[Mitch502]

So, deanschool was nice enough to put together the "mini-bible" for the magnum swap. I want to add to that though, so I've created a document that I will attempt to keep up to date as people add more information and as I learn more. Feel free to post info or PM me I can add it as needed. This is apply to swapping a 5.2L or 5.9L into a TJ, although I'm sure it will apply to YJ's and XJ's with the except of the PCM stuff as it will be OBDI


I have compiled an entire list of everything it took me to do the swap. I planned to do this from the beginning, and worked on this throughout. If something in it is incorrect, PLEASE let me know and I will change it/update it/etc. If I would have had this list in the first place, it would have saved me HOURS of research and returning random parts. Sorry the clutch information in inconclusive, I forgot to request the part numbers from the local mom/pop shop I got it from.

For the Master parts List


MASTER PARTS LIST


For this document in another form (has a lot of info, between this forum and the doc you should get a full feeling for what you need/etc)


DOCUMENT FORM


Short Version: The ZJ got totaled, I decided to go for a V8 swap in a TJ
(Skip to MY NEXT post):
Long Version:
To start off, the story is the ZJ was sitting in the driveway at my parent's house, and someone ran off the road and hit it. I may have been able to fix it and get a rebuilt title for it, but considering the amount of rust that was in it (floorboards were going to need patched this year, in addition to the rockers were completely gone), I decided to opt for fighting insurance to give me what it was worth. And, well, lets just say I came out "satisfied" with what insurance paid out to me for the ZJ, in addition to letting me keep it.


Right when the ZJ was totaled, I started my final semester/term for my master's, and was taking 4 classes while working...so I had no time to really mess with the Jeep anyways (which let me drag out the process with insurance...they hated me.)

I used my spare time to search for a replacement ZJ, but as I looked more and more, I thought about how I liked having a convertible so much. So, in came the idea of a TJ. I'm a fan of A/C and leather, in addition to all the other amenities that my ZJ spoiled me with, as well as the power of a 5.9L.

Thus came the thought of swapping a 5.9L magnum into the TJ. At the time, I didn't know it was pretty common. I quickly found a few people who had mentioned parts needed, etc. Before long, I was sold on the swap and wanting a Wrangler. I’d been wanting to do a larger project anyways, so this was a perfect fit.

I found a yellow (yea, it’s my favorite color…so what?) TJ in Georgia, about 8 hours away. My wife was 6 months pregnant (8 and a half as of writing this) and didn’t want to go with me (understandably). I had to go south for a vehicle…I refused to fight rust. This TJ has literally ZERO rust anywhere (even the cross member, etc are spotless). The downfall of it was that it was a 2.5L 4cyl and have 200K miles on it. The body was a little dinged/dented, but overall was in decent shape other than paint. No concerning leaks, no check engine lights, and everything worked on it. Plus, for the price, it was about as cheap as you can get a TJ with a hardtop (2 piece at that) and full doors. So, after agreeing on the price (the guy was more than helpful, and wanted to make sure if I drove that far that I was happy) I set up a time to get there Saturday afternoon and rented a Fiesta.
cameringo_20170409_142935 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr



But, let's get started with the build!

 

[Mitch502]

20 hours or so later (after fighting a 2.5L with 33” BFG’s on an 8 hour highway trip) I rolled in and crashed at the house with absolutely no issues. Here is what it looked like when I bought it:



00Z0Z_dKaLRn8WoIc_600x450 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

cameringo_20170410_185535 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

cameringo_20170413_175949 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

While the black rims and literally brand new BFG’s were nice, I had road hazard on my nearly new Duratracs (which I like the look of better anyways) and I liked the 60th anniversary rims. Plus, BFG KO2’s are popular enough to sell pretty quickly and get the swap process started. So I made the swap.

cameringo_20170427_184915 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

cameringo_20170430_193727 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr




After selling the tires, the first 2 purchases were an AX-15 dakota bellhousing (to mate a TJ aX-15 to a small block magnum motor) and the AX-15 itself. Blessed with a tolerant wife and another car to daily drive, I took my time on everything with the swap. Including cleaning everything up, painting, prepping, etc:

AX-15 with a Dakota Bellhousing


cameringo_20170421_194008 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

Clean and paint. I suggest cleaning everything if you have it out. There will never be a better time, and tracking down leaks is easier if they develop.


