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Cherokee V8 Swap

R

rolsonharris

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Shoreline WA
My 4.0 has over 200,000 miles on it and is still running strong, but when it finally kicks the can I wanna replace it with a Chevy 350. Does anyone have any pics of this/advice that would help me out in doing this swap? Also, does anyone have an idea of the approximate cost? Or, I was thinking of putting a ZJ motor/tranny/t-case in there to keep it jeep, has anyone done this?
 
Advance Adapters for the bowtie conversion. One of our guys in the midwest has done a SBC conversion. Don't remember his current screen name -- sorry.
 
There are a lot of people that have done this conversion, I was thinking about doing it myself but I decided to build up the 4.0 motor. If you search previous postings you should find all kinds of information about it. There is a place out in Ohio that I was looking at that does the swap for you including everything you can think of to add for under $10,000. They are called heartbreaker race engines or something like that. I also saw a guy out in Arizona or somewhere around there that dropped in a 350 out of a '94 corvette which was pretty impressive. I couldn't justify the expense considering my motor only have 50k on it but we will see if I do the swap later on down the road. Good luck if you decide to do it.

Jamie
 
From what I heard couple of the converts said that if they had to do it again... it'd be stroker all the way. The conversion is a PITA due to the little things.....

Kejtar
 
Jeep%20Back%20Low.JPG

theres a pic :D
Jeep%20Remote%20Oil.JPG

its been hashed out on this forum a ton of times.
I could almost copy paste for ya!
The first things you need for a swap like this.
1.) Patience
2.) a Big wallet
the rest just comes together
 
Forgot to mention that one of the guys in RI has an XJ with a SBC engine in it. Runs nice, sounds really sweet ... but cooling is a severe problem.
 
In the buggie world we have pretty much dumped the cast iron block engines...the Northstar or Norstar GM engines are the power plant of choice now. Aluminum blocks...probably doesn't weigh as much as the 4.0. I havn't been around long enough to have heard of any of these convertions here. Maybe the LT1 (corvett block) is more sexy (and maybe the same block) but not as common as the Cadillac (Norstar) engine. A pull out from a junk-yard can be had for a little as two grand..(although you should exspect 4 to 5 grand). But as you heard before...budget ten grand for switch out and you might have enough left over to fill your tank with premium when you are done!!!
 
LT1 and Northstar arent the same block.
The Cast Iron Chevy V8 weighs even less than the I6 4.0l
LT1 is also Cast, but some have Aluminum Heads
 
Jump This said:
In the buggie world we have pretty much dumped the cast iron block engines...the Northstar or Norstar GM engines are the power plant of choice now. Aluminum blocks...probably doesn't weigh as much as the 4.0. I havn't been around long enough to have heard of any of these convertions here. Maybe the LT1 (corvett block) is more sexy (and maybe the same block) but not as common as the Cadillac (Norstar) engine. A pull out from a junk-yard can be had for a little as two grand..(although you should exspect 4 to 5 grand). But as you heard before...budget ten grand for switch out and you might have enough left over to fill your tank with premium when you are done!!!
Click to expand...

i think you may be refering to the LS1 when you compared it to the northstar, although, thats not the same block either....close though.
an lt1 block is basically a regular 350 block with some small differences.
im still working on my ls1 swap, which can aslo be had now for around 2-3gs used (mine is a 01 engine from a c5 vette, with 18k which i paid 3gs for)
ive got alot of info if anyone is interested, should run like a raped ape.
its also silly light...i can darn near pick it up myself.
~John
 
cooling is an easy fix. trackbar, oil pan, exhaust, emissions and oiling are issues which require custom work. You can drop in a $650 radiator and a good water pump and have most of your cooling issues resolved.
bang for buck, stroking will cost u a lot more than building a SBC.
Parts are cheap for Horsepower. And thats the real reason we all swap right? Power
 
I say stroke the 4.0 or leave it alone. Just got back from a trail ride and everyone that had a V8 and some sort of engine trouble. Everything to electrical to carbs. And the V8 did not impress me at all. On all the clmbs you could hear the V8 guys reving it up while the 4.0 just idled up everything and barley tapping the gas where needed.
 
If you want a chevy motor...go for the 4.3 V-6.Good strong motor.NAXJA member#579
 
I have an 95 LT1 out of a cop car.. Marc and Frank at union county 4wd did the conversion. Marc has the same motor in his xj... If done properly it is an amazing swap and well well worth it. Some issues to think about... for 87 and older will need to use impala ss headers and cut and modify them, they do not clear the framerails. Do yourself a favor and use an spahl fan as the main fan.. right now i have honda accord fans and cooling is becoming an issue. i'll be going to a spahl fan this week. Marc uses one and runs at a constant 205 even in 95 degrees. if you use a 4L60 trans and figure out how to wire the reverse lights let me know... There are some other bits and pieces to look out for... again i think its the best mod i've even done to a jeep... and it makes people in imports very very scared :D
 
by the way...I have never been a GM guy...not up to snuff on the LT or LS or the like...hope I don't sound like a total dork!! Heck after a few Coronas the other day we broke out the tape measure to check on running a turbo subaru engine in a jeep!!And you know what....it just might work!! With a huge check and many more cases of Corona!
 
It all depends on what you want to use the truck for. For off-road (except mud bogging) you generally need torque, and the easiest (and IMHO the best) way to get that is to simply stroke the 4.0L. Done right, the stroker I-6 can also generate serious horsepower.

I know they are heavy, but for me the only V-8 I would put in an XJ is an AMC 360, 390 or 401. Keep it in the family. However, I also think the only advantage to a V-8 over the I-6 is that V-8s sound so sweet.
 
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