Time for a v8 swap
- Thread starter TrasH Hawk
- Start date
I manage to make some progress this morning, I got the stock 6L80e transfer case removed ( it was still filled with oil ask me how i know ), mounted the engine and transmission together , got this thing on the sketchest engine hoist I've ever operated and pushed it into the jeep. It's probably a two person job but where's the fun in that. I anticipated I'd have more room to weld with the engine in but I see why the instructions say to tack weld them and than remove the engine to finish welding its tight. I'm still waiting on the transfer case and transmission adapter to set the drivetrain angle (6.5 down from the frame) and hopefully that goes smooth. I do plan to get a holly oil pan as this truck one hangs kind of low for me. The holley engine mount design is supposed to have the smoothest around since it's not the leafspring style bushing on the novak and advanced adapters style, these are 4th gen camaro engine mounts they sent poly urethane but I'm going to order the rubber ones for the final install. Surprisingly the 5.3/6L80e is 4 inches shorter than my 4.0/32rh setup which is nice.
I've been practicing vertical mig for the past couple weeks with my welder trying to get it dialed in just right. I still have more practicing to do but I'm hoping in another few weeks il be dialed in and the transfer case and adapter should be here too. My welder seems to burn hotter than both of my shop welders. I ended up letting the guy that does the welding at my job give it a go and he basically said i need to turn the volts and wire speed down a bunch. These are all just vertical weaves with .035 wire and 75/25 gas.
I had some more goodies show up , still waiting on the transfer case but the holley 302 oil pan showed up.
Finally received the novak crossflow radiator with some fancy instructions. Just waiting on the transfer case and adapter now
The atlas transfer case and adapter have arrived. I'm going to try and get everything mounted in the next 2 weeks
Very nice, I’m running a very similar setup. LQ4, 4L80E, NP241OR with the Holley mounts, rubber motor mounts and UCF 2” skid. I did go with their builders series so it didn’t come with the crossmember welded in and no holes for tranny mount as I put in a TMR crossmember so I could drop the skid without supporting the tranny. I love the Holley mounts and think it positions the motor perfectly. Clears everything at full bump with no extensions and I’m running all the accessories, A/C, mechanical fan, cruise control, etc with high line fenders. It’s tight but it all fits. For motor mounts you can use any off the shelf local auto parts store 98-02 Camaro mounts. They fit and feel great.
I’m jealous of the 6L80, that’s the only thing I’d do different in my swap, the ratios in the 4L80 leave a lot to be desired. Have fun, it’s a lot of work but absolutely worth it!
Before you put that oil pan on, Karl’s Custom makes a trap door baffle that will prevent starvation at angles. Cheap insurance and easy to add now. https://www.karlkustoms.com/product/kpp81071/
I’m jealous of the 6L80, that’s the only thing I’d do different in my swap, the ratios in the 4L80 leave a lot to be desired. Have fun, it’s a lot of work but absolutely worth it!
Before you put that oil pan on, Karl’s Custom makes a trap door baffle that will prevent starvation at angles. Cheap insurance and easy to add now. https://www.karlkustoms.com/product/kpp81071/
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Very nice I do have a question do you have the part number for the rubber mounts I tried ordering them and they sent me a second set of polls. I talked with a guy that's built a tj and does a bunch of ls work he told me to get a 6L80e over the 4l80 because of the gearing its Definitely a beefy unit. The holley pan I got came with a baffle is the Karl's kustom one better ?
3064 is the AutoZone number. Yeah the ratios in the 6L80 are definitely better. I bought a whole truck with the running gear for 1000 bucks so I went with it. Off-road works great in 4 low, but on the street I wish first gear was a little taller and the gears weren’t so far apart, but it’s fine for all purposes. Yeah, the Karl’s baffle will have trap doors in it to keep the oil in the sump when you’re off camber or on a steep descent. I don’t know how much of a problem it is, but people do complain about losing oil pressure, but most of those guys are rock crawlers, either way for 65 bucks, It seemed like cheap insurance to me.
Its been quiet some time since my last update but life has definitely happened. Ive manage to have Irish twins daughters 10 days apart over the last year and the jeep fell on the backburner. After practicing a bunch a work I was confident enough to stick some 7018 rod in there and get the job done, I set it to a 6.5 angle down and tacked it up. Im going to pull the engine out again for the 100th time and rebuild it and have the transmission rebuilt so everything is fresh and ready to roll.
Well the skidpate didnt exactly fit nicely. I had to dremel out the holes and looks like il need to cut some metal off for the transmission pan.
That 6L80 is a huge bitch! It looks like they make a shallow pan for it, might be worth some research to see if there is experience with it in the off-road industry with decent/climbs/off camber situations and if there are any starvation issues. That thing dwarfs my 4L80, transmission clearance wasn’t even a concern after mockup, only the NP241OR required some massaging. I went with the UCF 2” skid in the builder’s series so it didn’t have the holes and crossmember for the factory transmission.
Tox compared the 6l80e to the 42RLE and they are nearly the same size. He went with a flat belly.
Post in thread 'Higher horses, higher revs & even higher torque, a streetable LJ engine swap'
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...a-streetable-lj-engine-swap.36240/post-726814
He’s definitely running a shallower pan than the OP.
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...a-streetable-lj-engine-swap.36240/post-646051
I had to notch my UCF skid around my trans pan for both the 46RE & the 545RFE.
This is what il most likely be doing as the pan is resting on the skidplate pretty good, the transmission mount wouldn't even be seated if I had one.
Going threw the atlas / advanced adapters stuff and it appears theres no actual transmission mount for the adapter plate. What transmission mount is everyone using ?
I’d at least look into that shallower pan, looks like it nets 1.05” of clearance, that’s quite a bit. That break in the front of the skid that you’re taking about cutting off adds a lot of strength to it.
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