Jeep YJ 5.3L swap (completed)
03-28-2011, 09:58 PM
#41
TECH Apprentice
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Melbourne, FL.
Posts: 381
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Looks like the truck manifolds won't fit. The passenger side will work as long as the engine is centered but the driver side is going to need more than 7 degrees of a fly cut on the flange to give enough clearance.
Looks like I'm going to need a set of Camaro or Corvette manifolds.
Looks like I'm going to need a set of Camaro or Corvette manifolds.
03-29-2011, 09:47 AM
#43
On The Tree
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Looks like the truck manifolds won't fit. The passenger side will work as long as the engine is centered but the driver side is going to need more than 7 degrees of a fly cut on the flange to give enough clearance.
Looks like I'm going to need a set of Camaro or Corvette manifolds.
Looks like I'm going to need a set of Camaro or Corvette manifolds.
Take a look at the pirate 5.3 swap thread. It has TONS of info on the swap. It has helped me from learning things the hard way. I have seen the truck headers used once, but they had to make a sharp 90* turn to get them inside the frame rails. Hence the reason many go with the sanderson headers, the hooker shorties, or the vette headers like I posted on the last page. Mine were less than the cost of one aftermarket header.
BTW, my Novak mounts let me offset the motor at least an inch to the pass. side of the frame.
03-29-2011, 08:38 PM
#44
TECH Apprentice
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Melbourne, FL.
Posts: 381
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Got a lucky break. (for a change) I looked at the Speedway Headers and even called their tech line with a couple of questions. I was just about ready to order a set when I thought to search fleabay and craigslist for some C6 Corvette Exhaust Manifolds.
Low and behold, on CL a guy had a set of C6 Manifolds with bolts and heat shields for $80.00 about 4 miles from my house. I called and within 1/2 hour I was dragging them home.
They are a perfect fit after I clearanced the top edge of the engine mounts on both sides.
Since I prefer factory parts for durability, I'm happy I got the manifolds and even happier with the price.
Thanks for the guidance!
Low and behold, on CL a guy had a set of C6 Manifolds with bolts and heat shields for $80.00 about 4 miles from my house. I called and within 1/2 hour I was dragging them home.
They are a perfect fit after I clearanced the top edge of the engine mounts on both sides.
Since I prefer factory parts for durability, I'm happy I got the manifolds and even happier with the price.
Thanks for the guidance!
03-31-2011, 10:09 PM
#47
TECH Apprentice
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Melbourne, FL.
Posts: 381
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I decided to get rid of the factory skid plate and build a crossmember instead. The Rivnuts in the frame have been a constant headache and the skid plate was pretty rotten.
The nice thing about doing it this way was it was a lot easier for me to set up the driveline angle at the recommended 5 degrees.
Total cost was $30.00 and about 3 hours of cutting drilling and some welding.
Once I'm done with the exhaust system I'll weld some 3/16 plate on my new crossmember so it's a skid plate again.
The nice thing about doing it this way was it was a lot easier for me to set up the driveline angle at the recommended 5 degrees.
Total cost was $30.00 and about 3 hours of cutting drilling and some welding.
Once I'm done with the exhaust system I'll weld some 3/16 plate on my new crossmember so it's a skid plate again.
04-03-2011, 10:52 AM
#48
Staging Lane
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: weigh west
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have a Jeep TJ, Genright tank, LS6, NO return rail. I also have used the stock TJ fuel pump configuration, with the Walbro 255 lph pump. The stock regulator for the TJ is now my "issue"? Can I buy a different TJ style drop in regulator or "open up the stock regulator" install the Vette filter regulator and put a return line to the tank? Help, want to do this soon
04-03-2011, 06:24 PM
#49
TECH Apprentice
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Melbourne, FL.
Posts: 381
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here's how I'm doing mine:
1. From a 255 lph in tank pump with a short line to the corvette fuel filter/regulator inlet. (Mine will be mounted on the frame rail back by the tank)
2. A short line out of the return side of the corvette fuel filter/regulator back to the tank.
3. Then a 3/8 line from the corvette fuel filter/regulator to the inlet of the fuel rail.
You need to bypass the Jeep regulator and maybe even the stock 5/16 feed line too. Basically, no Jeep parts in the fuel system at all other than the fuel lines that come up out of the tank.
1. From a 255 lph in tank pump with a short line to the corvette fuel filter/regulator inlet. (Mine will be mounted on the frame rail back by the tank)
2. A short line out of the return side of the corvette fuel filter/regulator back to the tank.
3. Then a 3/8 line from the corvette fuel filter/regulator to the inlet of the fuel rail.
You need to bypass the Jeep regulator and maybe even the stock 5/16 feed line too. Basically, no Jeep parts in the fuel system at all other than the fuel lines that come up out of the tank.
04-03-2011, 09:44 PM
#52
TECH Apprentice
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Melbourne, FL.
Posts: 381
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I got a lot done this weekend. Here's a shot of the body decked to the frame.
My daughter was the site superintendent and helped me guide the body back on.
She's excited to take the pictures to the next "Show & Tell" in her kindergarten class.
Oh yea, and she did the work in the pink tu tu.
My daughter was the site superintendent and helped me guide the body back on.
She's excited to take the pictures to the next "Show & Tell" in her kindergarten class. Oh yea, and she did the work in the pink tu tu.
04-03-2011, 09:53 PM
#53
TECH Apprentice
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Melbourne, FL.
