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95 YJ build 4 Banger OUT, 5.3L IN!!!

195K views 229 replies 40 participants last post by  honest-tom 
#1 ·
Hello everybody! I 'm new to this site, at least posting to it. I have gained SO much information and ideas from here, I decided to do a write up on my engine swap. I looked around and didn't really see anything recent on the topic. Plus, the ones I did see were done by people who knew what they were doing!

About a month ago, I started to tear down my 1995 Wrangler, with the less than desirable 2.5L, 4 cylinder engine and automatic transmission. The motor had 134,000 miles on it. It still ran pretty good. In 4L the little motor would climb up anything. The problem was with the 2H! That motor couldn't go over 55 mph on a downhill with a tailwind.

I'm putting in a 5.3L, 460L, and NP231. The motor and trans came out of a wrecked 2006 GMC truck, 80,000 miles on it. I got it complete with wiring harness and computer for $1500. Not a bad price for a great set up.

I won't have much time to work on it during the week. And with a 14 year old son and girlfriend, I can only dedicate my Saturday to it. It's been a great experiance so far, and working with my son has been a blast.

I will be posting pics and a write up soon. I'm sure I will need some help, and appreciate any comments or suggestions. Just be nice!
 

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#5 ·
BTW thanks Xpress. Its a nice looking Jeep, but did you peep that engine bay pic i posted? Somewhere there is a 4 banger under all that crap! Of course, putting the 33's on it didn't help that little tranny. (transmission, just to clarify for nubby55)

I will do the write up and post current pics soon.
 
#8 ·
Getting started!

I'm a couple weeks into the tear down. Getting started seemed a bit overwhelming! When you pop the hood and look at all the crap that needs to get ripped out, you wonder if you made the right decission?

My son and I started turing wrenches and before you knew it, the motor was staring at us. Waiting, taunting...

Let me just say, get EVERYTHING out of the way. You may not need to before tearing the motor out, but guiding in the new V8 is a bit more challenging!
 

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#9 ·
The next Saturday I spent taking the motor out. Getting all the bolts, brackets, and wires disconnected takes some time. Just when you think everything is unhooked, you find something else!

Finally got the beast strapped and ready to yank.

I slayed that pig all by myself!!!
 

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#10 ·
I don't really have any suggestions for the tear down. Take your time and make sure you get everything. The wiring can be a challenge.
When I pulled the motor all the wiring cam with it, except for 3 wires. They ran from the main harness to the rear of the Jeep. I wasn't able to disconnect from either end and had to cut them. I think they might run to the fuel pump??? I will get around to tracing them eventually...

Anybody know?
 
#11 ·
The next step was to cut the old motor mounts off. Now my ex-wife has an excellent assortment of tools, but me not so much! So I had to buy a grinder, compressor, and all the other goodies for this project. I thought I was in hog heaven when a buddy sold me his plasma cutter for $100! Lots of fun and probably a great tool for someone who knows how to use one! But I found that after using it, I still had to use the grinder to cut the nasty metal boogers off it. The second mount I just used the grinder with a good cutting wheel on it. Almost as fast and much easier to grind down to the frame!

I spent a couple hours every night the next week grinding to get to the smooth frame. What a pain!!! Looks great though!
 

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#12 ·
I looked around at different motor mounts and decided on the Novak style. Everything I read on this forum speaks highly of Novak and their products. Plus, they tell you exactly where to locate the mounts. The measuring was easy but I must have check it 50 times! My buddy Jim welded them into place. He is the Master, great welds! The mounts are bullet proof!
Setting the 5.3l to test it out was a little tricky. With the transmission connected, it made for a tight squeeze. The rig needed to be almost veritcal then angled back into the hole. The mounts are big and make the fit even tighter. We took out time and managed not to beat anything up.

It doesn't look like the stock truck exhaust manifolds are going to work. They are tight against the tub and frame, plus routing the exhaust will be limited because of the angles. I have read on this forum that Corvette or Camaro manifolds will work with the center dump. So far I haven't found any on CL or the other sites. Novak makes a set, but VERY pricey...

The motor sits pretty tight against the tub. The other half of the motor mounts from Novak have adjustments in them. I think I will mover the motor forward a half inch. With frame and body roll, it could contact the motor or transmission.

It looks good in there! Made to fit!
 
#14 ·
So I have pulled the motor back out and taken the transmission off. I took it to a transmission shop to have an adapter put on so I can use my NP231. I looked around on the internet and the cheapest I could find were $450. The tranny shop said they could do the job including parts for $350. The adapter MUST have a VSS connection on it, and that seemed to confuse the tranny guy a bit. His parts are due in thursday, I will see what he has to offer.

I have no idea where this Jeep was originally from, but it has a lot of rust. I live in Arizona, so its had a chance to dry out. Everything was out of the way, so my son and I decided to sand off as much rust as we could. We gave it a good rattle can paint job! Doesn't look too bad, better than the rust!

