engine swap help

[heymikeyo]

I am swapping a 5.3L /4L60e/novak/dana300 into a 82 scrambler. I am running into issues withthe clearance between the trans and the front diff. Any help or pictures would be appreciated. Does anyone know of a shop in the boulder area that has done this swap?

Thanks

 

[I Lean]

It's a tight squeeze. If you can offset your engine a bit extra to the driver's side, that'll help....but chances are you'll still need to modify the trans pan a little bit, and run a small-diameter front driveshaft.

 

[bigchev79]

can you modify the fire wall and set the motor back more or move the axel forward rember the diff goes up and down too you dont rilly want a smaller drive shaft after all you are making more power and cutting the teans pan im not a fan of eather its a lot of more work but in the end i think youll have a farr better and more reliable. what springs are you running your adding more wieght and forward offset so maby moving your axel is the better choise

 

[UNSTUCK]

That's the main problem with that set up. That engine is VERY tall. Swapping out to a Camero pan will make a lot of difference. Swapping out the truck intake will make even more difference as it will allow you to raise the engie up. But you really need to swap the front end parts as well you you can drop the Alt. and get it lower. Do that and you can raise the engine several inches. Add the camero pan, and you should have all the clearence you need.
I'm guessing this is all in place already, so you will just have to add lift or bump stops, to keep it cheap.

 

[heymikeyo]

can you modify the fire wall and set the motor back more or move the axel forward rember the diff goes up and down too you dont rilly want a smaller drive shaft after all you are making more power and cutting the teans pan im not a fan of eather its a lot of more work but in the end i think youll have a farr better and more reliable. what springs are you running your adding more wieght and forward offset so maby moving your axel is the better choise

The issue with the swap is not a front/back problem. The problem is that I can't get the engine far enough to the drivers side to line up the front drive shaft. I never thought that this was as exotic of a swap as it has turned out to be. Both the Novak and the Advance Adapters web site sell this transfer case adapter. The AA site doesn't even adress any clearance issues. The novak site talks about clearance issues but says it will work. I've taken my "Heep" to 2 good shops and they both say that the swap won't work.

thanks for the help

 

[Greg]

Do you have the room to run a pillow block (or carrier bearing) to the frame, and essentially 'bend' the front driveline around the transmission?

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_40410_40410

 

[I Lean]

What front axle do you have? Is the diff more centered than the usual offerings? Maybe a two-piece, carrier-bearing driveshaft will be necessary for you?

 

[abhaulr1]

im putting a 350/350/d300 into my dads jeep, the way im solving the problem
is to put either lift springs or spoa. that will give me the room to clear the
drive line.
Dwayne

 

[heymikeyo]

What front axle do you have? Is the diff more centered than the usual offerings? Maybe a two-piece, carrier-bearing driveshaft will be necessary for you?

I just have a stock 82 Jeep axle. I can't afford to get rid of the front axle because I spent my cash on installing 4.10's and ARB Lockers. I think my new plan is to try to put a two piece steering linkage and move the engine as far to the drivers side as possible and maybe further forward. I'll probably have to modify the engine mount and I'll have to buy an electric fan set up. I report back if this helps anything.

 

[heymikeyo]

im putting a 350/350/d300 into my dads jeep, the way im solving the problem
is to put either lift springs or spoa. that will give me the room to clear the
drive line.
Dwayne

What is a spoa? Is the 350 as wide as the 4l60e? :-\

 

[abhaulr1]

oops soa= spring over axle sorry
im not sure on the size between the 4l60e and the th350.
Dwayne

 

[Jinx]

OK lets be specific. On your 5.3, 4l60e, 300 combo is your t-case indexed flat or is indexing down?

I run a 350, 700r4 and 4 spd Atlas, in a 81 scrambler, but I had the dana 300 for years without issue... Yes I ran skinny driveline but it was never really a problem.

so you are saying with the t case in the current position your drive line will hit tranny pan or something else?

 

[heymikeyo]

OK lets be specific. On your 5.3, 4l60e, 300 combo is your t-case indexed flat or is indexing down?

I run a 350, 700r4 and 4 spd Atlas, in a 81 scrambler, but I had the dana 300 for years without issue... Yes I ran skinny driveline but it was never really a problem.

so you are saying with the t case in the current position your drive line will hit tranny pan or something else?

The transefercase (d300) can really go into one location with this transmission (4l60e) setup. The U-joint must be above the pan flange. Any other postion and it rotates into the transmisson. My focus now is getting the engine trans assembly further to the drivers side. I have about 3/8 from the steering shaft and I have run out of engine mount adjustment, so some grinding may be nessessary. I found this picture on the web. It show it can be done and how unbelievable close the clearance is.