Gjeep Posted May 14, 2022 Share Posted May 14, 2022 Paint looks awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghinmi Posted October 24, 2022 Author Share Posted October 24, 2022 It's getting to be tinkering season again. Here's the reason I'm calling it the SRT Comanche. It's getting a 2.4 turbo from a PT Cruiser which is identical to the SRT4 Neon. I'll be doing major reconfiguring to make it a rear wheel drive application. I have sourced a Ford 4r70w transmission from a Crown Vic that I'll be adapting. I also have purchased some low end scanning equipment that will be useful in determining fitment in the truck and designing mounts/brackets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghinmi Posted October 24, 2022 Author Share Posted October 24, 2022 Block and crank adapter design. This adapts turbododge 2.2/2.5 and 2.0/2.4 to any modular Ford transmission using a lightly modified Ford 8 bolt flexplate or flywheel for the corresponding transmission. It also uses the ford starter, block separator, and dust shield. Transmission had to be clocked 3 degrees for the starter to clear the block. Also, took a weight on the bare long block after balance shaft delete (with power steering pump). Not too bad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche SS Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 @Pete M @89 MJ @mnkyboy Does this need a kick over to Epic soon? 5 hours ago, ghinmi said: Block and crank adapter design. This adapts turbododge 2.2/2.5 and 2.0/2.4 to any modular Ford transmission using a lightly modified Ford 8 bolt flexplate or flywheel for the corresponding transmission. It also uses the ford starter, block separator, and dust shield. Transmission had to be clocked 3 degrees for the starter to clear the block. Also, took a weight on the bare long block after balance shaft delete (with power steering pump). Not too bad! I like where this is going..Saw you post about it on FB earlier today or yesterday...I like the progress although I am not a ford powertrain person, I can appreciate it. Any plans for the motor? What ECU/TCU? Looks like staying 2WD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxyjeep Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 Great build so far. What made you decide to go with that engine choice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghinmi Posted October 25, 2022 Author Share Posted October 25, 2022 Thanks guys! Engine management will be Holley Terminator X. Doing full sequential coil on plug, drive by wire, trans control, boost control, flex fuel, etc. And yes, it will be 2wd. I'm going to do a complete redesign of the suspension. I don't have any particular reason in general for the 2.4 motor. I could've slammed one of my hemis in there but things get tight and I'm also trying to keep weight off the front end. Anything inline 6 was off the table because XJ/MJ were never originally intended to have inline 6s so they fit like poopy. And are heavy. Basically left me with a 4 cylinder which are completely new to me. Never owned or wrenched on anything with less than a V8. It was a tossup between Honda and this. So here we aare Also got the adapter plate most of the way done last night. It needs some holes tapped and whatnot but it's actually looking like something. As always, weight is a factor. It's just under 5 lbs after starting with a 23 lb plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 Mmm… count me in for more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghinmi Posted October 27, 2022 Author Share Posted October 27, 2022 The adapter plate fitup went pretty smoothly. Need to mow a little bit off of one spot to make oil pan removal easier down the road. I still have to make the flexplate adapter but that's less pressing, I can start mocking things up now. Hung the whole thing from the scale and was pretty happy to see 469 lbs. That's with the SFI flexplate and heavy stock torque converter. But without the intake, exhaust/turbo and most accessories. I expect it to be no more than 550 lbs fully dressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghinmi Posted October 28, 2022 Author Share Posted October 28, 2022 With the motor and transmission together I could get everything scanned and start doing preliminary fitups. So much room for activities. Last picture shows that I can still get to the bellhousing bolts easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghetdjc320 Posted October 28, 2022 Share Posted October 28, 2022 1 hour ago, ghinmi said: With the motor and transmission together I could get everything scanned and start doing preliminary fitups. So much room for activities. Last picture shows that I can still get to the bellhousing bolts easily. Awesome build! What is you engine angle going to be relative to the ground? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghinmi Posted October 28, 2022 Author Share Posted October 28, 2022 I have it mocked up at 3-4 degrees, I can't remember. I'm using the scans to get it close and further out where the problem areas are. Then actual physical fit will be determined when it all gets welded together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masimmons25 Posted October 29, 2022 Share Posted October 29, 2022 What type of scanning equipment are you using? Cool build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghinmi Posted October 30, 2022 Author Share Posted October 30, 2022 It's a super budget setup. Skanect software with a 360 Kinect sensor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghinmi Posted November 3, 2022 Author Share Posted November 3, 2022 Tonight's activity was trying to figure out an AC compressor mount. I was