I didn't spray the axles, I plan on replacing them. I have a set of Dana 44's off a Wagoneer sitting on the floor in the garage. These have the driver side pumpkin and are basically the same width as the stock 30/35's. Too bad they have 3.11 gears in them. I plan on putting electric lockers and chromoly axles in them before going on the Jeep. I just need more money!
 

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#15 ·
Since I painted the fire wall and frame, it wouldn't look right unless I also did the fender wells and front clip. I haven't done under the hood, but plan on it.

I bought the radiator and fan set up from Novak. Kind of pricey, but the thing is awesome. It came assembled with the shroud mounted already. All tig welded and sits in kind of a cradle. The cradle has the brackets that mount to the front clip. Its a pretty nice set up. I think it will keep my motor cool, even in the Arizona heat.

I will be taking the wire harness and computer to a local shop to be reprogramed this week. They came recommended through a local custom shop. The guy has experiance doing Jeep conversions and seems to know what he is doing. Of all the things I have to deal with on this build, the wiring worries me the most. Everything I read makes it sound like its plug and play. But I know better!

Thats where I am so far in the build. I will write more as I go along. I'm sure I will learn quite a bit during the install and hope to share it here. Anybody can take something apart, putting it back together is another story...

Anybody with suggestions or tips, please let me know!
 

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#19 ·
that is looking awesome! Keep the pictures coming and keep updating this thread. I'm gonna be in V8 swap hell soon enough..
 
#22 ·
I personally don't like to tackle projects until I have all of the pieces of the puzzle. Hate getting to a point and realizing... Oh, I don't have that special order gasket I need to install my d valve into the fan belt..

etc etc :thumb:
 
#23 ·
I personally don't like to tackle projects until I have all of the pieces of the puzzle. Hate getting to a point and realizing... Oh, I don't have that special order gasket I need to install my d valve into the fan belt..


I guess you have an extra $5000 laying around to buy everything all at once?
I'm just a working stiff who owns a pair of pliers and some duct tape...

$1500 Motor and trans
$200 Motor mounts
$750 Radiator
$450 NP231 adapter
$550 Install adapter and rebuild
$200 Fuel lines, regulator,misc ftgs
$600 ECM program and harness
$500 New drivelines (old ones wont work)
$200 Shifter assembly
$500 Misc parts,paint, duct tape

TOTAL $4750 and I am sure I am missing lots of things...

ADD $2500 to change axles to Dana 44's with re-gear and E-lockers

KICK ASS JEEP - PRICELESS!!!
 
#24 ·
I hear ya on that one AZ. I've got three kids so my projects take 4th place to clothes, toys, dr. visits etc. I'm saving for my clutch and flywheel right now. Then the fun begins................:dance:
 
#26 ·
I feel your pain, I went thought this a few yrs back and LOVE my Jeep:dance:
I took the slow and torturous way like you but I had two babies at home that always won out when it came to my money and time. My boys are getting older now and love to help me on the "big jeep".[/QUOTE]



Hey Harry, when you did your conversion, did you have to use the Chevy gas pedal? Its a drive by wire set up on the new motors.

I cant figure out how to mount the GM gas pedal? Anybody know?
 
#32 ·
I feel your pain, I went thought this a few yrs back and LOVE my Jeep:dance:
I took the slow and torturous way like you but I had two babies at home that always won out when it came to my money and time. My boys are getting older now and love to help me on the "big jeep".


Hey Harry, when you did your conversion, did you have to use the Chevy gas pedal? Its a drive by wire set up on the new motors.

I cant figure out how to mount the GM gas pedal? Anybody know?[/QUOTE]

Nope, i went old school and used a carburetor, In a few yrs I'll go injection but can't swing it now. Your pedel setup looks like its going to work great.:thumb:
 
#29 ·
I figured out the gas padel yesterday! It looks great! Here is what I did:

1) Remove GM pedal from mounting bracket.
2) Drilled a hole in the steering column cover plate, see pic for location. Putting it here puts the pedal in a great spot!
3) Take the colver plate off and grind or hammer down the culred edge on the cover. You have to do this so that the pedal will mount flush. You have to flatten out the edge on the bottom and right side. SEE PIC.
4) Grind down the little "tabs" on the bottom of the pedal mount. They will interfere with it mounting flush.
5) Run a bolt through the top mounting hole. Now you can adjust the pedal location and mark the bottom mounting hole. I put two flat washers between the pedal mount and firewall to fill the gap created by the column cover. On the engine side of the firewall, I put a large flat washer on each bolt and tightened down. Seems solid to me!

BEFORE YOU LOCATE BOTTOM HOLE, TRIPLE CHECK THE PEDAL MOVEMENT. MAKE SURE THE PEDAL GETS TO FULL THROTTLE BEFORE HITTING THE FLOOR! SEE MY NEXT POST FOR MORE PICS
 

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