stereoman03

It is time to do the hemi upgrade, i have the 3.8 supercharged by ripp superchargers and it works great however its time for a change
I have talked to both aev and bor about there install kits, would like to hear from anyone who has installed the 6.4 and which kit they used . any problems they have had, and why they choose the kit they used, Im leaning towards bor, however this is alot of money, any input would be greatly apreciated

ToolManTimTaylor

I am doing a 6.2 LS swap at some point personally. Lighter than the hemi , run cooler , huge aftermarket support and better fuel mileage (Not really counting that last one LOL) Are YOU doing the swap or drop the jeep off and Pick up when done kind of thing? Are you also going the Dana 60 route to handle power and weight?

stereoman03

I have decides to have a shop here install engine so i can be hands on with the elec wiring harness , thats part of what i do in my business, plus its a jeep, want to be partly involved in install. I wasnt aware of an ls swap harness or kit to do install?? Yes i am actually going to the 4 wheel parts expo in dallas tomorow to look at axle swap, talk to manufactures to see what i should use, im a transamerica dealer, wholesale devision of 4 wheel parts.

BigSteve

Judging by the people I have talked to it sounds like the LS swap is a better idea in the long run. As stated there have been multiple people that have had issues with the Hemi overheating as well as not getting the check engine light to turn off. I personally wheeled with a guy in Moab that had an LS swapped into his and it ran great all day long and never got close to overheating. He also had the tap shift enabled which is a nice option have. Check out the guys at Motech - Home they seem to be the go to guys for LS swaped JK's.

Schantin

Yep, MoTech in Las Vegas makes JK swap kits for both the 5.3L and 6.2L LSx engines. I visited MoTech a couple weeks ago and got a tour of the shop from Robbie. Everything is made in-house and their knowledge of both Jeeps and GM LSx engines is impressive. Drove two of the shop Jeeps as well. I dropped a deposit for a new 5.3L LC9 with a 6L80 trans. The install will be done at their shop in Vegas the beginning of June.

1978cj7jk2012

What are the estimated power numbers for these swaps? Why did you go 5.3 over 6.2?

Schantin

Stock, the 5.3L is rated at 315/325 (or something near that....). Mine will be closer to 330/350 at the crank, as it will be running a CAI and Flowmaster 50 series dual exhaust.

I picked the 5.3 over the 6.2 (or now offered 6.0) because the 5.3L is the only engine offered which will run on 87 octane. The engine I'm opting for (LC9 with VVT and Displacement on Demand) should net me the same fuel mileage as the current 3.8. In addition, the LC9 is aluminum, so weight on the front end should not increase.... or not by much.

In short, I decided to sacrifice some power for economy. The jump from 202HP to 300+ will be very dramatic and should keep me happy for some time. If and when I get "bored", I'll throw a cam and ported heads in it to liven things up

jeeeep

I was considering a Hemi but wasn't ready to jump in because of ongoing issues some of the guys I know who have the Hemi continue to have, I'm sure there are some without issues but it seemed to me too many custom parts and I really want something I can get at any auto parts store... I almost put a down payment while at EJS, glad I didn't.

When I heard the LS 5.3 was about the same weight as the 3.8 I did more research and it seems like the better option all around, performance and options without so much custom work.

I hope to get my LS swap this summer.

stereoman03

Well i made the decision, after talking to many different vendors this weekend, I ordered my Ls3 and tranie for my conversion, also the building kit from motech, Thanks to everyone for your input

BigSteve

No problem. Keep us up to date on the build and let us know how you like it. Good first hand info about how easy the install is, how complete the kit is, etc. is always appreciated.