ZMotorsports Shop Projects 2.0

[zmotorsports]

Well, Jeep WJ phase 1 I believe is officially complete.

Tonight we cut and modified the transfer case shift lever. We cut the linkage from the NP247 TC so it would connect with the OEM shifter cable but there were interference issues on the NP231. A little cut here and touch the disc sander there and it was ready to weld. I offset the bracket to gain an extra 1/4” away from the output yolk and tuck it a bit closer to the transfer case.








Then a trip to the bead blast cabinet and a quick shot of semi-gloss black before installation.


Installed and tested for full range of motion through the ranges.


Lastly before another test drive was the installation of the front driveshaft.


After the last test drive I think he’s good to put some miles on it and break in the gears while I move on to the next pre-project project.

Stay tuned....

 

[4 FN 27]

Well, Jeep WJ phase 1 I believe us officially complete.

Very Nice!!! I would be seen driving that!!!

I offset the bracket to gain an extra 1/4” away from the output yolk and tuck it a bit closer to the transfer case.

All the little things add up...to a well performing vehicle!!! I love the little things!!!

 

[Wanna Ride]

Absolutely love the Cherokee. Perfect size, stance and overall look. Can’t wait to see some pics from the trail.

 

[zmotorsports]

Very Nice!!! I would be seen driving that!!!



All the little things add up...to a well performing vehicle!!! I love the little things!!!

Thanks Pat. I agree, it's the little details that really add up. I've always said the devil is in the details. Unfortunately, when people see this WJ they will think "oh look, a Grand Cherokee with a lift kit." Those who really know what they are looking at and for will notice the details and the amount of work that went into it but most won't think anything more than a lifted Grand Cherokee.

Test driving it last night I don't think a surgeon could have removed the grin from my son's face. It did my heart good to see him so happy after so much work has gone into this and how much planning he did. Also he mentioned that it turned out exactly how he envisioned, which is always nice.

Thanks for the comments Pat.

 

[zmotorsports]

Absolutely love the Cherokee. Perfect size, stance and overall look. Can’t wait to see some pics from the trail.

Thank you. I am excited to see some off road pics as well. Even though we don't do quite as extreme of trails as we used to we still like challenging ourselves and our vehicles a bit and I look forward to getting out on weekends and wheeling with my son and his girlfriend with his new and very capable ride.

Thank you for following along on my project thread.

 

[rattle_snake]

Very nice work on the jeep Mike. What I would expect from you given your past projects but still very impressive. Everything neat and clean, which takes extra time and effort. Overall fantastic job and some quality time spent with your son. Awesome.

 

[zmotorsports]

Very nice work on the jeep Mike. What I would expect from you given your past projects but still very impressive. Everything neat and clean, which takes extra time and effort. Overall fantastic job and some quality time spent with your son. Awesome.

Thank you Justin, I appreciate the comments and for following along.

Although it was a lot of work over the past several months I have really cherished the quality time spent with my son in the shop. Seeing the grin on his face when he drives it is just the cherry on top.

 

[slodat]

So... the box..??

 

[Nlped]

^^^ Yeah! What’s in the BOX? ;D


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NUTTSGT]

Mike,

I think that is the stoutest exhaust hanger I've ever seen.


The box. . . . . . ?

A big blow up turkey for Thanksgiving ?

 

[Ohmthis]

Mike, the work on the Jeep is looking great! There will be tons of memories made with it I’m sure. Thanks for taking the time to document and post your projects. I know it is time you could be doing something else. Hope everyone has a great turkey day!!!

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, the work on the Jeep is looking great! There will be tons of memories made with it I’m sure. Thanks for taking the time to document and post your projects. I know it is time you could be doing something else. Hope everyone has a great turkey day!!!

Thank you very much, I appreciate the comments. As for time I could be doing something else, I guess I could have been working on my "other" project but I would still be in the shop so may as well take advantage of the fact that he wanted to be in the shop working on his Jeep and embrace the opportunity for what it is. I have the feeling my time with my son is slipping away as he is entering the next phase of his life but my wife and I are so happy for him and want he and his future wife to be even happier than we are, and that is going to be hard to do.

Thanks again for following along and commenting.

 

[zmotorsports]

So... the box..??

^^^ Yeah! What’s in the BOX? ;D


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mike,

I think that is the stoutest exhaust hanger I've ever seen.


The box. . . . . . ?

A big blow up turkey for Thanksgiving ?

Geeeeeez guys. One project is barely out the door and you already want to know what the next one is. Can't I catch a breathe????

