Opinions please, engine swap (long)

Ooops, T400R should have read "700R4" for the trans. I'm thinking of using. You probably figured that out from the 4L60-E model, which is correct.

That's a Borg Warner T-90 you have. Which pretty strong providing you use your head and don't try to bounce it up in a wheelie for second gear. The Turbo Hydro 400 is just a little too long for your 80" wheelbase. Stick with your Dana 25 front as it has an 7.75" ring gear as opposed to the 7.125" in a Dana 30 Might keep you off set rear end as the Dana 18 is as strong as the

An original drive train has collector value, especially if the body is more or less original. There aren't so many collector quality Jeeps left, especially because of the kind of work they were designed to do.

With 3.73 gears, I don't think you will need an overdrive to go 60. I can go 60 in my Wrangler in fourth, which is the straight through gear, and it has 4.11 gears. I can even do 70, if I want, without using the overdrive. Spend some time with a calculator, and figure out what your engine rpm would be at 60. Then maybe you will choose a TH350, or 4.11 gears instead.

Howell Engine Developments, Inc,

I live at 9318 feet. It's not so bad on transmissions and transfer cases. ;^)

Earle

Can I change the gear ratios and still keep my 25 front end? The front end has those other style of axles (not the UV joints, the ball type) which aren't as strong as the UV style in the 30, right? Should I keep the rear end also, and just the change the gears in the front and rear? I was looking in a 4-wheel parts magazine last night and while they sold several different gear ratio kits for the Dana 30, I didn't see any for the 25/27, maybe just need to look somewhere else?

If I can't get an auto to fit, and I keep my xfer case, I'll probably keep the T-19 also. At least until I brake it (if I do). Of course that would mean I'd have to buy the expensive engine to tranny adapter now, and then the tranny to xfer case later, if I do end up having to change the trans.

Any opinion on the various 4.3L V6s? Are the electronics a mess? Should I try to get a carbbed one, or TBI vs. multi-port. EFI and the nice idle of a computer controlled engine sound nice, but I don't want a rats nest under the hood and a bunch of other parts just to run the computer. If it was all self-contained and clean, I guess it would be fine that I have to take it to the shop for engine problems, and at least still handle everything else myself. And hopefully those newer engines don't have problems very often anyway, especially if I have it all rebuilt before I install it.

Thanks aga> That's a Borg Warner T-90 you have. Which pretty strong providing

If Howell Engine Dev. can get $550 for that wiring kit for the Vortec with elec. trans... I guess that answers the question of the electronics being a mess. If someone is willing to pay that much for an "easy" fix, which doesn't even look that easy, it must be a real pain without the kit.

Are there any calculators on-line that will do the math for me? I'm pretty good with numbers (better with numbers than words), but right now I'm fried. I basicly took my current gear ratio, and then figured out that the new gear ratio was 30% less (for example, don't have exact numbers in front of me), which would translate to 30% less RPMs at the same speed, right? I guess one problem is I don't know what the best RPMs for the engine are, at cruising speed. I'm guessing somewhere around 2000?

If I could get any of that "collector value" out of my jeep, if I sold it, I would, and then buy > An original drive train has collector value, especially if the body is more

Differential

Most 80's and 90's 6 cyl engines like running in the 2200 to 2600 rpm range for cruising. The smaller 4 cyl ohc models will buzz along at

Doing a full drive train swap (engine,tranny, transfer case, front axle, rear axle, mounts, and wiring) is a BIG job even if you have a doner vehicle sitting 10' away. Without a doner it's also big $$$. Not for the faint hearted.

Seems to me you would be better off sell> If Howell Engine Dev. can get $550 for that wiring kit for the Vortec

OK, so maybe the tranny would be okay. Do you really think I need 44's in the front and/or rear? Seems like a huge amount of work (read that web-page), or money to buy one already made. Did Kaiser also use the Dana 30 with that Buick V6? And maybe even with a V8?

Liked your web-site, still check> Kaiser used the T-90, and later the weaker T-14 behind their Buick

I got $4500 cash for my wife's FJ40. Then she went out and bought a CRV to replace it. Yeah I know, but that's what she wanted! Now I don't have to put in a V8 and wrestle with one of the Painless or Howell wiring kits, transmission adapters, radiator, exhaust, etc., etc. You could try selling the CJ2 on your local paper, or park it in a conspicuous place with a sign in the windshield. It is a little like fishing. If they are biting, you may get lucky. If they are not biting in your area, then go with plan "B".

