5.3L Vortec V8 Conversion

[Frank Z]

Thanks.

More to come in the next 3-4 days. I've got just about all of the parts I need to drop the chevy pump into the XJ tank, aquired a GM Fuel Vapor Canister today and some addaitional tranny fluid lines as well.

Stay tuned!

 

[jdxj]

lookin good frank

 

[John D]

Thanks.

More to come in the next 3-4 days. I've got just about all of the parts I need to drop the chevy pump into the XJ tank, aquired a GM Fuel Vapor Canister today and some addaitional tranny fluid lines as well.

Stay tuned!

Frank,
Take good notes on this part. I may be interested in converting this way. I am currently using the E2000 electric pump and Corvette fuel filter/regulator with mixed feelings.
Thanks

 

[Frank Z]

Will do.

 

[Frank Z]

Got started on the fuel system a few days ago.

I know that there are folks that have done 5.3L swaps and simply used their stock Jeep pump. I can't help but think that are missing out on some horses and torque as a result. I opted to use a Chevy pump ('03, 60 psi) in my heep vs. the stock pump (49psi).

I had a local machine shop mill a flange to allow the Chevy fuel pump assy. to be mounted in my stock gas tank using the OEM ring and pump seal. From left to right:
Clamping Ring, Fuel Pump Adapter Flange, OEM Jeep Pump Seal.

Made sure the seal was a good fit. Not too loose, not too tight.......juuuuusst right.

Applied a bead of Right Stuff gasket maker in the recess for the new pump assy.

Slip the flange onto the pump.

Install clamping ring using allen head bolts.

Install the pump into the tank and tighten down with the locking ring. (yes I did orient the nipples better before the final tightening of the ring.

Next up are the fuel lines, vapor canister, pump & pressure switch wiring, and installing the tank.

 

[John D]

Nice work Frank, have any specs on the adaptor flange? You know... in case someone wished to copy what you have done :heart:

BTW, did you finish that hood?

 

[Frank Z]

Sure do John, but lets' wait till this project is running and then I'll get the info to ya. I just want to be sure everything is working right first.

No pics this evening folks...sorry.

Spent a little time splicing wires and mating OEM Jeep tranny cooler lines to the 4l60 lines. Tranny is now ready for some fluid.

Fan belt is installed and a cheapy conical air cleaner is mounted to the MAF Sensor/throttle body. I had to put something on to protect the MAF and to give me an envelope to work within for routing the radiator hoses. More on that soon.

Hopefully the gas tank and fuel lines will go back in within the next couple of days.

Getting a little closer everyday.

 

[John D]

Getting a little closer everyday.

Just wait till the first time you take it around the block, every minute and every dollar will become clearly worth it. I had so much fun with mine the first 30 days I took about 25% off my rear MTR's, and I never really lit them up!

 

[wolfpackjeeper]

god I can't wait till th summer. The combination of finishing flight school, ranking up, a sweet tax refund, and lots of free time as a stash LT is going to become epic.

I love the adapter, post up specs or drawings if you have them.

 

[Frank Z]

Limited progress, but progress none the less.
Finally got the radiator hoses figured out. I used a piece of a metal rod to bend the shape I needed for the upper hose and another for the lower hose. After milling around the hoses at the parts house I ended up with a Drive-Rite D71449 for the upper hose, darn near perfect fit.

The lower hose off of the t-stat housing is made from a Drive-Rite D71762 hose, definitely not a perfect fit. I cut off the end that had a near 180deg bend and inserted a length of the coiled wire from one of my old 4.0L radiator hoses so I could bend the hose a little more without kinking it.

The opposite end had a 90deg bend that matched up nicely to the lower port on the drivers side of the radiator.

I used a piece of 1 1/2" HREW to connect the two ends. There are a couple bends in the tube and I also ran a bead around the tube near the ends. Kind of a home-made rib to help secure the hose and prevent it from shooting off under pressure. Sorry but I didn't get any pics of the tube before installing it.

 

[John D]

I used a piece of 1 1/2" HREW to connect the two ends. There are a couple bends in the tube and I also ran a bead around the tube near the ends. Kind of a home-made rib to help secure the hose and prevent it from shooting off under pressure.

