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Fabbing a rail to fit coil packs on '99/earlier head in 00XJ

D

DPG

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Kansas
No doubt I'll figure it out, but if anyone here has installed a '99 or older 4.0 in your '00-'01 XJ, do you have any details or better yet- PICS of how you fabbed and mounted the coil rail to the head?

I dropped a '99 TJ motor into my '00 XJ and need to fab a coil pack rail. I suppose it will bolt to the valve cover bolts...?

Lemme know what you did-

Thanks!
 
Damn,Evidently Rose Hill doesnt do emissions!
 
The stock coil packs mount with 4 longer bolts i believe. I'm sure there would be a way to fab up a mount that fits on top of the valve cover on the passenger side and make a bracket that would apply downward force on the coil pack to ensure that the boots keep a good seal over the spark plug. Let me mess around with some MS Paint and see what i can come up with
 
bmyohn said:
The stock coil packs mount with 4 longer bolts i believe. I'm sure there would be a way to fab up a mount that fits on top of the valve cover on the passenger side and make a bracket that would apply downward force on the coil pack to ensure that the boots keep a good seal over the spark plug. Let me mess around with some MS Paint and see what i can come up with
Click to expand...
Sounds good.

There are the 4 bolt holes in the rail, which would be the best mounting point on the rail itself. I can double nut the 4 studs on the pass side of the valve cover to make a pretty solid mount there, so I just need to figure out an adjoining bracket(s) to put those together.

I really don't think much downward force is required, but having the right bend in the bracket should do it.

I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
Thanks!
 
RCP Phx said:
Damn,Evidently Rose Hill doesnt do emissions!
Click to expand...
That's right, no issues there, but I don't see why that would be an issue anyway.

I still have all my '02 sensors, catalytic converter, computer, etc, but hey- I'm a suspension guy, not a motor guy, so I'll bite:

Why wouldn't this set-up pass an emissions test?
 
nochance9 said:
I asked this not too long ago and got chewed out for not searching... Even though i did.
Click to expand...
I searched too and didn't come up with anything- just in case someone wants to take a chomp!:shiver:

Any ways this is what i found.

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1436782232037338932zBBHoa

Looks super simple. Just get some sheet metal and put a couple bends in it.
Click to expand...

Looks like he did 4 separate brackets in that pic. That would be very simple.
I was thinking about something that might tie all those points together as one, but maybe I'm just over-thinking it.
I just wasn't sure if that would be rigid enough...
 
i just used a piece of flat bar with a hole in the end to bolt it to the valve cover then put a few bends in it to hold the rail in place, i only put one in the middle and it seems to be holding it up just fine
 
DPG said:
Why wouldn't this set-up pass an emissions test?
Click to expand...

Some states limit engine swaps quite rigorously. (if they can even tell there has been one) I know California limits your swaps to be from the same or newer year as the model getting the engine, same brand and same class of vehicle (suv to suv car to car ect.)

But i have no idea where rose hill is lol so idk...
 
yourconfusedhaha said:
i just used a piece of flat bar with a hole in the end to bolt it to the valve cover then put a few bends in it to hold the rail in place, i only put one in the middle and it seems to be holding it up just fine
Click to expand...
You mean like the brackets in the previously linked pic:
1436...37338932zBBHoa


but just one bracket, instead of multiple brackets?

Hmmmm... I guess I'm not allowed to post pics...
 
Last edited:
Got 'er done.

I used aluminum too and went with 3 brackets as well, since the front stud is a bolt...
The rail is locked down solid. Part of the reason for this would appear to be because the bolt heads on the bottom of the rail holes actually sit on the head.
Tightening the brackets to the valve cover studs makes it rock solid because of that base.

Thanks for the tips!:patriot:
 
nochance9 said:
I asked this not too long ago and got chewed out for not searching... Even though i did. Any ways this is what i found.

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1436782232037338932zBBHoa

Looks super simple. Just get some sheet metal and put a couple bends in it.
Click to expand...
LOL.. i forgot I had a webshots account.

Here is a better pic:
strap.jpg


I started with 4 but decided I only really needed two so I used the inner two. I also used two studs instead of the valve cover bolts. The coil rail grounds through the mounting bosses, so you may want to run a ground wire to those. I haven't had a problem when I didn't run a ground wire, but I have heard two other people and Hesco mentioned it. I used a ground wire just to be safe.
 
Good pic.
My 2000 has studs in each spot, except for the front one, so I used 3 brackets.

I agree- 2 would have been enough.

I didn't use a ground strap. I can't imagine how you'd need one though, as the coil rail has metal inserts and the entire set-up bolts to the valve cover.
Of course, extra good grounding certainly never hurt anybody!
 
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