Comanche Fun-Runner: LS3, Ford D44 TTB IFS, AX-15/NP242, Built Ford 9’’

[Comanche SS]

Double swing steering added

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[Comanche SS]

Cleaning and prepping while getting ready to get all the metal cut

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[Comanche SS]

Going to buy Material tomorrow....

 

This week I ordered the heims for the steering, and the gears/install kit for the front axle...

 

[Comanche SS]

Started this headache

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[MiNi Beast]

Quite the puzzle..

[Comanche SS]

Quite the puzzle..

It should go together smoothly, after all the computer has all the answers I've just gotta match it haha

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[A-man930]

Never thought I'd see someone swap IN a TTB front suspension. Lol

What's it from? A Ranger? 

[Comanche SS]

Never thought I'd see someone swap IN a TTB front suspension. Lol
What's it from? A Ranger? 

No sir, its the full size bronco ttb

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[Comanche SS]

Well I hadnt touched my Comanche in a couple months because I was building myself a new daily driver. I got an auction 2005 Audi S4 that wasn't running...so to challenge myself, I rebuilt a German, dual overhead cam, flat plane crank V8. Reinstalled it, went to register it and found out after it ls running a driving that it's not registerable. The title is kaput.

So, since my Comanche is apart, and I have an amazing powerplant just sitting in a car in my backyard, maybe I combine the two???

It's an Audi BHF engine, 340HP, 6 Speed paddle shifted ZF transmission. It revs to 7250RPM and being DOHC it sounds mental.

I went ahead and pulled the jeep powerplant. I'm doing some research on getting the Audi to run in a different chassis, mostly worried about the wiring and ECU. Other than that, it's physically smaller than a 4.0 and AX15. It's about ten inches shorter in length, two inches wider, and quite a bit shorter in height, didn't measure exactly. I'd be willing to bet it's lighter than the jeep engine and trans, and it has way more power.


I may still go LS route but until I find out this can't be done logically, I will continue with the Audi drivetrain.

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[scguy]

Interesting! I really hope you can make it work. That would be a very uniquely fun swap.

[Comanche SS]

Had a spare Audi engine sitting around so I hung it in the engine bay to see. It'll fit, just barely.

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[neohic]

4 hours ago, Comanche SS said:

… It'll fit, just barely.

Are there any vehicles with this engine that had a rear sump? Curious why you couldn’t move the whole works towards the firewall. 

[Comanche SS]

The brake proportioning valve and booster get close in the corner. If I move the valve I can push it back. But then I'm gonna have clearance issues with the drivetrain since it's front sump.

I'm not sure about other engines, this is the one I have and it'll have to be the one I use.

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[Comanche SS]

Are there any vehicles with this engine that had a rear sump? Curious why you couldn’t move the whole works towards the firewall. 

I actually just went out after that last post to play with it some more. I moved the engine upward and was able to push it back more. If I put 90° fittings on the master cylinder it'll fit like these photos. Although a cowl hood will be needed. But underside clearance is much better.

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[Pete M]

oooooo.....   

 

modern computer controlled engines always make me a bit nervous for swaps.    it's a ton of work to then find out whether or not the ones and zeros will play nicely in their new home.

[Comanche SS]

oooooo.....   
 
modern computer controlled engines always make me a bit nervous for swaps.    it's a ton of work to then find out whether or not the ones and zeros will play nicely in their new home.

I'm leaning towards a standalone and manual swap at this point!

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[neohic]

19 hours ago, Comanche SS said:

I actually just went out after that last post to play with it some more. I moved the engine upward and was able to push it back more. If I put 90° fittings on the master cylinder it'll fit like these photos. Although a cowl hood will be needed. But underside clearance is much better.

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What about exhaust manifold clearance? Those heads look WIDE.

 

Super in for this project as well. Tip of the cap for trying something new. 

[Comanche SS]

What about exhaust manifold clearance? Those heads look WIDE.
 
Super in for this project as well. Tip of the cap for trying something new. 

Luckily this engine has the tightest manifolds I've ever seen. See photo.

And thanks! It's gonna be fun I bet.

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[Comanche SS]

Well a lot has happened in a short amount of time. 

 

The Audi Engine swap is off, the transmission spins opposite of the American transmissions. This obstacle is not hard to overcome, but would require a larger investment into an unproven design, meaning it would have sucked if I went through all that to make it work and in the end didnt like the swap. 

 

So I went back to the drawing board for all of an hour...and ended up coming home with some other fun parts...

 

-Run-of-the-mill 5.3

-2009 Shelby GT500 Eaton M122 Blower...2.1 liters of F/I

-2000+ C3500 4L80E

-Full Mega squirt MS3X with a dual Wideband controller.

-2.5x14'' Bilstein 9100 Coilovers

 

I will most likely be ditching the 4WD TTB setup in favor of easier to manage 2WD I beams. Will be doing equal length I beams using 4WD TTB outers, and double swing set steering. 

 

The supercharger will run a little hot on my engine, especially considering it has an underdrive pulley on it. Water Methanol injection will be installed based on IAT and TPS ramping curve. But nearly all the time it will only be water injection pre-blower to keep the whole system cool. I will retain the factory ford supercharger bypass valve, so when the engine is Idling or near idle it doesnt use the boosted hot air, instead just pulls atmospheric air. This will help the low speed IAT's also.

 

The Blower will sit on a Holley Lo-ram plenum base. I have already gotten the prototype adapter, and will be making the final one out of 1/2'' Aluminum. 

 

At this point the plan is to keep the D44, but install a locker and gears, and I kept the calipers and caliper brackets of the D30 before I sold it. I can pretty easily sell that axle locally to an XJ person for what ill have into it. The truck is going to be built around 35'' Tires so the D44 will do for the time being.

 

You might notice Novak is not listed on the spreadsheet at all, and this is purposeful. On my last LS swapped MJ, the novak mounts worked, but I wasnt a fan of the stud design. And with a Roots blower on the LS, a shaker hood is the natural answer. So, I will be making custom engine mounts so the fins of the blower will be peeking out of the hood.

 

The cooling system will have a 22x19x3 Radiator mounted in the gutted front crossmember, and the trans will be cooled by a dedicated cooler and fan mounted in the bed somewhere out of harms way. 

 

The electronics will all be controlled via the megasquirt, everything accept powertrain stuff. Lights, wipers, heater, and whatnot will just be fed power from a master keyed on relay. 

 

The parts I need to obtain is pretty extensive, see the spreadsheet for an idea on that. This project has gone pretty wild. I'm sure Ive missed some stuff. But ive got my hands full for now. I'm hoping to drive the truck in beginning of March '22

 

Buckle up.

[Comanche SS]

It all plays nicely

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[Swampy]

What a change of direction but not a boring one at that! can't wait to see your work come together

[Comanche SS]

Thank you! Progress is happening, but at the costs involved it's a little slow. Got the adapter plate finalized



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[Pete M]

the best things in life take a little time  

[Comanche SS]

That they do. In other news I got a new daily.

Fully loaded, hemi, AWD, tow package, air ride...it has every selectable option excluding the grill gaurd
This will be able to tow the MJ on occasion.

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[Pete M]

nice