I used a piece of 1 1/2" copper to come across without any kind of sealer, I haven't had any issues with mine blowing off or leaking - no worries.

 

[Frank Z]

This morning I decided to tackle the last little bit of wiring that remains, most notably the Chevy gauge cluster. What should have been a fairly straight forward task turned into a royal pain the keester. Some of you may have heard that the 97 XJ is a Bastard Child and today I found out why.

While going through the wires for one of the larger connectors (C200) under the dash that connects the internal wiring to the harness coming through the firewall, I noticed that the wires shown in the 1997 Factory Service Manual didn't come close to the actual wiring in the rig.

Hmmmmmm,not good.

My next step was to search through the 1999 FSM I have on my computer, no luck there either.

So I spent a long time tracing wires so I could snip and yank the wires that are no longer needed and made damn sure I didn't remove any wires that are needed. It's going to take a while to finish tracing the wires, but this isn't the time to start rushing.

If I'm reading the Chevy schematics correctly, it looks like the the gauge lights are powered by 5v from the Body Control Module. Glad I didn't get rid of the one I got with the engine. I'll post up more info after some more research.

I did hook up a battery and applied power to the heep. I cycled through the On, Start, and Run key positions. No flames, no smoke, no blown fuses and the engine turned over without having to jump any relays. With that done I decided not to push my luck and called it a day.....and the SuperBowl is on.

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

Got started on the fuel system a few days ago.

Install the pump into the tank and tighten down with the locking ring. (yes I did orient the nipples better before the final tightening of the ring.

Next up are the fuel lines, vapor canister, pump & pressure switch wiring, and installing the tank.

Damn, that looks familiar!

Sitting in a TJ tank:

Jeff

 

[Frank Z]

Not even close....that's a TJ gas tank.

 

[Frank Z]

I've been trying to integrate a Chevy Tahoe gauge cluster into this build and although the physical aspect of stuffing the cluster into the dash is fairly simple, the electronic logistics are a nightmare. the only way to make it work is to tie-in a Body Control Module and the applicable lighting controls. Since the balance of the dash lights on the XJ would remain 12VDc I'd have to run 2 separate switches/dimmers because the Chevy dimmer lights (in the cluster) are controlled by a 5VDc circuit.

Yes I could press on and buy all of the necessary parts and waste even more hours on this part of the project...but I give up. I could have had the motor running a week ago if I had not been so stubborn.

So now I'm going to spend some time looking for a set of gauges on the interweb. Hopefully I won't waste another week on those as well.

 

[fatwreck]

I'm glad to hear you are now going to do it the right way.

I've shopped around quite a bit for gauges and I can probably tell you what the cheapest place is...although I still haven't pulled the trigger on my own set yet. PM me if you want some info.

 

[wolfpackjeeper]

I was planning on a nice set of autometers. I was going to put them in a bezel cut to fit in the stock location.

 

[Frank Z]

It's Alive!!!


So happy I could dance!

Finally got the last couple of kinks in the wiring worked out and started it up. Sounds freakin' AWESOME!

After I fired it ip I noticed 2 leaks. One is at the tranny dipstick tube and the other on the gas line. Both should be relatively easy to fix.


As much as I'd love to take it out for a spin there's still lots left to do.

All of the new wiring needs to be cleaned up and secured.
Vacuum lines need to be properly connected and routed.
Shifter needs to be installed.
Mount the Evap Canister and secure all of the fuel lines.
Burp the coolant system.
Finish the cowl hood.
Guages, gauges, and more gauges.

 

[fatwreck]

That's great news. I'm soooo ready to be to that point. It's been a slow/tough road though.

I have a couple of questions about vacuum. I'm sending you those via PM.

 

[John D]

I have a couple of questions about vacuum. I'm sending you those via PM.

The vaccuum stuff on mine was super simple, what's the questions?

I've shopped around quite a bit for gauges and I can probably tell you what the cheapest place is...although I still haven't pulled the trigger on my own set yet. PM me if you want some info.

Can you PM me with anything you found? I also have given up on my instrument cluster. I am going to install gages in the stock location.

Anybody know the resistance of of a stock '98 fuel sender?

It's Alive!!!

Good job Frank! When I got to this point I couldn't get out of my garage.