Installing a V8 in a JEEP!

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mullinax95

mullinax95

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My best friend has a Jeep CJ (I can't remember what year)which has a 4 banger in it. He just bought a 96 Jeep Cherokee Laredo which has a V8 and was asking me what would it take to install the EFI V8 into the Jeep CJ?

The Jeep has big tires and the little 4 banger has just about had enough. My friend would like to have the EFI working on the motor but said if he has to he would carb it. This is going to be a daily driver and he wants the best gas mileage, performance, easy cold start, etc.... that goes along with a EFI engine. He isn't going to tear into the engine. He is just going take the motor out of the Laredo and scrap it.

Well instead of me rambling on I told him I would get online and talk to you about it. I know some on here have installed 5.7 Hemi in our old A-bodies so I thought this would be the first place to start.

He asked me if there is a harness that he could just plug and play and I told him I doubt it... it can't be that easy. LOL

Is it even worth it or should he just carb it??

I appreciate it guys!
 
a friend of mine has an 80's jeep cj that has a 304 out of an older full size AMC jeep put into it and somehow he put ford fuel injection on it. it works very well. I can see why you could'nt put a 318 into it you would have to get the pin out for the vehicle that the fuel injection that the computer and engine are coming out of though
 
I was wondering if the Laredo had a sensor on the rear axle but he said it didn't so that would eliminate the factor of the trans being electronically shifted.... I would think. My 03 Dodge has a sensor on the rear axle for the trans another words.
 
mullinax95 said:
My best friend has a Jeep CJ (I can't remember what year)which has a 4 banger in it. He just bought a 96 Jeep Cherokee Laredo which has a V8 and was asking me what would it take to install the EFI V8 into the Jeep CJ?

The Jeep has big tires and the little 4 banger has just about had enough. My friend would like to have the EFI working on the motor but said if he has to he would carb it. This is going to be a daily driver and he wants the best gas mileage, performance, easy cold start, etc.... that goes along with a EFI engine. He isn't going to tear into the engine. He is just going take the motor out of the Laredo and scrap it.

Well instead of me rambling on I told him I would get online and talk to you about it. I know some on here have installed 5.7 Hemi in our old A-bodies so I thought this would be the first place to start.

He asked me if there is a harness that he could just plug and play and I told him I doubt it... it can't be that easy. LOL

Is it even worth it or should he just carb it??

I appreciate it guys!
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if its a cj ( never had injection) then its a little more then plug and play. gonna need a fuel system and then place all the sensors in place. you'll need to find out what wires go where on the injection. should be able to narrow it down to power, ground and fuel pump.

a friend did it with a straight 6 in his scrambler. got the directions from a jeep web site. can't find it on my computer. though i saved it but i guess i didn't.
 
Thanks Joe!

I think that's his best bet is get on the computer. I'll mention that to him tomorrow.
 
fuel injection is the big sticking point because I put a 318 auto in a wrangler in place of a 4 banger.If he could get a carb setup for the engine, he could just get an electronic ignition conversion kit and install that. As far as mounts go your will have to fab up your own because the only mounts i could find were for chevy conversions.
 
Tell him to rebuild the 4 cylinder. I have a 1944 Willys Mb that I just did an engine rebuild. Here is some pics.

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Its in now but I dont have any pictures. I think its making 70-80 hp and I get about 20 mpg.
 
They do Chevy V-8's into the Jeeps. A Jeep/MoPar engine should be nearly as easy. This I do not know first hand, but the idea and dimentions of the MoPar V8 aren't to far off from the Chevy.

As far as doing the F.I. from the Jeep, I think it a great idea and IMO, (realitivly speaking) shouldn't be to hard once you get the engine/trans etc.... set up.

You'll need to plumb in a FI fuel pump and mount the computer.
 
curts73 said:
fuel injection is the big sticking point because I put a 318 auto in a wrangler in place of a 4 banger.If he could get a carb setup for the engine, he could just get an electronic ignition conversion kit and install that. As far as mounts go your will have to fab up your own because the only mounts i could find were for chevy conversions.
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Chevy only mounts noted.

Evan Pratt said:
Tell him to rebuild the 4 cylinder. I have a 1944 Willys Mb that I just did an engine rebuild. Here is some pics.




.
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Well is wanting something that is going to get the Jeep up and rolling because of the big tire that is on it.

rumblefish360 said:
They do Chevy V-8's into the Jeeps. A Jeep/MoPar engine should be nearly as easy. This I do not know first hand, but the idea and dimentions of the MoPar V8 aren't to far off from the Chevy.

As far as doing the F.I. from the Jeep, I think it a great idea and IMO, (realitivly speaking) shouldn't be to hard once you get the engine/trans etc.... set up.

