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.

for most X motor into X vehicle swaps the amount of information required to tell you what to do can easily turn into a 15+ page thread of its own. do you just expect someone to write one for you here on the spot? if you can't find a thread about it, then there probably isn't anyone else who knows more than you about it at this point. if you can't find anything and wanna be a pioneer go for it, but a lot of people who know what they're talking about seem to think it's a bad idea.

Simplicity ......30 plus years experience ....http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...031%7CL3*16033

I agree with Freegdr, just get a rebuilt engine and be done.

I have swapped over 300 engines in the last 30 years, and over 20 of them were non OEM swaps....and all of them required time, patience, and resources that you don't have. Custom engine/transmission swaps are only worth it when your getting paid to do it.

x2...

Look in to a chevy small block swap or get a rebuilt 4.0 for it.

Damn really? Thought Id gain hp and mpgs. Im looking for something better then the 4.0 as I feel its under powered.

Iv considered a Cummins swap cuz I personally dont care for chevy but not ruling it out yet. What is needed suspension wise to stay at 4.5-5.5 of lift with a v8?

STOP IT! You're not going to do any kind of swap successfully, your just mentally mastaurbating and asking silly questions. If you really want to do a swap, do your own f#cking research, instead of being lazy and picking the brain of everybody here. The folks that have done crazy engine swaps are telling you to not do it, it will cost a lot of time and money for little gain. If you start this swap, the Jeep will be on craigslist within a year with no engine in it, no wiring harness, an engine out of God knows what sitting next to it, and an interoir that smells of cat piss. That is the future of your XJ.

Slow down - you're entitled to your opinion, but don't nuke the guy with a flamethrower. Everyone has to start somewhere and ask some questions. I did the same thing 3 years ago when I lost my transmission in my Ranger. Now I have a 350hp Trick Flow powered monster.

I'm not saying don't do it, but look at the practical use of the vehicle. As a DD I'd keep the 4.0L - as a weekender or toy, swap something in.

Just look at the questions, he has no clue of what it's gonna take to do any kind of swap.

If you feel the 4.0 is underpowered, do a stroker. As the other guys have said, swaps are a PITA, and the one that you're considering just isn't worth the time and effort.

i know this sounds crazy.... but maybe you could put the motor in and see if it drops your front end, then compensate for it from there.

insane? yes. but it might work

wait a minute....that sounds like logic. :blink:

i'm guilty of this too, i just try not to do it in front of other people. lol

This thread has turned into some serious entertainment...keep up the good work.


P.S. Bustedback..........you made my day! LOL, almost spit coffee through my nose on your first post in here....

You have a point I just might do that. Thinking of getting another XJ from a friend of mine till I can get mine built exactly how I want it.

Chevy v8 most supported swap...http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-a...w=1466&bih=784

Reading up to this point I have not seen anything about gearing. Could that be why he's underpowered?

i don't understand the "underpowered" talk either.

either your 4.0 is toast or you're geared wrong. my 100% stock cherokee is faster to 40 or 50 than my lightly modded civic si was. no shortage of power/torque from a well maintained 4.0

Yea if he's geared wrong then the V6 swap is gonna make it into even more of a slug.
I've driven v6 stock Dakota's long distances and they are not any better than a stock XJ. Actually worse. This makes no sense to me.

3.55 gears on 235/75/15s cant even skip the tires on it

Very possible the motor has been toast for a while

That sucks they are quite peppy around town

have you checked compression?

Not yet auto parts store wont let my rent one they only sell them