ZJ v8 in MJ

[egghead]

I searched but couldnt find anything, so I figured i would post up.

Has anyone ever taken a ZJ Grand Cherokee V8 and put in an MJ or XJ? How hard would this swap be?



Thanks
Egg

 

[IslanderXJ]

Lots of people have put V8s in XJs, and snice XJs and MJs are the same where it's important, I don't see why you couldn't.

 

[j99xj]

You can do just about anything.

But I never understood why people do it especially with so much aftermarket upgrades for the 4.0 that are available.

There are thousands of ZJ's with V8s in them for sale all over the world. If I was set on having a V8 I'd go out and buy a Jeep that came with one. It's so much easier that way.

I wouldn't mind an old J10/J20 truck with the 360 or 401 V8s in them, or an old 360 Grand Wagoneer.

But I think the best V8 Jeep ever made (at least until the Srt) was the '98 5.9 limited.

 

[egghead]

Well the reason in this thread was because the ol' Renix 4.0 is getting tired. I was just wondering if the AW4 would bolt up to the 5.9. I know I should just go out and buy a 4.0 HO and be done, but a v8 would be interesting.


Egg

 

[IslanderXJ]

Why not just stroke it? It would be alot cheaper than a V8 swap and would almost the same power, and I don't know if any V8s bolt to the AW4.

 

[BIGSLVRXJ]

and I don't know if any V8s bolt to the AW4.

I'm almost positive it will not without an adapter if there even is one.

 

[Kittrell]

I don't know how or where, but it has been done.

 

[MJ_Chubs]

The AW-4 won't mount to the 5.2/5.9L series of engines but the bellhousing will bolt up to the AMC V-8s (304/360/390/401). I don't know if the flexplate is a direct bolt-on or not. You would also need a means of controlling the transmission computer as well. Or use BrettM's shifter controller and shift manually.

 

[egghead]

hmm, thats interesting. So the aw4 will bolt up to the AMC 304. I know I can get ahold of one of them cheap.

I really dont want to get into stroking it. I'm not big on tearing apart engines. (Not my specialty)

Sounds to me like if I want the 5.9, i'll have to find a wrecked ZJ and take the Tranny and T-case as well. I'd have to find one with the 231. Not big on "all the time 4wd"

Thanks

Egg

 

[Kittrell]

Sounds to me like if I want the 5.9, i'll have to find a wrecked ZJ and take the Tranny and T-case as well. I'd have to find one with the 231. Not big on "all the time 4wd"

Thanks

Egg

Or a 242, full time/part time/two wheel. Any of the tcases will bolt up to the ZJ tranny.

 

[egghead]

So bascially the 231 I have for the AW4 will bolt up?


Egg

 

[Kittrell]

So bascially the 231 I have for the AW4 will bolt up?


Egg

It should, normal year ranges apply.

 

[MJ_Chubs]

hmm, thats interesting. So the aw4 will bolt up to the AMC 304. I know I can get ahold of one of them cheap.

I really dont want to get into stroking it. I'm not big on tearing apart engines. (Not my specialty)

Sounds to me like if I want the 5.9, i'll have to find a wrecked ZJ and take the Tranny and T-case as well. I'd have to find one with the 231. Not big on "all the time 4wd"

Thanks

Egg

The AW4 will bolt up. There was a guy on :: here that dropped a 401 into his MJ, backed it with an AW4 and Brett's controller and used it for drag racing. You may be able to search him out and pick his brain about it.

Just an FYI, you'll only find the 5.9 in '98 ZJs. No V-8's came with any TC other than the NP-249 (full-time AWD) and the Np-242 is OK but has very little aftermarket support.

The NP231 swap is definitely possible. You'll have to make sure you get one with a 23-spline input and you'll also have to make sure that you match the input shaft "stick-out" from the mounting flange of the TC to the 249 that came off the ZJ.

 

[JJacobs]

The AW4 will bolt up. There was a guy on :: here that dropped a 401 into his MJ, backed it with an AW4 and Brett's controller and used it for drag racing.

Sounds like my MJ except it didn't have a tranny controller on it. The annoying thing about the AW4 is the stock trans computer won't let it rev past 5200- 1300 rpm left on the table. So I probably should have had Brett's shifter on it. New one's a TH400 from an SJ, made 2WD.
I think there's a correct flexplate for the AW4 application but I don't know what it is, mine was.. umm.. 'adapted' parts. It vibrated a little bit.

 

[Kittrell]

Sounds like my MJ except it didn't have a tranny controller on it. The annoying thing about the AW4 is the stock trans computer won't let it rev past 5200- 1300 rpm left on the table. So I probably should have had Brett's shifter on it. New one's a TH400 from an SJ, made 2WD.
I think there's a correct flexplate for the AW4 application but I don't know what it is, mine was.. umm.. 'adapted' parts. It vibrated a little bit.

Not to Hijack the thread, but hows the truck lookin' these days J.

 

[JJacobs]

Still apart DJ. Been flying too much lately. Soon it'll run again.. been saying that for a year though.

 

[MJ_Chubs]

Sounds like my MJ except it didn't have a tranny controller on it. The annoying thing about the AW4 is the stock trans computer won't let it rev past 5200- 1300 rpm left on the table. So I probably should have had Brett's shifter on it. New one's a TH400 from an SJ, made 2WD.
I think there's a correct flexplate for the AW4 application but I don't know what it is, mine was.. umm.. 'adapted' parts. It vibrated a little bit.

Doh! Sorry about the mistake, didn't realize you had adapted a computer. If I buggy out my MJ, I was considering an AMC motor on propane using Brett's controller with an AW-4. Maybe that's what I was thinking of....