cameringo_20170424_164810 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

cameringo_20170424_180831 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

 

[Mitch502]

Then came time to sell the motor. I found a buyer, and after me sending a video of it running, he was more than happy to come put a deposit down on it so I could start pulling it (so much easier to sell a motor/trans when the person can see it or drive it than with it out of the vehicle and claiming it ran good!)

cameringo_20170425_165924 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr




Clean and no rust means everything came apart easier (it took me less time to pull the motor than it did to put 2 control arms on the ZJ from rust!)




cameringo_20170425_170133 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

Fenders off make things easier to work around:



cameringo_20170507_123535 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

A few hours (okay, like 6-8) I had the motor out that night:



cameringo_20170507_211024 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

cameringo_20170507_211041 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

The next day I pushed the Jeep out of the way, and began the cleaning process…with everything out, there will never be a better time to gain access to all of the nooks and crannies of the engine bay. If you don’t have a foam cannon, I suggest getting one:



cameringo_20170508_174048 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr



cameringo_20170508_175731 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

Next post will be the start of a more “how-to”.

 

[Mitch502]

Easy work done, it was time to start the biggest concern for me (and everyone else who does the swap it seems) in this swap: wiring. I will say the same thing as everyone else says when you try to find information on the wiring and swap help: It’s not that hard, just take your time. Get a FSM for the donor vehicle and for the TJ you’re swapping into. You will need both. Sometimes, you might even need more than just those 2 (for example, I have a 2001 TJ, but a lot of the wiring was 2002 TJ wiring for some reason. I’m confident based on the harness, that this was a Jeep wiring harness that has never been altered. So, Chrysler strikes again with inaccurate information! Be warned! With a little common sense and patience, you can do it though.)
First when removing the TJ harness, make sure you label EVERYTHING. And I mean everything. Just because you label the group of wires on the intake “THROTTLEBODY” doesn’t mean it will be accurate. To explain: your donor wiring harness might be different, and you THINK you will remember that the MAP sensor plug was black and the TPS sensor plug was white, but by the end of this thing, looking at wiring will give you a headache (it literally gives me one now). Save yourself the time and trouble, label everything. See below for more details:

cameringo_20170508_181422 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

Wiring- This is always the most intimidating, but if you take your time, you can do it with only basic knowledge. If using your existing TJ harness:
• Items needed:
o FSM for your jeep
o FSM for the vehicle your motor is derived from
o 100’ Wire (18 gauge, I suggest getting various lengths of about 6 colors)
o Wire strippers
o Soldering iron and solder
o Heat shrink tubing
o Lots of zip ties (8" or so is plenty big enough)
o Your TJ harness
o Optional: donor vehicle harness
o PCM pins (if you have the donor harness, you can steal them from that. I cut about 3 foot of the C1/2/3 connector off at the junkyard for about $5, or you can over pay on eBay or Amazon)
o Multimeter
o Various loom of your choosing -- I prefer black ( 3/8" 1/2" 1" at minimum, Depending on your harness, you might need larger than 1” as well)

