Project CRD MJ is born:

[Sir Sam]

Alrighty, as some of you may or may not know a year ago I finally won the bid on a wrecked CRD. Since 2005 I had been bidding on wrecked CRDs and had been constantly outbid even on low prices(like loosing a bid at $2600). Well I was ecstatic that I finally won the bid, the only downside is that the Jeep was for my father not me. We proceeded to fix the vehicle and drive it out to california for him, he has been driving it ever since and has run up over 30k miles in only a year, the little oiler makes a great vehicle for him. Its repair can be seen here:

http://www.colorado4wheel.com/images/libby/libertyrepair.html

 

Well a little while back now at the beginning of april, and uncannily enough exactly one year after purchaing my fathers Jeep, on my 22nd birthday I purchased an engine that I had found on craigslist. The engine was setup to mate to the NV3550. A plan was formulated and I started looking for an MJ.

 

 

Now I had been stalking a MJ at my local insurance auction for a few weeks, well everything worked out just right and today I won the bid on it for $850:

http://www.klode.com/Kws/Napplications/display_pics.aspx?Stockid=882018&Exit=Close

 

So the project should begin in earnest soon. The CRD engine, with a NV3550 and NP242 will be dropped in. A 4WD front end will be installed, and Dana 44 in the rear. I have the interior/dash out of a 01XJ that will be installed. 97+ doors will be put on as well.(some of these parts to either be sourced cheap from the junkyard, or a parts TJ or XJ).

 

The Chinese Jeep 2500 front ends parts will be installed, and the whole vehicle will be repainted PR4 - Flame Red. Later 16" FreedomXJ/5.9ZJ wheels will be installed and a shell for camping put on the back.

 

Jeep 2500 front end:

http://www.colorado4wheel.com/content/Jeep2500.html

 

 

The tail lights will be the overseas 97+ XJ tailights as seen here(as well as the 16" freedom wheels seen here):

[Pete M]

Dang it. Someone might beat me to a CRD MJ! Of course, our CRD Libby is still running great (a new record of 33.3 mpg on the trip computer this past week) and I won't get a shot at the conversion unless we total it somehow... :roll:

 

Good luck and take LOTS of pictures!!! :cheers: (I'll need something to copy off of :brows: )

[Sir Sam]

Dang it. Someone might beat me to a CRD MJ! Of course, our CRD Libby is still running great (a new record of 33.3 mpg on the trip computer this past week) and I won't get a shot at the conversion unless we total it somehow... :roll:

 

Good luck and take LOTS of pictures!!! :cheers: (I'll need something to copy off of :brows: )

 

Pete I see you on LOST?

[Sir Sam]

This information is just for reference right now:

 

Since the XJ uses the older CCD bus and my engine/bosch ECU uses the new PCI bus this means that I will not be able to use the XJ 97-01 gauge cluster. All the important information(engine speed, vehicle speed, water temp, oil pressure etc) is carried on the CCD or PCI.

 

Basically, if you try to use the XJ cluster nothing will work except the basic things like turn signal indicators.

 

So to that end a very nice solution presents itself. The TJ gauge cluster is the same basic size and shape as the XJ cluster, but the newer TJ clusters use the PCI bus.

 

To that end a TJ gauge cluster will replace the XJ gauge cluster in my dash, it will require some basic wiring work, if possible I will de pin the XJ connectors and insert the pins where needed into the TJ cluster. This is the best solution because it keeps the stock wiring intact with fewer splices and therefor fewer places for a future failure to occur.

 

Anyways, here is what will need to be connected for that to work:

[Pete M]

Pete I see you on LOST?

 

The one and the same. :D Thanks for the help getting a replacement hose. :cheers: And please keep me posted on the Samco hoses. I might miss the announcement.

[Sir Sam]

Pete I see you on LOST?

 

The one and the same. :D Thanks for the help getting a replacement hose. :cheers: And please keep me posted on the Samco hoses. I might miss the announcement.

 

Well, take a gander here for now:

http://lostkjs.com/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=32734

[Pete M]

Oooo, good call. Better get my vote in. :D

[JeepcoMJ]

hate to burst your bubble on the xj tail lights, but they don't mount in an mj tail end.

 

they're entirely different, and you will be doing body work to put them in.

 

of course, it will look sweet, and this is a good project.

 

are you installing the newer/updated wiring harness and everything? we've been having a discussion about the 97+ gauges, which will not work with the old wiring harness and sensors

[Sir Sam]

hate to burst your bubble on the xj tail lights, but they don't mount in an mj tail end.

