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‘82 Engine Swap & Restification

ag4ever

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Well, I guess it is time to start documenting the engine swap and slow process of cleaning up and fixing issues on my ‘82.

We bought the Jeep for use on my deer lease and duck/goose lease. I have found myself hunting duck/geese less and less over the years, so it became a full time deer lease jeep. It sat there year round, and became more and more curmudgeonly about starting and running. I would need to either rebuild the carb, or replace the fuel pump every year, and sometimes both. Well, I finally had enough when rebuilding the carb and replacing the fuel pump would not cure the fuel issue.

So we have decided to change out the carb’d 232ci I6 and swap in a L59 V-8. I pulled the 5.3 from an ‘03 Suburban that was T-boned. I drove it from Pearland, TX to Richmond, TX before parking it and pulling the engine. It ran smooth and had good oil pressure and power. Hopefully, it will run just as good in the jeep as it did in the suburban.

This is the pulled engine waiting for its new home.

B951B8CE-AB6C-41F3-BBBF-3BCC3F314296.jpeg

If I do have an issue with that engine, I have this one in the barn waiting for a rebuild.


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CJ7Pilot

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Excellent project! I look forward to following this build! :cheers:
 

ag4ever

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For exhaust manifolds, I was able to score a set of C6 LS2 manifolds that were jet hot coated. Cost was only marginally higher than buying a set from a parts yard on car-part.com. Basically, I got the jet hot coating for about $100.

D237A031-8F12-4030-B6B9-381B0B9F6689.jpeg
 

ag4ever

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So, motivation by a LS 5.3. Next up, transmission. I had initially planned to do a 4.0 / 258 stroker motor so I had started collecting parts, and have an ax-15 belhousing for a 4.0. I also have the 258 crank, and a 4.0 pulled from an xj (‘98 I believe). But after looking at engine weights and seeing that the iron LS weighs about the same as the Jeep I-6, I changed directions. Now, if I had the ax-15 in hand I probably would use it with the LS, but.......

I was able to score this:

AE34BE39-0FD0-46EC-AA0F-DDB8A4703A6D.jpeg

NV4500 from a 2003 GMC Sierra 2500. Came with the bell housing, clutch, flywheel, hydraulic throw out bearing, just missing the shifter, all for $700.

So, that is the reason for the L92. When we get it rebuilt and installed, between the engine and trans, we will still have the same approximate drivetrain weight, just more biased towards the rear. WIN-WIN! Plus the added torque and horsepower from 6.2L. WIN-WIN-WIN!!!
 
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ag4ever

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The suburban was bought just before Thanksgiving, and I spent a couple days pulling that engine.

I lucked out on that purchase, my neighbor has an ‘02 or ‘03 Tahoe that his grandson wrecked. Had a damaged front end (hood, grill, bumper, lights, etc...). He offered to split the cost of the suburban for those parts. $800/2, so no I have $400 in the engine. I sold the 4l60e transmission for $150, so In the end I have $250 in the Engine, harness, computer, and other parts I removed from the ‘burb before having it hauled to the scrap yard. Had a local body shop haul it off and gave them the scrape value, so it cost me $0 to haul it off.
 
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ag4ever

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During the Christmas holiday, I spent a little time here, a little time there stripping the Jeep down and pulling the engine.

This is how it looks currently

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ag4ever

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After getting the engine out, I can get a better look at all the interesting “improvements” the second owner bestowed upon this jeep.

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At one point in its life, this jeep sported an angle iron exo-cage. I’ll bet that cage weighed at least a thousand pounds.

So, next I will need to do some cutting, grinding and cleaning.

All in all, the frame appears solid. It is an original Arizona Jeep, that spent ‘82 - ‘09 in Arizona, so rust has not been a huge issue. Only real rust on it is that gained in Texas after ‘09.

But the front frames from the sway bar mounts forward are suspect. The sway bar mounts are currently booger welded on.

Hopefully I can cut the junk off and fix the frame, then reinforce it with these:

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Chiefwaho frame plates. :woohoo:
 

ag4ever

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For Christmas, my wonderful wife bought me engine mounts from Novak.

44C103D2-9BD5-4A44-853B-A825D82971BD.jpeg

After Christmas, I ordered the NV4500 to Dana 300 adaptor from Novak. I have not received the shipping confirmation yet. I will probably give them a call on Tuesday when I get back to work. In that same order I also bought some other LS swap odds and ends. Mostly for emissions and filling holes from unused sensors.

I had debated (with myself) on how I wanted to mate the trans to transfer case, and even debated buying an atlas, but settled on the Novak ring, plus replacing the input shaft in the transfer case. I really wanted the kit JB Conversion sold, but I don’t think they make it anymore, plus they have not returned any e-mails I sent them. Guess they don’t need my money.
 
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ag4ever

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Well, I called Novak today, and my 32 spline input shaft for the D300 is on backorder and their machine shop indicates about a 3 month lead time. Grrrrrr. So, now I get to chose a new method of joining the NV4500 to the D300, or be patient and wait. I have seen bad reviews of the AA 32 spline D300 input shaft (loose tolerances) so I think I’ll just be patient.

On a good note, I got a package in the mail yesterday:

D1368155-6679-48D7-A675-7F001B7CB2FB.jpeg

walkerhoundvm hooked me up with a “check engine” light for my vortex swap. Would have been kinda neat to have an original “carb check” light, but this is just as good. Now I just need to figure out the OEM location for the California Carb Check light location. I know it mounts above the left speaker, but under the windshield knob. Just need to find measurements somewhere. Any ideas?

