Need Help on some Swap information.

[RYNOEagle]

Bought my Eagle after having it sit in the ladies garage for like 15 years. 1982 SX4, T5 Transmission. Stripped it all down, scrubbed out the mouse droppings, got new carpets, etc, and it's like a new ride.

It even drives pretty well...so long as there's no snow...

The engine ticks, although it idles and runs fine. It doesnt leak any oil, but I don't know how long that's going to last, so I'll probably be pulling it out, doing a new gasket set, and new lifters/camshaft.

But the thing that annoys me the most is the worn out viscous coupler! One tire spinning doesnt help me here in Massachusetts. As I write this, my eagle is stuck on a slight incline on some ice.

I hate the NP129(I think it is?) especially with the stupid speedometer cable design that likes to leak. So I'll be swapping that, but I was curious what everyone's opinions were on the case I should use. I was thinking NP231, which I know is less convenient, but when I had my Wrangler, it never failed me once. Even after 240,000 miles with the original T-case.

The Transmission leaks, so I gotta drop that down. I was thinking about just doing the seals, seeing as how it only has 115,000 miles on it, but how hard is an AX-15 to swap in? and how hard is it gonna be to find a new T5 if it fails on me?

I also want to lock the front and rears, so how hard is that to do? I have the 2.35 gears, which I've read can be a nightmare, but it's a 1982, so I've also read that I might have nothing to worry about as far as swapping gears goes, but they also said not to quote them on that. I was also wondering about lockers that fit.

And I don't wanna waste my time locking a puny rear end, so I would probably wanna get a beefier rear end, like a Chrysler 8.25, which shouldnt be too hard, but what about driveshafts?

I've learned to love this Eagle, but at this point, it almost seems like too much to want to keep it. Especially when I'm staring at a half restored '88 W100 That I already have lockers in, and I need to still put a couple grand into to finish.

Just trying to get a feel for the upgrading on Eagles, sometimes finding information on these things is impossible.

[RYNOEagle]

As I find info, I will be adding it in here.

I'm wondering if this will work for me. I want to convert to an electronic Speedometer, and also my Temp Gauge, and Volt Gauges don't read properly.
http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=836/category_id=674/home_id=-1/mode=prod/prd836.htm

If I convert to an electric Speedometer, I can get rid of the speedometer cable and permenantly seal up the hole that gave me so much trouble and still leaks.

I can also drop it down, and do what is written below, to make my T-case act like an NP231 without a need to swap.

If you like the NP231 and are considering a swap, consider this option.

Instead of buying a Slip Yoke Eliminator kit for their NP231, some XJ guys actually find a cheap AMC Eagle NP129 or FSJ NP229 to use instead. Obviously the NP229 is better because it has low range, but the same thing works for an Eagle NP129 as well.

1) Find an NP129 transfer case from an AMC Eagle with both 2WD and 4WD mode. Most of us will have them in our Eagle already. All 1980 and most 1981 Eagles have the 4WD only NP119, which doesn't work for this. For low range, find an NP219 from a Full Size Jeep.

2) Remove the extension on the back of the transfer case to expose the viscous coupler, which looks like a donut. An open differential lives inside the donut. This doesn't require much skill and doesn't go into the deep internals. Hopefully you don't disturb anything too far inside or needle bearings will fall out of position. It's a pain to get them back where they belong, but that's still not too big of a deal.

(This extension needs to be removed and new holes drilled to install an NP229 in an Eagle anyway because of the clocking difference that makes your speedo cable not fit)

3) Pull the viscous coupler apart to expose the plates of metal inside. Wash away the special goop inside. It's slightly toxic, so pretend it's battery acid and avoid touching it.

4) Run bolts to bolt all the plates together.

5) Put it all back together.

If you do this, you will have rigidly connected the two halves of the viscous coupler which splines to both sides of the open differential inside it. This locks both outputs together in 4WD to make the transfer case behave exactly like a NP231 behaves in the mode called "Part-time 4WD"

If I do that, I can also drop the Tranny, just do the seals and not worry about swapping until it goes. All I would have to do this year is get the tick out of the engine, and if I want to, lock the front and swap/lock the rear, depending on how much work is involved with that.

[eaglefreek]

I have an open front and an open 8.25. I used to have a 8.25 with factory LSD and will install a locker or LSD and at some point in the rear I have now. Even with the open rear, I have never gotten in a situation where I got stuck and I have been in some sticky situations with both mud and ice, but I do have a np242. However, when I had the 128 and then the 229, I also didn't have any issues. I did have an issue once with my 81 with the 119 but that was more of being high centered on snow.  I personally wouldn't want an Eagle with a part time case. I like a full time option. Bolting the VC is an easy way to keep your stock transfer case and not have to worry about a slipping VC and a transfer case swap, but you are now stuck with a part time case. I'm not sure why you are having so much trouble with the speedo adapter. Where is the fluid coming out of? The cable or around the adapter?
    Unless the ticking is horrible, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Mine's been ticking for years.  Same with the T5. Unless you have issues with it, it's not worth all the trouble of an AX15 swap. Used T5's come up for sale once and a while, but you're not going to find a new one. The ones that works in our Eagles were only available for a few years in Eagles and CJ's.   

[Amc1320]

I know this sounds like a dumb question, so don't take this the wrong way but are you sure its in 4WD? Even a blown VC will still give you power to the front.

Reason I say this is I only got mine stuck once in snow/ice and its when I thought its was in 4WD but I didn't know the system wasn't operating correctly, one of my actuator switches was bad.

