Elusive

I'll update this thread as I get time.
I just finished swapping a 2011 vvt hemi into my 2011 JKUR. Total cost...under $10000
heres the rough numbers:
1. found a brand new engine and trans from a grand Cherokee that fell off the car carrier(6 miles on the odometer) . It sat for 4 years but I got the engine and trans for $3200 with tax.
2. Todd at JSS sent me a hemi kit for my application. Radiator, harness, computer, motor mounts, dual battery tray, transfer case shift bracket, AC lines, $4200
3. Custom exhaust at a local shop $570
4. 2010 valve body $260
5. air cleaner, fluids, odds, ends $500

total was about $9000

It has the grand Cherokee cats, and should be CA legal.
just about 400 hp

I'm about 5k out of pocket. The vvt hemi really sings. Just got it running Sunday. I had a ripp, headers, injectors, tuner, etc on the 3.8 and I sold it all to offset the cost. there is NO comparison. The hemi lights up my 38's and the much stronger trans is an added bonus.

14Sport

Sub'd. That's a big job. Congrats. Did you get all the electronics, gauges, etc. to work?

FlexyJK

Sub'd! Im in Escondido and would like to see it sometime and ask a few questions if possible!

Elusive

Everything works. I only drove it for ONE day a little bit but every gauge works. its not bad with the computer and harness they provide. I had to pin C3 on the main harness with 4 new pins but the rest is plug and play.
I'll upload some pics tonight

14Sport

That's great. So you have 2 computers now? And they talk to each other? And it's pretty much plug'n'play? Can't wait to see the details. I know at least two companies that aren't going to like that.

Elusive

bookmarked

Elusive

Only 1 computer. In the stock location.
The hardest part of this conversion is garhering the correct parts. It took me 2 months of time working on it every dsay to get the parts I needed.
Here's the cheapest way:
Get a 2010 hemi with the trans. From a ram. If you need it to pass smog in a 2011 on, just stick to the story... No one knows what year the engine actually is, just don't try to say a non vvt motor is a 2014. It's hard to feel bad swapping a motor that's identical in every way. I had to swap the oil pan, pick up tube, valve body, to 2010 parts. I noticed that my exhaust manifolds were a lot bigger than the ones from the 2010 down so i used them. This caused me to push the firewall in a bit to clear the passenger side exhaust. The 2010 manifolds do not but you need to buy the $340 grand cherokee manifolds.
More to come[/QUOTE]

Here's a things to think about before you buy an engine for the swap:

1. engine and trans. You have 2 options. Truck or Grand Cherokee. both have advantages and disadvantages.
The argument for the truck engine: 30 more HP, made from higher compression and a better intake. it also fits better because of the way the accessories are mounted. it cools better because it has a mechanical fan. JSS also offers a York mount for the truck motor but not for the LX style grand Cherokee motor.
The argument for the grand Cherokee engine: You can use the stock exhaust manifolds (saving $300) and the stock throttle body air cleaner junction (a $350 part for the truck motor) it runs lower compression so you can use 87 octane. The AEV kit will allow ONLY this engine.
Both engines use the same 545RFE 5 speed automatic.

2. The year of the engine.
The 2010 and down VVT grand Cherokee or commander engine has the most usable parts. You can use the intake adapter manifolds, oil pan, and everything except the transfer case adapter (Tcase adapter is $230 at the dealer and the seal is $20) This is why they say it doesn't matter if you get a 2wd or 4wd trans.. the adapter has to be changed anyway because the quadra-trac t-case has a weird 8 bolt pattern and a jeep t-case won't bolt to it. I looked at it hard to see if I could just drill new holes and there is no way.

Oil Pan
My 2011 engine had a front sump plastic oil pan that would have hit the axle on compression. I bought a truck oil pan ($80 at rock auto) the oil valley seal/pan gasket ($35 at rock auto) The oil pickup tube was from a junkyard for $20. The 2011 oil pan also had the dipstick in the pan, but the truck pan does not. the engine has a boss cast into it for the truck dipstick so I knocked it out and bought a truck dip stick.

Exhaust
The 2011 engine also has much bigger exhaust manifolds (I measured them to be about 3/4" bigger inside diameter than the 2010 manifolds) so I used them. the drivers side works great but you are going to need a great exhaust shop to get the passenger side in. My jeep is currently back at the exhaust shop because it was still hitting the body. The exhaust systems from JSS are $700 the shop gave me a full exhaust for $570 installed but I provided the cats. I have heard a lot of stories about folks using the stock jeep exhaust but they burn up the cats in less than a year. My stock exhaust only had 1 O2 sensor per side and the hemi uses 1 upstream of the cat and 1 in the cat on each side. the harness from hotwireauto also had 4 O2 sensor plugs so I'm glad I went that way. I'm sure when I go to get the referee to pass it I'll be happy too. The 2010 manifolds have a little more angle on the dump and fit better. I only know because I ordered the manifolds as per the BOM and I was able to measure and compare them when I had them side by side. I'm glad I used the 2011 manifolds in the end but I wouldn't swap if I started with the 2010 and down.

