Ametzker

Sorry haven't been on here in a while. Still doing this but at the time I was ready to start we purchased a building that we are currently renovating into a coffee shop so it has taken all my time and money. Mostly time though. We are almost finished with the shop so this summer I will putting a lot more content on here as well as my Youtube channel. As usual Dad's projects are always the last thing to get accomplished. As for Motec parts and emulators I wont be doing any of that. My gauges will look stock and no emulators will be needed however it won't be 50 state legal. Using aftermarket GPS speedo and RPM gauges just stripping them out and using the motors mounted to my stock needles in the dash. Meanwhile keep my Jeep PCM hooked up the stock gauge assembly just tucked out of the way. That will be a good youtube vid for people that want to keep it simple.

RacerX10

For those of us in states that don't check emissions ..

Any reason we can't just do a carb'd LS swap and make is simple ? I'd think the gauges should be easy to do.

Ametzker

well to carb swap means buying a $300+ carb and a $400 manifold when the harness and entire ls engine can be had for less it doesn't seem smart

jordy

Why reinvent the wheel with the GM case? Use the engine and transmission and get the adapter to the Jeep case. If you have the non-Rubicon case, it will bolt up with the adapter. The Rubicon case is the one that has to be changed out for the swap.

Orazi

automatic?

Sixty4x4

Lonnie Anderson - You will have the transfer case sitting near the rear diff with the length. My LT (similar block) starts with the engine mounts in line with the Jeep original frame mounts. Motech provided the mounts. That gives firewall clearance and 2" between the front of engine and the Camaro SS PWM fan. There are interfaces available now to make the Jeep and Chev ECU's talk to each other. I would stay with the 6 speed 6L80/90 tranny and adapt to a 2.73:1 TCase. That setup still relocates the TCase back by about 3". If you go any further back then you clash with the fuel tank with that bigger Chev Case. Remember you might spend more money avoiding buying the already designed parts you need vs fabricating and fucking around trying to get things fitted properly. You also will be chucking the CV driveshafts and making new ones with U-joints. You will tear up your original shafts plus they are not good to shorten/lengthen. Tried that first but was not recommended. One thing I know is that the harness needs a lot of copper removed from it and a custom multi-fused power supply unit and you still use the Jeep TIPM. But mine is nice to press the Jeep AC button and the Chev compressor kicks in as well as the dash functions are Jeep. Even has the Cruise module but they are available separate as well and connect in series with the Chev pedal. Make sure you buy the correct throttle pedal if you did not get it from the engine supplier. They are matched to either a 6 speed or 8/10 speed model and not interchangeable. I highly recommend you get your nippers on HP Tuners setup as that is invaluable at turning on and off program features you do not need. VATS (anti-theft) is the biggest pain in the ass to get around. Also in HP you can turn off AFM if it has it. I have with mine as I heard they are still trouble even for Gen 5 engines from 2014 - present. You will need the billet accessory mount setup for Gen 4 engine as Jeep stuff interferes with the Chev mounted accessories and you run the risk of losing a belt if it is not a clean install. Gen 5 is straight in, use Chev mounts and stuff and add 2012 PS pump with Motech brackets and extra idler pulley with longer serpentine. Very easy. PM me if you need some more info as my original intention was to go Gen 4 until I did some learning. Glad you got the tranny with the engine as they are matched ECU wise with the tranny ECU inside the housing whereas Gen 5 has external tranny ECU. The nice thing is the 6 speed auto has a 4.6 first gear.

Orazi

@Sixty4x4 Would you know about doing an egine swap on a manual transmission. I have an 09 JK and I am about 190k miles on it with that stupid V6. It is still in good condition so I have time. I am looking to do an engine swap, but nothing big. I don't a big engine in it. Maybe a 4.7 or 5.3. I would like to keep my manual transmission and I would like it to budget friendly. I know its tricky. I would need a wiring harness such as Motech, brackets,a new clutch and flywheel and I do understand its going to be hard with a manual trans NSG370. Would you have any knowledge with this type of swap?