• How I suggest doing it:
o Print the Connector Pin Out sections for both your TJ and the donor vehicle
 Compare Powertrain Control Module C1, C2, and C3 for both vehicles. Highlight any missing pins on the donor pages (will likely be the 2-4 injector drivers, but you HAVE to verify these are the only ones)
 Now go through the same pages and ensure everything else on the two PCMs are pinned to the same locations.
 Finally, go through every pin out in both FSMs. Note any differences between them.
• Keep in mind that you are using the sensors from your donor vehicle (most likely). My notes reflected this as well, i.e. “wire colors/pinning are the same, keep TJ plug (or change to donor plug)
• Here is the binder I used to do the swap. On the post it’s on page 1 are every single connector on the harness, and I compared ZJ to TJ, noted if the connector would have to be changed from the TJ to the ZJ plug end, and then if any of the wires needed to be moved around. (I.E. the 5.9L TPS’ ground and power wires are opposite of the TJ. There were a few others as well). The other post it’s are bookmarks
cameringo_20170526_085148 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr
o Label every single connector on both of the harnesses. Don't try to remember every plug...it's not worth it
o Lay out the donor wiring harness in one of two ways; on in the ground evenly laid out as if it were on the motor in the engine bay or a lot of people claim zip tieing the harness on a 4x8 plywood sheet in the same manner.
 If you do not have a donor harness, you will want to wait until you have the V8 completely ready to install, and then deloom the TJ harness and start rerouting, changing, adding, etc from there.
o Deloom the entire harness from your TJ, DO NOT deloom the donor harness
o Reroute the TJ plugs to match the location of the donor harness
o Change connector ends as needed (make sure all your wires stay the same. Easiest way is to do 1 wire at a time, even when connectors have multiple wires)
o Solder all wires. You can choose to do this before putting it on the jeep, or you can wait until you start it for the first time. I chose to solder the ones I was confident in.
o To add the 2-4 extra injecotrs, you will have to drill out the PCM plugs (don’t be scared, it’s easy) so the wires will slide through. MARK THE CONNECTER BEFORE TAKING IT APART! I ACTUALLY FLIPPED A PLUG BY ACCIDENT, AND IT ALL LOOKED RIGHT, BUT EVERYTHING WAS UPSIDE DOWN WHEN IT WAS PLUGGED IN!! TOOK ME A WEEK TO FIGURE IT OUT!!! SEE IN THIS PICTURE, THE PINS WILL STILL PLUG IN IF THE BACK OF THIS CONNECTOR IS UPSIDE DOWN!!!
cameringo_20170520_141110 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr
o Put loom over all of it you can (finish after everything is soldered)
o If you’re using the donor harness, you might be better off. In hindsight, it might have been easier to use the ENGINE HARNESS from the donor as most things would have remained the same. The kicker for me was I switched to a manual Ax-15 and my donor was an Auto, so I had ALOT of extra wiring if I had gone that route...Just cutting that section of the harness off is cheap and I did not want to do that.
• Quick notes from first hand experience
o My 2001 wrangle had a alternator plug, like a sensor. My donor did not. It had an external box on the radiator. I thought it was the voltage regulator. It's not. The PCM is the voltage regulator, don't forget about wiring these 2 wires up, or your alternator will only charge at around 10.5V.
o Understand the ASD system. The ASD wires provide 12V,and the PCM “drivers” ground out, completing the circuit. Learn this before hand.
o Keep your ASD wires the same color (they're usually about the same from the factory for all injectors) BUT use unique colors for every added injector. I did not use unique colors and I regret it big time.
o Every time you extend a wire or alter it with your new wire, note the color wire used/it’s corresponding function (ground, power, signal, etc) in the FSM that you’ve hopefully printed. If not, keep it in an excel document or something. Somewhere you won’t loose it!
o When you remove the PCM plugs, make a mark so you know How the connector goes together. Trust me when I say is easier than you think you flip one upside down.
o Some of the newer TJ’s have a sensor style plug that is one wire, while probably all of your 5.2\5.9 donors will just have the traditional lug that goes to the starter solenoid. Just cut the connector end off and add a lug, it will function the same
o The FSM isn't always 100% correct. Should it be wrong, or someone fixed your harness at some point, I suggest always using a multimeter to verify continuity on a pin or wire before altering it.
o TAKE YOUR TIME-- It took me at least 24 hours across days to get mine all the way wrapped and everything correct. Due diligence pays off here. It will look like a giant mess when you get into it, but by the time you’re done, you will have gained skill and experience, as well as understanding!

o Feel free to ask me any questions and I will try to help. It took me awhile to get everything figured out, but it really wasn’t that bad!


Next post we will cover the prep to put the motor in! See how quick this is going???

 

[Mitch502]

I was (un)lucky enough to KNOW the motor I was putting in the TJ. It was the 5.9L from the ZJ. I took very good care of the ZJ, and was well aware of any issues it had. That made things easier for me…I knew the motor didn’t smoke, knock, burn oil, and only leaked a little oil. But now was the time to do anything…the Magnum motors can look very nice if you take the time to clean and paint. Like I said before, I was able to take my time.
Why not pull it all out at once?!?!??!
cameringo_20170517_193646 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

cameringo_20170517_204717 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

Separate that auto transmission. We want to FEEL the Jeep now!
cameringo_20170518_115641 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

Tear it all down, clean it up, and put it back together. Do it right, lap your valves if needed, replace every gasket, etc.
cameringo_20170523_170459 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

cameringo_20170523_201307 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

cameringo_20170525_203505 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

cameringo_20170521_112030 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

cameringo_20170525_211044 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

cameringo_20170525_203523 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

cameringo_20170528_090027 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

 

[Mitch502]

Paint your headers if you don’t get ceramic ones!
cameringo_20170531_174247 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

Put them together! Don’t forget your flywheel and clutch when you go back together
cameringo_20170530_191343 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

Don’t neglect the frame and surrounding area of the engine bay. This is a great time to clean and paint.

