5.9 V-8 Magnum swap

Pardon my ignorance.
For all the fort of splicing and looming and rewiring stuff, why not use the ram in cab wiring/dash and make work that way? I'm backseat driving here as I fix wiring with fire, but just curious
 
Pick your poison. Merging two systems is still merging two systems just pick where you want to do it. I didn't want to mess with anything inside. It actually wasn't that hard to splice the wires. Running the cab and dash wiring would have been harder.
 
So never had the power steering pump mounted when putting the motor in and out during mock up. Well clearance was an issue, I am lucky I didn't put the motor any lower. Fittings came in and put them in today. Just waiting on the high pressure hose I ordered with 6AN fittings. I also modified the transfer case shifter and it is working again. I towed the jeep back from the garage to my house so I can do little things daily.

 
wow-- impressive that you got everything in there. I ended up having to throw my battery in the back. keep the pics rolling.
 
The ZJ bracket was my first thought, but out of curiosity searched for fittings and found the banjo style fittings and figured I would give them a shot. Not sure if I mentioned it, but with the whole drivetrain about 2 inches forward than original, transfer case shifter linkage wouldn't work. So I took the long shift rod that goes from the linkage to the transfer case and cut 2 inches out of the center. Ended up cutting threads into the remaining part of the round bar of the linkages and made a center section using tube and 3/8 nuts. Now it is fully adjustable. I can take pictures if anyone is interested. Worked like a champ!
 
5.9longarmXJ said:
The ZJ bracket was my first thought, but out of curiosity searched for fittings and found the banjo style fittings and figured I would give them a shot. Not sure if I mentioned it, but with the whole drivetrain about 2 inches forward than original, transfer case shifter linkage wouldn't work. So I took the long shift rod that goes from the linkage to the transfer case and cut 2 inches out of the center. Ended up cutting threads into the remaining part of the round bar of the linkages and made a center section using tube and 3/8 nuts. Now it is fully adjustable. I can take pictures if anyone is interested. Worked like a champ!
Click to expand...

Id love to see the linkage. I love this swap great to see it coming along.
 
So I put as many adjustments as I could in the linkage. It helps when trying to install, so tolerance doesn't have to be perfect. You can see the bracket on the transmission will "slide" for adjustment. And the Linkage is now adjustable. With everything being adjustable, it makes it easier to "dial in"

 
Latest. Didn't go with a cold air intake. Stock ZJ setup. Need to get underneath and finish trans filter and band adjustments (May be a few days, I bruised a rib and it is killing me to crawl around under it). Need to hook up shifter cable (probably have to modify the bracket). Then fab up the exhaust. I have a page worth of "smaller stuff" written down, but should be up and running in the next couple of weeks.

 
Looking awesome.
 
Late breaking. So I got under it and plugged in all the connectors on the transmission. Only connectors left are for the O2 Sensors. Put 4 quarts of oil in it (will need a little more) . Started working on the shifter bracket (what a pain in the ass, this may take a while. May break down and get a grand cherokee shifter from an 8cyl). Couldn't resist so I hooked up the negative battery cable and attempted to fire her up. Guages good, turn key nothing. What a crushing blow. I went over the wiring 4 or 5 times and double checked everything. So I try again nothing. I start to smell fuel. I look under the hood and fuel is everywhere. Apparently I crushed the crossover tube between the fuel rails pulling the engine in and out and in and out and it was punctured. I spend thirty minutes changing it out with a spare I had. Hook the negative back up and turn the key. Shes alive!!!! Fired right up. Let her run for about 10 seconds (was loud no exhaust). Its all downhill from here.
 
So after some research, I think the easiest way forward with the shifter, is a cable bracket from a grand cherokee (also came in a bunch of different cars) 25$, a shift lever arm on the transmission from a grand 11$, and the shift cable from a grand 60$. These are all new prices, so am running to the parts yard in the next couple of days. I wish I confronted this earlier, I would have ordered some parts. My advice to anyone that wants to do this swap. Get the motor and transmission from a ZJ (although the 5.9 and 46re in a zj are harder to come be), you will be able to use more smaller parts from a grand. I could mess with the dodge setup and make it work though. Anyone have either the cable bracket or lever from tranny laying around?
 
So just got back from the local junk yard and got the transmission brackets from a grand cherokee and the shift lever. We will see if it works. I found out the lever is no longer available from Mopar. I will post pics later.
 
So bracket didn't work. I knew it was a possibility because jeep starters are on the other side. I was able to determine throw and placement based on the junkyard brackets but ended up fabbing my own. It isn't perfect (ie hard to get all the way in low gears, but is functional). Again for anyone doing this. I do recommend the 46re from a grand Cherokee. Again harder to come by. There are a couple on craigslist but upwards of 1000 used. Also, if you are going to do this swap. I recommend doing frame stiffeners first. Then do a longarm kit. Then do the motor swap. I have a longarm to install and will be doing that prior to the exhaust because the manifolds dump right into the upper control arm brackets. Although it is a good bit above them, it will be easier once the brackets are cut off.
 
If you are doing an OBD-I swap I recommend using a 93-95 ZJ. The 46RH makes the wiring a snap and there is no TCM.
 
I didn't totally talk wiring. So here is my take. It was actually pretty easy to figure out "on paper". I took two or three days going through the factory service manuals and double checking all wiring. I went wire by wire to verify each circuit many of them were the same colors for the jeep and dodge. Then I took my time and spliced each wire and ran new wires if needed. I have my notes that are specific to a 2000 XJ (CA emissions) mated to a 2001 dodge ram 1500 (CA emissions) if anyone wants them let me know. I am pretty sure the only difference for non CA is O2 sensor wiring.

 
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