I know, I know, it's about time the box's secret is let out. I was going to wait until I had a few more little items addressed but I guess I can let the cat out of the bag earlier rather than later. Several have already guessed it but I will get some pictures and post them up hopefully this evening to tie ya'll over until I can actually start on it.

All kidding aside, I really do appreciate the interest and the bantering about the project. Another reason I love this forum and its members.

Eric, thank you for the comment about the exhaust. It probably is a little overkill as the muffler was stout enough just hanging onto the Y-pipe but that extra little hanger and isolator will ensure it stays put and doesn't fatigue crack the welds further forward on the exhaust system.

 

[zmotorsports]

Last night after work my son decided to install his own Teraflex steering stabilizer. I advised him leaving the steering stabilizer off the Jeep fir the first little bit to ensure there were no handling issues. Many times the steering stabilizer can mask underlying problems but after about a hundred miles now I think it’s safe to say road manners are exceptional and the steering dampener can be installed.




Thank you all for following along on this phase of my son’s Jeep build and please stay tuned for my little project coming up. I’ve been debating on posting it here in this thread or starting a specific thread on it.

You’ll have to let me know when it is revealed what the project is.

 

[LXCam]

Thank you very much, I appreciate the comments. As for time I could be doing something else, I guess I could have been working on my "other" project but I would still be in the shop so may as well take advantage of the fact that he wanted to be in the shop working on his Jeep and embrace the opportunity for what it is. I have the feeling my time with my son is slipping away as he is entering the next phase of his life but my wife and I are so happy for him and want he and his future wife to be even happier than we are, and that is going to be hard to do.

Thanks again for following along and commenting.

I know you know this but be glad you made the time to do this with him. I have a couple regrets in life...ok maybe more then a couple. But the boy n I were hot and heavy on his 69 bird project when I got interrupted to just do what was supposed to be the engine and blower install on a race car. Wellll what should have been a months project turned into 1.5yrs and over 1000hrs of every spare minute I had. And all though that build saw the cover of mopar action along with a four page spread could never make up for that lost time for "us".

Soooo I guess we'll all be waiting on pins n needles until tonight eh?

 

[zmotorsports]

I know you know this but be glad you made the time to do this with him. I have a couple regrets in life...ok maybe more then a couple. But the boy n I were hot and heavy on his 69 bird project when I got interrupted to just do what was supposed to be the engine and blower install on a race car. Wellll what should have been a months project turned into 1.5yrs and over 1000hrs of every spare minute I had. And all though that build saw the cover of mopar action along with a four page spread could never make up for that lost time for "us".

Soooo I guess we'll all be waiting on pins n needles until tonight eh?

Thanks Cam, and yes, I will try to get some pictures posted as soon as possible. Hell, maybe even a short video with an introduction to the project as it may better explain my reasoning.

 

[LXCam]

Thanks Cam, and yes, I will try to get some pictures posted as soon as possible. Hell, maybe even a short video with an introduction to the project as it may better explain my reasoning.

More powa or preparing for the zombie apocalypse needs no explanation Mike. It's man law no.1 - bigger, better, faster requires no reasoning

 

[timbitca]

That Grand Cherokee is beautiful. I've always had a soft spot for them.

 

[zmotorsports]

That Grand Cherokee is beautiful. I've always had a soft spot for them.

Thank you, I appreciate that.

My son feels the same way. His first Jeep was a 1996 Grand Cherokee (ZJ) that he had all through high school and first year of college. He then bought a 2004 Wrangler Unlimited (LJ) and we built it over the course of a summer and he drove it for the next 4 years and wheeled it quite a bit. It was a great daily driver and weekend wheeler but he kept mentioning that he missed his Grand Cherokee as he had a soft spot for them.

Last year he began searching for another Grand Cherokee but wanted to step up a few years to get the nicer interior and heavier gauge frame boxes that the WJ's offered. He found a very clean 2004 Grand Cherokee (WJ) with some miles on it but never wrecked or flooded and both the interior and exterior were in relatively excellent condition. No body damage or tears in the interior although one little rust spot in a doorway that we will need to address.

This was his starting point and although I couldn't understand his reasoning I now see what he wanted and I am especially glad to see just how happy he is after driving it for a few days now. This will definitely be a head turner and should provide a safe and reliable daily driver yet off the off-road abilities that he was after and even eventually carry his family around comfortable whether on or off road.

Thanks again for the comments and for following along.

 

[GRN96WS6]

Is he selling the duramax?

 

[zmotorsports]

Is he selling the duramax?

Nope. He's keeping both, as well as his HD.

 

[zmotorsports]

Okay, you guys have been great to wait and put up with my teasing about the next project so I figured I may as well spill it. I'm doing a quick shop tour video of the WJ now that it's done and introducing the next project but this forum is so great I will post the project here before on my YouTube channel.



I will be removing the anemic 3.8 liter V6 from my 2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and will be installing a ... 6.2 liter all aluminum Chevrolet LS V8 engine along with the 6L80 automatic transmission. This combination has been one of my favorites for a while now and I have been working through the EPA ******** in order to get it to pass the strict emissions laws here in Utah. Hands down the number one reason for this engine/transmission swap is drivability, everything else is second to that. The new Jeeps don't impress me, I have this chassis/suspension built the way I want it and would like to keep this Jeep on the road (and trails) for at least another 15 years and a couple hundred thousand miles.



Those of you who have followed along on my threads or posts have probably figured out that I am a GM guy moreso than any other brand, with a HEAVY mixture of Jeep in there. I've had them all but prefer the bowtie, what can I say. Nearly from day one with my Jeep JKUR after lifting it and the initial build I have dreamed of having some LS V8 power but I also wanted to keep the Jeep dependable, reliable and have ALL of the creature comforts working and not settle for just another V8 swap like so many have done and have all kinds of idiosyncrasies or quirks about it. I have merely settled for the anemic power levels on the road because it wheels so great and has taken on anything and everything I have thrown at it off-road. It is the on-road performance that really has bothered me. There are times when it can't get out of its own way, even with the 5.38 gears on the small 35" tires. Sad that 35" tires are now considered small~ish. I have also informed my wife that now that I have the power to go a bit bigger on tires I will be stepping to 37" tires after the swap as my 35" BFG KO2's are nearing the end of their usable tread. The tire has been a fantastic tire and I have loved them both on and off road. My Jeep now has 91,500 miles on the odometer and these tires have been on for 47k miles now and flat towed another 20k miles over the past 4 years so I am very happy with the life I have gotten and especially with their performance both on and off road. I could probably get another 6-10 out of them if I wanted but by the time I get the swap done and get some miles on it and then purchase tires I will probably have another 1-2k miles on these. My wife was frustrated with me wanting to go up in tire size, probably because she is a bit vertically challenged and has a hard time getting in now but it should only lift it about an inch or so which I think she can handle. She was worried that with the larger tires I would want to do more extreme trails but I insured her that I am not putting larger tires on to do more aggressive trails, merely to get over the obstacles on the trails we are already running just a bit easier and less dragging on my skids and control arms. I'm not looking to do more technical trails than we already run.



I have been so focused on the house, shop and yard over the past two years that the Jeep has been put on the back burner as far as upgrades so I have just been driving it and wheeling it and enjoying it but this past summer I decided to get serious about upping the power and started doing much more homework diving into EPA regulations as well as wiring and trying to anticipate integration issues.



This past summer I started collecting parts & pieces for the swap and knew exactly what years and what particular engine or engines would be most viable. I determined I wanted a 2010-2014 LS engine in order to meet the USEPA guidelines for engine swap. I contemplated the 5.3, the 6.0 as well as the 6.2 liter engines. The 5.3 would obviously be a great deal better than the 3.8 V6 that is currently in my Jeep but I doubted I would be happy for very long being only 1.5 liters larger and my Jeep is on the heavy side at 6k pounds. I then thought the 6.0 which would work as it was designed for heavy hauling in the GM trucks if you didn't get the Duramax. This engine will put out easily 350~ish HP and around 385 lb/ft of torque and haul my Jeep around beautifully. Plus with the iron block be very durable and withstand the extreme temperatures better here in Utah. All the while however, I kept thinking the 6.2 liter would be the cat's meow. Again, my wonderful and loving wife told me not to settle so the 6.2 LS engine it is. The LS3 is a great engine which was available in the Camaro's and Corvette's but I wanted the low end torque of the 6.2 LS truck/SUV engine with its taller intake (longer runners) and VVT (Variable Valve Timing). The LS3 would also be a bit better fit seeing as the intake is lower but the truck engine will fit just fine, plus the LS3 is harder to find as a lift out and brings a premium in new form. The entire GM package (6.2 LS engine/6L80 transmission) is only about 45 pounds heavier than the iron block 3.8 V6 and 42RLE transmission that is currently in my Jeep so it shouldn't affect suspension or handling at all, hell I think my winch was heavier than that. The 6.2 LS truck/SUV engine will put out just over 400 hp and nearly 420 lb/ft of torque in stock trim with OEM GM tune so that is what we are going with, although I will more than likely tweak the tune and probably shift points down the road. After a little bit of searching for a low mileage lift out engine and transmission I found a 6L80 transmission with 38k miles on it from a 2012 GMC Denali SUV but the engine was already spoken for, damnit!!! About two week later I got a tip and after a few phone calls I landed me a brand new L94 crate engine from GM, which is no longer available other than a long block.



Introducing my new 6.2 L94 that will reside in my 2011 Jeep JKUR.







Here is the 6L80 transmission from a 2012 GMC Denali and the NP241J from a 2008 Jeep Sahara with the 2.72:1 low ratio.






So there you have it, my new project laid out for ya.

 

[GRN96WS6]

I kinda had a gut feeling you were going V8, but dang!

What a build!

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

*Like*

I'm looking forward to what you do with regards to mating the GM stuff with the Jeep CANBUS.

 

[quadrcr87]

I was right about it being an engine but I thought it was for the Harley! This LS swap is going to be a great project to follow. I am looking forward to it!

 

[Nlped]

I’m certainly in for this. It’s what I want to do at some point, so now you can do it and we’ll get to see what is involved. It’s going to be a beast!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Wanna Ride]

So what’s the hold up? We want more pics, details and progress. C’mon, let’s go!

 

[purplezr2]

Mike,

I have been reading this thread from day one. I envy your shop and talent. Many times I have referenced you to my GF as having my dream setup. I'm always impressed by not only the quality of your work, but also the shear volume. I have a list a mile long of things I would like to complete, but it seems the days are too short.

Also your lawn appears amazing.

 

[LXCam]

Now we're talking


And I hate to even say this. I have a couple 4L65E's here, I'd have given you one.

 

[4 FN 27]

Excited to see the process and the outcome!!!

 

[rattle_snake]

I'm a more power and bigger tires kind of guy too, good decisions on the jeep! Can you share the high level EPA/emissions plan? I see hemi heeps around here and wonder how they get around emissions.

 

[timbitca]

Oh yeah, this is going to be great to follow along. Can't wait to hear it running and see how you go about swapping. No doubt it'll be first class work.

 

[zmotorsports]

WOW guys, I am humbled by the responses. You guys are great, I love this forum and everyone who contributes.

As for the build, I have to ask a question. Would you like to see the LS swap here in this Projects 2.0 thread or should I start a LS swap thread all its own?

I'm good either way but maybe if others are looking to do something similar down the road a standalone thread may be easier to find. Thoughts?

I am also planning on doing a video series of the build in multiple segments/videos. Probably not super highly detailed but cover the vast majority of it and maybe emphasize on areas that I may think will derive the most questions or confusion.

Again, thank you all for your enthusiasm and responses.

 

[zmotorsports]

Now we're talking


And I hate to even say this. I have a couple 4L65E's here, I'd have given you one.

Thanks for the offer Cam, I had easy access to a four speed as well but really want the 6-speed for this application. I really appreciate it though.

 

[Bob Heine]

Mike, I have no preference but if a separate thread is easier for you, go for it. One more subscribed thread is no big deal. The only downside is down the road when you finish the project, there might not be as much activity on that thread. It will be like your original Zmotorsports Shop Projects thread that hasn't had a post in almost two years. Sad, because there are so many great things in it.

 

[zmotorsports]

The EPA and emissions seem to be a hot topic and truth be told the biggest hurdle that I have had to overcome. I'm good but not that good so I enlisted a company who has pretty much revolutionized the LS swap for help with some of the electronics as well as a few other components. Robbie @ Motech in Las Vegas has done amazing work with creating a bridge between the GM ECM/TCM and the Chrysler BCM. This "handshake" between the two is a non-critical bridge that still allows the engine to run in the event of failure yet allow full functionality of all of the Jeep accessories. He has tapped into the CANbus using the interior CAN network yet still requires several signals be handled discretely like brake input and cruise control input for DOT regulations.

The EPA has already certified the GM package so it carries a full EPA certification and the integration is the critical area. I am also using a brand new GM wiring harness for a 2012 Cadillac Escalade which has already been certified as part of the GM package.

There are other companies out there doing similar swaps but they don't rely on quite as critical of EPA or emissions criteria so they would be suited for a state that may not require such strict adherence to the letter of the law vs. the spirit of the law. I want my Jeep to be 100% USEPA compliant not only because of the state I live in and how strict they are but also because I want it to be done correctly.

Another reason I chose to go with OEM wiring harness and components is due to proper ground and power distribution. I don't want to get too deep into it prior to the start of the project but I will go more in depth as we approach each segment of the build process. I am sure there are others out there doing their swap an easier way or less invasive manner but this is the direction I have chosen to go as the easiest isn't always the best.