Cut off those old mounts! Be careful, the control arms bolt up in the same place, so don’t cut that section of!
cameringo_20170528_155615 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr
cameringo_20170528_155623 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr
cameringo_20170528_162303 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

Test fit your harness on the engine (you are done with it, right???)
cameringo_20170529_112104 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

Next time, we can talk about putting the engine in the engine bay for the FIRST of a few times…

 

[Mitch502]

So, to sum it up, we’ve got the motor ready, transmission is bolted to it, and the engine bay is cleaned up. You’re done with the wiring too, right??

Chassis/suspension/motor mounts
• Items needed
o Driveshaft considerations: see later
o If you notice sag in your old/worn out suspension, adjustments there might be needed...coil spacers are a cheap way out and will work fine
o Motor mounts, preferably from Advanced Adapters
• Chassis changes
o The only change will likely be the driveshaft, see it's own section later
• Suspension
o There didn't seem to be any sag on my front factory springs. I will comment on ride after driving it for awhile.
• Motor mounts
o You can choose to make your own, but when three are reasonable priced mounts specific for this swap, why waste your time? See parts list for the Advanced Adapter part number
o Make sure the mounts are level as possible front to back and left to right. Try to get them centered as well so that the engine is in the middle of the engine bay. Personally, my motor has more front to back lean than I’d like, but does not cause any driveline vibrations.
Drivetrain (not including motor, this section refers to the front differential, transmission, transfer case, rear differential, and will touch on the drive shaft)
• Items needed
o Motor from donor
o Transmission
o Transfer Case
o Driveshaft
o Differentials
• This will be unique to the way you choose to do the swap; where you place the motor and what transmission you use will be that determining factors
o The “easy” way (automatic trans):
 If you’re using an auto, the AA motor mounts will have dowel pins that will make alignment for the motor mounts almost too easy. I can’t speak as to where this puts the transmission as I went manual, but the AA motor mounts are designed for an auto swap. After putting them in, you can sit the motor/trans/transfer case in and test your driveshaft for fitment and go from there
o The other “easy” way (manual trans):
 Even though the motor mounts are designed for an auto, that is only for the drivetrain length to be ideal. The motor mounts are no different of course between transmission types. You can drop the motor/trans/transfer case, and place the drive shaft in. From there you can cut the dowels off the motor mounts (takes less than a few seconds with a harbor freight cut off) and tack the motor mounts in, pull the drivetrain, and weld them in place. This will allow you to keep your driveshaft. However, it will make it so that you will more than likely have to hammer in your firewall
o The way I did it, and suggest doing it, but will be a little more work and look cleaner:
 You’re doing a motor swap, unless you just don’t care about hammering in your firewall, you can go this route:
• Put your transmission in place, sliding it all the way forward on the crossmember
• Lower the motor in, and put a couple bolts in your bell housing
• Check for clearances once the motor is pressed up against the block. I have around 3” of clearance around the top of the heads, and less than 2” on the back of the block by the firewall. However, I have PLENTY of room to get to the crankshaft position sensor, the distributor, etc which is priceless to me.
• Put your motor mounts on the engine, center and level, tack, and then weld
o NOTE: I had to get shorter bolts for the ground straps on the back of the block due to how close it was to the firewall. Remove all the ground bolts on the rear of the head before dropping the motor in!

cameringo_20170530_163312 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

o
• Now try to put your driveshaft in...unless you have a Rubicon, your driveshaft is probably too short. Mine had around ⅜” of grab on the transfercase...not nearly enough. I’ll address what I did for my driveshaft later.
• This will also move the shifter forward, and you will have to bend the stalk back. If you remove the plating around the shifter, you can shift into all gears, but you will hit your hand on the dash in 1-3-5. Cut the metal plating around the shifter accordingly.

Level the engine left to right, and center the engine, you want a few degrees of tilt forward to back to help driveline angles. Clamp the motor mounts in place or tack weld them as mentioned. Remove the transmission bolts (after mounting it on the cross member) and the motor mount bolts, pull the motor back up leaving the mounts in place. Watch carefully and make sure you don’t move them as you’re lifting the motor. When you know you haven’t moved the mounts and they are where you want them, weld them!