Also, I was looking for a 4 cylinder clutch pedal to do a hydraulic conversion, but did not care to spend $90 on the only set I saw on eBay. Instead I bout a set of YJ pedals, and plan to swap out the clutch pedal from that assembly to the CJ assembly. Got that assembly for $30 which I think is much more reasonable.
 

ag4ever

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For anybody looking to do a swap of pedals, I found the below post at jeepforum.com very informative. Very detailed description of the differences in clutch and brake pedals.

CJ vs YJ pedal assemblies

While the pin location for the CJ and YJ are not the same, I am hopefull it will be close enough.

Also an interesting explanation of why the rod must be lengthened when swapping in a YJ vacuum brake booster.
 

walkerhoundvm

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So were you planning on shaving those two rivets off of a manual clutch pedal and using one of the holes for a cotter pin or something, or are you still going with a YJ pedal?

IMG_20190108_201453.jpg
 

ag4ever

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As soon as I receive the YJ pedal, I will look at it closer to determine if the lower pin will be ok for the current hole in the firewall. My jeep was originally a 4 cylinder, so it has the factory hole cut for the master cylinder. To go back to the original setup there is more than just installing the pin in the pedal. The factory hydraulic setup used a bracket that supported the end of the rod the clutch and brake pedal swings on, and the other part of this bracket went to the fire wall and is what the master cylinder mounts to. This ties the brake pedal assembly to the master cylinder and reduces the chance of flex between the two components.

I know a lot of other people have successfully added a pin to the linkage clutch pedal, but I like the idea of the bracket that ties the pedal assembly to the master cylinder for rigidity.

This is the bracket that ties the clutch rod to the master cylinder. The latter YJ brakets are larger than the early YJ and CJ brackets.

YJBrakeswap004.jpg
* This is not my photo and was originally posted by "only in a jeep cj" on jeepforum.com. see link to forum post above.

If this does not work, I will keep searching for an original 4 cylinder pedal.
 

walkerhoundvm

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Gotcha. Which pedal assembly did you pick up? I think I might try to get one of the cheaper ones on eBay and see if the early 90s versions can swap the clutch pedal into my present assembly.
 

ag4ever

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Got mine from deadjeeps. I forgot to ask for an early YJ version, the one pictured is an early version (I think). If I get a late version, well, I will need to do some more searching or buy just the bracket. Time will tell.

eBay Auction for YJ pedal assembly, 87-95
 

walkerhoundvm

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Got mine from deadjeeps. I forgot to ask for an early YJ version, the one pictured is an early version (I think). If I get a late version, well, I will need to do some more searching or buy just the bracket. Time will tell.

eBay Auction for YJ pedal assembly, 87-95
That's...a great price. Basically the cost of shipping for something that large. I picked up something similar as well, but it's from a later YJ. I have the knockout in my firewall, and the plunger for the MC has a wide range of motion so I think it'll all work out in the end. I just need to see if the bracket will work with my aftermarket tub holes and master cylinder.
 

ag4ever

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My pedal assembly came in, and it is a late YJ set, so the brace won’t fit. Grrrr

Guess I am still on the hunt for a solution. I can bend up a bracket to fit, or buy the right pedals, or buy some early YJ and test them.

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Boswellcj8

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Well, I called Novak today, and my 32 spline input shaft for the D300 is on backorder and their machine shop indicates about a 3 month lead time. Grrrrrr. So, now I get to chose a new method of joining the NV4500 to the D300, or be patient and wait. I have seen bad reviews of the AA 32 spline D300 input shaft (loose tolerances) so I think I’ll just be patient.

On a good note, I got a package in the mail yesterday:

I need info on this light for my LS swap!

View attachment 68928

walkerhoundvm hooked me up with a “check engine” light for my vortex swap. Would have been kinda neat to have an original “carb check” light, but this is just as good. Now I just need to figure out the OEM location for the California Carb Check light location. I know it mounts above the left speaker, but under the windshield knob. Just need to find measurements somewhere. Any ideas?

Also, I was looking for a 4 cylinder clutch pedal to do a hydraulic conversion, but did not care to spend $90 on the only set I saw on eBay. Instead I bout a set of YJ pedals, and plan to swap out the clutch pedal from that assembly to the CJ assembly. Got that assembly for $30 which I think is much more reasonable.
 

Boswellcj8

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Willis
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All your work finding / adapting peddles and clutch linkages is exactly why I opted to go 4L60. My wife and kids are ticked at me for getting away from standard but it is going to make the swap way easier
 

ag4ever

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All your work finding / adapting peddles and clutch linkages is exactly why I opted to go 4L60. My wife and kids are ticked at me for getting away from standard but it is going to make the swap way easier

I am sure the auto would be easier, but we have 2 other 4wd vehicles with auto transmissions and a car that is an auto, this is my “fun” vehicle. To me, shifting through the gears is part of the fun driving experience. I am 100% sure an auto would be much more capable on and off road, just not as fun. I am that odd person that would buy a new Jeep JL if I found one on a dealer lot that was blue, rubicon, and manual transmission. Good thing those are rare Jeeps, prevents me from buying one.

In the end, it would be easier to just buy the $90 pedal assembly for a 4cyl CJ on eBay, but I am being stubborn. Just don’t think they are worth $90.

Past that, it is just a matter of getting the correct master cylinder to match up to the GM annular hydraulic throw out bearing.
 
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FLCJ8

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In the end, it would be easier to just buy the $90 pedal assembly for a 4cyl CJ on eBay, but I am being stubborn. Just don’t think they are worth $90.

Past that, it is just a matter of getting the correct master cylinder to match up to the GM annular hydraulic throw out bearing.
FWIW
The parts lists for the 4 cyl CJ8 and '87-'90 YJ show the same part number for the brace.
 
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