Engine Removal Help!

[ckahl2]

ok, so ive gotten to the point in my project where i need to take the engine, trans, and transfer case out of my truck. I've never done this before, so i have no idea what to do, or where to go. I also made a stupid mistake and now i realize that i don't have anything to remove the engine either. I'm doing a 4.0 swap from a 97+ donor so everything needs to go, and the 4.0 has to be put back in really soon so i can move it to a new spot for the holidays. Any advice anyone has would be great, or if someone wanted to come out and help me that'd be fantastic also! Oh, almost forgot, the engine I'm taking out is the GM 2.8, again Thanks!

[Automan2164]

Note: Unless you've done it before, there will be no "quick" about going from really old and simple, to really new and confangled.

 

Just saying. Be prepared for it to take awhile.

Rob L.

[ckahl2]

believe me, i don't expect to be done with this in a weekend, but i figured that i could at least have it running within a month. Am i completely off? Like I said, i have no experience on this level, just looking for some guidance :cheers:

[jimoshel]

A good start would be to get a FSM, Factory Service Manual. I've seen them on EBay for $25 to $100 bucks. You can also get a FSM CD for $25. The Haynes and Chilton manuals are better than nothing but sometimes lacking when it comes to details.

[kyleag89]

What stage are you at? Unbolting the motor and pulling it is easy after you:

Dis-connect the driveshafts, remove all wiring to fuel injectors/sensors, remove exhaust, easiest to remove front header panel and radiator, and anything else in your way. I pull the trans and motor as one unit. I usually unbolt and remove the crossmember and support the trans with a floor jack, then let the tail down on a creeper. At this point you should have the motor mounts un bolted then lift up and roll out!

[jpnjim]

are you going to try to go from 2.8L --> 4.0L before Christmas?

 

I have not done this swap, but, beyond the engine/trans, it's going to include swapping:

 

front radiator support & radiator (4.0L had a short/wide radiator, 2.8L should have the sqare early style radiator)

hacking your existing wiring harness, or swapping in most, or all of the donor wiring harness

swapping in the 4.0L gauge set

4.0L electric fuel pump, and or whole gas tank (I'm unsure if the tank itself changed with the installation of the intank pump).

 

Since you said you were going to use a 98+ donor,

using the late model electronics will further complicate it by having to swap the entire wiring harness + dash + a million other things that are incompatible from 1986 to 1997, and need adapting (might as well do 'all' the upgrades at the same time, like late model master cylinder, steering column, power options, etc etc.)

 

 

I've done a bunch of engine swaps, and even removed every inch of wiring harness from a 2001 XJ in anticipation of a similar swap (that never happened),

and NO WAY would I try to get something like this rapped up before the holidays.

 

Good luck if you're still gonna give it a shot,

but I would think about moving it to it's new home with the current 2.8L engine.

[kyleag89]

:agree: