Project Special Reserve (I guess this goes here?)

[DirtyComanche]

So I've been poking on this little guy for a while, between the other stupid things I've got going on.   Basically it's a 1989 2wd SWB, and it came with a dead 2.5L.  Not exactly what I want.  I didn't do a teardown on the engine but based on the amount of blowby in the airbox the rings were probably taken out at some point.  So that junk came out, and I'm going to jam a Mercedes Benz OM617 in there, come hell or high water.

 

I finally had the time to string some video together so I can share it with you.  Warning, the video is 18~ minutes long.  Obviously I need to fire my graphics designer that does the video thumbnails though.

 

 

 

 

[mnkyboy]

Nice video, looks like a fun project.

[DirtyComanche]

On 11/23/2018 at 11:03 AM, mnkyboy said:

Nice video, looks like a fun project.

 

Thanks.

 

 

For anyone that might wonder, as I was asked elsewhere.  I estimate there's approximately 50 hours of actual hands on work wrenching in this video, although it could have been trimmed through various means, and some of it certainly is on the cutting room floor.  The raw video totaled approximately 7 hours, minus the stuff that was absolutely unworkable and I didn't even bother to pull off the cards, all of which I condensed into under 19 minutes.   I have something along the lines of 30 hours of editing and recording the narration into this.  So yeah, I know what you're thinking, "Wow, his video sucks for how hard he tried."

[Pete M]

I've watched tons of how-to vids in the past decade and yours is very well done.    I can see what you're doing, understand what you're saying, and follow along with the steps.    bravo!  the simple things always seem to be the hardest to master. 

 

looking forward to part 2.   

[DirtyComanche]

On 11/27/2018 at 5:52 AM, Pete M said:

I've watched tons of how-to vids in the past decade and yours is very well done.    I can see what you're doing, understand what you're saying, and follow along with the steps.    bravo!  the simple things always seem to be the hardest to master. 

 

looking forward to part 2.   

 

Thanks!

 

I did realize I screwed up some of the audio in this one too.  Funny, it sounds different on Youtube then it does prior to being uploaded, and different yet when it's in the editor and not rendered.   Live and learn.

[bigmistake]

Great video - and another OM617!!!  Thanks for sharing, and keep filming.  I loved it.

[DirtyComanche]

4 hours ago, bigmistake said:

Great video - and another OM617!!!  Thanks for sharing, and keep filming.  I loved it.

 

Thanks!  I appreciate it.  Just trying to get other things square away so I can get back at this.

[Swampy]

That's awesome video quality!

[Motorhead X]

I especially like the part where the drive shaft rolls out.

[DirtyComanche]

4 hours ago, Swampy said:

That's awesome video quality!

 

Thanks!  Like I say, I try hard to keep the videos as professional as I can.

 

1 hour ago, bluenotenick said:

I especially like the part where the drive shaft rolls out.

 

I actually was laughing when I came up with that.

[Articul8]

Awesome  Video!! thanks for taking the time to make that. i look forward to seeing the part two. i will definitely use as a resource I'm still collecting parts.  curious as to what transmission your gonna use. 

 

[DirtyComanche]

1 hour ago, Cwhite87 said:

Awesome  Video!! thanks for taking the time to make that. i look forward to seeing the part two. i will definitely use as a resource I'm still collecting parts.  curious as to what transmission your gonna use. 

 

 

Thanks!  I'm probably using an AX-15 mostly because I have one.  I wanted a NV3550, no dice on finding one for an acceptable price though.  The NSG370 was also a contender, but I couldn't locate one so I didn't do a ton of research into it.  In retrospect I could have sourced a GM NV3500 or maybe a Dodge one, and bought a different adapter, I'd already committed on the adapter so I didn't really research those options either.

[Articul8]

I just picked up a NV3550 on the 5th for 190.00 at LKQ a local salvage yard. i did some research and the 04 Liberty Renegades 4x4 came with the Nv3550. I was hoping that was your choice as well, so i could see how you adapted the reservoir for the  Slave cylinder. lol But i look forward to the continuing of your build. I'm searching for a engine now.

