Hey guys.

I have recently purchased a roller 1997 1500 with the 5.9L tucked between the framerails. It's decently high mileage (175k miles/280k km). The motor and wiring harness will be removed from the truck, and the rest will be sold off to make back some money.

I will be checking the plenum gasket and determining if I will be going with the Hughes aluminum plate kit. Other than a tune-up like plugs/cap/rotor/wires/etc, what are weak spots I should be checking in the motor? I'm just trying to see what I'm missing. I will replace the waterpump and 'stat, valve cover gaskets, and likely replace the timing chain (from what I understand, these chains don't last too long). Beyond that, what else?

Also, I would like to know what little things can help bring up the power in these motors. I have little choice on headers, unfortunately. I have purchased shorty center-dump headers with a 2.5" collector, and to go bigger would cause problems packaging-wise. With only 245hp, it's certainly not the most efficient motor..

Nonetheless, this motor will be going into my Jeep Cherokee! The 4.0L inline-six in it just doesn't have the grunt anymore to be pushing the one ton high-pinion Dana 60, rear GM 14 bolt, and 37"+ tires down the highway without screaming.

I will be reusing my AX-15 transmission with a RAM 2500 flywheel/clutch and the Dakota 3.9L V6 AX-15 bellhousing. Will have to make my own motor mounts. The auto PCM will have to do just so I know it runs, and then I'll have to grab a manual PCM.

So, what weak spots and parts would you recommend I check while the motor is out of the vehicle and easy to service? Thanks guys!

Included a pic of the Jeep, 'cause everything is worthless without pics.

 

Cool project. If you're using the computer that came with the engine to control it, you can get good power just from a tune. Hemifever is a member who specializes in tunes and can give you more information on that.

The other thing I might throw out there is that the Cherokee weighs a lot less than the truck, and that big V8 will move it around with ease.

Outside of the tune, exhaust and free flowing intake...you're gonna have to go internally for more power. Compression and cam are the easiest, but if you're going that deep you may want a set of after market stock replacement heads too since the stock ones are prone to cracking and may already be cracked.

 

How do you keep those axles happy under the Unibody? Same will and can be said of when the V8 goes in. Metal kind of thin.

 

that ax 15 is gonna get shredded, your gonna want to get a nv3500.

 

Even the nv3500 won't really like being behind that 360, especially with those big tires on the other end.....

What gear ratio ya got in your axles?

 

Welcome to DF Andrew! Nice rig. You seem to have kept it clean and I love the mods you've done. I'm going to assume you've done your underbody protection and slider integration of some kind to the unibody.

Agreed with Sooper that the stock form of the 97 Magnum (OBD2) will work that heep very well. Fair to say that fully loaded for a trail you are pushing high 4500 lbs??

To get an idea of potential, what kind of budget are you allotting for this swap? This would help with some targeting.

I concur that the ax15 will take a dump in the short term, however, can't say what your driving style is like...

Axle gear ratio would help to understand your package.

Not sure what kind of terrain you typically drive, but going by your first picture appear throttle happy. If you do slow crawl stuff, then I can tell you that the throttle response on the keg, imo, sucks. It tends to lurk, however, you might avoid all that with deep enough gearing. Adding a hand lever would be very useful for the cheaper route.

Your location btw?



Edit: Do a compression/leak check first!!!

 

+1 on the comp test before the motor goes in. Just a thought what do Jeeps put out for fuel pump psi? these motors need 49psi.

 

Running pressure is usually in the low 30's on em...i believe around 31 to 33..not quite enough...

A comment on the ax15....if the 360 isnt upgraded for higher hp and your driving style is to crawl over everything instead of rod it over it than it may give you a fair amount of time before an upgrade is needed...its the only trans in the jeep line up that can handle any motor swap... However a guy should be saving pennies for a stronger one as suggested.

 

I'll try to answer all your questions, thank you very much for the feedback.

Also, from what I understand, the M1 intake actually reduces low end power. Sort of the reverse of what I want. So I guess I'll stay "stock" there unless there's a good argument?
That's what I'm afraid of.. the heads. While the motor is out I guess it only makes sense to check them over. Are they usually visually cracked or would you recommend getting them 'fluxed?
I'll have to send Hemifever a PM later this week, thank you.

The axles are one ton, so they're fine. The frame rails (yes they are frame rails, don't start!) have been plated with 3/16" from the leaf spring box hangers all the way to the front bumper mounts. The rear end of the frame rails near the leaf springs will be 1/8", I haven't got around to that just yet.
The inside rail has been plated with some 1/8", mostly for the upper link mount and tranny crossmember mounts, but will get extended.
The entire engine bay (where necessary, anyway), will get plated with 1/8" after I cut off the motor mounts and flatten the pinch seams.


I have a line on one from a wrecker. I was hoping it would last longer, but I guess the nv3500 has increased priority on my list now.

I have 4:1 reduction in the Dana 300 transfercase, and 5.13:1 axle ratios in the 60/14b. I wish I had done 5.38 but that's a big investment to regear just for that.

Thank you wh1t3nukle! It's a little less clean now, I bumped a couple trees and logs semi-recently. Pay to play, I guess.
The belly is flat so it's kept everything out of the way thus far, as I've been waiting to buy a sheet of 3/16" to make a skid out of. The belly is so flat I could literally place the sheet up to the rails and basically weld it on haha.
Sliders are in this iteration of the build as well. I hadn't wanted to cut out my perfectly healthy nonrusted rockers yet, so I waited to dent them. Now I will cut the rockers out and replace them with 3/16" box tube. Very common XJ mod. Sliders with absolutely no loss in clearance.

Definitely high 4,500lbs. Possibly, if not probably, nearer to 5,000lbs. Those are heavy axles and tires.

I wish I could be more clear about my budget. I am back in school, so I am vaguely limited. Beyond the purchase of the truck, I am expecting to put in another $1,000 to $1,500 to replace what's necessary in the motor. That discounts fuel lines, gauges, etc, because juust about everything interfaces with the Jeep and can be reused.

British Columbia terrain can be very slippery. Not mud, per se, but let's just say it's nearly inevitable you'll be crossing some muddy terrain, as our wheeling is in forestry and mountains - no ORV parks here. I am from the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada, in the GVRD area.

My RPMs are usually at a healthy level even when crawling, from the t-case reduction, but just, low end responsiveness would be nice... But absolutely, I definitely hit the high notes with regularity. I like crawling, but once in a while you've gotta put your foot in it to keep things interesting.

Definitely will compression test, I forgot to mention that. I was going to before I bought it, but I figured I'd just cross that road later if it blows low.

Close but not quite. That's the running pressure of early gen XJs. Late gen XJs run at 49PSI. It's precisely one of the reasons this swap is so nice. The gauges will work, the PCM will interact, tach even works, cruise works, fuel pressure is the same, and the wiring harnesses are relatively similar, so splicing will be more intuitive. Some wires are crossed, such as the IAC plug, however. So you have to keep your eyes wide open while you wire.

Thanks guys!

 

M1 Two Barrel won't thump your bottom end much. If you put in a better cam, you won't notice any loss at all. It also breathes MUCH better than the kegger.

Gears are nice and deep. Good. The 3500 MIGHT survive for a while there, but, I would still see if you can find a 4500. (5600?? )

May also wanna check around.... Didn't the Jeeps COME with a 5.9/5.2 at some point? I should think that most of the stuff you need to drop yours in would be readily available if that's the case.