unhappy with the front wheel drive accessory mounts and locations. The AC compressor was mounted low on the driver's side and would become the lowest point on the front of the engine after the oil pan is modified. It also would be pretty close to the steering box/shaft. And the brackets for everything were heavy cast iron pieces. The solution in my mind is swapping the alternator and the AC compressor places. This is a dual belt engine with one running the compressor and power steering with a spring loaded tensioner and a second manually tensioned belt for the alternator. Swapping the accessories makes for interesting belt routing but I have a well thought out solution. So on to the compressor mount. I found an unused bracket (I think it's the intake manifold support?) That was a really good start. Set into place with a little clearancing and cutting a couple tabs off of the block. Gives me a nice flat surface to weld the standoffs to and mount the compressor. I need to grab a couple pieces of steel tomorrow to attach the other two bolts to but it's really sturdy already. And most importantly gets the compressor out of the way of everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghinmi Posted November 4, 2022 Author Share Posted November 4, 2022 The factory front cover was a big heavy ugly cast iron piece because it pulled triple duty as an engine mount, power steering pump support, and dust cover. It's gotta go because it's in the way of the future belt routing. It doesn't need to be structural anymore and I can make it look a lot better. I made a tape pattern of the original and transferred it to 1/16 steel. Bent to shape for power steering pump support. Standoffs made from 3/4" tube and bolted on. Holes for the standoffs transferred into the plate. Welded up and installed. Much cleaner and I will be able to attach the new idler pulley to it. And saved another 8.2 lbs off the front of the engine which is a great bonus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxyjeep Posted November 4, 2022 Share Posted November 4, 2022 This is the kind of engineering I like :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-man930 Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 This is great. Love the outside-the-box thinking. Shame it's an auto, though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Limeyjeeper Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 This is going to be a screamer. 220hp with 245lb of torque and a 460lb drivetrain, Will be very interesting to see how this combo performs. I think close to an LS. I know these engines can be easily tuned to some crazy HP too. Crank up the boost and 300hp plus is easily attainable reliably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghinmi Posted November 8, 2022 Author Share Posted November 8, 2022 Thanks everyone! It will be an auto for the time being but I'm a stick shift guy at heart so it could end up with one eventually. Any of the Ford units will bolt right up. As far as power, I'm hoping for 400 to the wheels to start. If it's boring at that level I'll have to build up the engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghinmi Posted November 9, 2022 Author Share Posted November 9, 2022 Didn't take photos like I should have. But made the decision to use the factory Jeep AC compressor instead of the PT Cruiser. The hose connections are common flare type and I can use factory replacement hoses. So I had to re-do the mount. Then spent way too much time getting the tensioner situation figured out. I was able to squeak a factory PT Cruiser tensioner just above the compressor. Good belt wrap around the crank pulley. Looks like I'll be able to use a supercharger belt from a V6 Tacoma to drive the power steering pump and compressor. Waiting for that to show up before I finalize the clocking of the tensioner. Next will be the alternator mount, then the oil pan. And then maybe I'll be able to test fit the engine and transmission into the Jeep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghinmi Posted November 9, 2022 Author Share Posted November 9, 2022 Also, slightly off topic but it's the reason why not much progress was made this weekend. Ran the last autocross of the season with the Cherokee. The changes I made in August worked out great. Finished second out of 11 cars in CAM-T and 14th PAX out of 92 cars. Very happy with the showing. Hopefully the Comanche does just as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghinmi Posted November 10, 2022 Author Share Posted November 10, 2022 Final accessory locations. Super happy with how low I was able to package them and how light weigh the mounts are. The alternator mount is the original one but flipped and moved to the other side and down low. Then a homebrew pivot for the top. Next session I'll get the mounts final welded and smoothed out. Belts should be here today to lock in final clocking on the tensioner and such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghinmi Posted November 10, 2022 Author Share Posted November 10, 2022 Yay! The belts are the right length and they fit! It doesn't look like much but the accessory drive was so much work. Between locating things so it'll all fit in the truck, leaving room for the turbo, belt wrap, tensioner range of motion, and just plain getting everything square so it doesn't throw belts. What a job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 3 hours ago, ghinmi said: Yay!…What a job. Indeed it is! We’ll done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 Amazing work! Excited to see how it turns out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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