Building a diesel powered RHD TJ Wrangler (Picture Heavy)

[Alex01]

From everything I've been able to tell the axle is straight but I won't know until I get it off and can more actually measure it. It was actually hit high, right at the top of the frame. Once I get my TJ running and have more time to take this TJR apart I'll know more. Regardless I think I'll use that front Dana 44 and just get it repaired if I have to, it will be well worth the investment for what I'm building.

IIRC the cost was around $200 or so for the straitening. Well worth the cost if you could find someone with the tools to do it. They basically put it on a giant lathe and spun it around while bending it with a press. Retube is always an option as well but I didn't want to get into changing the brackets. But, if you're saying you need to change the brackets anyways it may be a good solution for you. If needed of course.

Where are you hiding that Willys tub...

 

[Alex01]

Hey TJers,

Finally getting back to working on my BEW TDI-powered TJ Wrangler Project. On top of waiting for parts, I've moved as well which delayed everything I was doing. With that said, I've gotten the new adapter from TD Conversions test fitted onto the engine and have the AW4 automatic and NP241OR Rubicon Transfer case installed in my TJ.

View attachment 418888

The adapter from TD Conversions fits perfectly for my application. I went with their adapter because I had already installed my BEW TDI engine into my engine at a 10° angle. Their adapter had a tilt for that angle which just made my life easier by not having to redo all the work on my motor mounts.

View attachment 418889

Getting the AW4 4-speed automatic installed and test fitted was a breeze which highlighted just how small this transmission is compared to the Ford 6r80 and also just how much lighter it is as well.

View attachment 418890

In January of this year, I purchased a wrecked 2004 TJ Rubicon which I plan on using several parts for my Right Hand Drive TJ Wrangler, specifically the axles and transfer case. For now, I'm just focusing on the transfer case as swapping the axles isn't going to be a bolt-in swap because of the different bracket locations on the axles between the Left Hand Drive and Right Hand Drive versions of the TJ.

View attachment 418891

Pulling the NP241OR wasn't too difficult thankfully though getting the Rubicon up onto vehicle ramps so I had enough room to do the work was rather challenging. Once I got the Rubicon transfer case out and went to test fit it into my TJ Wrangler.

View attachment 418892

I quickly realized just how much bigger the NP241OR transfer case is compared to the NP231. I can lift an NP231 off my chest and deadlift that transfer case into place, but the NP241OR is big enough that I wasn't going to risk it. I ended up having to use a clocking ring to tilt the NP241OR down 5° so that I will have room to lift the transmission and transfer case where I want my driveline to go.

View attachment 418893

Here is the video if you want to watch it:

Thanks
Grant

In regard to the part of the video 4:30 or so, when we did the savvy tummy tuck with the np241 we put a large nut on the area where the TC contacted the body. Then used a jack to raise the TC into the body and clearance the tub. It gave us about 1/4-1/2" clearance.

Just wondering if clocking it ill bring your angles up too much since the shaft is likely fairly small in the rear.

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

In regard to the part of the video 4:30 or so, when we did the savvy tummy tuck with the np241 we put a large nut on the area where the TC contacted the body. Then used a jack to raise the TC into the body and clearance the tub. It gave us about 1/4-1/2" clearance.

Just wondering if clocking it ill bring your angles up too much since the shaft is likely fairly small in the rear.

I moved my engine forward 7" a longtime ago, I believe the rear driveshaft is going to be well over 20" long and I have adjustable upper and lower control arms so I can point the rear pinion at the driveshaft to help with angles as well.

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

IIRC the cost was around $200 or so for the straitening. Well worth the cost if you could find someone with the tools to do it. They basically put it on a giant lathe and spun it around while bending it with a press. Retube is always an option as well but I didn't want to get into changing the brackets. But, if you're saying you need to change the brackets anyways it may be a good solution for you. If needed of course.

Where are you hiding that Willys tub...

Just realized I missed that, I haven't moved it yet, I still need to move all the parts for the Willy's CJ-2a still. I have the engine, rolling frame, seats, etc still at my old property.

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

Hey TJers,

I got the new CV-style output yoke in for my Rubicon transfer case and then finally finished the fabrication on the crossmember to hold up the AW4 automatic transmission/Rubicon transfer case on my BEW TDI-powered TJ Wrangler.

The first thing I did was install the new CV style 1310 output yoke from JB Conversions onto my NVG241OR Rubicon Transfer case. I switched to this output yoke with the hopes that I might be able to run the same driveshafts that I had on my TJ when I was running the Ford 6r80 automatic and NP231. With an impact and a 3-jaw puller, replacing the output yoke went quickly. The surprise of the day though was that both my front and rear driveshafts fit. It was great getting a little bit of luck on this build!

