1990 Cherokee 2dr 2wd-5.3L LSx Twin Turbo Build -PIC HEAVY-
02-10-2014, 09:25 PM
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1990 Cherokee 2dr 2wd-5.3L LSx Twin Turbo Build -PIC HEAVY-
Hi guys, new to the forum. I hadn't planned on posting my build here in fear of Jeep guys disrespecting the fact that this is a 2wd build. But I'm bored and figure I'll give it a shot. A lot of this is copy/pasted from the forum I typically frequent (TheTurboForums.com), so bear with me if there are any references you guys may not understand.
I purchased it last year. It's a rust bucket. I had been looking for a 4.0L, 5 speed, 2door, 2wd Cherokee for a couple years, and I finally found this heap of **** on Craigslist about 2 miles down the road from me. It had been sitting and was currently owned by wasps. Gave the guy the money ($700), jumped in and drove it home, parked it, went to Walmart, purchased wasp killer, had no mercy.
Daily drove it for a month. I wanted the injected 4.0 and 5 speed for my 1979 AMC Concord, so I was kind of killing 2 birds with 1 stone by getting it.
On with the Jeep: Started by gutting it, replacing the floor pans, rockers, and touching up some rust on the rest of the body. I'll finish the rest of the body and paint it once everything mechanical is done. I yanked the engine/trans out Saturday night (1/25/14) and powerwashed the bay Sunday.
As for the power plant: I've had this 5.3 laying around for about 6 months. It was originally going in the Concord but then I found this Jeep. Its a 2000 LM7. Bone stock unopened short block. 862's. Supposedly had 92k on it but junkyards lie. Who knows. I put in a LS3 cam, springs, and pushrods out of my buddy's 09 Vette that I got for almost free. It's still 24x and I'm not using a cam sensor. 80lb/hr Siemens Deka injectors in the stock truck intake (revised). Two inline Walbro 255's from a sumped stock tank. Microsquirt with a Denmah tune preloaded to get me close.
Novak Adapters bolt in LS XJ Mounts, and I'm having a th400 built as we speak. Stock Dana 35 with 3.08's for now. If and when it dies it will most likely get an Explorer 8.8 with discs.
I picked up a pair of chinese 54mm compressor t3's off ebay. The look decent for the $ so I'm going to give them a shot. I was originally going to do a 76mm GT45 from VSRacing, but the way the engine bay is shaped on this thing, it will be easier to do 2 smaller units than 1 large one.
Here's a few pics for now. I'll keep updating as I get to work on it. Work has been really busy recently so I've had to resort to just weekends lately. When we slow down I get to work on it on the clock.
I purchased it last year. It's a rust bucket. I had been looking for a 4.0L, 5 speed, 2door, 2wd Cherokee for a couple years, and I finally found this heap of **** on Craigslist about 2 miles down the road from me. It had been sitting and was currently owned by wasps. Gave the guy the money ($700), jumped in and drove it home, parked it, went to Walmart, purchased wasp killer, had no mercy.
Daily drove it for a month. I wanted the injected 4.0 and 5 speed for my 1979 AMC Concord, so I was kind of killing 2 birds with 1 stone by getting it.
On with the Jeep: Started by gutting it, replacing the floor pans, rockers, and touching up some rust on the rest of the body. I'll finish the rest of the body and paint it once everything mechanical is done. I yanked the engine/trans out Saturday night (1/25/14) and powerwashed the bay Sunday.
As for the power plant: I've had this 5.3 laying around for about 6 months. It was originally going in the Concord but then I found this Jeep. Its a 2000 LM7. Bone stock unopened short block. 862's. Supposedly had 92k on it but junkyards lie. Who knows. I put in a LS3 cam, springs, and pushrods out of my buddy's 09 Vette that I got for almost free. It's still 24x and I'm not using a cam sensor. 80lb/hr Siemens Deka injectors in the stock truck intake (revised). Two inline Walbro 255's from a sumped stock tank. Microsquirt with a Denmah tune preloaded to get me close.
Novak Adapters bolt in LS XJ Mounts, and I'm having a th400 built as we speak. Stock Dana 35 with 3.08's for now. If and when it dies it will most likely get an Explorer 8.8 with discs.
I picked up a pair of chinese 54mm compressor t3's off ebay. The look decent for the $ so I'm going to give them a shot. I was originally going to do a 76mm GT45 from VSRacing, but the way the engine bay is shaped on this thing, it will be easier to do 2 smaller units than 1 large one.
Here's a few pics for now. I'll keep updating as I get to work on it. Work has been really busy recently so I've had to resort to just weekends lately. When we slow down I get to work on it on the clock.
02-10-2014, 09:26 PM
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(2/3/14) Some progress this week. Got the bay cleaned up some more and painted. Got the Novak swap mounts in (these things are freakin NICE!). Got the engine dropped in today and started modifying the truck manifolds to fit. Gonna need a big cowl to clear the truck intake! lol Here's some pics
02-10-2014, 09:26 PM
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(2/6/14) Got a little more done the past couple days. Got both exhaust manifolds modified and got the passenger side hotside done and turbo mounted. Hoping to get the driver's side one done tomorrow if work is slow again.
02-10-2014, 09:27 PM
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(2/7/14) Got the other side done yesterday. Both are mounted up. Next step will be to pull the engine back out, weld in the oil pan drains, and replace all the gaskets. Then she will go back in for good.
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02-12-2014, 06:24 PM
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Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Don't know if you thought of where to put the ecu/PCM/ect at but over on naxja a guy is a doing a 6.0l swap and he's placing them under the rear seats(where those spaces for the lift jack and such are) figured I'd give ya an idea if you wanted to try and keep the engine bay clean
02-12-2014, 06:35 PM
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Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Any plans on beefing the unibody? Looks like fun, but my 2 door is literally ripping apart with the anemic renix and mild weekend mall crawling...
02-12-2014, 06:50 PM
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Don't know if you thought of where to put the ecu/PCM/ect at but over on naxja a guy is a doing a 6.0l swap and he's placing them under the rear seats(where those spaces for the lift jack and such are) figured I'd give ya an idea if you wanted to try and keep the engine bay clean
'm actually building a recessed battery box to mount the battery right under the passenger side of the rear seat. The floor is completely gone there anyways so i have alot of fabbing to do to begin with.lol
But thanks for the insight.
02-12-2014, 06:55 PM
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It will eventually get a small cage since the overall goal for this is to be a DD this year, but eventually a weekend cruiser/standing mile truck (and maybe a trip to Bonneville too), so ill tie the rest of it together when i have the cage done.
