Finally! Get to start on this project.

Its been awhile, but I got a week off of work and I'm ready to start and finish within this week. Just gotta keep on schedule knock on wood!

I will be pulling the motor as well as the transmission because it's just a couple motor mounds and it makes it Much easier to install parts onto the motor too.

*Im not making this specifically a DIY, but a guide for someone whose looking to do it, and other for viewing pleasure. I'm saying this because I know I'll forget lots of things to post, but this should give someone the idea of what a job like this takes. Lots of pictures will be included.

I started today at around 4 o'clock to just do some minor things that sometimes are a pain. I got the front driveshalft pulled, and the exhaust from the flanges to the muffler off. My cat is really rattlely, and probably needs to be replaces, but currently that's not In the budget, nor the focus. My flange bolts all came off, no cutting required, guess I got lucky, make sure you pull the plug for the o2 sensor.

I had to back out the truck without the exhaust hooked up and man is it loud and sounds like **** right out the manifolds. Funny tho, cause the CEL never came on even though there's no o2 sensor plugged in.

Front dive shaft is 8 bolts. Easy stuff. Has to come out if your going to remove the exhaust like I did.

Pictures from today:

Just showing the exhaust/cat as well as the front driveshaft.

 

Day 2:

Oh geez, what a mess I made. I got the transmission out, short and sweet to the point.
Pulled the inspection plate, removed the 4 torque converter bolts, removed all the wires and vacuum lines, removed bell housing bolts, and pulled the tranny dipstick****do not go without draining the transmission! Bad idea! Always drain it. Now there's fluid everywhere on my floor, I also removed the TB, fan and clutch, shroud, radiator, ac compressor and power steering puņo from the motor. Added my lift plate. All the wires are free from the motor, so it says ready to pull as soon as I remove the mounts. Enjoy the pictures:

 

Day 3: I started later in the day and didn't get a whole lot done. I had prepped mostly everything for pulling the motor. Had to drive all around town getting tools and just some errands. I pulled the motor out and then I went to the car wash to clean it up. Didn't work to well. It's not just grease and oil built up, there's tons of gravel dust mixed in making it sticky and gross, hard to clean. I went at it just cleaning the motor for the rest of the day with some degreaser, a screwdriver, and my shop vac.






Day 4: Wednesday, by the end of today I wanted to have all my parts put on, but I was plaited by more grease as grime build up that slowed the process. Today I put on most of my parts, more technical things. Cleaned up intake with aluminum plenum went on, new bolts. New plugs and wires, brass cap and rotor, valve covers cleaned and new gaskets, and I painted my headers and bolted them on as well.

 

Day 5: Today I get a lot done. I finished up on the motor by installing my new water pump, double roller timing set, new timing cover seal, and put the flywheel on and the pilot bearing. I then went to drop the motor back in, and i got it in easy, prepped the transmission for install, installed the clutch and pressure plate. I noticed that I pulled off 6 bolts holding the automatic transmission on, and the 4 that thread in from the transmission side that go around the top still will work, but the 2 bolts that come in from the motor side are too short. I will have to get 2 longer bolts for those, and 1 more like the 4 that fit b/c there is a unused top center bolt hole on the automatic. I also started to install my wiring harness from the 95, but noticed that both ac sensor connectors need to be swapped, as well as my 2 wire temp sensor connector, and my crank sensor connector from the 94 auto to 95 manual harness. I also shimmed the crank sensor so it would clear the bigger flywheel. Used 4 1/4" flat washers, with 2 longer bolts as well.



I'm sorry about the lack of pictures, it got dark on me and I wasn't able to take any cause of lighting issues. I'll get some tomrrow or saturday. I plan next to install the transmission and cut my hole in the floor and finish up on some interior work, install the transfer case, and then wiring harness, finally finish with assembling the rest of the parts onto the motor. Then lastly, driveshafts, exhaust, and test drive!

 

Day 6- whenever I finished.

All these days were just a blur in time. Everything melded together as I was getting anxious, and pisssds that my truck was not together yet, after getting the motor prepped, I dropped it in, and intakes 4 of the 6 motor mounts. The other 2 mounts being the ones that hold the brackets that go to the transmission. Next I cut the extra hole extention in the floor, using my lower shift boot as a template. Once I was done with that I installed the clutch kit, mated the transmission to the engine. All the bellhousing bolts worked, except the 2 bolts that came from the engine side to the tranny. I needed longer bolts, 3-1/2 if I remember. Then I threw the wiring harness in as well as the vacuum harness, and it went on smoothly as I had everything labeled. Except for 3 connectors everything was the same. The 2 ac conncecotrs had to be changed, as well as the crank sensor connector(why dodge made this different is beyond me). I then installed the transfer case, then blew and installed the clutch hydraulic parts, and After that was finished, I installed the radiator, fan clutch, shroud, and all the things up front, filled her with coolant, oil and tranny fluid, and finally installed the transmission dust cover as well as the starter. I started it up and she ran great, just a little loud because my exhaust had to be bent up to fit the aftermarket headers. But it still could not move under its own power. ***The driveshaft had to be lengthened 4-1/2 inches***. It was about 200 buckS for that job, and was not expecting to have to extend it that far. So for now I don't have the front driveshaft in because of it not fitting at all. I had the exhaust bent up, as well as finished with a few minor things, along with interior trim and changing the pcm, and I'm off. She runs and drive great. Still working out a few issues like running hot and the pcm not being able to communicate with the O2 sensor, but until then, I'm driving it and she runs fantastic. I have yet to remove the automactic shift lever, just hadn't had time...and haven't figured out how to remove the cover to get access to the roll pin.

Sorry for the lack of pictures, like I said the install days are just a blur, but it's kinda just reverse of coming out with a few added steps.

 

Great job! It's fun rowing gears and knowing your trans will outlive the truck!

Btw, which trans did you use?

How did you torque the flywheel bolts when the engine is out?

I wonder why the pcm isn't reading the O2 sensor?

 

Yeah I know!

I used the nv3500(I know it's rated for less than the 360, but I did some research and saw many who had done it before, not specifically to 2nd gens, but it has held up fine for them.)

I put a pry bar in the harmonic balancer and then let it tighten up against the old water pump.

I'll have to figure it out. I'll be back to let you know hat the problem is, but right now I'm thinking about just making a number harness that comes down from the 4 wires that go to the pcm to attach right up to the o2 sensor. It's a brand new denso using so I know it's good.

I'll also have some more pictures of the finished job here soon aswell!

 

I see.

Yes, the NV3500 has a great reputation especially in the jeep and off=road world because of its AL case and durability. I don't believe that 300lb torque number either. I would love to do the opposite: swap a 360 in for my 318 so I can actually have power!

 

The NV3500 never came behind the 360 in a 6000 pound truck for a reason. The Jeeps are MUCH lighter, so, not as stressful on the trans.

 

I know this. That's not the point. The point is the 360 can and has been put to the nv3500 without issue. Besides, the 360 only has 30 more lb-ft of torque. That's not gonna break anything. And my truck is identical to any 1500 with the 360 so why would they deem the trans good enough for mine?