2000 Jeep TJ 318 5.2 Magnum Swap Build

I particularly like the 5.2 sticker touch on the side. You wouldn't even realize that wasn't factory unless you were really paying attention (y)
 
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Finally got around to cutting the old mounts off. Angle grinder made that easy :)
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Then decided to clean up the frame. Took down all the rust scale, cleaned, and then painted it.
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Now its realistically ready for the engine to be dropped in. Hopefully this weekend or next!
 
Are you sticking with a factory ECU setup or after market Fuel management system? I was just wondering how you will get the stock wiring to match up with the engine harness and fuel management system.
 
Are you sticking with a factory ECU setup or after market Fuel management system? I was just wondering how you will get the stock wiring to match up with the engine harness and fuel management system.
Its quite simple actually, and there is a TON of info on the interwebz about it, but ill keep it simple - I am using an ECU out of a 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 base model that came with a manual transmission. This way the body harness will still connect to the ECU and the other 2 ECU plugs (engine side) will all plug in as normal. The ECU will communicate with my factory gauges as well. I didn't want to use the ZJ ECU because it was originally for an automatic, and it has a security system (the dreaded SKIM system that everyone always talks about, and causes your engine to cut fuel after a few seconds of running).
I already made the wiring harness, what I did is take the stock 4 cylinder engine harness and "blended in" what I needed to from the ZJ harness. I used the TJ harness because it would match the firewall plugs, and it was originally a manual trans jeep. If I would've used the ZJ harness I would've had all kinds of automatic trans stuff to cut out, and some other crap I didn't want to deal with. I pinned in ALL 8 injector wires into the TJ harness, that way I would have the correct lengths of wire for the injectors and wouldn't have to worry about lengths. Also a few plugs here and there were changed to match the sensors on the 5.2 engine. All relatively easy stuff, just a little time consuming. This is what makes this swap so great though, the fact that you don't need to go get some specialty ECU, or adapters, or run 2 ECUs, or anything crazy. Anyone can do it with very little knowledge on wiring. Hopefully this answered your question, but if it didn't, let me know and I will try to answer it as best as I can! :)
 
Looks great. You're making quick progress. Another Jeep saved from the scrap yard!
Exactly! Seeing you're from MI, I'm sure you see things often on how control arm mounts will break off the frame, etc and people send it to be crushed because other "internet gods" from the southwest US (that have never seen salt) said it was junk and to get rid of it. Irritates me. The Safe-T-Cap panels can make it just as strong or stronger than it ever was. My last 99 TJ I bought with the frame ROTTED and the caps brought it back to life for many years to come I've lived in San Diego (when I was in the Navy) and the salt belt; its hard to educate people who have never dealt with it. Anywho, rant over. :)
 
Its quite simple actually, and there is a TON of info on the interwebz about it, but ill keep it simple - I am using an ECU out of a 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 base model that came with a manual transmission. This way the body harness will still connect to the ECU and the other 2 ECU plugs (engine side) will all plug in as normal. The ECU will communicate with my factory gauges as well. I didn't want to use the ZJ ECU because it was originally for an automatic, and it has a security system (the dreaded SKIM system that everyone always talks about, and causes your engine to cut fuel after a few seconds of running).
I already made the wiring harness, what I did is take the stock 4 cylinder engine harness and "blended in" what I needed to from the ZJ harness. I used the TJ harness because it would match the firewall plugs, and it was originally a manual trans jeep. If I would've used the ZJ harness I would've had all kinds of automatic trans stuff to cut out, and some other crap I didn't want to deal with. I pinned in ALL 8 injector wires into the TJ harness, that way I would have the correct lengths of wire for the injectors and wouldn't have to worry about lengths. Also a few plugs here and there were changed to match the sensors on the 5.2 engine. All relatively easy stuff, just a little time consuming. This is what makes this swap so great though, the fact that you don't need to go get some specialty ECU, or adapters, or run 2 ECUs, or anything crazy. Anyone can do it with very little knowledge on wiring. Hopefully this answered your question, but if it didn't, let me know and I will try to answer it as best as I can! :)

Yep, answered my question. Thanks. I just wondered how you were getting the engine and ecu to work. Make sense. :)
 
Exactly! Seeing you're from MI, I'm sure you see things often on how control arm mounts will break off the frame, etc and people send it to be crushed because other "internet gods" from the southwest US (that have never seen salt) said it was junk and to get rid of it. Irritates me. The Safe-T-Cap panels can make it just as strong or stronger than it ever was. My last 99 TJ I bought with the frame ROTTED and the caps brought it back to life for many years to come I've lived in San Diego (when I was in the Navy) and the salt belt; its hard to educate people who have never dealt with it. Anywho, rant over. :)

It’s weird when I visit my friends in Phoenix and see no rust. Up here you see rust on the rear fenders of Ram trucks that are just a couple years old.

I bought a ‘99 with a bad motor from Kalamazoo about a year and a half ago. Salvaged the tub but got a donor frame from a ‘05. Still a work in progress but I’m trying to build it to last 20 years in Michigan.

Keep us posted on your progress.
 
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It’s weird when I visit my friends in Phoenix and see no rust. Up here you see rust on the rear fenders of Ram trucks that are just a couple years old.

I bought a ‘99 with a bad motor from Kalamazoo about a year and a half ago. Salvaged the tub but got a donor frame from a ‘05. Still a work in progress but I’m trying to build it to last 20 years in Michigan.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Yeah I hear ya. I bought my first TJ when I lived in San Diego, and when I look back at pictures of it I kick myself in the rear when I see how perfect and new the frame looked. Came back to Ohio to rust on everything, even vehicles a few years old. Here it’s just normal.
 
No crazy update, been pretty busy with family stuff. In the meantime I painted my "custom" alternator bracket, as well as some other small brackets that were pretty rough looking, and received my block hugger headers from summit. Ill throw some of the VHT "flame proof" paint on the headers before I throw them on. In all reality, The engine could be set in as of now, I am just trying to find a welder to come by and burn the mounts in.

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