YJ 4.3/4L60E conversion

[smc4wd]

I've been waiting to post this conversion until I got a little closer to the install date... I just can't wait, so for my own sake, I wanted to show some of the things I'm doing to get a 1992 Chevy Vortec 4.3L CPI plus a 4L60E transmission into my 1994 Jeep Wrangler.

http://youtu.be/rHev1AARStE

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48288

I have to go way back to when I first bought my Jeep. I didn't care so much about the motor, all I wanted was a hardtop and doors... Living in Washington I knew, hardtop & doors! the rest I can buy. When I found this YJ it had a 2.5L. So I thought "What the heck, it'll give me something to blow up and then I can put a V6 engine inside". The darn engine never blew up. I never tried real hard, but it's held up to alot more than I ever thought it would.

Yes, "Holy wires Batman!"

I've added a throttle body spacer and Banks header... MSD ignition, blaster coil and a Turbo City MAP sensor. Opened up the airbox, took out those venturi's and with 4.88 gears, it actually did ok.

It did great! It's still strong with only 128k miles on it... I won't miss it though because this is what's about to take it's place.

and

Major clean up and prepping it will be in the next few posts... This is just the beginning...

enginebuildermag.com
hotsixes.com

 

[ain'tstuckjustresting]

Make sure on that CPI motor that you pull the plenum and inspect the spider for leaks. The regulator can leak, the small black lines can wear through also. I would change the 2 fuel lines connected to the spider "nut kit" as a maintenance item.

Good luck with the swap, I like my 4.3 a lot.

 

[xjoffroad]

Like the 4.3 but hate that trans. Been through 2 of them

 

[smc4wd]

Make sure on that CPI motor that you pull the plenum and inspect the spider for leaks. The regulator can leak, the small black lines can wear through also. I would change the 2 fuel lines connected to the spider "nut kit" as a maintenance item.

Good luck with the swap, I like my 4.3 a lot.

We've pulled it apart and looked at it... It all looks good, but I'd like to replace as much as I could afford...

Like the 4.3 but hate that trans. Been through 2 of them

The tranny was just rebuilt and the insides looked excellent. The added the 23 spline output shaft and the reluctor ring. They hot tanked and painted it too... I'll add pictures of it later.

What were the issues with your two?

 

[ain'tstuckjustresting]

If you do the spider, check this guy out. Good quality. I've had shitty luck with part store junk. http://www.lindertech.com/

 

[smc4wd]

This first thing I bought was a Howell wiring harness...

This is the most beautiful thing I've seen... Going to make this job so much easier.

Then I started buying more...

Wires, cap & rotor... water pump and gaskets too...
I picked up an O2 sensor, throttle cable and 1994 Vortec valve covers from a junkyard...


Also unwrapped the Advanced Adaptors box there in the background.

Motor and transmission mounts, 4L60E to NP231 adaptor and headers...

We ported the headers and we'll port-match the exhaust on the engine...

Do I Chromex

 

[smc4wd]

If you do the spider, check this guy out. Good quality. I've had shitty luck with part store junk. http://www.lindertech.com/

I'll definitely keep this link if I need it. I hope I have no problems with what's on there now. We'll look it over.

 

[smc4wd]

After thinking that we had enough parts to get the engine cleaned up, we went at it.

after pulling all the wires and plugs... taping stuff off, we did our best to scrub it clean.

It started to look alot better

It's looking so much better.

This is where we left off last week. I wheeled in Elbe with the Jeep and made it through without breaking (it wasn't February). We'll see how things develop this coming week and we might be doing the change soon.

 

[smc4wd]

ok... Yesterday we spent more time on the engine..

Before that, I mentioned earlier that the transmission was rebuilt. The shop said that the insides were recently rebuilt so I got a great deal and absolutely fantastic service from 161 Garage/A Plus Transmission http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&sugexp=ppwl&cp=4&gs_id=g&xhr=t&tok=i4QXP9ZpHZ2eWgeGS-zAkg&safe=off&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1280&bih=933&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=161+garage+puyallup+wa&fb=1&gl=us&hq=161+garage&hnear=0x5490fc05b125ffc3:0x5bd41d59690ff10b,Puyallup,+WA&cid=14433316096299760373. I have to really give credit where credit is due!! Thanks guys!!!

