GM 5.3/4L60E/Klune/Stak 300

[Sponge Bob]

i found one. i think you could use the driver side one to get the exhaust over the trans to the pass side and use the stock pass side.

 

[Root Moose]

Go with the car manifold if you can - relatively cheap, lower/shorter and supposedly give some noticeable power.

 

[xjbubba]

I feel your pain, Jeff. But since you don't have the SMOG Nazis to deal with, you can be creative.
My truck manifolds had two major clearance issues. The first was due to the fact that both sides dumped at the rear, and were somewhat flared out.
I had to severely mod the UCA mounts on both sides, replacing them with drop brackets, designed to connect to the heavily modded UCA mounts. On the passenger side, I had to modify (widened) the tranny tunnel, AND, had to cut the rear exhaust collector off, change the angle and re-weld. It still was extremely tight, and a challenge to fit the down pipe into the space while clearing the dropped UCA.
On the driver's side, I had to build a tunnel into the frame to allow the O2 sensor to protrude, since I had to install the sensor in the side of the manifold (manual tranny set up).
On both sides, I had to cut out sections of the frame rail , along the top 1/3, and build in reinforcement to maintain rail integrity and rigidity. This also required modification of the stock engine mount areas--but the 5.7 mounts differently than the 5.3--so maybe what I had to do is moot.
Here's a picture of the driver's side mods:

Close up of driver's side:

Driver's side complete:

The passenger side required more modding because the engine sets ~2 inches to the passenger side, exacerbating the manifold/engine mount clearance problem on that side, but easing the problem on the driver's side.
Shot of passenger side from the garrage floor:

I considered raising the engine, but that would require mods to the trans tunnel for more height to maintain drive line angles--in front, as well as in the rear.
Shot of preliminary mods to tranny tunnel to get NV4500 to fit high enough so that I maintained stock drive line height and angle:

I thought long and hard about cutting out the front frame rails, and building them lower, "effectively" moving the engine higher, as far as the manifolds to frame clearance go.
The advantage of the 5.7 is you have more manifold selections, that is if you don't have to deal with SMOG Refs, like we do in Calif.
The center dump manifolds work well primarily because they collect the exhaust above the ports, unlike modern manifolds that collect exhaust bellow the ports. The early manifold keep the overall width of the engine higher.
These manifolds, early truck, would work fine without all the mods I had to do, but were not SMOG legal!! Note how tight these would fit along the block, ABOVE the spark plugs.

The picture SponeBob posted with the front drive manifold may be a solution, but may require serious mods to the top of the firewall, as well as to the frame rails. But you've demonstrated fines in the sheet metal re-arrangement area:cheers:

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

i found one. i think you could use the driver side one to get the exhaust over the trans to the pass side and use the stock pass side.

I really don't know how much room I'll have, but the problem with the transverse exhaust manifold in my opinion is that it still drops below the exhaust output. Check out BOTH manifolds:

One possibility I was thinking would be to use the drivers manifold in it's normal fashion, run a crossover OVER the tranny right behind the engine then use ANOTHER drivers side mainifold mounted upside down on the passengers side pointing to the rear. Make a Y pipe that combines both sides and points down into the tranny tunnel. This might allow the engine to be mounted offset to the passengers side providing clearance between the drivers side manifold and the frame while still allowing clearance between the engine block and the passengers side frame. It would theorhetically provide a lot of clearance for a long drivers side upper control arm and since my rear 60's pinion is offset a bit to the passengers side (centered housing for equal length shafts positions the pinion offcenter), might allow a straighter driveshaft. Just some thoughts at this point. I must get back to the garage! Jeff

 

[xjbubba]

Without SMOG Nazi interference, I'd approach the problem by designing and building my own center dump headers, unless you want to re-fab the front frame rails to fit stock manifolds.
Don't forget that 4L60E takes up a lot of "tunnel" room; I had minor problems with the clutch release arm clearance--nothing a big hammer and a 4.5 in grinder didn't take care of.
But room is just scarce on all sides of a V engine in an XJ!

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

Just to document the LS4 exhaust manifolds better I found a couple more pictures.

Jeff

 

[xjbubba]

Those manifolds look interesting, but WIDE.
Here's a link to a build up in Alaska. I think
the pics will give you some additional insight into manifold clearance issues. The ingine is a '99 Vortec 350, so, again, manifold alternatives will be different, but clearance issues are the same.
http://www.alaska4x4network.com/showthread.php?t=36178

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

Thanks for the link. Maybe I did plate the frame rails too soon? I don't know what you mean about the transverse 5.3 exhaust manifolds being WIDE? I'm talking about the "front" or "drivers" side only here, but it seems to be the tightest fitting unit I've found yet. From the exhaust ports it drops in a tight 90 degree, the ports all run together and straight out the back with no outward sweep to the exit. Seems pretty tight to me. Jeff

 

[Root Moose]

Am I being silly to worry about the heat from the transverse pipe going into the bellhousing and the back of the heads? Sure you can heat shield but...

Someone may have mentioned already but what about making some manifolds? Then you'd get exactly what you want.

