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GM 5.3/4L60E/Klune/Stak 300

Jeff 98XJ WI

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Butternut, WI
I thought I would start another thread dedicated to installing a GM 5.3L/4L60E/Klune/Stak 300 Replace a Case in my MJ. I do not yet have an engine, but I do have the other major components. Here is a shot of them bolted together with a driveshaft layed out for eying up clearances.

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The tape measure says the tranny with an Advance Adapters output is 25.5" long from bell housing to Klune mounting face and 32" to the end of the Klune.

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The length compares to an AW4 length of 25 3/8" (according to Novak and confirmed by rough tape measure by me) from bell housing to end of tranny adapter. So they are about the same length. A rough measurement of a 231 with slip yoke adapter was about 15" from mounting face to rear u-joint center line. The Klune/Stak 300 measures 18" from mounting face of the Klune to the center of the rear u-joint using a stock rear output.

However, it's the shape of the t-case that determines where it will fit more so than the overall length. I've not been able to set my setup right next to a stock setup, but comparing to a stock setup in a Jeep, it looks like the 231 has a length of about 10" from the mounting face to the back of the case behind the front output. The Klune/Stak 300 is about 12". Also, the Stak has that shifter housing that is on top of the case and extends back another 3.5". I believe the additional length of the rear of the case and the shifter housing is going to cause interference with the body tub. I won't know this for sure until I am able to bolt the setup to the engine and trial fit it in place though.

The below shot shows the profile of the back of the case with the shifter housing.

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The below shot shows the overall length of the combination to the end of the shifter housing (41"):

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Also, installing shifters may be a problem. I was thinking of using cables and running them in from the back of the transfer case passing just over the top of the case and operating the shift rails from behind. Northwest Fab mentioned that they had a kit to do this although I haven't seen pics. Clearance for the shift cables may be an issue though since I forsee clearance issues for the shift box itself!

I would like to install a 3 link upper link mount in the tranny tunnel coming up from the tranny crossmember between the driveshaft and the Klune. That's going to take some careful planning!

The below shot shows a possible clocking arrangement for the Stak case:

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I adjusted the Klune case halves to position the center Klune shifter location vertically in line with the tranny centerline as seen below:

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The Advance Adapters 4L60E to 23 spline Dana t-case adapter has a very low hanging mounting foot as seen below:

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One can also see the Klune mounting foot in the pic below:

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I plan to update this thread as I get more done and/or run into problems. Jeff
 
I am running a AW4,Klune,Atlas combo in my 88 4door. i needed to notch the floor on the driver side because of the klune pushing the atlas back and still keep it clocked up high. shifters were not a problem. I see you are going to run the 5.3. What wiring harness are you going to use?
 
Very cool.

Looking forward to seeing this sited into the chassis with the engine.
 
Sponge Bob said:
I am running a AW4,Klune,Atlas combo in my 88 4door. i needed to notch the floor on the driver side because of the klune pushing the atlas back and still keep it clocked up high. shifters were not a problem. I see you are going to run the 5.3. What wiring harness are you going to use?

I had hoped to find an engine in a totalled rig and take all the wiring etc from that rig. That's been proving difficult in my budget range, so I'm really not sure what I'm going to do. I will probably modify a stock wiring harness to meld with the Jeep harness (which is actually from a '93 xj). Jeff
 
It looks like you are using a 2wd trans. Any particualr reason? Do you know what year the 4l60e is. Also when you start into your wiring are you going to use jeep gauges. If so are they compatible?
 
I am i the final stages of a 2001 5.3/465/atlas combo in a 97 wrangler. I used a Howell wiring and computer with after market gauges for the motor. there are company's that will intergrate the new motor with the host vehicle wiring so you can use the stock gauges. So check the web before you decide.

NAXJA
 
Sponge Bob said:
I am i the final stages of a 2001 5.3/465/atlas combo in a 97 wrangler. I used a Howell wiring and computer with after market gauges for the motor. there are company's that will intergrate the new motor with the host vehicle wiring so you can use the stock gauges. So check the web before you decide.

NAXJA

Who's rig are you doing this swap to? They guy I bought the tranny from is from IL and is doing pretty much that same swap! I'm not sure if he is using a 465 or not, but I know he decided to use a manual instead of the auto for length reasons. Jeff
 
KRAKER said:
It looks like you are using a 2wd trans. Any particualr reason? Do you know what year the 4l60e is. Also when you start into your wiring are you going to use jeep gauges. If so are they compatible?

