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Project Unicorn - a light duty trail rig

Did you mention the exhuast setup you are going to run? Ima start (another) thread about it... But curious what the BEAST is gonna exhale with

Banks header and the factory exhaust for now. I'll do something sexy in 2.5 down the road, but I'm over budget and 3 years in, still don't have functional 4 wheel drive.
 
Yup I did the same thing. I think I hammered a 3/8 socket on it and was able to get it out. Replaced them with grade 8 bolts. Excited to hear how this engine runs.


After talking it over with the mad scientist, I ordered up ARP 12 point bolts to replace them along with 4130 .120" washers. Should have the hardware tomorrow.
 
I want this rig so bad...
 
Banks header and the factory exhaust for now. I'll do something sexy in 2.5 down the road, but I'm over budget and 3 years in, still don't have functional 4 wheel drive.

I did not know the XJ Banks had dual outlet. I assume they will fit the 1996 model year.
 
I did not know the XJ Banks had dual outlet. I assume they will fit the 1996 model year.

This is the 00-06 header, but yes you could use it on an earlier one. Banks uses the same flange for the 91-99 header and the 00+ header. The only real reason you would want to swap to the late model header is if you wanted to run dual exhaust and not have a cat in there.

For me, I bought the 00 header instead of reusing the one off of 4643 is keeping the factory downpipe and emissions stuff.
 
I use to wonder how it takes 3 years to build a rig. Now I just go look at my "race jeep" and I know. I like the thread Cal especially the AC fan clutch.... on a side note I have a cooper and brass radiator in Ghost. Put it in about 8 years ago I believe. So far so good. Looking forward to seeing you get that motor put in.....
 
I use to wonder how it takes 3 years to build a rig. Now I just go look at my "race jeep" and I know. I like the thread Cal especially the AC fan clutch.... on a side note I have a cooper and brass radiator in Ghost. Put it in about 8 years ago I believe. So far so good. Looking forward to seeing you get that motor put in.....

Its funny, a lot of people have commented on the AC clutch thing. It never occurred to me that it *wasnt* a thing you could do. Googled "cherokee ac clutch" and bought one without giving it a second thought.
 
Is this an upgrade to the oe ac clutch? Or are we talking about removing the fan?
 
Is this an upgrade to the oe ac clutch? Or are we talking about removing the fan?

Go back to post 124 in this very thread and start reading. ;)

Should be around page 3-4 or so.

Page 9. I was going to multi quote the actual posts but its documented too well and would clutter the thread.
 
Back at it. Gonna take me a couple days to get all the updates in maybe.

Out with the old.

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This little SOB cost me a LOT of hours.

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Cut it down with a die grinder and then just chiseled what was left over and ran it out with my fingers.

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Once that was out and on the floor, I wanted to address some stuff on the car.

No pictures, but i dropped the steering box and welded this place in behind it, I'll do the frame sleeves and outer frame plate later.

http://www.stinkyfab.com/sfr-jeep-xj-cherokee-weld-in-inner-frame-plate-steering-box-spacer/

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Then I cut the coil pack plug off of the harness and spliced a new one in.

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I picked up a replacement plug from amazon, thanks to Dr Moab for giving me the part #.

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Added heat shrink tube and spliced.

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Taped over it all for more protection.

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On the new motor, I accidentally used the wrong timing cover. This one is for a late model TJ/WJ and lacks the alternator mount.

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This is what I needed. Get to move it over to the new motor. And I spent so long cleaning the other one..

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Aaaaaand here's where I find that with studs, I can't pull the timing cover without first pulling the oil pan.

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Grr.

Flipped the engine over, pulled the pan and timing cover.

Slid the new cover on, and russ's spiffy alignment tool to center the seal.

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Then added the shouldered alignment bolt. With both of these in the cover is placed exactly where it is supposed to be.

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Reinstalled the pan using 4 factory bolts going into the timing cover. I'll order matching ARP 12 point later because OCD.

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Back where I started.

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Put the rubber bits into the valve cover.

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New GMB water pump. You'll notice I'm moving all of the accessory hardware over from the old block as I touch things. I'm a big fan of putting bolts back in their holes for storage so you don't lose track of them.

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I usually preach leave the stock cooling system alone, but I'm going to admit I'm trying out GMB's high volume water pump on this engine. We'll see what happens...

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The Edelbrock head comes with a temp sending unit port that I'm not using.

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I had to order up a spiffy red anodized plug for it to match the car. Because GLOM.

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Tossed on some new SFR engine plates. You'd think I would already have those, but sadly I suck. :)

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New O-rings on the oil filter adapter and the plate installed on the other side.