I have since "locked" the front axle disconnect and permanently put in in 4WD with a piece of bailing wire, its been like this for years and will go dang near anywhere, best of all in snow. Eagles weren't designed to go rock crawling but in snow they are one of the most capable things out there, better than any 4WD truck or SUV ive ever driven. I have driven around stuck people many times!

Put it in 4WD and jack up a front tire,  if its VERY hard to turn the wheel your VC is working, if not then check for other problems.

As far as the ticking goes, its an AMC, they tick and will continue to tick for the next 300,000 miles or so

Good luck!

[RYNOEagle]

I have an open front and an open 8.25. I used to have a 8.25 with factory LSD and will install a locker or LSD and at some point in the rear I have now. Even with the open rear, I have never gotten in a situation where I got stuck and I have been in some sticky situations with both mud and ice, but I do have a np242. However, when I had the 128 and then the 229, I also didn't have any issues. I did have an issue once with my 81 with the 119 but that was more of being high centered on snow.  I personally wouldn't want an Eagle with a part time case. I like a full time option. Bolting the VC is an easy way to keep your stock transfer case and not have to worry about a slipping VC and a transfer case swap, but you are now stuck with a part time case. I'm not sure why you are having so much trouble with the speedo adapter. Where is the fluid coming out of? The cable or around the adapter?
    Unless the ticking is horrible, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Mine's been ticking for years.  Same with the T5. Unless you have issues with it, it's not worth all the trouble of an AX15 swap. Used T5's come up for sale once and a while, but you're not going to find a new one. The ones that works in our Eagles were only available for a few years in Eagles and CJ's.

Yeah, I think I went a little overboard searching for information and got a little stressed out haha. This kind of puts things into perspective. So I guess I'll run the transmission until it dies, then worry about a swap.

The T-case is leaking around the plastic piece, which is a really stupid design in my opinion. The previous owner trashed it so I don't think it's sealing well. But I'll probably take out the T-case in the spring and decide at that time if I wanna try to find the viscous coupler and fix it, or just lock it. I don't mind the Part Time 4wd, because my town is known for not plowing. The ticking, I guess can wait, although I'll definitely be pricing things. And I guess I can even wait on the axles and lockers.

I know this sounds like a dumb question, so don't take this the wrong way but are you sure its in 4WD? Even a blown VC will still give you power to the front.

Reason I say this is I only got mine stuck once in snow/ice and its when I thought its was in 4WD but I didn't know the system wasn't operating correctly, one of my actuator switches was bad.

I have since "locked" the front axle disconnect and permanently put in in 4WD with a piece of bailing wire, its been like this for years and will go dang near anywhere, best of all in snow. Eagles weren't designed to go rock crawling but in snow they are one of the most capable things out there, better than any 4WD truck or SUV ive ever driven. I have driven around stuck people many times!

Put it in 4WD and jack up a front tire,  if its VERY hard to turn the wheel your VC is working, if not then check for other problems.

As far as the ticking goes, its an AMC, they tick and will continue to tick for the next 300,000 miles or so

Good luck!

Well, I guess I'm not 100% sure. I didnt seem to have a vacuum pod when I bought the car, and the vacuum lines were all routed very poorly. So I decided to run a vac line right from the manifold to the T-case, with the switch still working, sucking in either the 2WD or 4WD position, and the front axle has the hose clamp lock done.

I had my father pop it in 4WD and I watched the actuator go into the T-case. So I assume it's working, but I guess I can't say for sure.

We tried to jack up the rear end and have the front pull it off of the jack stands, but it didn't. I assumed it was because of the worn out Viscous coupler acting as an open diff.

[carnuck]

You can replace the plastic plug with the metal one from a full size Jeep but then you need to change the speedo cable to a screw on one too.

With the other 3 wheels on the ground, can you turn one front one by itself? If so, see if the front driveshaft is turning. If not then either the front diff is disengaged or something is wrong with the front diff.

[RYNOEagle]

While changing the speedo cable was incredibly frustrating on the dash end, and wound up with me cutting my forearm pretty good, I would rather do it again than have a leaky T-case.

and I didn't know that, so thank you. So a Cherokee one would work? What years?

And I know the driveshaft spins with the tires, meaning that it is locked to the front axle, because I had him rock the car back and forth with my under it (before 4WD was working, so it was in 2WD mode) and the driveshaft was turning with the vehicle.

unfortunately, we are currently getting another snow storm and the past ones have caused mountains of snow to turn my large driveway into a narrow icy one. I don't think I'll be doing any testing until spring.

[eaglefreek]

The trick with removing the speedometer cable is to unhook it from the transfercase or cruise control module, if applicable and then this allows you to have slack in the cable and you can pull the cluster out and then disconnect the cable from the speedometer. I'll have to look, not positive, but I may have one of those speedometer adapters. I got mine out of an early XJ. I think they are also in Grand Wagoneers. I got a cable on Ebay that was the same length but has the 7/8" threaded end on the transmission side. I'll look for the link later.

[mudkicker715]

I also remember acessing it from the radio pod, unless i am retarded again. Seems it was easier that way  if memory serves me.

[RYNOEagle]

Ahh, yeah, when I put it in, I was more worried about getting the T-case side in, so the other end was a hassle, but now that I think about it, that should work great. Thanks guys! I'll be doing this swap in the spring, if you could get me that link, that would be great.

[eaglefreek]

I  looked and couldn't find any of the speedometer adapters in my pile o' parts.

[carnuck]

I have at least 2 of the screw on FS Jeep ones.