You'll need to plumb in a FI fuel pump and mount the computer.
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Yeah I'm thinking it would be a nicer vehicle with the electric fans etc... that he is getting off of the Laredo.

This should get that Jeep rolling with the big tire. LOL
 

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Jeep should be friendly to a 318 because Jeep used Torqueflights behind the AMC engines. I think the 4 banger is a GM derivative, so SBC or BBC is not impossible, but WHY! Ive seen 302 Fords in them as well, swaps are commonplace with the off road crowd.

Fuel injection is a must have for off road. Reason is the extreme operating angles tend to mess up carbs. Going carburated would be a serious downgrade.
 
HOLY crap!

All hail the hot rodder!

I'm wondering...nevermind. It allways gets dangerous when I start that shist!
 
The wrangler I had ran 31 inch tires with 4.10 gears .After the engine swap I could run on the highway at 75 on less than half throttle , the 4 banger couldn't get out of its own way going down hill. If fuel injection is a must you could go with the Edelbrock or Holley throttle body kits. With the v8 swap you just need to find a tranny that runs a new process tranfer case so that the original t-case will bolt up .
 
He allready has a FI engine from the donor vehicale.

Not a good choice?
 
Depending on the year CJ, a GM or AMC V8 would make the most sense. As for 4 cylinders there were basically 2 used in CJ's over the years. The F4-134 was used from 53-74 or so (the L4-134 from 41-53, shown above was quite similar). Then in the late 70's Jeep brought back the 4 cyl option and used the GM "Iron Duke" which was basically a 2nd gen Chevy Stovebolt with 2 cylinders sectioned out. Later still Jeep used the AMC 2.5L 4 cyl which was their inline 6 sans 2 cylinders.

4 cyl Jeeps, especially the later ones probably don't have the drivetrain strength to put up with a V8. No big problem, just swap everything and you'll be fine. Novak makes great stuff and their website is a wealth of information, http://www.novak-adapt.com/ Also, there are several Jeep based forums out there http://www.jeepforum.com is a good place to start.

As for injection, unless you plan to use an aftermarket controller like a Megasquirt, a good old Holley 1850 is simple and effective.

Without knowing the respective model years and drivetrain combinations of the Jeeps it's hard to make a recommendation.
 
I have seen them with LS motors or 3G Hemis in them. My grandpas old 40 something Willys Jeep is out in the barn with a V-6 Buick in it. I am very tempted to hit him up about it.
 
Just throwing this out there but he could build a very nice AMC/Chrysler 4.0L I6 that would have more than enough power, cost very little, and swap in with factory parts from an I6 Jeep. I have a 4.0L '93 Cherokee with just a CAI and cat-back exhaust and it is plenty peppy and fun to drive with the 5-speed. I can only imagine what a '99-up ram-tuned intake, bigger exhaust downpipe, and cam upgrade would do. Heck he could just find a low-mileage 4.0L and AX-15 trans in good shape out of a wrecked '91-'96 Wrangler or Cherokee (best years for the 4.0L) and drop it in. FYI those engines also came with SMPI from the factory.
 
You can also put the earlier 258 crank in a 4.0 and end up with a 4.6. KB even makes pistons for this swap.
 
I believe he is well on his way now. He became a member on a JEEP forum and they are helping him out over there.

I have relayed all the info you have gave to him. He said to tell you guys thanks for all your help!
 
Novak makes CJ to Mopar motor mounts, and so do a few smaller 4x4 fabricators: http://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/engine_mounts/mmx-nd1.htm

GM swaps are typically easy, but the Ford small block family may actually be the easiest, as the AMC engines are typically bolted to Ford transmissions and use a Ford bellhousing. My '76 CJ-5 has a factory AMC 304 V8 and a T-150 three-speed manual, which is a Ford Tremec transmission.
 
urchinhead said:
Novak makes CJ to Mopar motor mounts, and so do a few smaller 4x4 fabricators: http://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/engine_mounts/mmx-nd1.htm

GM swaps are typically easy, but the Ford small block family may actually be the easiest, as the AMC engines are typically bolted to Ford transmissions and use a Ford bellhousing. My '76 CJ-5 has a factory AMC 304 V8 and a T-150 three-speed manual, which is a Ford Tremec transmission.
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Oh man thanks a bunch. He will appreciate that!

I have email him the link and info.
 
If he's got the 96 GC whole, swap the engine and tranny together. Make damn sure to also get the ENTIRE wiring harness with the PCM. That is the same 5.2 (318) and 46RE tranny that was in the Rams and Daks then.
 
My buddy has a GC with the 4.0 in it and he's been trying to get rid of it. It still runs and drives. Just been wrecked on the drivers side.
 
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