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Already had SFR motor mounts, but put new bushings in them and hung them on the block with new grade 8 hardware and top lock nuts. I may actually owe Dallas a nice dinner by the end if this project, with the amount of fresh grade 8 hardware I'm consuming.

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I have new Dorman manifold hardware.

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Not a bad little kit.

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I didn't like the threadlocker on the studs, wire brushed them off and installed them with red surface insensitive loctite.

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At the moment I just installed the two studs, to accommodate hanging the motor during installation.

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I chase pretty much every hole before a bolt goes in it, that included the flexplate bolts to the crank.

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And then the bellhousing mating dowels go in.

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Rear cover goes on.

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Flexplate gets new ARP hardware.

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Hang the first to hold everything together, and the rest get red loctite and torqued to 105 pounds - then back to this one to do it.

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Now to hang the motor and get ready to mate up the trans

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Going in with new 12 point hardware and .120 thick chromo washers.

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Once it was up in the air I needed to stop it from twisting while I stab it home, enter the bungee.

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*MAKES AIRPLANE NOISES AND PRETENDS TO HOLD A SPOON*

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That was shockingly painless.

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Once it was in, threaded a couple of motor mount bolts in loosely to stop it from sliding, but left them loose so i can lower the rear to get in from beneath. There's not a ton of give in that direction in the motor mounts, and it won't hang low enough to do CPS, and other bellhousing stuff.

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I was careful to leave the motor at TDC during the build, checked that now, and then filled it with oil and break in fluid. It took just under 8 quarts with this pan. I prime the oil system with a flat tip bit on a long extension and a drill, so i can run the oil pump.

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I went ahead and ran the oil pump for 2 or 3 minutes to mix the ZDDP in and make sure every passage is filled.

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Somehow didn't get a good picture, but got the cam synchro in place. Late model guys have it easy compared to doing a distributor.

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Every sensor on the car will be a brand new Mopar sensor.

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Wire brushed all the metal accessories, and then painted them and left to dry while I did other things.

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Grabbed a fresh Banks 93093 manifold gasket, IMHO the best one available for the 4.0 HO. Matches up to Russ's port job pretty damn good. .. Almost like we discussed this. ;)

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A shiny new Banks header which is apparently missing the plugs for the o2 ports, because 49 state car.

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Pulled them from the old stock manifold and installed with a little ant seize.

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Re-using the ported intake from 4643. Its so much cleaner..

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Before installing it, i cut the throttle body gasket to match the port on the manifold, which is bored out to 65mm.

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I didn't think to order new bellview washers. Should have, but instead i cleaned this up on the wire wheel.

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And in.

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Some of these bolts are super PITA to reach on the 00+ header. Did not enjoy this.

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New RC10YC4 plugs, one range colder than stock. They came pre-gapped at .045, I gapped them to .038 and installed with anti seize and torqued to 18 foot pounds.

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Alternator and bracket went right in. AC bracket had to have the holes slotted, because both the block and head are machined, so the mounts are now closer together. Its the only item that bolts to both block and head in such tight tolerances.

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And everything going into aluminium went in with more anti seize. I used more today than I have for the last 5 years.

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Back to the underside.

Currently the trans is being supported by a ratchet strap. This allowed me to lower the drivetrain in, and then strap it up near its location to work on the top side, without having the crossmember in. You'll again observe, chasing bolt holes before bolting things together.

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Tossed a pole jack under it, removed the strap, and had Dallas help me hump the Atlas into place. It got bolted down with new 3/8-24 top lock nuts.

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SFR trans mount went up. If you read the instructions you'll notice its backward. You'd think I would get that right the first time.

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So fixed.

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There was a prototype of the SFR crossmember sitting around. It won't fit with an Atlas, but we'll make it work, instead of using up a $250 production part.

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In order to clear the Atlas we had to cut and bend one of the supports and reweld it.

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Atlas is still hitting the skid, so need to space it up some.

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Test fitting some 3/16 just gets it there, so we'll build something.

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Dallas printed me up a .250 spacer that should get the job done.

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And now it just clears. I'll have to add more spacer later, but this will do the job until the engine is done.

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I tried to cut the XJ off of 4643's old skid to move over, but its welded in such a way that that I'll destroy it trying. I talked to S7Tech, he said he would cut me out another one and I'll add it down the road.

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Once the crossmember was in and the exhaust hanger was bolted up, I bolted the exhaust up and checked pan clearance.

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I'm gonna have to articulate the rig and check this again but it looks like it will be fine.

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And that unbelievably is four 10 hour days worth of work, minus a quick break to do smokey burnouts in the MJ with Dallas.

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