[DirtyComanche]

50 minutes ago, Cwhite87 said:

I just picked up a NV3550 on the 5th for 190.00 at LKQ a local salvage yard. i did some research and the 04 Liberty Renegades 4x4 came with the Nv3550. I was hoping that was your choice as well, so i could see how you adapted the reservoir for the  Slave cylinder. lol But i look forward to the continuing of your build. I'm searching for a engine now.

 

I was quoted $650 for one out of an XJ, as pulled with lots of klicks, so I didn't even ask about other applications.

 

I might try again on Monday though.  I really dislike non-synchronized reverse.  Looking at the ratios on the NSG370 really made me think it would be the ideal option though, but with there being only a couple years of TJs to get one out, most of which were prior to them actually fixing the major flaws with it, of I'm thinking it isn't happening.

[Articul8]

I've had the pleasure of Owning 3 rubicons; 04 with 42rle, 04 with Nv3550 ( loved it)  06 LJ had the NSG370 6spd ( hated it) was so noisy. i would never own another!. That 5 spd tho was a blast. 03-04 is the 3550 05-06 is the G370

the only thing you have to do is swap out the bell housing typically like 100 bucks used. 

[GreasemonkeySC]

I've had the pleasure of Owning 3 rubicons; 04 with AW4, 04 with Nv3550 ( loved it)  06 LJ had the NSG370 6spd ( hated it) was so noisy. i would never own another!. That 5 spd tho was a blast. 03-04 is the 3550 05-06 is the G370
the only thing you have to do is swap out the bell housing typically like 100 bucks used. 

So what did it take to do the transmission swap in the Rubicons?

I've been all over the place looking, and researching, but everything I find leads me to the conclusion......
If you have an 03-06 TJ Rubi auto, you would have to replace the wiring harness & PCM with an earlier model. The PCM is not tuneable for an alternative to the 42rle, and the transmission variables are to broad for the PCM to be fooled.
There's not even an engine swap available for anything equipped with that transmission.

[Articul8]

4 hours ago, GreasemonkeySC said:

So what did it take to do the transmission swap in the Rubicons?

I've been all over the place looking, and researching, but everything I find leads me to the conclusion......
If you have an 03-06 TJ Rubi auto, you would have to replace the wiring harness & PCM with an earlier model. The PCM is not tuneable for an alternative to the 42rle, and the transmission variables are to broad for the PCM to be fooled.
There's not even an engine swap available for anything equipped with that transmission.

I never did a swap in the Rubicons I ran the factory drive train. And you caught me I said Aw4 but i meant the auto one was a 42rle.  Sorry 

[GreasemonkeySC]

You had my hopes and dreams in your hands for just a moment....... Then

Currently @ 130k, I've upgraded all external parts, and had a full rebuild 2 times. The 42rle still sucks!

[Articul8]

On 12/3/2018 at 10:17 PM, DirtyComanche said:

 

Thanks!  I appreciate it.  Just trying to get other things square away so I can get back at this.

Hey DirtyComanche  what adapter kit are you going with or are you designing your own when you decide on the transmission. i am curious if you might go into detail on the harness when you get to that point. That seems to be a across the board lacking thing that people tend to not go into detail when doing these swaps. Based off part1 video detail was great.

[DirtyComanche]

1 hour ago, Cwhite87 said:

Hey DirtyComanche  what adapter kit are you going with or are you designing your own when you decide on the transmission. i am curious if you might go into detail on the harness when you get to that point. That seems to be a across the board lacking thing that people tend to not go into detail when doing these swaps. Based off part1 video detail was great.

 

I'm using the Mercedes Diesel 4x4 adapter.  A-MB202.  It will work with an 4.0 bell pattern Jeep with the 3/4" pilot.

