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318 to aw4

D

dfreeman616

NAXJA Forum User
Location
grand rapids mi
i have a dakota with a 318/5.2L engine, but a dead tranny. i'm also looking to pick up a a 96 xj with a complete drivetrain (minus engine) for next to nothing, so i'll have an extra aw4 sitting around. what would it take to make this work in the dakota? i'd be using the 242 t-case on the end of the tranny. i did a search, but couldn't find a clear answer as to if it will work.

come to think of it, this should probably be in non jeep tech...gotta love 20/20 hindsight. but then, doesn't look like the other one gets much traffic, and these are all stock xj/zj parts.
 
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As far as making i twork, you would need an auto from a ZJ with the sae engine in order to make it work. The reason why, is because you need the Chrysler bellhousing pattern, not the AMC. The 4.0 is an AMC pattern.
 
if i understand you correctly, you're saying i need a zj bellhousing for a 44re tranny, so the 4.0L won't work? or has the aw4 ever been used with a 318?

i know the biggest issue is the bellhousing, so i guess the question i want to know is if there's any bellhousing that could be used. i'll have all the electronics to go with the aw4, so that shouldn't be an issue i would think.
 
dfreeman616 said:
i know the biggest issue is the bellhousing, so i guess the question i want to know is if there's any bellhousing that could be used. i'll have all the electronics to go with the aw4, so that shouldn't be an issue i would think.
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The AW4 and 318 was never used together from the factory ever. However, maybe advance adapters could help you. It would be great if this combo could work... If I kill my Ram 1500 trans again, just upgrade to an AW4?....
 
again, i know they never were put together in the factory. i guess i should have been clearer as to what i know and don't know. go ahead and make fun of me for being a newb :D anyways, i couldn't find one from AA, i was hoping maybe another company makes one?
 
I thought the 318 & 360 had the same bellhousing pattern as the 4.0 and older 258 I6. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure they're the same.
 
2001XJeep said:
I thought the 318 & 360 had the same bellhousing pattern as the 4.0 and older 258 I6. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure they're the same.
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4.0s and 258s have the same pattren because they are both AMC. An AMC 360 also has this pattern, but no 318 has the AMC pattern.
 
jeepguy97 said:
4.0s and 258s have the same pattren because they are both AMC. An AMC 360 also has this pattern, but no 318 has the AMC pattern.
Click to expand...

I'm not so sure about that, there are more than a few factory ZJ's with AX-15's in them floating around out there, of the two I saw at a dealer back in 98 or 99, one had a 4.0 and the other had a 318/5.2. One qualifer, I'm assuming that the 5.2 was an AX15 as it was a 5 speed.
 
2001XJeep said:
I thought the 318 & 360 had the same bellhousing pattern as the 4.0 and older 258 I6. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure they're the same.
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No the AMC 360 is not at all the same engine as the Mopar 360
 
Yes, the AMC and Mopar bellhousings are different. I jumped the gun on my first reply.
Engines that share the 4.0 bellhousing bolt pattern:
150 I4
232 I6
258 I6
304 V8
343 V8
360 V8 (AMC version, not the Mopar)
390 V8
401 V8
 
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RichP said:
I'm not so sure about that, there are more than a few factory ZJ's with AX-15's in them floating around out there, of the two I saw at a dealer back in 98 or 99, one had a 4.0 and the other had a 318/5.2. One qualifer, I'm assuming that the 5.2 was an AX15 as it was a 5 speed.
Click to expand...


Jeep never offered a 5-speed manual with the V-8 in the ZJ. The AX-15 was an option in the '93 and '94 model year but only with a 4.0L engine. There aren't that many either, only about 600 or so in '94 and maybe a few more the year before.

As far as the 318 -> AW4, if AA doesn't make an adapter for it then chances are there isn't one. Not saying they're the best but they seem to have most combinations covered. You could try Novak as well.
 
thanks for the info. i'll check novak. what about other trannys that would share the amc bolt pattern that might have adapters for the 318? for example, an adapter for an ax15-318 that wasn't the bellhousing, just an adapter? would that possibly work?
 
It wouldn't be too hard if you're ready to spend some serious time with some decent measuring tools. Get the amc bolt pattern figured out, then get the mopar pattern figured out. make a blueprint and take it to your local machine shop. Just make sure to space out your torque converter the same distance as your adapter plate. If you're handy with tig, you could make a new bellhousing by combining the bellhousing from the aw4 and whatever tranny it is that you keep destroying. I'm in the process of contemplating mating a subaru motor with the aw4, so I'm right there with you. My advantage is in the fact that I have the keys to a machine shop with my fab shop directly behind it.
 
i like that idea, except i have no fab tools. i may look into blueprinting and taking it to a shop like you suggest, but its looking more and more like i'll just go with some mopar compatable trans.
 
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