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Projext "V8 XJ" Build

Why is so much of yours sitting above the hood line? I've seen a bunch of swaps that can keep it under a factory hood. What's different?
I may end up swapping to a LS intake in the future. As of right now. If like to get it running and I'll re-evaluate my current selections.

I'd love to see pics of LS swaps that are 100% under the stock hood.
There are a couple out there. I have them saved on my computer and I'll post them up in a few days.

I can't imagine any way to keep an LT under the factory hood. Even if you didn't have motor mounts installed and you just dropped the motor in the bay, the hood wouldn't clear with the truck intake.

LS intake and accessories, sure, but that's an extra $3000 on a lucky day, plus a slight decrease in low end torque.
The only LT's I've seen under the stock hood, the front uni-frame was cut out entirely and rebuilt around the motor. Even then, the front axle has to come way forward to clear even a low profile pan, and unless you're rockin' 6" lift, the pan would be practically on the ground.

NorldaWheeler I believe accomplished this with an LT in his build, but as above, the entire front end was chopped off and rebuilt around the motor, plus he was on 44's or something ridiculous. His build was the inspiration that got my ass in gear for my swap.
$3000 no way. I'd go with Holley accessory brackets. Intake with injectors can be found for around $3-400


I've got a couple hundred extra into the LS1 intake swap. With some tuning I'm not so sure you would ever notice the difference in low end torque. Hell, without any tuning at all you probably wouldn't notice. The car weighs like 4000#.



Early pic of my conversion below the hood.
Thanks for posting that! Looks awesome

John D what radiator and fans are you running?
Looks like a stock XJ fan
 
John D what radiator and fans are you running?

It's a BeCool XJ conversion, but last I checked it was no longer available. I don't want to clutter up this thread with too many of my pics, so here's a link to an album.
http://s960.photobucket.com/user/john_darling/library/Engine Swap

Thanks for posting that! Looks awesome


Looks like a stock XJ fan

Thanks. I had three versions attempting to cool it. In this version I used a couple stock XJ fans. My current setup is the three fans from dirtbound, but I made my own shroud.
 
Early pic of my conversion below the hood.

Damn, that looks nice. That tucks nicely down in there. That is really the first pic I have seen of one that fits below the hood line. Knowing that it can be done certainly changes the list of future options for my XJ. Though I think a 4.7 HO V8 swap is still at the top of the list.
 
So I moved the motor mount plates to the forward most hole (which brings the motor forward as much as possible. It's only 1/2" movement, but it cleared up a lot of space. I'm much more inclined to run a fuel line down the frame rail.

I need to send my harness and ECU out for modification. I was going to use 150tunes but Wayne won't tune out EVAP, but keep the wires. So I'm in a little bit of a dilemma. I want to keep the jeep emissions compliant, but I'd like to not run EVAP. it sounds like I'll have to at this point. Don't want to, but I have to.

I think I'm going to order a new fuel pump. I'm going to move to the same style that blistovmhz is using. I also need to order some of the an line holders.

I also need to figure out a shifter. It looks like if I adapt the stock XJ shifter the driveshaft will hit the shifter brackets under flex

I also might not be able to use the boostwerks transfer case shifter. Because this combo is shorter the tc shifter fork is almost directly under the cab shifter. So I'll need to order the Novak kit.
 
Got the torque converter bolts torqued down.
9303493F-D84F-4A8A-AF58-1B5356E5482B_zpsbkvtu6fg.jpg
 
Which shifter are you talking about interfering with the DS?
If auto shifter, it's cable.
If you're talking about the t-case shifter, I just grabbed an NP231c TC lever and bolted it on because it's keyed to point UP instead of down. You can also adapt an NP231j TC lever to do the same. Once you have the lever pointed up, you can just build a direct linkage, which simplifies things a tonne and frees up a lot of room underneath.
I just stuck on two small heims and some threaded rod and it's been working flawlessly. I had to lengthen the TC lever and angle it a bit so it wouldn't bottom out on the top of the TC, but otherwise was pretty simple.
 
I was talking about the trans shifter. I played with it today and I couldn't get it working. I'm going to mess with it again tomorrow to see how long the throw is on the cable and make a bracket that would work.

I won't be able to use my boostwerks TC shifter. Because of how far forward I had to move the motor I have to get the Novak cable. I can't get the BW shifter to work. The TC shifter is pretty much right above the selector on the TC.
 

They also say the GM 6.2/6.5 is a bad swap. My 87 Grand Wag with the 6.5 turbo that makes 500ft/lbs of torque and gets 25 mpg will argue that. The author of that article just has no imagination. Truth is, the 4.7 electronics are super easy to blend into the late model XJ systems - much easier than trying to blend GM electronics into the stock systems. Plus, I'm not one to "go with the flow". LS swaps are now old and busted - time for something new.
 
Ordered a new fuel pump, Novak TC shifter, and Novak Trans mount today.

I also realized that I may need to purchase new long arms. The IRO crossmember will interfere with the driveshaft now that my TC is clocked up. Looks like I need some long arms that don't have the huge bracket that gets in the way. Actually I wonder if I'd be able to cut the crossmember so it doesn't get in the way.

With this swap a stock front DS is WAY too short to run (in the rear). I was going to use one temporarily, but I'll have to order driveshafts before I can drive it.
 
I'm also still debating if I want to order a winters shifter to make it a bit easier...I just can't find dimensions of the shifter to see if it would fit in the stock location. I know it's big, but how big is it...how much does it hang down under the mounting with the universal mount, nd how far back does it go, would it interfere with the cup holders
 
I'm also still debating if I want to order a winters shifter to make it a bit easier...I just can't find dimensions of the shifter to see if it would fit in the stock location. I know it's big, but how big is it...how much does it hang down under the mounting with the universal mount, nd how far back does it go, would it interfere with the cup holders

Pretty sure their website has dimensions.
 
Pretty sure their website has dimensions.

Hey Rory, I've been emailing you 😀. Thanks for your quick responses.

They do have dimensions, but just overall dimensions. I found a couple of photos online of the dimensions that also have the plastic console. I'll just have to do some measuring to see what it would take to fit.
 
I'm also still debating if I want to order a winters shifter to make it a bit easier...I just can't find dimensions of the shifter to see if it would fit in the stock location. I know it's big, but how big is it...how much does it hang down under the mounting with the universal mount, nd how far back does it go, would it interfere with the cup holders

Do this! If it works I will switch to a Winter's also :) I wanted this when I put the B&M in mine, but it looks like park position would be too far forward. Seriously, I would love to see it done.
 
Do this! If it works I will switch to a Winter's also :) I wanted this when I put the B&M in mine, but it looks like park position would be too far forward. Seriously, I would love to see it done.

You may have tempted me to do it....lol

I don't se any reason why the shifter couldn't be shortened. I may run into the same issue.
 
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