Good points. My truck has a 545, but I've driven a near identical truck with the 5.7/8speed. That 8 speed has great mechanical advantage/splits, but I've seen one on the ground, and it's not small. I wonder if the OP would be better off with a smaller, less powerful V8 and stock Jeep trans & transfer case.
5.3 LS vs 5.7 Hemi vs 5.9 Magnum vs SBC 350
- Thread starter Dvaniwaarden11
- Start date
Good points. My truck has a 545, but I've driven a near identical truck with the 5.7/8speed. That 8 speed has great mechanical advantage/splits, but I've seen one on the ground, and it's not small. I wonder if the OP would be better off with a smaller, less powerful V8 and stock Jeep trans & transfer case.
From Tox’s thread
Measuring from the front of the accessory belt to the face of the rear yoke:
- The total length of the stock 4.0L + 42RLE + NP231 is approximately 68-1/2".
- The total length of the LS3 + 6L80E + Atlas 2 is approximately 63-3/4".
How that breaks down for the stock driveline:
- 4.0L - 30-1/2"
- 42RLE - 24-1/4"
- NP231 (with SSSYE) - 13-3/4"
How that breaks down for the new GM driveline:
- LS3 (with corvette belt spacing) - 24-3/4"
- 6L80E (includes 4" adapter) - 27"
- Atlas 2 - 11-3/4"
You’d still have to compare the torque output of that corresponding rpm though. The minimum torque made might still be higher than another engine’s maximum.
Which makes it potentially easier but definitely not unique.
Vortec 4200. Uncharted territory mostly, but it has potential. Plenty more torque and power than the 4.0L. It’s not older than the TJ and probably not in a different vehicle class. It has similar dimensions to the 4.0L. Easier exhaust routing and lighter than a V8. Probably less expensive and more efficient than a V8. There’s room to grow with boost if you really want a lot of power out of it too.
Comments by Peter Lechtanski (guy behind fastest MJ project)
https://www.jeepstrokers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2963
Comments by Peter Lechtanski (guy behind fastest MJ project)
https://www.jeepstrokers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2963
I don’t remember where I read it but the Magnum and 5.7 Hemi have almost identical HP/torque curves up to 3500 rpm then the Hemi takes off.
I put a Magnum in a 72 Dodge Powerwagon crew cab with a NV4500 with a divorced case, fuel injection working. It was a nice rig.
I put a Magnum in a 72 Dodge Powerwagon crew cab with a NV4500 with a divorced case, fuel injection working. It was a nice rig.
Last edited:
This is why I love this forum. Tons and tons of experience which will be very helpful with me as I plan it out the next few months. My biggest concern with this is how I mount stuff below. I feel like the stock skid plate will have to move and that worries me for how I will secure everything. I’ve seen videos of people having to do a lot of fabricating on trans mounts etc. I’m very much a beginner in fabricating. I have some welding experience but this project would be a great excuse to buy a welder.
Ideally, I would want something that is easiest to replace the 4.0 with. I’ve heard lots of 5.2/5.9s being some of the easiest but also some LS videos have made it seem pretty straight forward. I understand it’s a big project. Just don’t want to get caught lowering the engine and trans in and then having issues with needing a fabricator to custom make something for me…which would make my budget a lot larger.
Ideally, I would want something that is easiest to replace the 4.0 with. I’ve heard lots of 5.2/5.9s being some of the easiest but also some LS videos have made it seem pretty straight forward. I understand it’s a big project. Just don’t want to get caught lowering the engine and trans in and then having issues with needing a fabricator to custom make something for me…which would make my budget a lot larger.
Perhaps watching roadkill since they came out has given me a ton of my inspiration for the swap lol
Blasphemi!
(See what I did there?)
Ever since seeing your Jeep on this forum, it has given me tons of ideas for my build. Coilovers look beautiful.
You have to set a budget first and then go from there. As I said before a Magnum is going to be the cheapest & easiest swap to do.
If you're chasing HP & TQ numbers you can get really caught up in which engine makes the most power. But how much do you really need for a TJ? The 5.2 in mine was fine 90% of the time & if I hadn't had engine problems I'd still be driving it.
The 5.9 makes more power and is a torque engine.
Yes the LS is popular but again you've got to budget for it.
The Hemi is going to be the most expensive of the 3 engines. I'll let you know what I think of the Hemi here in the next month I HOPE.
If you're chasing HP & TQ numbers you can get really caught up in which engine makes the most power. But how much do you really need for a TJ? The 5.2 in mine was fine 90% of the time & if I hadn't had engine problems I'd still be driving it.
The 5.9 makes more power and is a torque engine.
Yes the LS is popular but again you've got to budget for it.
The Hemi is going to be the most expensive of the 3 engines. I'll let you know what I think of the Hemi here in the next month I HOPE.
If you could go back, would you put the 5.9 in instead? Or was the 5.2 more than enough? What I’m stuck on is the 5.9 tops out at 240 horses right? It seemed wrong because I thought it was way more considering that’s not too far off from the 4.0
If I were to do an engine swap, it would most likely be the Vortec 4200 or a VW TDI diesel.
The shop I had do my swap convinced me I'd like the 5.2 more. I was building a 5.9 as my next engine and had it running & driving but it was a stroked 5.9 making it a 6.7. I'd still be running it but the block was cracked @ the #4 cam journal, And then I came across this Hemi and couldn't bass it up.
Here's on paper for the 5.2
And the 5.9
But talk to just about anyone and they'll tell you the butt dyno says they make more power than on paper.
There’s a NorCal guy I met with a nice LS swapped Jeep, @Indy has a Cali smog legal ride and a thread about the build and what he went through.
Might wanna give it a look! And he did a beautiful job too, I’ve seen it in person.
Might wanna give it a look! And he did a beautiful job too, I’ve seen it in person.
@Indy could you link your posting on your 5.3 swap? Was looking on your profile but wasn’t sure where it was and I noticed you had a posting with 157 pages haha. Would need a whole work day to get through that. Getting it CA legal is the goal. I do have some contacts that would smog it under the table for me but I’d prefer not to go that route if I could help it. I never want to get rid of this thing but if I ever had to (I.E. the wife told me to lol) I would want it to be all above board.
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/indys-5-3-tj.35789/
Since CA has the rule of same class vehicle you'd have to find a 5.9 from a Durango or if it's considered the same a Dakota? But a Ram pickup wouldn't be ? Not sure how they break all that down.