 

[Mr.OverKill]

i have seen people use the AA motor mount kit and cut in to the rails, but i just mounted the motor up an inch higher and forward a half an inch more than their kit does and the frame rails were not an issue, as for the hood ( whitch was an issue with a carburator and a K&N filter ), i built a cowl indiction type hood scoop for clearence but that was all.

the fan was the main issue so i got a pusher fan setup and eliminated the mechanical fan and all is well.

with the block hugger headers i did have clearanceing issues on the motor mounts and that was taken care of with a little grinding by me on the flange on the DS.and the professionals at ed hanson exhaust when they did the 3" magna flow system.

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

I've been doing a little research into Ford 5.0 headers since the exhaust ports are supposed to be a match to the GM 5.3. Cut the flange off and weld on a 5.3 flange. In any case, I found an interesting header that might have some possibility, but apparently doesn't flow real well. It's for an explorer and is from Ford Motorsports. I don't know if they are still making it as information on it is hard to come by, but it's an interesting device. What interests me most is how the front ports leave above the exhaust and then the back two combine and drop down. Maybe it would clear the pinched area of the XJ frame? Maybe not, I don't know.

Jeff

 

[Root Moose]

Gawd, those are horrible for something called a header.

Hey, if it works - in a truck application does it really matter?

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

Am I being silly to worry about the heat from the transverse pipe going into the bellhousing and the back of the heads? Sure you can heat shield but...

Someone may have mentioned already but what about making some manifolds? Then you'd get exactly what you want.

Yeah, I don't know about the heat issue. The transverse 5.3 has a lot of tin heat shielding on the manifilds as well as the crossover pipe. Starting from scratch and making an exhaust manifold that works is a possibility although I've heard it gets quite expensive after purchasing all the U-bends, flange etc. It also seems a bit daunting of a task. I saw some really nice home built units on Pirate, but also saw a few that looked less than professional. They did work though. Jeff

 

[xjbubba]

The exhaust fit problem is critical. If no one else has direct experience fitting the 5.3 into an XJ, you're going to be the man!
My advise is to either build a mock-up of the block, similar to what I did, or drop your block into place and see what's needed.
I hung my engine by my hoist, and laid up fiberglass over all critical areas, including exhaust ports, engine mount surface, bell housing and oil pan. I reinforced this shell so it would hold the weight of the stock manifolds. Installed this "kludge" into my XJ, and went from there.
It becomes painfully apparent where the cutting needs to begin.
Honestly, if I had to do it over again--assuming I wanted a Ca SMOG legal job, I'd cut out the front frame rails and build a new set out of 3/16-2X4 tubing, grafted into the stock rails, starting just aft of the LCA mounts--you'll want those gone anyway. This way, the rails can be lower than the manifolds, and give more room in the bell-housing area as well.

 

[DrSockMonkey]

The exhaust fit problem is critical. If no one else has direct experience fitting the 5.3 into an XJ, you're going to be the man!
My advise is to either build a mock-up of the block, similar to what I did, or drop your block into place and see what's needed.
I hung my engine by my hoist, and laid up fiberglass over all critical areas, including exhaust ports, engine mount surface, bell housing and oil pan. I reinforced this shell so it would hold the weight of the stock manifolds. Installed this "kludge" into my XJ, and went from there.
It becomes painfully apparent where the cutting needs to begin.
Honestly, if I had to do it over again--assuming I wanted a Ca SMOG legal job, I'd cut out the front frame rails and build a new set out of 3/16-2X4 tubing, grafted into the stock rails, starting just aft of the LCA mounts--you'll want those gone anyway. This way, the rails can be lower than the manifolds, and give more room in the bell-housing area as well.

These recent posts have been eye opening for me. I have a 6.2l diesel/700r4/np231 drivetrain waiting to go in. And I am quickly coming to the conclusion that I may need to go to a different platform to use my drivetrain. I don't think trying to stuff it into the XJ is going to be worth it. Sorry for the hijack...

 

[Mr.OverKill]

These recent posts have been eye opening for me. I have a 6.2l diesel/700r4/np231 drivetrain waiting to go in. And I am quickly coming to the conclusion that I may need to go to a different platform to use my drivetrain. I don't think trying to stuff it into the XJ is going to be worth it. Sorry for the hijack...

DO IT!!! be enovative and ground breaking, we dont advance out XJ knowledge and experence base if we dont go there!! :lecture:

 

[Root Moose]

These recent posts have been eye opening for me. I have a 6.2l diesel/700r4/np231 drivetrain waiting to go in. And I am quickly coming to the conclusion that I may need to go to a different platform to use my drivetrain. I don't think trying to stuff it into the XJ is going to be worth it. Sorry for the hijack...

Why not?

There was one for sale on ebay a few months ago so it certainly can be done.

 

[DrSockMonkey]

Why not?

There was one for sale on ebay a few months ago so it certainly can be done.

OK, OK, It has been done, and I am being a big baby...

End thread Hijack, SORRY Jeff...

 

[Sponge Bob]

Back to the block hugger headers. Maybe cut off each flange and swap them to get better location of the collector. Ideally in front of the motor mounts so you clear the upper control arm and driveshaft.

It's beer thirty somewhere time for a cold one and stare at your jeep till it fixes it self.

 

[Root Moose]

OK, OK, It has been done, and I am being a big baby...

LOL!