The rest is a few other tricks and tips:


Wiring Harness
This was the easiest part. The harness comes built for your application. I compared it to the stock 2011 grand Cherokee harness I had and it has a couple extra wires in it. The harness is beautiful, it fits perfectly, and every connection is labeled. Hotwireauto sells them for about $1100. Funny thing is I ordered it from JSS so I knew his computer would work with it but it still gets shipped right from hotwireauto. I never even called or talked to hotwireauto, the harness just fit and I couldn't be happier with it. There were 4 wires on a pig tail that were labels for C3. C3 is the connector on the gauge connector that does not come on the harness. the wires come labeled for C3 pin 5,6, 8, and 33. Thankfully I'm a retired marine avionics tech and I have a lot of experience pinning connectors. the stock plug has plastic plugs you have to pop out of the connector where the pins go, then the pins snap in. You'll need some very small tools. The whole thing took me about 20 min. to pin the connector then another hour of routing the harness correctly and plugging in all the connections.

Computer
Another one that's easier than you think. Todd at JSS sent it to me. I plugged it in and it works. I did add and extra ground to the case as a precaution. I'm anal about grounds.

Motor mounts
JSS motor mounts. There's a youtube video by Todd that shows where they go. I used a big steel blade in a sawzall to cut off the old mounts and an angle grinder with a flapper wheel to clean it up. it was a lot of work getting the old mounts off but I probably got them off and cleaned up the frame in about an hour. I was super careful with the brake lines on the drivers side that are close to the mount area but I still cut one. I replaced it. I suggest taking your inner fender liners out of the front for the duration of the swap. It really made everything a LOT easier to get to. I welded in the new mounts with my miller 210 220v welder. The mounts and frame are all pretty thick and I wouldn't want to weld them in with a 110 welder. I've been welding quite a bit with this same welder for over 10 years so this was not a concern for me to do it myself. The rear tranny mount bolts in. Try not to put the stock cross member in backwards like I did. I had to take it all apart and re do it.

Fuel line
JSS sends a fuel line adapter. very easy. it screws into AN6 connections which I like a lot and they are easy to work with. Fortunately the local hot rod shop stocks these.

AC lines
Don't be a dummy and sell your 3.8 with the short AC line attached to it like I did. It's on order ($56 at the dealer). The larger AC line from the firewall to the AC compressor is provided in the kit. the smaller one goes to the condenser and I was able to use the stock one. You have to put the lines on before the Heater hoses because the firewall port for the AC lines is really right behind the heater hoses.

Heater hoses
I cut the stock heater hoses down and used them. They only have to go about a foot and they get routed behind the engine. (like I said, right in front of the AC lines) the heater hoses and AC lines fight for space a bit so I bent the AC lines around till everything fit.

Transmission Cooling
I used the stock grand Cherokee cooling lines and ran them to a tranny cooler I bought at the local hot rod shop for $56. it came with the clamps and hoses. I did not cut the stock lines. JSS sent a nifty tranny cooler mount in the kit that I used.

Engine Cooling
I ordered the radiator from JSS. I'm not sure who made it but it fit absolutely perfectly. The stock fan and shroud bolted right up. The stock fan motor sits 3/8" from the water pump pulley... it's very close.
The radiator hoses I used I will not post. I found some stuff that worked and cut them to make them fit. Todd has the correct ones that he gave me and i'll swap them out when I get a chance.
I'm a good test subject to see if there are cooling issues. I'm running very heavy 38's on a 4 door heavy pig. my engine always got hot climbing up mountains in the summer so I'm going to keep a close eye on it this summer when I'm going to my cabin in Big Bear.

Driveshafts
they are supposed to fit, but my rear driveshaft was always a bit too long. The kit moves the rear of the Tcase back 3/8" and that was too much for my nice 1350 CV shaft. I'll have to get and inch cut out of it. Front fits fine.

That's about it
I see why they get $4000 for install. It's a lot of work. I've been wrenching on jeeps a long time. I can set up gears, I've done many engine swaps, I'm a decent fabricator, and this swap was on the very outer cusp of my abilities in the garage.
I need to find a way to post pics.

Elusive

OK,
those pics suck
lets try again

From left to right:

Here it is installed. its tight but it looks good. It's not cleaned up in this pic

The engine had sat since 2011. I hooked it all up, turned the key and.... nothing. The worst feeling ever. I called Todd and he said dump fuel down the intake. it fired right up. he said clean the injectors! I pulled them out and couldn't believe the goo on them. I cleaned all that out and it fired right up.

Here is my 545RFE with the valve body out and the 4wd adapter off. Waiting for parts delayed me at least a month

Engine and tranny ready to be installed. be careful not to damage the plastic manifold, the sensors etc when lifting

Elusive

This uploader thing sucks.
I'll edit it later to make it look better and explain the pics

From left to right, first pic is the JSS mounts with the 2010 and down engine motor mounts. Forgot to mention it above, but this is another advantage of using the 2010 down motor. the mounts were $160

the AC pump is really, really close to the power steering box. I cut a lot off...might have to cut more.

Elusive

The 2011 manifold
the 2011 plastic oil pan. notice its too close to my artec truss
the JSS tranny cooler
the exhaust with stock cats