Keep in mind level is relative to the ground you’re on! If you’re doing this on a hill…level on a level won’t be level! (Confused?)

cameringo_20170603_153006 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

cameringo_20170603_153014 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

cameringo_20170603_153018 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr


Now you can put the motor in for what will hopefully be the last time

cameringo_20170603_153110 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

cameringo_20170603_153118 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

Clearance with hood down is just fine
cameringo_20170603_153246 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr


You’re not excited, are you? Now the cool stuff is done, you’re ready to do the wiring harness routing and install, since you’ve have the harness done and sitting around for a while now, right? Next post we will put the harness on the engine.

 

[Mitch502]

Now that you’ve felt great for not spending much money, spend some money. If you’re lucky enough to have a CCD cluster, you can potentially find a manual PCM from a Dakota or RAM that will be a direct swap (or if you’re going auto)…otherwise, you get stuck with only 1 real option…flash a PCM

Most places flat out claimed there was no way to do an auto to manual PCM swap, but that just wasn’t true. B&G took care of me. With a stock engine (like mine) they said average dyno gians are 20-25 in both HP and torque.

cameringo_20170629_164524 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

• PCM
o If you don’t know the difference between PCI and CCD, learn it! It’s not too complicated, you just need to understand why you have to have the corresponding PCM to your gauge cluster/year.
o If you have a CCD Wrangler (1997-2000), and are going manual, you are better off. Finding a 5 speed ram/dakota isn’t too awful here.
o If you have PCI (2001+) and want to go manual, be prepared. You will be buying a PCM from a Durango more than likely ($120 on eBay usually) and sending it off to have it flashed for your application (no, a dealer won’t do it generally speaking. B&G was overly nice and worth the money. See parts list for more information.
o You can “remove” the rear o2 sensor readings from the computer, so if you choose to not run a converter, you won’t get the Check Engine Light. However, the computer MUST see a signal of some sort, so you have to have a sensor plugged in.
o The B&G tune/flash will give a base of 20-25HP and 20-25 ft/lb torque, more if you have more modifications to the Jeep. Personally, I only have headers, so 20-25 is what I got.
o A automatic ECU will not work for a manual, even if you are thinking, “I’ll just get CEL for the automatic transmission”. It will throw the PCM into limp mode (According to Backwoods). So you could “test” that your wiring is right potentially, but you can’t drive it like that.
o Same limp mode rule applies for CCD/PCI PCM interchangeability.






Test your wiring in the engine bay/to the PCM/to all the accessories and such. Plug everything in! Make sure it clicks into place! Make any adjustments. If you didn’t solder everything on the bench because you wanted to make sure you had it all right before soldering permanently, solder it all up and get it all zip-tied up and neat. The less “room” your wiring takes up, the better. Your wiring will look like a hot mess probably…it’s ok…



cameringo_20170610_123125 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

cameringo_20170611_143048 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

Clean it up and loom it after you make sure it’s all right. You’ll be surprised how good it can look!

Next time we will address the odds and ends that are different for everyone…radiator, fan(s), etc!

 

[Mitch502]

Now that I’m sure you couldn’t resist and have started the Jeep for the first time, let’s get back to the reality of finishing the project!

o Differentials
 Your differentials are up to you. I personally have started with what was there from the factory (4.11 geared D30/D35). The D30 in the front will be plenty for my uses, while the D35 will get replaced with a 8.8 in the future. If you wheel hard or often, I suspect the D35 will not hold up to the newly added torque for long.
o Transfercase
 Keep in mind that a 4 cylinder TJ has a 21? Spline shaft and the 6 cylinder has a 23? Spline shaft. The V8 will need the 23 spline, so if you are swapping into a 4 cylinder TJ and plan on keeping the Jeep transfer case, you will need one from an I6 TJ/XJ/ZJ or V8 ZJ. I’m running a 242 because it suits my needs and I had it when I did the swap
o Driveshaft
 If your driveshaft is too short, buy one unless you are comfortable with making your own. Obviously, a drive shaft spins at a very high RPM, and can create some major carnage if it breaks, so build accordingly. Slip shafts are easy to come by from multiple manufacturers, and run less than $400 on average for a basic shaft with a slip.
• My driveshaft was too short. At the time of writing this, I have ran my custom made shaft without any issues or vibrations, and honestly don’t expect to upgrade anytime soon.
• See the section later on how to make your own length driveshaft.
 This is a good time to consider a SYE kit if you want one or have the money for one.
• Cooling System
cameringo_20170624_114347 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr
o Radiator
 There are plenty of “Chevy V8” swap radiators out there. From what I’ve seen, most of them will work just fine. See my Master Parts List for the radiator I used, and you can simply match up dimensions and inlet-outlet sizes if you find another one.
 A ZJ radiator will not fit, I tried
 I used a eBay overflow tank