 

It's sitting here (the Canada Post strike was finally resolved after it sat in limbo for three weeks) and I'm a little mixed on it, but I think it will work fine.  I'll admit I didn't do a lot of research into the adapters that were available, I knew of the MD4x4 one and assumed it was the only one, and hadn't found much information otherwise until after I'd already ordered it.  It's not like it was terribly expensive anyways.  Another way to do it if a guy was running an AX-15 would be to get the Doomsday one and put a Toyota whatever it is (R151?  It's the same trans as the AX-15) bellhousing on it; as while I haven't fondled one of his adapters, I think he's a bit more of a sticker for details.  I also believe he's working on an actual Jeep adapter, but not sure if that's confirmed or if he was just musing.  Also, I guess 4x4Labs makes an adapter for Toyota applications?  There's another company as well, Bendsten's? https://transmissionadapters.com/collections/mercedes His stuff looks very nice, but it's all GM applications.  I think if you wanted you could find a GM NV3500 pretty easily, since they made lots of them, and it's basically the same as a 3550, you'd just have to run a GM tcase or another adapter (not sure if the GM NV3500 is a regular 6 stud tcase pattern.  If it's a 6 then GM NV241s are cheap and strong, and I think it's the same pattern as a Jeep tcase so you could just swap inputs, I don't know).

 

I intend to go into detail on the wiring.  That's down the road though.  The Renix era harnesses are pretty easy to make work with any engine transplant, and I've cut down/rebuilt/simplified four of them already.  This one is a little different than I'm used to since it's a 2.5L one, but pretty much the same.  I'll fix the routing issue with it too, since the way AMC ran the harness in front of the radiator was less than ideal.

 

Lots of details for this build are in no way set in stone, so everything is subject to change at any time.

[Articul8]

I am curious as to what size was the 12pt socket head cap bolts were that you removed from the k member. i don't have that style in my collection of tools only allens and torxs

[DirtyComanche]

4 hours ago, Cwhite87 said:

I am curious as to what size was the 12pt socket head cap bolts were that you removed from the k member. i don't have that style in my collection of tools only allens and torxs

 

They're not 12 point, they're regular metric allen/internal hex.  If I said they were 12 point in the video then it was a mistake.  Lots of guys unbolt them from the top I believe, so the motor mount actually comes off the K-member.  That looked harder at the time, as there was some heatshields for the mounts that would be in the way, a guy could just bend them though.

 

The flywheel bolts are 12 point (and stress relieved), I think that was the only real 12 point stuff I ran into.  There's a bunch of other metric allen stuff in various sizes I ran into.  The whole car has a lot of high end hardware on it though, so it's a bit odd to people that aren't used to it.

[A-man930]

Any progress?

[DirtyComanche]

On 10/2/2019 at 6:08 PM, A-man930 said:

Any progress?

 

Not really.  I tracked down a NV3550 and some other small parts.  Still didn't purchase any axles and haven't exactly decided what I am doing with that, other than they will probably be from a JK and it's really a matter if that's a Rubicon or not.  I spent a disgusting amount of money on machine tools to be able to try to fix this adapter or build a new one.  Well, in reality I bought the machine tools because I wanted them and have needed them for a long time, and if I am unable to fix this I will break down and buy the Doomsday Diesel one.  Currently I'm waiting on material, but then will probably still be held up on really being able to do anything because I need to source some other tooling and hardware.  So realistically I won't be able to accomplish anything until after the holidays, and I may just switch gears and work on other stuff for a while again.

 

I've done no work on the chassis either as I didn't even feel like picking away at it until I could place the engine.  I should have tracked down some axles and worked out the suspension, but I had other things to do and wasn't feeling this project with the adapter in limbo.

 

I do NOT recommend any product from Mercedes Diesel 4x4 at this point.  This has been a very frustrating experience.  I think the Doomsday adapter would work fine, as he now makes a Jeep specific one, although I don't like exactly how he made it.

[DirtyComanche]

I forgot to update this thread.

 

Video about the adapters that are available: