the xj. So if I use the xj unibody rails than the 4.0\crossmember won't bolt up and I'll have to either fab new mounts or modify the firewall which I can't because of the windshield wiper motor and heater box. I'm just saying the xj rails might not be worth it because I have to fab everything except the steering box and trackbar bracket. Oh well it's time to start cutting and let the peices fall where they may..

[captspillane]

Thanks for that picture. I have an '87 MJ, originally a 2.5L, that I was about to put a '92 4.0L into. I never knew the firewall changed. I'm not sure it affects me since the 4.0L was already an option in '87, but I'll have to look at it closer.

[jonb8]

Your good on a 87 it had the 4.0 as an option, the 86 and older mj's only had a 2.8 and 2.5 motors so they didn't put the crank sensor and 4.0 relief in the firewall. The big differences is the wiper motor, fuel lines and gas pedal. Get those from your donor. The fuel lines are stainless steek and just snap in along inside of unibody rails If you use the aw4 and it was a 5spd truck than you may only have 2 crossmember bolts that line up, I've seen them both way's. Here's the link I use to tie the xj dash and harness into the MJ rear harness to the back. If you have any other questions I'll try to help all I can, I've done 8 of these swaps but each one seems to throw a curveball or two.

http://comancheclub.com/topic/18588-xj-dash-harness-to-rear-mj-harness-wiring-guides/

[captspillane]

Thank you! I appreciate it. I checked last night and it does have the firewall relief. I knew about the pedal and fuel lines, but I didn't know about the wiper motor. I'll compare the two closer during the swap.

[jonb8]

The wiper motors are the same just differences in wiring and delay and stuff. I just change it all to keep the wiring clean and uncut. Your factory in tank pump will run the OBD1 fuel rail so that's not an issue. Since the tank is in a different location than the xj I usually tie the xj fuel lines into the factory mj lines under the drivers seat with compression fittings because the MJ lines are bent all funny around the crossmember and at the tank.

[jonb8]

Just want to let everyone know I didn't abandon this project, I just put it on hold for alittle while. I did get the rear lift done and it's now at a buddy's garage getting ready to get cut up as soon as I finish my buggy. I ended up putting a 8.25 chrystler rear in and I did a inconsiderate person pack lift like I do my xj's and was alittle disappointed, I expected 5in of lift and putting a 34 on but in reality I could only fit a 31.. I'm gonna have to cut alot more than I expected.

[jonb8]

One reason I've been slow on this project is how far the motor sits forward in the eagle compared to the xj. Since the spring perches stack right under the unibody and the motor sits to far forward to use the unibody out of the xj and make it all bolt up I'm going with leaf springs in the front. I don't like using real short springs on the coil swaps so does anyone have any idea's on what springs to use on a leaf swap to get me close?

[eaglefreek]

Not real sure, but possibly YJ or Grand Wagoneer front springs would work. Paul, aka Strike Eagle, utilized the Eagle's factory spring pockets and made some brackets that put the coil springs a little more further out than where they would mount on a front Cherokee axle. Sorry, I don't have a good pic of his front end.