Cleman Simpson

Hi, I have an 04 Cherokee I building up for a hunting rig and play toy. I also have an 07 dodge charger police car with an interceptor high performance 5.7 hemi engine. I am wondering if anyone has attempted to put a hemi in a Cherokee and if it will bolt up to the jeep transmission?

dave1123

Welcome to CF!

First of all an 04 is not a Cherokee, it's a Grand Cherokee. Yes it will physically fit, but getting it street legal is an electronic nightmare! The modules are so integrated I doubt you'd get it to function without a total reprogram, writing code with a laptop. Do you still have all the electronics from the 07? If not, good luck!

Cleman Simpson

I have the complete police interceptor charger still in running and driving condition. The charger trans is getting a little shady and the oil pressure relief valve on the oil pump is sticking. My general plan if I decide to undertake this is to strip everything I need out of the charger body, overhaul the 5.7 engine, and bolt it all into the jeep. I just need to know if the 5.7 will bolt up to the jeep tranny bell housing.

SteveMongr

Try Novak-Adapters. May want to call their tech department to discuss your plan and get their ideas. https://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/...-transmission/

Cleman Simpson

Thanks for the link Steve, God Bless

Cleman Simpson

FedEx showed up with my four new 245-70-16 all terrain tires so I got them mounted and installed a little while ago. The GC had 225 75 16 tires on it, none matching, and the new tires made a huge difference in the driving plus added some ground clearance. A 3 inch lift is still on the table but will have to wait until after deer season. I finished repairing the leaky gas tank a fee days ago and reinstalled it. Put on a new steering damper and found that my top bolts on the front shocks are loose. That is next to fix after I rest up a while. Got all the lights working it should pass inspection now except that the transmission shifter cable is out of adjustment and I have no park position, have to start it in neutral. Looks like most of my camber problem is in loose front wheel bearings, need to repack or replace them and adjust. The 4.0 engine runs great so I'm going to leave it in the jeep for another year or two.

dave1123

The hub bearings are sealed units. 3 bolts and the axle nut. Be aware those 3 bolts require a 12-point socket.

BTW, all you gained in ground clearance was 2.75mm. 225X.75=168.75....245X.70=171.5

They just look bigger because they're wider. I have the same on my WJ. Cooper Discoverer AT3 245/70R16

Cleman Simpson

Thanks for the heads up on the bolts and socket. I didn't get an owners manual with the GC when I bought it, does anybody know right offhand what grease the differentials and transfer case use? I want to drain them and refill with new lube before hunting season starts. I got the front shocks fixed and what started as a death wobble nightmare now drives perfect. new tires, balance, new damper, repair loose shocks.

dave1123

As far as differentials go, I use 75W-140 Synthetic in mine because of driving in cold weather with heavy loads. 75W-90 is normal for the front while straight 90W is for the rear.

Transfer cases take different fluids. Selectrac uses ATF+4 while Quadratrac uses a special fluid.

Haynes Repair Manual will give you the basics for your jeep while an in depth Full Service Manual can be downloaded from pacificcoastmanuals.com for 7.99+tax. It's about the best there is available. Also visit wjjeeps.com for other stuff.

I just noticed you didn't say if you had a 4.0 or 4.7 in that WJ. It makes a difference with the transmission. The 5.7 will not bolt up to a 42re from the 4.0.

andrewmp6

Unless you can weld and make your own swap parts and enjoy a wiring headache i say no.

Cleman Simpson

The engine in the jeep is an inline six 4.0. I told my wife we ought to pull all of the driveline out of the 04 Laredo and put it in her 2015 Chrerokee Latitude, :OL, she wasn't too impressed with that suggestion... I had bought a 2011 2 door v-6wrangler 4x4 new off the lot for her daily driver and for me to use during hunting season but she has degenerative arthritis in her spine and the wrangler was beating the heck out of her with its rough ride, so I traded it in for the baby Cherokee. I miss it s lot as I had already installed a winch and good off road mud tires. Hopefully this 04 GC Laredo will be as good as it was for my hunting needs

Thanks Dave for the fluid info and the links, God bless, Rev. Cleman Simpson

Cleman Simpson

Another question or two. The 04 GC has an extra button on the left side of the trans shifter. On my 20011 Wrangler I had a console button which engaged hill descent speed control when in low range 4x4 mode. Is this button a similar feature on the Grand Cherokee? Also how do I tell what transfer case I have? The transfer case is on the rear of the tranny with front drive shaft on drivers side. And how in the heck do you release the transmission shifter cable adjustment lock?

JeepCares

Hi Cleman Simpson,

You can download an owner's manual for your Jeep here: http://www.jeep.com/en/owners/manuals/. Just select your year/model and you're good to go!

Andrea
Jeep Social Care Specialist

dave1123

That shifter button is the O/D (4th gear) lockout. It's for use mainly under heavy loads to lessen heat buildup in the trans. There should be an indicator light on the instrument cluster to tell you when it's locked out.

For hill decent, I just downshift the trans. 2nd gear also works great for school zones to keep the speed more stable and constant. Or first if you're under 20.

If your transfer case shift pattern is 4hi,N,4lo, you've got the np247 Quardatrac full-time 4wd. If it 2wd,4wd part time, 4wd full time, N, 4lo you've got the np242 Selectrac. Selectrac is the most common T/C with a 4.0.

I've never adjusted a jeep's trans throttle cable, but I hear it's similar to GM which I've done many times. On those there is a D-shaped button on top of the cable mount by the throttle body. Press the button and the cable will retract. Release the button, then open the throttle fully. The cable will ratchet out to it's proper setting.

Actually, all the Owner's Manual tells you is how to operate the systems your jeep came with and not much else other than recommended oil weights for different climates and stuff like that. I found mine in a junkyard and was disappointed with it.

Cleman Simpson

Thanks Dave, you are a gold mine of information. By your description I obviously have the selectrac transfer case, so now I know what I need for case lube. I downloaded the owners manual a while ago but can't get it to open properly on this frigging laptop. I've always used lower gears for speed control on my dodge 4x4 pickups I've owned over the years. Never really understood the need for that speed control button in my wrangler but I did use it on occasion when creeping down logging roads with no throttle applied.

Well work halts today on the GC Laredo for a while. I check into the hospital tomorrow morning for surgery on my right leg and not sure how long the recovery is going to take. They replaced the main artery in that leg last year with three feet of fuel line (probably from an old jeep), and it has developed either a blood clot or scar tissue at one end. That episode also cost me the big toe off of that foot. I hope they don't have to replace it that was a long painful recovery last time. That is why I need the off road vehicles, I can't walk very far at all even when the fuel line in my leg is working. On the bright side the GC passed state inspection with no further work at all this morning.