I told my wife I wanted this thing to drive like a Denali with a Jeep body on it and that is what I am trying to follow through with. I'm even using the OEM hydraulic motor mounts and keeping all of my OEM Jeep accessories on the accessory drive. I've been bitten before by having custom fabricated and machined parts on a daily driver and they can be difficult to locate parts for in a pinch so I am trying to keep this as OE as possible as we travel all over the western U.S. and into Canada and I don't want to have issues locating parts if I break down out of town.

Also due to the engine/transmission swap I will be regearing my axles as I currently have 5.38 gears in my Dana 44's. The power of the LS being double what I have now will allow me to gear back up for lower overall RPM and better economy. The LS's sweet spot seems to be in the 1900-2100 RPM range on a heavy brick going down the road. That being said I have calculated my gearing for 37" tires (measuring actually closer to or just under 36") to be right @ 2000 RPM with 4.56:1 gears @ 70 MPH. I have purchased my gears and will be regearing my axles prior to the engine swap. My thinking was I will want to put some miles and break in on the new drivetrain once I get it in so I may as well do the gears first and live with worse performance for a week or two before doing the engine swap than spin the engine more than necessary after the engine swap until I can find time to regear. I'm sure a case can be made to regear afterwards but I am choosing to do it prior.

One last thing is my steering gearbox. I had installed my PSC Big Bore XD steering gearbox within the last year thinking it would work fine with the new engine. However, upon further investigation I have found out that the first version of the PSC XD gearbox would in fact work the XDII will not due to the shear size of the gearbox. It will actually contact the A/C compressor so I will be changing that out with my OEM Jeep gearbox that I have had tapped for hydro-assist steering. I was trying to avoid going to hydro-assist steering but to be honest I don't see another way around and by going with the smaller 1.5" ram I shouldn't notice any of the adverse affects that people seem to experience with the larger rams so for daily driving I think it will work fine.

I hope that sums up some of the questions and again, I will address more as I get nearer to commencing the build but for the next couple of weeks I will be focusing on regearing my Dana 44's and installing my hydro-assist steering in preparation to pull the body off of my Jeep for the engine/transmission installation.

Thank you all again for the encouragement, enthusiasm and putting up my teasing about the big brown box. I hope I won't let anyone down on the actual project.

Thank you.

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, I have no preference but if a separate thread is easier for you, go for it. One more subscribed thread is no big deal. The only downside is down the road when you finish the project, there might not be as much activity on that thread. It will be like your original Zmotorsports Shop Projects thread that hasn't had a post in almost two years. Sad, because there are so many great things in it.

Thanks for the input Bob. Maybe I will just keep it here. I have been a member of several Jeep forums for quite some time, even a technical moderator on one forum, but to be honest, some of the people on those forums are so negative and only want to do things the absolute cheapest way possible rather than the correct way.

I hated being the moderator on the one forum and having all of the technical questions from people about how to fix this or that on their Jeep. When I would explain the correct way to repair it (or modify it) they would immediately reply with negative comments about how much that will cost and they can't afford to fix it that way. SO basically they were asking me how to fix their **** in an unsafe or inappropriate manner just to save them a buck or two. I finally resigned as moderator as I was tired of being associated with such stupidity and ignorance. I was NOT going to tell someone how to bypass an emissions component or safety item to save them a few bucks nor did I want my name associated with it at all.

I have pretty much been inactive on all of the Jeep forums for the past several years and have thought about posting my build on one but don't want to get drawn in again.

I guess there is enough LS swap threads out there that if someone wants to see how it's done there are plenty to choose from. I will keep my build here and on my YouTube channel and demonstrate the way I chose to integrate the two.

Thanks again for the comments Bob.

 

[C_F]

I vote for the standalone thread.

Man, I haven't checked in on this thread for a few days...the Grand Cherokee turned out fantastic! AND we got to see what was in the box! I had a hunch it was gonna be an LS motor, and I was hoping it was "the BIG one", because we all know there's no such thing as too much horsepower.

 

[zmotorsports]

I vote for the standalone thread.

Man, I haven't checked in on this thread for a few days...the Grand Cherokee turned out fantastic! AND we got to see what was in the box! I had a hunch it was gonna be an LS motor, and I was hoping it was "the BIG one", because we all know there's no such thing as too much horsepower.

You are right about that. Never enough HP, but this may get the Jeep down the road a little better than the original 3.8 liter.

Thanks for following along.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Mike this is going to be an awesome project. . . . . waiting on the project to officially start.

FWIW, if you start a stand alone thread build on it and decide later to merge it into this ZMSP2.0 thread, all you have to do is shoot me a PM and I can merge them with a few clicks, no big deal.