props to doing it all solo. I had a helper the whole time , one to guide me onto the bolts etc.

 

Thanks Timmy. Yeah, I didn't realize how out of practice I was. It's been almost 10 years since I pulled a motor....and the last one was a 454 out an old Chevy truck.....AND I too had my best bud helping me that time.

I took last night off from working on the Jeep. I did go buy the new regular six point hex head bolts to replace those POS torx tip bolts for when I install the good motor into the new Jeep. I also bought a set of longer bolts that same size to bolt the bad motor to the engine stand. I went to a function last night at my daughter's school after that. I will be back at it tonight though. Tonight should be the big night. Right now the only thing holding that bad motor in the Jeep is the bottom two bellhousing bolts finger tight and the motor mount bolts through the mounts with the nuts already removed.

 

Well, today was the big day. Everything fell into place and worked exactly as planned. I was working out in the rain for about an hour of it but my plan worked fine. I did the whole thing by myself except for removing the torque converter from the flywheel. That was a bit of a chore with the motor being seized so my son helped me with that. The idea of putting the extended bolts in the cross member didnt work so I ended up just pulling them out and dropping the tranny down on my floor jack. I put a bottle jack under the bellhousing, then removed the last two bellhousing bolts. Then removed the motor mount bolts. The motor jacked right up with the Cherry Picker. It went just as smooth as could be. I had to get the torque converter off to be able to bolt the motor to the engine stand so I so I did that first thing after getting the motor clear of the Jeep.

 

Well it looks like I got the pics a little out of order. I have the one here with the torque converter still on right after I got the motor out of the Jeep and you all saw the pic with the torque converter removed in the last bunch. I took a close up of that GD grounding strap. Of all the things I could have forgotten to remove before pulling the engine out of the Jeep I forget that BIG grounding strap right on the top of the motor. No big deal. I caught it before it became an issue. a few seconds with an 18mm socket and it was off. Everytime I touched the motor it would puke antifreeze out the bottom spout of the water pump. I didn't want that all over my garage floor and I was planning on removing it for the trail spare bin, so I went ahead and did that as soon as I got the engine on the engine stand.

 

Here are the last of the pictures. Well I'm really screwing away this picture thing. here is a repeat of the grounding strap. I had to take the pic of the engine on the stand all safe and sound in the corner of the garage. The other two pics are the nasty old cheesey bolts that were holding the engine and the transmission together. Then there is the new grade 8 normal regular 6 point hex head flange bolts that will be holding the new engine and the transmission together from now on.

 

Oh, I forgot. I had to take a picture of the Jeep from the side after I pulled the engine out so you all can get a little preview of what the Jeep will look like once I get my lift put on it.

Tomorrow begins the next step of pulling the good motor out of my old Jeep and getting it put into the new Jeep.

 

Good morning, guys. I am feeling pretty good today. Getting that out old junker motor out of my new Jeep was my first major milestone in Project Great White. Of course having the good motor in it and having it running good and driveable will be the first true success. I'm pretty excited about being able to drive that pretty new Jeep down the road. Then, of course will begin the part of the build actually turning this puny little white stocker Jeep into Great White. Today I will drive my old Jeep out of it's spot along side the garage and into the driveway to begin pulling the motor out of it. I was planning to do a bunch of cleaning and scrubbing on that motor before putting it into the new Jeep but, I figured why? Just a bunch of wasted time as it will be covered in mud again soon enough. I am going to put a new intake/exhaust gasket and valve cover gasket on it. That's pretty much it. The valve cover from the 96 4.0 is actually pretty cool. The screws all have these cool rubber donuts that go into the screw holes and seal them. The gasket was pretty cool too. It is heavy rubber with these steel inserts the go around studs in the rocker area to hold it in the proper position. The thing appeared to be leaking like a sive. With this cool new design I can't imagine why. Maybe just not properly torqued.

Anyhoo, the next group of pictures you all see should be of the good motor coming out of the old retired Jeep.

 

Nice work on that extraction.

Rookie question:
Is the front clip on an XJ enough of a ***** to take on/off that it's not worth the time when pulling a motor or say swapping out a serp belt? It seems to me like you'd gain a whole lot of working room...

 

I just did a little "Wheeling N Dealing" on E-bay. I just picked up a set of Rough Country 2" lift shackles for $45.00 and a set of Rough Country shackle relocation brackets for $115.00. I don't really think I got much of a savings but they are both brand new in the box. Now with the 4.5" lift rear leaf springs that are on my old Jeep, Great White will have a full 8" lift that will probably settle to 7" since my leafs are pretty worn. So, that's the story of the rear. (shackle relocators) 1.5" + (shackles) 2" + (well worn springs) 4.5"= about 7"......which is exactly where I want to be for 35" tires.

 

I've had most of my front clip removed from my Jeep before. It does take some time especially if you have an aftermarket winch or battle type of bumper mounted on your Jeep. Possibly worth taking the time to remove especially if your Jeep is lifted very high. With this stocker Jeep it was low enough to not have to mess with it. I wouldn't take it off for a serpantine belt change. Removing the mechanical fan and shroud gives you plenty of space to swap the belt. I've even done it without removing the fan before. You just have to fight with it a little more.

 

Subscribed, i wanna see where this one goes.

 

Today was a little bit of a sad day in Buck's driveway. I pulled my old Jeep up into the driveway, nose to nose, with the new Jeep. Then I took a couple of last pictures of the motor in my old Jeep before I started tearing it out. I really got quite a bit acconmplished. I should be ready to pull the motor out of the old Jeep and put it into the new Jeep tomorrow. Once I get it all stripped down to the bare block and head, I'm going to scrub it up as best I can. Then I will pull it out and get it 4 pointed in the new Jeep. Then I will start the task of getting everything hooked up and bolted together in the new Jeep.

 

Looking good buck!

 

Well, guys I know I predicted the motor would be out today but I had to close the hood and go inside for almost three hours today. GD rain and wind blowing was too wet and cold for this guy. Sucks to have to be doing this outside in the driveway but I only have space for one Jeep in my garage. I did get everything completely disconnected from the motor. I even had enough daylight to clean it up with a wire brush a little bit. Here are the latest pics of the good motor already to be pulled out of the old Jeep and dropped into the new Jeep. Check out that driver's side motor mount in the old Jeep. LOL....there is nothing left of it!! Good thing for me both of the motor mounts in the new Jeep are in primo shape. They look brand new. This old motor has a lot more dirt and grime on it than the one I pulled out of the new Jeep but this motor still runs like a scalded Jackelope!!!!! That other motor had a lot more oil on it leaking out of everywhere!!

 

Tomorrow I will start off by dropping the bombproof JCR Offroad belly skid plate off of my old Jeep. This thing and I have some history. I broke my thumb while installing it on my old Jeep....LOL. That thing has served me well since I put it on, though. I no longer sweat sliding over anything anymore. That thing has a lot of paint scrathed off of it but, my tranny and transfercase are completely safe from any trail crud, now. Anyhoo, that thing will be coming off so I can drop the tranny down and remove the two imfamous torx tip bellhousing bolts. I dont really need to give this motor a better departcher angle because the torque converter bolts will be removed on this one while the motor is still in the Jeep. Can't wait to have this motor in the new Jeep. At least mounted in it so I will be back inside the garage working and I will just be "hooking everything up" away from the new Jeep being driveable.