Next, I turned my attention to the transmission mount for the AW4 automatic. I was planning on using the factory transmission mount but the rubber has so much play in it that trying to figure out where everything was going to live with the tight tolerances I was fighting with the body because annoying so I got a heavy-duty transmission mount from Ironman4x4Fab. With the new transmission mount, I was able to easily figure out how to fabricate the rest of the adapter out of the thick-walled round tubing I was using.

One thing I did decide to do was clean up all the old and used nutserts that I had installed on my frame where previous crossmembers had been installed for the various iterations of this Jeep's diesel swaps. This was my first time welding up the frame, grinding the welds back to a smooth finish, and repeating to fill any gaps that I missed. This came out better than I was expecting. Another reason I had to do this was the currently installed nutserts were going to interfere with where my new crossmember was going to be installed.

With that done, I turned my attention back to getting the crossmember fabricated and welded up. One trick that I finally learned about making this crossmember was to use painter's tape and washers on the frame to simulate how far the nutserts were going to stick out of the frame. That worked perfectly. Once that was done it was just a matter of triple checking all my cuts, weld the crossmember together, and drill new holes into the frame for the mounting hardware.

I say easy but somehow I still messed up one of the center punch holes for the crossmember which I will be fixing this coming week. It's a simple matter of hammering out the nutsert, welding/grinding the hole in the frame back up, and reinstalling the crossmember with the other bolts in place so I can drill the last hole correctly. Even with that mistake, the new drivetrain is now being supported in my TJ by itself and I'm moving forward with making progress on this build.

Here is the video if you want to watch it:

Thanks
Grant

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

Hey TJers,

With the drivetrain test fitted into my RHD TJ Wrangler, I started the installation of the TDConversion's Jeep 4.0l to VW TDI adapter setup.

Before doing anything with the adapter plates and crankshaft adapter, I first needed to finish work on my NVG241OR Rubicon transfer case. While fabricating the crossmember to hold everything in the Jeep, I had only put two stubs into the clocking ring that was bolted to my Rubicon transfer case. I removed the transfer case and installed the remaining 4 stubs into the clocking ring and the transfer case is now ready for installation.

Next, I removed the AW4 4-speed automatic for a few reasons. First I had just put a few bolts into the TDConversion's adapter plates so I could test git everything but also I needed to clearance the bellhousing on the AW4 to make room for the supplied Toyota 4.7l starter.

I am sure there are better ways to clearance the bellhousing but I found a sanding disc, zaw saw and drill worked surprisingly well to clearance the bellhousing for the starter. One of the things I like most about the AW4 is that the bellhousing is removable which made the job much easier as well.

I then went about installing TDConversion's crankshaft adapter, engine plate, and transmission plate onto my BEW TDI. This was a straightforward process with their instructions minus a quick trip out to buy some Blue Locktite which I ran out of in my shop.

The only minor hiccup I ran into was the test fitting and installing the Toyota 4.7l starter onto the transmission plate. The instructions from TDConversion are thorough and very detailed but admittedly I missed a section about all the measurements that need to be checked when installing the starter onto their transmission plate.

I was running into an issue where the starter bendix gear wasn't wanting to mesh correctly with the flexplate for my AW4 automatic transmission. While I had checked the clearance between the bendix gear and the flexplate teeth, I had not measured the distance between the face of the flexplate and the starter motor.

After re-reading the instructions from TDConversions, I realized I need some starter shims to space out the starter correctly. Their instructions said to email them if shims were needed, which I did and 3 days later I had the shims in hand. After installing the shims, the Toyota 4.7l starter motor worked perfectly.

Next, I'll be working on filling the heavy-duty stock stall torque converter with transmission fluid, buttoning up a few things on my AW4 automatic, and hopefully installing the rest of the drivetrain, including driveshafts, into my TJ Wrangler.

Here is the video if you want to watch it:

Thanks
Grant

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

Hey Everyone,

Wanted to give an update. I'm slowly working through the wiring on this project. My personal life got stupid crazy starting at the end of May and is just now settling back down now that my kids are back in school. It also hasn't helped that the shop at my new place doesn't have AC yet and it's just been WAY too hot to work in the shop. I tried working in the shop last night but it was 108° in the shop even after sunset.

I'm trying to decide how much more effort I'm going to be putting into the automatic at this point. The AW4 SHOULD work but because it's kind of a hybrid with a Toyota A340F out of a Tacoma that I put together myself, anything is possible at this point. I really want an automatic but I'm not sure how much longer I'm willing to fight it either.

If this setup doesn't work I'm not sure what my next move is. I'm tempted to go to a 32RH with a reverse manual valve body but at this point I might just install an AX-15 or NV3550 (I have access to both) and just finally be done with this project. I never thought this build would take 5 years of my life but here I am and I still haven't really done much with my TJ.

