I am going to be starting an engine swap in my 2000 jeep cherokee. is there a good write up somewhere? The biggest thing i have questions about is how to seperate the engine from the tansmission without taking the torque converter out with the engine.

 

I just did a rebuild on my '00 XJ and can give you a few tips on pulling jsut the engine.
Assuming everything else is unhooked and tied up and out of the way like AC compressor, flex plate un-bolted from torque converter etc.

1. Get a trany jack or floor jack to put under the transmission.
2. get a torx socket set for the top 2 transmission bolts, Size 12 is needed.
3. Completely remove your engine mount to frame bolts
4. Attach your engine hoist to the front AC mount bolt hole
5. Attach your engine hoist to the rear bottom exhaust manifold bolt hole
6. Remove your transmission mount cross member
7. raise your engine up and remove the engine mounts you previously loosened
8. Drop your engine down until it almost rests on the axle.
9. Remove the top 2 transmission bell housing to engine bolts. DON"T REMOVE ANY OTHER TRANY TO ENGINE BOLTS BEFORE YOU GET THESE TWO OUT.
10. Once you have those out raise your engine back up, re-attach your trany cross member and proceed with removing the rest of the bell housing to engine bolts.

Make sure you have everything out of the way and proceed to work the engine forward from the bell housing. I had to get things moving with a small pry bar working first the left then the right. The two attachment guides have a tendency to come off so be sure you do not lose them.

 

what does a flex plate look like?

 

It is what attaches your motors crank shaft to the transmission's torque converter. It is round. about 15" in diameter and has teeth along the outside that the Starter uses to turn your motor over.

 

And what bolts do I take out to detach it from the torque converter?

 

Remove the cover from the bottom side of the bell housing and turn the crank at the harmonic balancer with a wrench while looking in the space you just opened up, you will see the bolts eventually. Remove one, spin the the crank some more and you will see the next one, there are 4 bolts you need to remove.

 

Mark the torque converter and flexplate at one of the bolt locations, it will make it a whole lot easier to get them to match up when you install the new engine.

 

Very true, I forgot about that! I used some red caliper spray paint. When I took the first bolt out I sprayed the plate and inside the nut.

 

thanks guys you are helping so much

 

Hey. so i have decided that i am going to put all new sensors on the engine. What are all the sensors on the engine? and where can i find replacement bolts for the exhaust header and intake manifold?