o Fans
 The 5.2 and 5.9 motors are known for being hot. That’s okay. The TJ engine bay has 5x as much room as my donor ZJ did, and the aluminum swap radiators help as well. Just get a good fan; the “Taurus fan” swaps will be plenty. I am running the 5.9L ZJ fan with the shroud cut down.
• Just a anecdotal comment: I ran no fan and only the aluminum radiator to get my Y pipe made in nearly 90* weather and high humidity. It stayed under 210, even sitting at red lights
 You can get “adapters” for your sensors on eBay for cheap enough. See parts table for links to what I used. You can choose how you want your fan to work. I chose to stay as close to 5.9L ZJ Limited Factory as possible.

Here are the adapters I used/how they look. Low speed:
cameringo_20170627_193424 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

High speed (ignore my long hose clamp, has since been fixed:
cameringo_20170627_193440 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr





• Exhaust
o Headers/Manifolds
 Where you place your motor will determine your options. Headers are the best choice of course, but center dump manifolds can be used. I believe they were on the small block mopar V8 vans.
 If you get headers, spend the extra time and money to either paint them or coat them. It will save you money down the line when you’re not replacing them in a year or two from rust holes.
 Install them for the first time the first time you drop the motor in or while it’s on the stand/hoist.
 Google Header Buddies. I did not use them, but they are gasketless and help prevent leaks. A good investment
 Keep your o2 sensors, you will need both of them (even if you “disable” the rear o2 sensor. See PCM information below for detail)
o Y pipe
 I chose to have my exhaust done at a shop...for a few reasons. I was quoted $350 to make me legal (Catalytic converter, o2 sensors) if I brought the muffler (I asked since I had one from my donor that was ideal). I figured by the time I messed up bending pipe I’d spend over $200 in materials, so why not pay someone a little more and save myself the headache
o Muffler
 This is your choice. Keep in mind a TJ has a short wheelbase, so even though your truck sounds great with dumped exhaust, the TJ dump will be awful close to you (smell, and sound are to be taken into consideration)
 I chose something quiet for the most part, but you can tell it’s a V8 (magnaflow knock off)
o Other exhaust considerations
 3” is ideal for the 5.9L I swapped, but according to the exhaust shop, you can’t fit a 3” tailpipe over the axle unless you have around 6” of lift. I have no reason to question him as he is a professional and seems to know his stuff. I went 2.5” all the way back
 Catalytic converters are required to be legal. I believe it is something like a $25,000 fine per person that knows your car does not have a converter on it. (So, the people at the shop, the shop owner, and you at a minimum), so most places won’t touch it unless they’re installing one. Get a high flow, or the new “Spun” converters, you won’t lose any power. You can cut it out later if you don’t have inspections to pass.

Once you’re all back together, this is the end result, or at least the first time you drive it, it’ll look something like this:
cameringo_20170706_152403 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr

 

[Mitch502]

Once you’ve driven it, check all your codes (if you don’t have any, congratulations. You’re much better than I am! Or, double check your CEL is working!) Fix any issues you run into (i.e. if you used an unknown motor, things like the TPS could have been bad. Or, like me, you could have miswired your IAC Valve, TPS sensor, and flipped the PCM plug. Once you make those changes if needed, clean everything up again. When you’re done, it could look something like this, or probably better if you take the time to do so. I have a few things left to wrap up (like the wiring at the rear)

20170720_200220 by Mitch McCoy, on Flickr


The power is amazing. I’m geared 4.10 and can easily spin 33” duratracs on dry pavement in 100 degree weather into third gear with no effort. At no speed in any reasonable gear do I feel like I couldn’t accelerate past someone. 5th gear on the highway at 70mph is around 2500RPMs. I haven’t gathered fuel mileage data yet, as I just worked out a o2 sensor issue. But as a guess, I think I’m getting 13ish averaged, with up to around 17ish on the highway. Cruise control would help, as would 3.73 gears…as would keeping my foot out of it 


I’m upgrading to a 8.8 and I have a set of Rubicon wheels. As with any project, there is plenty of piddly things left to do…add the cc from the ZJ, swap the ZJ steering wheel over, swap ZJ seats over, etc. I wanted to get the swap information out there as soon as possible in case it helped someone else!