I realize it's not much of an update but wanted to let everyone know that I'm alive and still kicking . . . barely

-Grant

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

Got back into my shop last night, it was only about 88° in the shop which was nice. Unfortunately I created my own problems but not documenting or labeling any of the wiring when I did the install of the BEW TDI to the Ford 6r80 which resulted in these two wonderful pictures:

I literally had the thought "What idiot put this crap together?" while I was probing everything with a multimeter last night. Yeah the answer to that question is me . . . I'm that idiot. Lesson learned, take the time to document and label all your wiring!!!!

Maybe sometime next week I'll have the wiring sorted and I can do an initial test of the TDI and AW4 on my street to make sure everything is happy before putting the dashboard and gauges back in my TJ.

-Grant

 

[Wildman]

Got back into my shop last night, it was only about 88° in the shop which was nice. Unfortunately I created my own problems but not documenting or labeling any of the wiring when I did the install of the BEW TDI to the Ford 6r80 which resulted in these two wonderful pictures:

View attachment 457998

View attachment 457999

I literally had the thought "What idiot put this crap together?" while I was probing everything with a multimeter last night. Yeah the answer to that question is me . . . I'm that idiot. Lesson learned, take the time to document and label all your wiring!!!!

Maybe sometime next week I'll have the wiring sorted and I can do an initial test of the TDI and AW4 on my street to make sure everything is happy before putting the dashboard and gauges back in my TJ.

-Grant

I learned my lesson the hard way too about labeling the wiring and plugs. I got a label maker and now try to label everything.

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

I learned my lesson the hard way too about labeling the wiring and plugs. I got a label maker and now try to label everything.

Which label maker are you using? I have an old one that I've owned for probably 15 years and the labels just keep failing off, I either need a new label maker or different labels so they stick better.

 

[Apparition]

Which label maker are you using? I have an old one that I've owned for probably 15 years and the labels just keep failing off, I either need a new label maker or different labels so they stick better.

I bought a Brady. You can print heat shrink or get self laminating labels

 

[Wildman]

Which label maker are you using? I have an old one that I've owned for probably 15 years and the labels just keep failing off, I either need a new label maker or different labels so they stick better.

It's a Brothers knockoff. It uses the same cartridge as a Brothers so you have a lot of options. The one app has is nice.

 

[Apparition]

It's a Brothers knockoff. It uses the same cartridge as a Brothers so you have a lot of options. The one app has is nice.

View attachment 458010

Here's the one I bought, I paid half what the current price is. The video shows how the labels work.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IELD1O4/?tag=wranglerorg-20

 

[Wildman]

Here's the one I bought, I paid half what the current price is. The video shows how the labels work.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IELD1O4/?tag=wranglerorg-20

I wonder if there are similar cartridges for the Brothers?

 

[Apparition]

I wonder if there are similar cartridges for the Brothers?

One of the videos I watched they talked about the superiority, sales video, of their labels vs other brands so that would imply there are others out there. So there's a chance.

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

I bought a Brady. You can print heat shrink or get self laminating labels

View attachment 458006


View attachment 458005

Okay that is SICK, I need to look into that, heat shrinking a label onto a wire harness seems like the way to go for sure!

 

[Apparition]

Okay that is SICK, I need to look into that, heat shrinking a label onto a wire harness seems like the way to go for sure!

Look into the self laminating also, they are much cheaper than the heat shrink version. I have not tried the heat shrink myself but it's been in my cart for a while incase I got a good deal. There are tons of options.

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

Look into the self laminating also, they are much cheaper than the heat shrink version. I have not tried the heat shrink myself but it's been in my cart for a while incase I got a good deal. There are tons of options.

Yeah I'm looking into both options right now. My labeler is so old I can't find anything for the one I have so I'm checking out both Brothers and Bradys at the moment.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Look into the self laminating also, they are much cheaper than the heat shrink version. I have not tried the heat shrink myself but it's been in my cart for a while incase I got a good deal. There are tons of options.

How well do the self-laminating labels hold up, Ryan? One thing I don’t like about the Brother is that when I do a label on a wire, they eventually delaminate. On a flat surface they seem to last forever.

Heat shrink is cool, but only useful with a clipped wire. If a wire is already terminated you usually can’t get it on.

 

[Apparition]

How well do the self-laminating labels hold up, Ryan? One thing I don’t like about the Brother is that when I do a label on a wire, they eventually delaminate. On a flat surface they seem to last forever.

Heat shrink is cool, but only useful with a clipped wire. If a wire is already terminated you usually can’t get it on.

Not sure since I haven’t used any on my blue Jeep. The laminate is wrapped around the outside a wrap or two so I’d assume it’ll hold up as well or better than a non laminated tag and you don’t have to worry about the ink wearing off as it’s covered.