I hope to use the stock '93 XJ guage pod with whatever sensors I need mounted to the GM motor. The tach might be an issue but I think the others will be fine. I'll be using the stock '93 XJ speedo and the stock '93 XJ wiring to the stock '93 XJ speedo adapter to a Dana 300 speedo gear adapter and gear set into the JB conversions HD 300 output. That's my plan anyway. I believe the 4L60 is a '01. I don't know if it was 2wd or not but it does have an Advance Adapters rear output conversion that adapts from the hex bolt pattern to the 6 bolt round Dana t-case pattern with a 23 spline output shaft. I bought it this way from a guy who decided to use a manual tranny. He bought it from a guy that parted out his project (never installed) who had the AA kit installed. Jeff
 
How can you tell from the photos it is a 2WD trans?

IIRC it is only the 97 and up instruments that can't easily be adapted to engine swaps. Something about the tachometer requiring a funky signal from the ChryCo PCM. The rest of the instruments can be used. You should be fine getting all the instruments including tach working with a `93 vintage cluster?
 
There is only one way to tell. 2wd trans has speedo reluctor ring on the outputshaft. 4dw has no reluctor ring. It looked like there was vss on the adapter. 4WD 4l60e has 2 vss pickups on the t-case
 
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Sounds like a small world. Did the guy come and meet you half way or so. yes we went to the 465 for length and his preference. You should not have any issues with rear drive shaft as we were running into. As i said earlier i am running AW4/klune/atlas combo and shortened my rear shaft about 6 inches with no trouble. Gauge wise it should work you just need metric adapters for the jeep sensors. The 97 wrangler gauges are controlled by the computer so we needed to run aftermarket. The 5.3 gauges are metric thread instead of pipe thread that jeep use. The motor we purchased had the wiring harness already from howell so that is what we used. We later found out that we could have had the stock jeep harness and the new one blended together so that all the stock gauges would work but also more money.


:NAXJA:
 
Sponge Bob said:
Sounds like a small world. Did the guy come and meet you half way or so. yes we went to the 465 for length and his preference. You should not have any issues with rear drive shaft as we were running into. As i said earlier i am running AW4/klune/atlas combo and shortened my rear shaft about 6 inches with no trouble. Gauge wise it should work you just need metric adapters for the jeep sensors. The 97 wrangler gauges are controlled by the computer so we needed to run aftermarket. The 5.3 gauges are metric thread instead of pipe thread that jeep use. The motor we purchased had the wiring harness already from howell so that is what we used. We later found out that we could have had the stock jeep harness and the new one blended together so that all the stock gauges would work but also more money.


:NAXJA:

Yep, we met in Janesville, WI. Coldest damn day of the winter of 06/07 I believe! I'm slowly working towards getting the MJ up and running, but now that I sold my XJ I've got funds and desire to keep moving on it. Sounds like the TJ isn't moving along all that quickly either. Jeff
 
Jeff, the recycler I'm good friends with is getting a 5.3 in in a week or so. If it runs good I should be able to get a good price on it with all the wiring and any other parts you'll need. I'll let you know.
 
Why the 4l60e? I thought the had problems overheating? I want to say I had one in my old blazer(s-10) and it was a turd when it warmed up. I understand that the 5.3 probably came with the tranny but were there other reasons as to why?

Just curious, not bashing or anything.
 
I'm using the 4L60E because that is the normal trans connected to the 5.3L engine. It has a low first gear and an overdrive. I beleive it holds up OK. I HOPE it'll hold up for me. Jeff
 
I run the 4L60E & never had an issue with overheating & never herd of this before. Yes the S-10 is a turd

bigjeepman said:
Why the 4l60e? I thought the had problems overheating? I want to say I had one in my old blazer(s-10) and it was a turd when it warmed up. I understand that the 5.3 probably came with the tranny but were there other reasons as to why?

Just curious, not bashing or anything.
 
The early version which was called 700r4 had trouble with heat. Nothing a big trans cooler can't fix. I run a 700r4 in my 81 crewcab dually pullin all the time with no trouble.
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Well, I found an engine...in Texas! I had it shipped to northern WI for $165. I didn't think that was too bad. It's an '03 with 35,000mi. and includes all accessories and the engine wiring harness. I paid $650. Now I've got my work cut out for me. Jeff

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