Say-Bye

I'm posting this here instead of the OEM section because I figure if you asking/answering questions on OEM topics then you're paying someone else to do the work on your XJ.

With that said, I've got a blown motor in a nice XJ I'm wanting to swap with another 4.0. For you guys who have done the swap, what is the easier and/or quicker way to do the job?

Is it better to leave the trans in the jeep and just pull the motor? Or is it easier to pull the motor/trans together and bolt the trans to the motor out of the jeep? I realize there's more prep work to remove both together, but I've read horror stories on folks catching hell trying to unbolt the motor from the bell housing while still in the jeep.

What do y'all suggest?

89Laredo

The guy Ive helped quite a bit always pulls engine only.

jhc7399

You will get some different opinions on this.

When we did mine we did engine only. Wasn't bad, the top two bolts on the tranny to engine can be a bear though. You will need a torx 12 bit. Could be easier if the tranny and engine are on the floor together to get those apart I guess.

Six one way, half dozen the other...

XJwonders

I'm going to put this back in OEM where it belongs

t.mcginley.jr

Just pull the engine by itself. I'm almost always the guy that pulls the engine and trans together, but on this it wasn't that hard at all to do the engine separately.

After all the normal stuff is out of the way (harness, fuel lines, exhaust, intake, accessories, etc.), I hooked the engine up the hoist and started unbolting the bellhousing bolts. The top two torx bolts don't have much clearance at all, so I actually removed the motor mounts and their brackets from the block. Then lower the engine into the bay further with the hoist. This gives you a few inches two get those bolts loose. Obviously make sure to put something under the trans at this point to hold it up.

When reinstalling, again I lowered the engine into the bay without the motor mount brackets attached. Got a few bellhousing bolts in and then put in the top two bolts. I swapped out the torx bolts for regular hex heads. After the top two are tight you can raise it up and put the motor mounts and brackets on and finish bolting it up.

bubbarules1958

Engine only. ^ like he said. Remove the motor mounts and drop the engine to get to the torx bolts.

Say-Bye

Awesome feedback guys thanks for the reply's!

bubbarules1958

Be sure to remove the motor mount brackets with the motor mounts.

cruiser54

ALWAYS loosen the 2 upper bolts first!!!!!!

SteveMongr

I learned that the hard way. When removed last they are in a bind.

cruiser54

And then folks strip the heads.