My HEMI build thread - chronicles of a NOOB. - Page 3

**Boundless** · 12-21-2010, 12:07 PM

I'll be

and thanks for taking the time to post

**grogie** · 12-21-2010, 04:48 PM

Sounds enjoyable! Subscribed...

**HemiTJ** · 12-21-2010, 05:54 PM

Sorry, no build thread. I did it before I got involved with JF. I got my A/C lines from Docs Blocks, Great cust service!

Sunnygrill · 12-21-2010, 06:59 PM

Bravo megale. Ego edo sto Los Angeles eimai, kai mai ta eithia edo asxoloume. Vevaios, otan epitrapi oi ora. Kala xristouxena kai pali, naste kala. Nikos

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexGeorgakis

Alright guys and gals, Santa came a few days early this year and brought me a 5.7L V8 HEMI from a 2007 Grand Cherokee. I must have done something good to deserve it!

Besides, I always wanted to start a new thread with this title!

This will be a slow build due to time restrictions and mechanical inexperience. I'm a complete NOOB but hard-set to do something about it. I have never attempted anything like this before so I'm hoping that with the help of a few friends and JF this can turn into a great learning experience for everyone involved.

HISTORY
This engine came out of a 2007 WK which was bought by the previous owner at a bank auction. It was a good deal and he bought it with 25K miles on the clock. He was a hardcore offroader running a YJ on 14-bolt axles and 44" boggers, so he needed a powerful engine to handle the job. He pulled out the entire drivetrain and fuel system from the WK and bolted it onto his YJ. The ECU never knew the difference as he used the WK's gauge cluster. After some hard offroad use, the WK's transmission got fried so he beefed up the flywheel and clutch of his YJ's original AX-15 and used that successfully without any failures.

Eventually he was forced to drop the extreme offroad sport due to the "wife factor". He's got a Nissan Patrol which he still uses as the occasional offroad/hunting vehicle so he no longer needed this monster. Several people offered to buy the YJ complete but he turned them down as he didn't want someone else driving his baby. He decided to sell it in parts and that's where I came along.

Check out a couple of action videos with the HEMI in the YJ running 44" boggers.

YouTube - 4X4 Larissa

YouTube - wrangler 5,7L hemi and wrangler 5,2L kalidromo

REASONS
Several people have asked me why I'm doing this without previous experience or much mechacnical knowledge. Here are my answers:
1) I know how to turn a wrench, so why pay mechanics to do it for me?
2) My mechanic has never done a swap like this before so I figured I know just as much as he does at this point.
3) I will control the quality of the job.
4) I will learn everything about my Jeep, inside out.
5) I will repair or improve sensitive areas (eg. rust, wiring close to exhaust, etc)
6) I will proudly drive a rig that I built personally.

PREPARATION
Being an apartment dweller I could not do this out on the street so I rented a 430 sq. ft garage and bought myself some tools from a couple of retired mechanics. I now have an engine crane, a floor jack, axle stands, a 130A MIG welder, an air compressor and some basic hand tools among other things. I still need some more tools such as a lifting chain or sling for the engine and other stuff but I'll get them as I go along.

Many have told me that the most important part in preparation is correct labeling and storage of everything I pull off. I got myself a couple of rolls of masking tape, some Ziploc bags and permanent markers which should help in the logistics of this project. Let's not forget my fully charged camera as well.

So with the above all said and done, I'm eagerly waiting for your comments and/or suggestions as I plunge into the unknown. I'll start posting pictures tomorrow.

tshively · 12-21-2010, 11:56 PM

I am in the middle of a hemi-swap myself. A very high percentage of my parts are O.E.M. Mopar parts. Chris Squire is a very good and reliable resource. I am using a Getrag 238 (6 speed manual) trans. with a UCF belly-up skid. As stated previously it has been fairly easy but quite expensive. Let me know if I can be of any help.

Dogbones · 12-22-2010, 07:22 AM

Doesn't AEV make a kit for this swap? I was on the site a few days ago but only saw the JK Hemi-swap, I thought for sure they had a TJ swap kit?

**AlexGeorgakis** · 12-22-2010, 07:32 AM

The good thing about my swap is that I probably won't need any kits to make it work since the entire drive train is coming out of a YJ and going into my TJ. All necessary work has already been done by the previous owner. The only thing which I'll need to figure out is how the harness will work with my gauge cluster IF I do not have the room to install the HEMI's gauge cluster, but I've got a good electrician to do that for me. I just have to weld the new mounts in and route the exhaust. Hopefully everything else should fall in place.

**AlexGeorgakis** · 12-22-2010, 07:35 AM

News update. In light of the holidays, I will postpone installing the new drive train until January. In the meantime I will prep my Jeep and possibly remove my drive train and fuel tank. I'll take pictures of all that.

1jack5 · 12-22-2010, 08:36 PM

This will be good. thanks for posting

Bob416 · 12-23-2010, 06:24 AM

dont know if anyone answered this already but if they did i must have missed it, that black box with the hose running to it on page one is your vacuum reservoir. and yes, that other box is your evap (charcoal) canister. as for the ABS delete, get a combination valve from a non ABS tj and run 2 lines from the brake master to it, then run the 3 lines coming out of it to the front and rear, use that diagram to know which lines go where. ur probably going to have an ABS light on but thats nothing that cant be fixed by removing a bulb. and as for stronger brakes, i have a a hp30 and a drum brake 8.8 with stock brakes on them and i have absolutely no problem locking up all 4 aired down 35x12.50 KM2s on dry pavement. and yes, they make a hell of a screech when the skid

Mtb Jak · 12-23-2010, 06:54 AM

One of my good friends is from Cyprus we both go to school in AZ and he has a Jeep and loves going off road! I am going there this summer cannot wait!

**AlexGeorgakis** · 12-23-2010, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob416

dont know if anyone answered this already but if they did i must have missed it, that black box with the hose running to it on page one is your vacuum reservoir.

what does this do exactly?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob416

as for the ABS delete, get a combination valve from a non ABS tj and run 2 lines from the brake master to it, then run the 3 lines coming out of it to the front and rear, use that diagram to know which lines go where. ur probably going to have an ABS light on but thats nothing that cant be fixed by removing a bulb.

Got it. I'll search a used parts store.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob416

and as for stronger brakes, i have a a hp30 and a drum brake 8.8 with stock brakes on them and i have absolutely no problem locking up all 4 aired down 35x12.50 KM2s on dry pavement. and yes, they make a hell of a screech when the skid

HP30? is that a part number? can you give me some more details on this?

Thanks for this info.