I also got a very special delivery from Wide Open Design...

This is beautiful!!! Thanks guys!!

So back to cleaning and prepping...

and we decided to paint the headers... I want an aluminum radiator, and that savings can get me closer to a cooler radiator.

and that's where we left off last night... I'm off now to continue on...

Thanks for reading along...

 

[smc4wd]

Installed the headers and the engine motor mounts...

Ran into a delay, so I'm not sure what the next few days will bring.

 

[smc4wd]

Clutch toasted last night driving home from Naches... Damn!

Luckily it was while driving home, not out on the trails. Got it towed home and stored away. I knew when I was selling the transmission that it was going to need a new Centerforce, but now it needs to be towed to where I'm doing the conversion.

It didn't delay things, just sucks... :booo:

 

[smc4wd]

I got soo bored waiting for the holiday's to end and for my buddy to help me out that I did some routine maintenance on the Jeep.

I don't know if anyone is interested in this, since it has nothing to do with the delayed motor swap, but I thought I'd post these pics too. Like I said, I was bored. :squirrel:

Front axle:

other side

 

[smc4wd]

Then I did the rear axle

the V6 may take care of this axle twist for me...

(I tried to keep a decent order... when I downloaded them to my folder, the order changed.)

 

[smc4wd]

So with this 'having to wait until after Christmas' crap I went out and started scavenging for parts (again).

I've been searching and freaking out about costs and styles and stupid stuff when I'll I needed to do was talk with Aaron Paquette at Performance Radiator in Tacoma. He really hooked me up on an Aluminum Radiator and a fin style tranny cooler. He's also helping me out on a timing cover dilemma that's been fukking me for weeks. I haven't seen it, but I hope that's one issue dealt with.

Here's how beautiful this thing looks

Thanks again Aaron! I really appreciate you helping me out!

 

[ain'tstuckjustresting]

What's your timing cover dilemma?

 

[smc4wd]

my dilemma has been...

It's not this cover

and it's not this cover

it's a fukking hybrid of both... Tall like the second one, but steel and no sensor near the crank.

Hopefully someone says they have the right one and will sell it to me cheap. I've tried junkyards but ended up with the one with the timing pickup on the bottom. It's kinda hard to find the right one at pick-a-part because it's hidden behind the waterpump, a/c and all the other pulleys.

 

[ain'tstuckjustresting]

Wierd, I'm almost positive mine is just a standard one like the top pic. I'll have to double check. I didn't really notice anything when I installed it.

 

[smc4wd]

This is the stupid timing cover that caused such an issue... It was just so hard to find the right one

 

[smc4wd]

I went to Auburn Chevrolet for the smallest and stupidest of things... They had them in stock and $7.00 worth of 'not getting this kinda crap from a junkyard' ($5.00 entrance fee)).

I got two starter bolts (long and special), six bell-housing to engine bolts and three inspection cover bolts...

Last on my list are:

• upper and lower radiator hoses
• transmission fluid
• fuel line fittings
• transmission to cooler lines
• power steering lines
• any necessary pcv rubber tubing
• center console (for mounting the shifter)

Throttle cable??
Transmission dipstick (Lokar)

Anything else??

 

[ain'tstuckjustresting]

I used stock radiator hoses for a '94 blazer. Trying to curl around the back of the alt is a chore if it isn't preformed.

Oreilly's stocks the fuel lines to hook up to the intake, I just cut them to length and bent them as needed to clear the firewall. They already had the flare and oring on the end.

I used a lokar dipstick also, spendy but very easy to route where you need it. Be sure to use rtv on the end, they don't fit real tight in the tranny.

Have fun.................:awesomework: