Dodge V6 engine and 5speed trans swap in 89 XJ
 

If you have seen my post about sucking up water into my 4.0 its evident I need a new motor as I cant rebuild mine again (po bored it and did a valve job). I have always liked the 3.9L v6 with the 5speed 4x4 set up. Figure I need a donor Dodge Dakota or Ram 1500 but what all do I need to snatch and what all will need to be done to the XJ to make it work?

If you have to ask, you're not ready to do that kind of work.

Why cant you actually give advice instead of just saying forget about it? I need to know about engine fitment and trans fitment as well as how to redesign the cooling system. Ik I need the pcm and all the electronics but what am I missing? Never done a swap like this and would like HELPFUL input on the best way to go about doing it.

By the time you do all the conversions and rigging rebuilt motor seems easier way to go. I think 1,500 get a rebuilt motor from autozone/advanced its ATK very well known.jm2cw. ya you can get a used motor but you never know what its been thru.

True but Iv had bad luck with getting motors from the parts store

I have never done a v6 in a Cherokee, but I did do a 5.8L SEFI in a Early Bronco - What you should look to grab is the PCM, Harnesses, -there were mulitple when I did my swap, all the sensors, engine, injectors , coil, distributor,etc.. grab all the front end accessories ac compressor, ps pump fan etc, even if you don't use it all. Also grab the ac lines, condenser, coolant overflow bottle, etc. even if you don't use all the stuff at least you'll have them . You might also want to grab things like the PCM hold down/ mounting case- if they have one, distributor boot cover, plug wires, and any extra mounting brackets. I am not sure if the motor mounts can be adapted to work in an XJ but maybe grab those as well! Good luck!

Because everyone who asks a vague "I want to put x engine in x car, tell me what I need to do"
A. Doesn't have the patience to find info on their own, which means not enough patience to do a complete custom job like this.
B. Is unable to problem solve which is a requirement of doing a job like this.
C. Wont do it anyway especially if they get serious responses on how to do it because then they learn that when you put an engine in that didn't come with the car, it's a lot of work.

I did want to mention, if you are going through the trouble of an engine swap, it might be a lot cooler to toss in a v8 vs. a v6, more power, more fun!! Gen 1-2 Chevy small block or Gen 3 GM V8?

I know it will be alot of mods to make it work and even if I dont do it right now Ill do it when I have all the extra time and money to do it. Besides the v6 Im looking at doing is a pretty decent motor right out of the factory and sounds awesome.

Get everything you possibly can. Guage wiring, pcm, transmission sensors, air bag wiring, etc.What your goal should be is having a Cherokee "shell" and complete running gear from the donor. Electronics can be spliced and traced, but getting that check engine light to go off can be fun to trace down. That comes after the fabrication is done to get the drivetrain in. but one problem I see is your transmission choice. Will the shifter fit in the console? Will the linkage and clutch pedals work? Can you move/mount the crossmember? Does the engine mount sit in the right spot? Find a wrecked one in the junkyard and measure everything 4 times.

Shifter should work if I cut a hole in the floor for it. Iirc guys with 5speed XJs use the ax15 out of the Dakota as an upgrade from the crappy 5speed that came stock. Is there anyway I can get the pcm programmed so I dont need to have O2 sensors in place or is it like the XJ in using the O2s for the fuel/air mix?

Btw good way to put it as havin the XJ as a shell. Any suggestions for the cooling system?

If you are adamant about swapping in a non-stock motor.....get one that has the aftermarket support inplace to support what you are trying to do.

Take a quick tour around the WWW via google, bing, or yahoo and report what you find in the way of parts, kits, or conversion info on on a Mopar V6 Swap into an. See ya in 10...9....8.....


After that's done, consider the fab work involved in creating your own engine mounts, cross member, etc.

Cooling a V6 is no more difficult than cooling an inline 6.

How about instrumentation?
Considered emissions yet?

Run a cooling system.



You're NEVER going to do this swap, so just stop the insanity and endless stupid questions.

isn't the ax15 the trans that comes in 5 speed cherokees anyways? You seem to want to put alot of work into fitting a motor that isn't going to gain you anything. 1500 dollars is going to be cheaper then all the money that this swap is going to nickel and dime you. You're going to gain 5 horsepower, lose 10lbft of torque, and lose 3 mpg. looks like a lose lose situation to me.