Project CRD MJ is born:

[themangeraaad]

I have seen the 2500s before but never realized how cheap it may be to get the parts for a swap. I want to build a street MJ (XJ for wheeling, and a clean MJ for street driving down the line) and this would be amazing. Somehow didnt think of doing a 2500 swap onto an MJ. you said it was like $200 for the front end of the 2500 (or maybe it was $300, i dont feel like going back through the thread again to find it), but how much did it ran ya for the whole parts package of fenders and all? I would love to get the parts in to do something like this, so I suppose I should check out groupbuy, but how much did the full package cost ya after shipping? I love this and will defiantely be keeping an eye on this build. Good luck, damn good idea, glad to see its actually going well so far.

PS... I want an MJ that clean for $800... :banghead:

 

[zluster]

All the stuff I bought the first time was $200 to get stateside, and another $55 to get home.

I have since purchased the fenders for $48 each and some other stuff, and am waiting for that to arrive.

 

[zluster]

Ok did some more work, got the steering column, dash, and a few other things out of the way.
You can see where the front of the newer seat sits here:

And so this is about where the front of the new seat will sit in the commanche, that little bit of bracket will be cutoff and the Xj seat bracket welded a little further back than that existing one. Basically the new XJ seat will sit exactly where the XJ seat would sit in a 97+ XJ.

Dash pulled, engine next so I can get the heater box out easier:

My dog helping:

Seat forward:

Seat back:

Still some space to store stuff when the seat is back:

Pulled the windshield trim, need to buy an extractor for the windshield so I can remove it. I will then cut the little studs off that hold on the old style trim so a newer rubber seal can be used. My neighbor works for safelight so I can get him to reinstall it for me for the cost of beer. This will allow me to weld some of the mounts that the newer dash/steering column needs easier with the windshield out

 

[zluster]

I will use one switch for the heated mirrors, one for my foglights, probably leaving 2 extra light switches for accessory lighting. If my diesel ECU has a high idle option I may choose to enable that and get the stock high idle switch.

 

[rmm727]

There was an article on this same swap in Diesel Power this month. Only difference was that guy kept the Liberty auto. Said he got 21-27 mpg.

 

[MPETESS10]

yea but it also says the swap ran somewhere in the range of $20k. thats a lil steep for my blood for a diesel swap on an XJ

 

[NorcalXJnewbie]

Where to get a crd? I want to swap my xj 4.0 out for this motor.

 

[NorcalXJnewbie]

Btw awesome project! I cant wait to see the final results. I am subscribing

 

[rmm727]

yea but it also says the swap ran somewhere in the range of $20k. thats a lil steep for my blood for a diesel swap on an XJ

I just browsed through the article. I though the OP might find that article interesting. I think that guy spent all his money having someone else installing the motor.

 

[urban yan]

I will use one switch for the heated mirrors, one for my foglights, probably leaving 2 extra light switches for accessory lighting. If my diesel ECU has a high idle option I may choose to enable that and get the stock high idle switch.

hehe. there you go again using my pic

 

[zluster]

Where to get a crd? I want to swap my xj 4.0 out for this motor.

Start running KJ CRDs off the road into the ditch, then when the dazed owner gets out of the vehicle say you saw the whole thing happen and will gladly make a statement to the police......oh and if its totaled out would you mind asking about a buy back for me?

hehe. there you go again using my pic

It's mine now. Dare to challenge for ownership in the ring of death?

 

[NorcalXJnewbie]

Start running KJ CRDs off the road into the ditch, then when the dazed owner gets out of the vehicle say you saw the whole thing happen and will gladly make a statement to the police......oh and if its totaled out would you mind asking about a buy back for me?



It's mine now. Dare to challenge for ownership in the ring of death?

great idea..

 

[zluster]

great idea..

Which one? Circle of Death or run them off the road?

Seriously though, you don't know how many rolled KJ CRDs I've been outbid on by now.

 

[zluster]

Well I had been wondering about what to do for a radiator, and the 4cyl 2.5 radiator seems like it was perfect match....unfortunatly no one seems to make a good replacement radiator for it, only single core, plastic aluminum setups. There are some all aluminum radiators on ebay, but they are single core.

Well this was all moot, I was just going to wait untill I came to that bridge to burn it. The thinking was that I would wait untill I knew for certain what I needed to use for a radiator to order one....I have a good 2 core OEM radiator here from a 2001 6 cyl, that I could use, and I have the crappy old radiator from my MJ I could use for mockup. The problem was, the more I looked at it and the more I measured the more certain I became that I would need to use it. Which left me with the problem that if I did need to use it, there would not be a good replacement option.

Now anyone can spend the time to custom mount a custom radiator, or an off the shelf radiator for something like a YJ/TJ, but since I am faced with enough fabrication already here I am hoping for something that will bolt in.

Now that being said I came across something at the junkyard that is either a windfall, or a white elephant, here we have a nearly new, single core(but thicker than a double core) OEM style radiator, $50 is a little pricey in my mind, but if it works out will be a good solution. If it doesn't well crap, I just wasted $50.

Got the windshield removed and safely stored in the basement:

Got some tie downs off of a ford exploder sport track(and a 8.8 with 4.10s and LSD- all ready sold :rock on: )

And of course further probing reveals more rust, what ticked me off about this bit was all the rust was below the seam sealer........ya, the metal rusted out below the seam sealer......grrr, oh well, I got a junk hood that I will raid for patch metal. Fun part is going to be welded in the patch panel with an Arc welder......I got some 1/32" sticks that seem to work OK on sheet metal.

I need to spend a hour or so cleaning up before I move on with work, garage is cluttered with a bunch of parts strewn around.

I got these dollys at harbor freight, they actually work really well for rolling the Jeep back and forth in the garage, I would highly recommend them to anyone who thinks they might be useful.

 

[Root Moose]

I got these dollys at harbor freight, they actually work really well for rolling the Jeep back and forth in the garage, I would highly recommend them to anyone who thinks they might be useful.

I'll second that. I have the Princess Auto version. I use them to roll my car into the corner of the garage for the winter.

 

[zluster]

Got the engine out today, pulled the engine and trans together, and of course, what do I realize as soon as I start pulling the engine......i forgot to drain the tranny, ya, it dumped all its gear oil all over my garage floor.

I swear, thats like the 4th time I have forgotten that. Dammit Dammit Dammit.

so I rolled it outside(easy to push with no engine trans, interior, etc etc) and washed out the garage and also scrubbed down the engine bay. Got it pretty clean, normally I wouldn't bother but it needs to be throughly degreased before I can shoot paint.

Still need to do some other cleanup and tear down before I can shoot paint, though I will probably wait to shoot the engine bay untill later, going to try and get most stuff mocked up, then ripped back out for paint.

this weeks major goal is the get the drivetrain in place so I can move on to mocking up the interior, front end body parts, AC, intercooler, etc.

 

[Nomercy]

kinda got away from this site cause i sold my XJ and forgot about this post...but GEEZE DUDE!!! your not done yet?!?!?! i mean common i would have quit my job by now to get that common rail under the hood and runnin!:gee:

this thing will be bad dude cant wait to see it done...VIDEOS!

 

[zluster]

kinda got away from this site cause i sold my XJ and forgot about this post...but GEEZE DUDE!!! your not done yet?!?!?! i mean common i would have quit my job by now to get that common rail under the hood and runnin!:gee:

this thing will be bad dude cant wait to see it done...VIDEOS!

Busy busy busy with school. And school takes the priority(even over women).

 

[urban yan]

I must see this project finished before I die...
... and I drank allot last night, so you better hurry!!!

 

[Nomercy]

haha im just bustin on ya man