 

[Mitch502]

Hopefully between the mini bible, the two documents I've created (linked above), and this writeup you will feel more comfortable. Ask questions, I will try to answer. I will also be creating a better "How-To" later. but this should suffice for now.

 

[rugby]

Couple things to add from when we did the swap.

We merged the engine harness into the tj factor harness. There were a few plug that the factory TJ harness had that our donor did not.

If you set the engine back you can run a mechanical fan.

You dont want your engine to be level front to back. You want a slight slop back.

We tried to not cut any wires where we did it. We would un pin what was needed from the engine harness and pin it into the TJ harness. Very simple if you can follow schematics.

Great write up.

 

[Mitch502]

Couple things to add from when we did the swap.

We merged the engine harness into the tj factor harness. There were a few plug that the factory TJ harness had that our donor did not.

If you set the engine back you can run a mechanical fan.

You dont want your engine to be level front to back. You want a slight slop back.

We tried to not cut any wires where we did it. We would un pin what was needed from the engine harness and pin it into the TJ harness. Very simple if you can follow schematics.

Great write up.

Thanks. What is the technical reason for tilting the engine back? I understand the reason for that in carbureated engines. Mine has a tilt, but it might be more than desirable... What would ideal tilt be?

 

[rugby]

Thanks. What is the technical reason for tilting the engine back? I understand the reason for that in carbureated engines. Mine has a tilt, but it might be more than desirable... What would ideal tilt be?

Honestly i don't know. I did i quick google search which brought up several ideas. One being that with a slight tile the oil will drain vs pool in the heads and places. Other are packaging amd others are to get angles of the trans output. I know the 4.0 in my jeep has an angle.

Its just that one thing that i jave always heard you meed to do. I guess its not as true as it use to be.

 

[Mitch502]

Thanks. What is the technical reason for tilting the engine back? I understand the reason for that in carbureated engines. Mine has a tilt, but it might be more than desirable... What would ideal tilt be?

Honestly i don't know. I did i quick google search which brought up several ideas. One being that with a slight tile the oil will drain vs pool in the heads and places. Other are packaging amd others are to get angles of the trans output. I know the 4.0 in my jeep has an angle.

Its just that one thing that i jave always heard you meed to do. I guess its not as true as it use to be.

The driveline angles are most likely the reason, if there is one. I got no vibes, so I'm happy

 

[pntyrmvr]

Driveline angle for the win.


"Talk is cheap. Whiskey costs money."

 

[Mitch502]

Driveline angle for the win.


"Talk is cheap. Whiskey costs money."

Thanks for the clarification! I'll add this now to the thread when I'm on a computer

 

[rustybottoms88]

@Mitch502 I could very well be over thinking this and I may have over looked where you addressed this but did you have to consult the FSM of the donor vehicle that you got the ECM from? I see where you mentioned the FSM for the TJ and FSM for the Engine donor. Is the circuitry in the ECM of the durango the same as the ZJ? Thanks for all the information you have shared.

 

[Mitch502]

@Mitch502 I could very well be over thinking this and I may have over looked where you addressed this but did you have to consult the FSM of the donor vehicle that you got the ECM from? I see where you mentioned the FSM for the TJ and FSM for the Engine donor. Is the circuitry in the ECM of the durango the same as the ZJ? Thanks for all the information you have shared.

Jeep is long sold, it wasn't for me. But it was running great.

Yes, I had the FSM from the z
ZJ for the wiring harness, and the Durango for the ECM.

 

[rustybottoms88]

Jeep is long sold, it wasn't for me. But it was running great.

Yes, I had the FSM from the z
ZJ for the wiring harness, and the Durango for the ECM.

Thank you for the response. So far I don't see much difference in the ZJ and Tj or Durango other than IAC Driver #'s being switched around and the addition of the Injector drivers for the additional 4 cylinders. I haven't found a good source for the Durango Pinout. Do you have one? Thanks again.