Your math on the rear axle ratio versus rpms is correct. Your math on the Howell wiring kit is good too. If you knew the FI systems and how they worked, then wiring up the electronics without a kit would be easy, using a junk vehicle as a donor. That is a pretty big "if" though. And that is only one phase of the conversion.

Earle

Thanks for the RPM info. One think I like about my 48 is that I don't have to worry about emission testing. Guess it would still be easier (although not legal) to buy a newer jeep and put my 48 plate on it. Not much different than some guys who swap parts on their 48 until it is 99% newer model anyway, which I think is legal (in Arizona anyway).

Mostly I just d> Most 80's and 90's 6 cyl engines like running in the 2200 to 2600 rpm

Yah, and *my* jeep is technicly my wifes. That is what she wanted, even though I tried to talk her out of it (I knew I'd spend all of my time working on it, like I did with the last 3 I've owned). Worked out nice though, because she can't get so mad that I'm spending time/money on "her" jeep. I don't want a CRV (but she might)!

Since no one has said "EFI is easy", and it also sounds like the auto-tranny is out due to length. Guess I'll just go with whatever is easiest at this point, even if it means it still may be hard to find parts. That is probably the Buick 225 V6, which I've done before. I can keep my tranny and xfer case (plan on rebuilding them often, but at least they are cheap and easy to work on). I will need new front and rear ends though, since I want to change the gear ratio this time. Wish I could just change the gears on mine, because if I change the front-end I think I'll also need to change the steering.

Start> I got $4500 cash for my wife's FJ40. Then she went out and bought a CRV to

Advance Adapters has an article in their Jeep Conversion Manual on Saginaw steering conversions.

Don't rule out the automatic, if it is what you really want, until you get the measurements on a TH350 and do the gear ratio engine speed math.

It wouldn't hurt to cruise the used car lots where you live, and see what is available in a newer model. You could call it "research". Sometimes they have coffee and donuts.

Earle

What specificly didn't you like about the Buick V6? This is the de-facto standard engine swap of choice so I'm curious what it was that gave you grief- Doesn't matter what tranny you put in there, the top gear ratio is still going to be 1:1, see "overdrive" comments below-

The D18 xfer case is plenty strong for what you're talking about. the only problem with them is that the intermediate shaft needle bearings tend to chew up the shaft after about 30K miles, a hardened intermediate shaft from Novak fixes that quite nicely.

The T90 if rebuilt properly should last as well as anything else you can stick in there. An auto tranny is going to give you grief with a ridulously short rear drive shaft & depending on the transfer case may need a two piece "Commando" style front shaft to get around it. Unless you really hate shifting or really need to creep over big rocks I'd pass on it.

Likewise the Dana 25/41 axles should also hold up fine for your use, everbody rags on the weak axle shafts but they are in fact the same piece as found in early 44s. As for the ring swap get a Warn/Saturn overdrive instead, you get the best of both worlds for a lot less money :).

Not to dissparge the level of expertise here but I would suggest you also solicit opinions on the Willys Tech list-

Both the above resources are very rich in expertise relating to all of your questions- Dey Been Der & Dun Dat :).

For the overdrive & a lots of other stuff talk to Herm-

My $.02 on mods- Your jeep will be worth far more in stock or near stock condition than it ever will with 5 figures worth of mods to it. It's generaly considered these days that its better not to do any mods to a vintage vehicle that can't be un-done. If you really want a killer "built" machine you will be better ($$$) off selling the 2A as a stock vehicle & finding a later model 5/7/YJ/TJ to use as a base.

Good luck which ever way you decide to go-

H.

http://users.eastl>1948 CJ2A, drive-train is mostly original. 134 L-head engine, T-19

I'll admit most problems were related to the installer (me). I've learned a lot in the past 12 years, so I think this time it would be much better. Main problem was I still couldn't cruise at 60, since I didn't change the gears. Back then I thought the V6 would give me higher RPMs, like 6000 instead of 3000 (double my speed). Dumb mistake.

Good to know, I'll check that out before I give the go ahead to the rebuild guy. He probably knows about these parts also, so I'll see what he thinks.

I'll just have to measure since I'm getting conflicting info from each person I ask. I think a lot of people are trying to put the auto in the newer rigs with the straight xfer case, and I've heard they fit better with my offset case because the rear output is lower. Seems like most people think the T90, along with other stock jeep trannys are all weak. I guess even the stock trannys with the stock V6, from the factory, broke a lot.

If my axles were in good shape I'd think more about keeping them. I think the overdrive is a 30% increase, which is just what I need:

I'll check that site, but I know overdrives aren't cheap.

Hadn't seen this one yet, thanks.

Thanks!