 

they're entirely different, and you will be doing body work to put them in.

 

of course, it will look sweet, and this is a good project.

 

are you installing the newer/updated wiring harness and everything? we've been having a discussion about the 97+ gauges, which will not work with the old wiring harness and sensors

 

No bubble bursting here, I know they are different, personally I like the look and think it will be worthwhile:

And the front end of this particular MJ:

 

Yes, 97+ interior and wiring.

 

The simplest solution is to use the XJ wiring and tie in the few inputs I need for the CRD ECU into that wiring harness.

 

And your right, the new guages will not work with the older Jeeps since they are all CCD bus based guages, no "tach line" or "speedo cable" there, just 2 wires with all the information on them.

 

Since my ECU does not use the CCD bus I will be using the TJ PCI gauge cluster, hence the above pinout for reference.

[JeepcoMJ]

lol.

 

looks like you've got it planned out. alldata access?

 

welcome to the club btw.

[Sir Sam]

lol.

 

looks like you've got it planned out. alldata access?

 

welcome to the club btw.

 

Yes, lots of planning, right now I'm working through the bosch ECU -> XJ engine harness wiring that will need to be done.

 

No, I don't have all data access, but I do have all the FSMs in PDF for every Jeep from 1997-2006.

 

Plus some other things like Durango and Ram, CJs, MBs etc.

 

And thanks for the welcome.

[Sir Sam]

Since the XJ or TJ gauge cluster lacks a glow plug light, Water In Fuel, or Low coolant light another solution has presented itself nicely:

 

 

 

Its the "Vehicle information center" for the diesel XJs, I'm probably going to try and pick up the little bugger for my swap, though that will probably be a "down-the-road" task as its not necessary for it to run.

[Pete M]

My plan (and it was a very unofficial one) was to yank the entire CRD harness and dash and stuff it all into the MJ as whole as possible. I was never going for looks, just functionality. Wiring just isn't my specialty. :roll: I can do it, I just don't like to. (Which is one of the reasons my 90 sit there. It needs a new fuse box. :( )

[Sir Sam]

My plan (and it was a very unofficial one) was to yank the entire CRD harness and dash and stuff it all into the MJ as whole as possible. I was never going for looks, just functionality. Wiring just isn't my specialty. :roll: I can do it, I just don't like to. (Which is one of the reasons my 90 sit there. It needs a new fuse box. :( )

 

Yes, that was my plan back before I really started figuring it out.

 

The KJ guage cluster won't exactly fit very well. With just a little bit of research and work you can have a VERY clean and stock like install.

 

Nothing more I hate then a hack job engine swap.

 

Plus this way, I lay all the ground work, then when you finally do get a parts KJ you have all the reference material here to do it right.

[FXWorks]

For the interior are you planning to make the air bags functional or gut them and use them to make the interior look complete?

 

I don't see why the entire SRS harness couldn't be transferred over to an older XJ... it's not like anything structural changed. the sensor locations and such should still be valid unless there is some kind of a ECU tie in with the air bag ECU.

[jtdesigns]

For the interior are you planning to make the air bags functional or gut them and use them to make the interior look complete?

 

I don't see why the entire SRS harness couldn't be transferred over to an older XJ... it's not like anything structural changed. the sensor locations and such should still be valid unless there is some kind of a ECU tie in with the air bag ECU.

 

Most airbag systems I've ran into have there own computer with them, most of the time you have to swap the srs unit with the bags. I know airbags also require a speed input too, so you'd have to get the wheel speed sensors too, or the vehicle speed sensor.. I don't know which one jeeps use.

[Sir Sam]

For the interior are you planning to make the air bags functional or gut them and use them to make the interior look complete?

 

I don't see why the entire SRS harness couldn't be transferred over to an older XJ... it's not like anything structural changed. the sensor locations and such should still be valid unless there is some kind of a ECU tie in with the air bag ECU.

 

 

Most airbag systems I've ran into have there own computer with them, most of the time you have to swap the srs unit with the bags. I know airbags also require a speed input too, so you'd have to get the wheel speed sensors too, or the vehicle speed sensor.. I don't know which one jeeps use.

 

 

The XJ ACM(Airbag Control Module) is a self contained unit that sits under the center console, there are no crash zone sensors as many other airbag systems have, merely the accelerometer/safing sensor located in the module.

 

There is not a direct connection between the ACM and the vehicle speed sensor, The XJ ACM does use the CCD bus connect, though the wiring diagrams seem to indicate that it connects to the gauge cluster(presumably for the airbag light) and the data link connector(for diagnostic).

