[Giviner]

Ok, this will be my official build thread for my V8 swap. This won't really get going until spring when the weather gets warm. Right now my wifes car is in the heated garage while my jeep freezes in the driveway.........hardly seems fair!

I am still acquiring all of the parts I need so I will be ready to go hopefully by mid-April. Here is a general rundown of what I have planned:

LQ4 from an '06 Chev 2500
SM465 transmission
NP241C transfer case
Howell or Speartech custom wiring harness
Advance Adapters hydraulic conversion kit for SM465
......most of the rest of the stuff will be purchased from Advance Adapters or Novak (motor mounts/transmission mounts/radiator/etc.)

I have never done something of this level of complexity before.....but I have figured out that you can read as much as you want online about what others have done and you still won't learn 1/100'th as much as if you go and do it yourself. I will likely screw up many times but it should be an excellent learning experience. I am hoping to have this conversion finished by early August as there is a wheeling trip I am planning to attend on the 6th-8th.

Anyways.........on to some pics.

Lookie what I picked up Saturday:



Pulled off the harness:



Can't figure out what these 2 purple connectors are for (on the right)..........I want to say VSS and t-case indicator but I can't find them in any of my diagrams. Ideas?



A lovely surprise inside the intake.......a gummy mixture of mud/oil. Great, now I need to pull the intake, clean it and make sure no damage was done internally.



Yay, oil cooler..........not sure if I will just bypass it or use it.



Power steering pump has what I determined to be a hydroboost return line (the one with no hose). Won't be needing that so I can just plug it.



That's it for now.........parts will be rolling in over the next few months and I will toss some more pics up as they arrive.

[will228]

is it the 6.0?

[Giviner]

Originally Posted by will228

is it the 6.0?

Yes......300hp, 370ft/lbs

[Giviner]

A little bit more progress to speak of, nothing crazy. Got the transmission put back together with new gaskets, cleaned, and painted.



Cleaned and painted the t-case adapter.



....and finally got the bellhousing cleaned up as well.



Progress will continue to be slow for the next 2 months or so. Once I can start taking my Jeep apart it will go much more quickly. Transfer case is being shipped today, then I will be hitting up JB conversions for one of their super short SYE kits

[Tikitgvr]

Just found this thread, if you search, I am putting an 04 6.0 in my TJ. If you need any info, let me know. I have the luxury of also owning an 08 GMC Vmax that has the 6.0 so I can go over and look at it any time to see where wires or hoses go....My 04 also has the stock 4L80E still attached, and the tcase was there also, so I can look at it to see about the purple wires for you..

[MDOC111]

Good Luck with swap! PM sent!!

[Giviner]

Tikitgvr.......if you don't mind checking on those wires that would be awesome. I will likely end up going with an aftermarket harness........mainly because I hate electrical work and that will make it much simpler and cleaner. But nonetheless, I would still like to know what those connectors are for.

I have read your build thread and looks like you will have a sweet setup. I debated going with an auto as well but it was serious coin for a 4l60 around here so I just decided to stick with a manual. Can't beat $80 for a transmission and t-case adapter.

[will228]

what tranny is that? judging by the spline count it doesnt look like its up to handling a 6.0

[Giviner]

sm465........it won't even flinch at that motor. GM put it behind a lot of 1/2 ton, 3/4 and 1 tons back in the 60's-early 90's.

Also, that is the input shaft in the front of that picture, the output is 32 spline, you can see it resting on the white plastic container in the back.

[Contra]

more updates please...lol

[LSU_TJ]

Yea you right brother. You want to learn something, jump right in and do it. One of the few things I had not done is diff gear work. Learned it and did it last weekend. Great feeling when you learn how to do something new. Good luck.

[Tikitgvr]

Originally Posted by Giviner

Tikitgvr.......if you don't mind checking on those wires that would be awesome. I will likely end up going with an aftermarket harness........mainly because I hate electrical work and that will make it much simpler and cleaner. But nonetheless, I would still like to know what those connectors are for.

I have read your build thread and looks like you will have a sweet setup. I debated going with an auto as well but it was serious coin for a 4l60 around here so I just decided to stick with a manual. Can't beat $80 for a transmission and t-case adapter.

I probably would have done the same thing, but I picked up my 6.0/4L80E/tcase all for $1000.00 so I couldnt refuse. I then turned around and sold the tcase for $500, so I got my motor and tranny for $500. Of course, I lost more than that when I bought the Atlas, but I still only have $2300 in the motor, tranny, and Atlas..All my friends say I have a leprachaun stuck up my arse because of the deals I find.

[will228]

Originally Posted by Giviner

sm465........it won't even flinch at that motor. GM put it behind a lot of 1/2 ton, 3/4 and 1 tons back in the 60's-early 90's.

Also, that is the input shaft in the front of that picture, the output is 32 spline, you can see it resting on the white plastic container in the back.

ahhhhh yes. guess i should have absorbed the pic better. thats a nice 180lb beast u got there

[Nonya]

Looks like a great swap, BUT before i would do anything be sure you tear test the engine. I would pull all the plugs and be sure it turns over by hand easily then do a complete compression test. If it passes then i would pull the oil pan and pull a few bearing caps and use some plastic gauge.

The reason i mention this is a LONG time ago i bought a salvage yard corvette 454, well it looked nice until i started pulling the oil pan off to discover it wasbn't even from a corvette! It just got worse from there. If i had wasted my time to stuff that thing into my project i would have plenty discouraged to just sell the entire mess afterwards. BUT because i did my homework 1st it saved LOTS of misery.

Good Luck

[Giviner]

Originally Posted by Tikitgvr

I probably would have done the same thing, but I picked up my 6.0/4L80E/tcase all for $1000.00 so I couldnt refuse. I then turned around and sold the tcase for $500, so I got my motor and tranny for $500. Of course, I lost more than that when I bought the Atlas, but I still only have $2300 in the motor, tranny, and Atlas..All my friends say I have a leprachaun stuck up my arse because of the deals I find.

Damn..........I paid $2500 for just the motor/wiring harness/CPU/throttle assembly, nevermind the tranny and t-case. You definitely have a leprechaun, and a few horseshoes up there. If I could have found that package I would have jumped on it. I am in a bit of an isolated area though so stuff tends to be a bit more expensive.

Originally Posted by will228

ahhhhh yes. guess i should have absorbed the pic better. thats a nice 180lb beast u got there

It is damn heavy and a ***** to carry and move......cast iron everything. I have been using the engine hoist to move it around whenever possible.

Originally Posted by Nonya

Looks like a great swap, BUT before i would do anything be sure you tear test the engine. I would pull all the plugs and be sure it turns over by hand easily then do a complete compression test. If it passes then i would pull the oil pan and pull a few bearing caps and use some plastic gauge.

The reason i mention this is a LONG time ago i bought a salvage yard corvette 454, well it looked nice until i started pulling the oil pan off to discover it wasbn't even from a corvette! It just got worse from there. If i had wasted my time to stuff that thing into my project i would have plenty discouraged to just sell the entire mess afterwards. BUT because i did my homework 1st it saved LOTS of misery.

Good Luck

Nonya, thanks for the warning. I know the yard where I got this motor and trust the guy that sold it to me......plus I have the vin so there are no surprises when it comes to the age or make. I probably won't tear apart the block before trying to fire it, I've had the intake off and cleaned it up, checked the injectors, and will probably pull the oil pan and swap in a camaro/firebird pan for more ground clearance (that truck pan is DEEP.......and cast aluminum so one hit from a rock and it's toast) so I will be able to get a peek at the bottom end when I do that.