Posts: 381
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
FWIW for anyone considering this swap...
I was able to place the engine trans and transfercase combo such that the driveshafts were able to be reused without modifying them. In addition, by centering and positioning the engine based on driveshafts the steering shaft clears the power steering pump and pulley just fine.
Also there is plenty of room between the back of the 5.3 engine and firewall since there's no distributor to deal with.
As soon as I get a good pic, I'll post.
I was able to place the engine trans and transfercase combo such that the driveshafts were able to be reused without modifying them. In addition, by centering and positioning the engine based on driveshafts the steering shaft clears the power steering pump and pulley just fine.
Also there is plenty of room between the back of the 5.3 engine and firewall since there's no distributor to deal with.
As soon as I get a good pic, I'll post.
Last edited by Docked Wage; 04-03-2011 at 10:05 PM.
04-03-2011, 11:48 PM
#54
Staging Lane
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: weigh west
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
04-04-2011, 12:10 AM
#55
Staging Lane
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: weigh west
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
FWIW for anyone considering this swap...
I was able to place the engine trans and transfercase combo such that the driveshafts were able to be reused without modifying them. In addition, by centering and positioning the engine based on driveshafts the steering shaft clears the power steering pump and pulley just fine.
Also there is plenty of room between the back of the 5.3 engine and firewall since there's no distributor to deal with.
As soon as I get a good pic, I'll post.
I was able to place the engine trans and transfercase combo such that the driveshafts were able to be reused without modifying them. In addition, by centering and positioning the engine based on driveshafts the steering shaft clears the power steering pump and pulley just fine.
Also there is plenty of room between the back of the 5.3 engine and firewall since there's no distributor to deal with.
As soon as I get a good pic, I'll post.
04-04-2011, 03:52 PM
#56
On The Tree
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
FWIW for anyone considering this swap...
I was able to place the engine trans and transfercase combo such that the driveshafts were able to be reused without modifying them. In addition, by centering and positioning the engine based on driveshafts the steering shaft clears the power steering pump and pulley just fine.
Also there is plenty of room between the back of the 5.3 engine and firewall since there's no distributor to deal with.
As soon as I get a good pic, I'll post.
I was able to place the engine trans and transfercase combo such that the driveshafts were able to be reused without modifying them. In addition, by centering and positioning the engine based on driveshafts the steering shaft clears the power steering pump and pulley just fine.
Also there is plenty of room between the back of the 5.3 engine and firewall since there's no distributor to deal with.
As soon as I get a good pic, I'll post.
04-04-2011, 08:52 PM
#57
TECH Apprentice
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Melbourne, FL.
Posts: 381
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I could have used the YJ Crossmember but after sandblasting mine proved to be pretty rotten. To top things off the 3 of the rivnuts in the frame are spinning so getting a bolt started and tightened is a long shot.
Since I don't plan on climbing rocks anytime soon I built a quick crossmember "Trailer Hitch" Style. It's pretty ugly but it's temporary until I can fix the rivnuts and do the major repairs on the old plate.
Here you can see where the chevy trans mount holes need to be on the Jeep plate marked with green paint.
In this position, the rear seal of the transfer case rides in the same place on the original driveshaft yoke. If I used the holes just behind the green marks the seal moved back on the yoke 1/4". I was not sure if that would be ok so I moved everything forward so the transfer case output shaft was exactly (Fore/Aft, Right/Left, Up/Down) where it was originally.
Make sure to mark the seal position on the Yoke before disassembling the old powertrain otherwise you need to look at the yoke very carefully to see where the seal spends the most time.
Since I don't plan on climbing rocks anytime soon I built a quick crossmember "Trailer Hitch" Style. It's pretty ugly but it's temporary until I can fix the rivnuts and do the major repairs on the old plate.
Here you can see where the chevy trans mount holes need to be on the Jeep plate marked with green paint.
In this position, the rear seal of the transfer case rides in the same place on the original driveshaft yoke. If I used the holes just behind the green marks the seal moved back on the yoke 1/4". I was not sure if that would be ok so I moved everything forward so the transfer case output shaft was exactly (Fore/Aft, Right/Left, Up/Down) where it was originally.
Make sure to mark the seal position on the Yoke before disassembling the old powertrain otherwise you need to look at the yoke very carefully to see where the seal spends the most time.
Last edited by Docked Wage; 04-04-2011 at 09:14 PM.
04-04-2011, 09:04 PM
#58
TECH Apprentice
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Melbourne, FL.
Posts: 381
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So with the transfer case in it's original position here are some clearance pics to the Firewall, Right Frame Rail and Left Frame Rail.
Note that when I replaced the body mounts, I used a 1" Lift Urethane Mount set. Since I want to step up to 35" tires the additional lift works for me but the 1" lift is not needed for engine clearance from what I can see.
I do not have a shot with the Steering Shaft in place because I decided to replace mine and am waiting for it to arrive. The original fit just fine but it had a couple of binding joints so it's in the scrap pile. As soon as the new one arrives I'll get it on and post a pic.
Note that when I replaced the body mounts, I used a 1" Lift Urethane Mount set. Since I want to step up to 35" tires the additional lift works for me but the 1" lift is not needed for engine clearance from what I can see.
I do not have a shot with the Steering Shaft in place because I decided to replace mine and am waiting for it to arrive. The original fit just fine but it had a couple of binding joints so it's in the scrap pile. As soon as the new one arrives I'll get it on and post a pic.