Sixty4x4

The path I took was the best for me at the time, but if I had known the diesels were coming I would have saved my money and ordered one now. I like manual but read about and talked with V8 guys and really the V8 goes well in front of an auto as it is a pickup converter pushing a much lighter load on lower gearing in most cases. Yes you can do manual. Best "budget" would be a 5.7 Hemi/Manual transmission from a 1500 RAM. You may not need it but please get the ECU with whatever you buy. With Chev you will need it. I have had a nightmare getting mine running properly as it was a 2018 ECU on a 2016 engine. Motech support Chev products which in my opinion are better because the 5.3 makes 355HP/380 Tq, is lighter, more economical and fits in the bay easier. Probably hard to find is a Chev/Manual setup. Gen 5 like mine I do not believe ever came with a manual. The Jeep manual transmission will not take V8 power at all - period, get rid of it.
Here is what I would do -
1. Hunt around the USA for the lowest mileage aluminum block 5.3 Gen 4/manual 4x4 1500 Chev setup and ECU. Go inside the engine and replace the Active Fuel Management system (cylinder deactivation) as they give trouble sometimes (Texas seems to be the best place). Will require some $$$ for parts and new Cam and Lifters. I got a 16000mile 2016 Gen 5/8L90 8 spd auto/TCU/ECU/Harness/accessories for $3500 just to give you an idea. I turned off AFM in the ECU. Will turn it back on later after testing.
2. Buy the adapter for the tranny to Jeep TCase, adapter gear and engine mounts from Robbie at Motech.(If you have Rubi you will have to use a non-rubicon Case- I got rid of my Rubi one for same reason)
3. Custom intake system c/w MAF sensor is required.
3. Also talk to Robbie as he may sell you the Mocan module and wiring for a Gen 4 that will use the AC, gauges etc from the Jeep. Much nicer and you end up with 2 OBD ports under the dash.
4. I would go with the billet setup for accessory mounts as the Jeep to Gen 4 config requires you to relocate stuff. Gen V does not. Robbie and others sell that. Otherwise misalignment occurs and off the belt goes right in the middle of some off road obstacle. You can use stock radiator with 5.3 but need a good fan like Camaro SS from new cars $$.
5. You need to turf the driveshafts and the Case and rear diff yokes and change to U-joint style shafts. Trust me on this one. That Rzeppa style Jeep joint is a beautiful piece of work but can't handle the power. You will probably need new springs to hold the extra weight up. Mine was down about 3/4" in front without the winch bumper on so I bought the MC 2-1/2" lift and LCA on 4 corners for now.
6. Transfer Case shifter cable - use the Jeep system - get or make the bracket to anchor the case end of the cable as the Jeep bracket does not work.
7. Can't comment on the clutch slave setup. You will need to sort that out. Also making a floor plate to accommodate the shifter is unknown to me. I simply used the $1000 2012 and later console adapter, shifter, cable and other bits and then took a die grinder to it for reverse location and it works perfectly with the Chev 8 spd shift pattern.
8. Okay so you will have run out of money now so connect to the stock Jeep exhaust as, for now, that flows enough for a 5.3. Make sure the engine is a later year than the Jeep and use the O2 sensors etc and it should pass your state smog laws. See if you can get the CATS with the engine.
9. You may have to buy HP Tuners (I got one) and buy the access credits for Jeep and Chev (2 for each system @ $50=$200) as you will be dead in the water without this.
I can help better if you make the jump but this is an overview for you. I would still say this will cost about $6-7000USD. To compare with mine with full Motech conversion parts, the engine etc and me doing the work with driveshafts and MC suspension I have spent $18000CDN which in today US$$$ is about $12000-13000. Don't fart around with the older Dodge engines as they are a gas sucking dinosaurs and hard to get conversion support with very little tuneability compared to later model TPI engines. Gen 3 is getting obsolete also and hard to find a low mileage one. Mine is Direct Injection like a diesel but is gas. Robbie in Motech has great support and you will need it as nothing turns one off more than a conversion that is unreliable.
If you decide to go Chev I have a friend near Dallas area that can help big time in finding good motors. He has a Motech Gen 4/6 spd auto in his JKUR on 40" tires/Dana 80's etc etc. He does not want money from fellow Jeepers - just finds the stuff. Hope I did not turn you off but the conversion road you are going down is a slippery slope. Know of a 35000km Hemi 5.7 from a 2006 truck for sale here but with auto for about $3000CDN.
You can email me if you need more
< barryycindy at yahoo dot com >

Rednroll

I started down this path of research, then got busy on other stuff.

What I was trying to figure out is to determine which GM vehicles should I be looking at to find a LS Gen 5 with an aluminum block which has a good auto trans at an affordable price tag?
I was originally looking at Bonneville LS engines but then realized that isn't going to work since they mate up to a front wheel drive tranny. Any suggestions?

Ideally, I'ld like to either go to a salvage auction and find one of these vehicles which has been totaled due to a rear end collision or go junk yard hunting.

Orazi

I appreciate it. I will send you an email.