 

Regardless I still have some concern that the ACM will need the vehicle speed information available on the CCD bus. This is a problem because the KJ CRD ECU uses the newer PCI bus.

 

If the vehicle speed information is needed for the ACM to operate properly then I will use a XJ CCD PCM(basically a 97-01 XJ PCM) connect the 5V supply, ground, and speed sensor signal back to the XJ PCM where needed, and connect the PCM to switched power as needed. This will then take the speed signal coming from the speedo pickup and broadcast it via the CCD bus. Since the vehicle is getting rewired with the PCI bus for all critical functions the CCD will be a secondary bus system that only contains information for the ACM.

 

So by doing it this way I can ensure that the airbag systems will still remain functional.

[MF Steve!]

This looks pretty cool! I just recently did a full '99 XJ drivetrain/interior swap into my '86 MJ. It was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be! Good luck on this, I can't wait to see the CRD in the engine bay!

[Sir Sam]

This looks pretty cool! I just recently did a full '99 XJ drivetrain/interior swap into my '86 MJ. It was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be! Good luck on this, I can't wait to see the CRD in the engine bay!

 

I know:

http://www.pgh-offroad.com/forum/showth ... 79&page=16

 

Ya the interior swap is pretty easy, for as much time as some MJ guys spend going through and pulling out the interior they could spend a little more money and grab the dash and interior, for what would be, IMO, a MUCH nicer interior with better AC heat etc.

[MF Steve!]

This looks pretty cool! I just recently did a full '99 XJ drivetrain/interior swap into my '86 MJ. It was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be! Good luck on this, I can't wait to see the CRD in the engine bay!

 

I know:

http://www.pgh-offroad.com/forum/showth ... 79&page=16

 

Ya the interior swap is pretty easy, for as much time as some MJ guys spend going through and pulling out the interior they could spend a little more money and grab the dash and interior, for what would be, IMO, a MUCH nicer interior with better AC heat etc.

 

I agree. I went all out. Even have the doors, keyless entry, etc. working. Whatcha doin on PghOffRoad.com?

[Sir Sam]

This looks pretty cool! I just recently did a full '99 XJ drivetrain/interior swap into my '86 MJ. It was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be! Good luck on this, I can't wait to see the CRD in the engine bay!

 

I know:

http://www.pgh-offroad.com/forum/showth ... 79&page=16

 

Ya the interior swap is pretty easy, for as much time as some MJ guys spend going through and pulling out the interior they could spend a little more money and grab the dash and interior, for what would be, IMO, a MUCH nicer interior with better AC heat etc.

 

I agree. I went all out. Even have the doors, keyless entry, etc. working. Whatcha doin on PghOffRoad.com?

 

Yup, might as well go all out and make it really clean with all the goodies.

 

Dietz pointed me to your thread there before I saw yours here.

[FXWorks]

To do the swap for the dash, do you need to use the original or the new style heater and AC core/box?

[Sir Sam]

So the last bit of engine management stuff I need is an APPS. There is a diesel XJ that I could get the APPS out of, as you can see in the wiring diagram below they only differ by a single pin(which could be moved), the real concern is if the APPS returns the same voltage between the two.

(an Accelerator Pedal Postion Sensor is basically just a big POT=Potentiometer)

 

Now I could use a 05+ CRD POT, which indecently is shared by newer toyotas, but it would take a good deal more work to ensure I got the right voltage out of the pot.

 

So for reference:

 

So even if the XJ APPS does not return the same voltage a variable resistor connected inline could allow me to play around with it so that I got my throttle input right.

[Sir Sam]

Well the tow truck arrived today with the MJ, battery was dead so I had to push it up into the driveway.

 

Put the battery charger on it and after a few hours it cranked enough for it to catch and startup.

 

Had the battery charger on all day untill about 6:30, took the charger off, started it once, then shut it off. An hour later I came back and it turned over once or twice and then just clicked.

 

Ran down to sams club and got a new battery, dropped it in and it fired right up. Moved it back and forth a little bit before backing it out of the driveway and going for a quick spin in my culdesac. Drives just fine, brakes feel a little soft.

 

Oil on the dipstick looks about 2 quarts overfilled(way overfilled), right now after it runs for a little bit oil just spits out from around the valve cover. I will drain some oil, degrease engine, and then take a look at things.

 

I saw no evidence of coolant leak when I drove it. Who knows.

 

 

 

Oh ya, and the parking brake doesn't work. Also, it was a trip not to find it next to the center console, I wasn't expecting that.

[Pete M]

Dang. The rust free ones always look so pretty. :D