Gen III Hemi Swap into TJ Reference Guide & Swap Info

XCRN said:
Did you get the specific Hemi Swap headers or just some generic headers? I know for the LS stuff, Holley/Black heart discontinued all the exhaust bits because of “EPA” is what I heard.
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I have a set of the LS ones, hopefully they work. If not I can sell them as pre-ban and make mucho dinero.
 
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Jeff,
Here's a comparison between the pre-Eagle heads and a Eagle exhaust gasket. But I'm thinking that when you did your Hemi swap that the Eagle heads had been out long enough that your headers might have been made for them. The bolt pattern is the same.

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Thanks for sharing all that you are working on for this swap.

At some point in time I plan on dropping a 5.7 Hemi in the LJ.
Was going to go this route with my 99TJ as I was starting a frame and tub swap but way to much rust on all the parts I was goi g to salvage from the TJ.

Found an extremely rust free 06 LJR which makes a swap a bit easier so now looking for a donor Hemi from a Ram 1500.
 
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RocknLJ said:
Thanks for sharing all that you are working on for this swap.

At some point in time I plan on dropping a 5.7 Hemi in the LJ.
Was going to go this route with my 99TJ as I was starting a frame and tub swap but way to much rust on all the parts I was goi g to salvage from the TJ.

Found an extremely rust free 06 LJR which makes a swap a bit easier so now looking for a donor Hemi from a Ram 1500.
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Also a have the swap book for auto trans from Redrock which gives a rough idea of what parts are needed and lays out a bit of the work involved.

I have access to a full custom car shop so may just pull the body off for easier access…. Not trying to be a bully😄
 
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Wildman said:
The Hooker Blackheart headers are the log style headers. Not as great as shorty headers or long tube headers but there aren't a lot of options anymore.
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Is there a reason you didn't go with the Grand Cherokee manifolds? Those Blackhearts are priced fairly but I'm just worried about about trying to replace one in the future. Holley seems to be not having things available aka Hemi swap exhaust lately.
 
lowell66dart said:
Is there a reason you didn't go with the Grand Cherokee manifolds? Those Blackhearts are priced fairly but I'm just worried about about trying to replace one in the future. Holley seems to be not having things available aka Hemi swap exhaust lately.
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I've got a set of Grand Cherokee manifolds if I end up needing them but I figured for the small boost in power & the cheap price that I got the Blackheart headers for I'd give them a shot. For the limited amount miles/hours this rig will get I'd hope these headers last 10+ years at a minimum.
 
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The Blackheart headers are a BUST.. They were hitting the firewall on the drivers side and wouldn't allow me to get the engine into the motor mounts.
So they came back off but when I grabbed the stock manifolds I had I realized that they are for pre-Eagle heads so don't have as large of a port to match the Eagle heads so I'm either going to have to find a set of Egale head manifolds or a different set of headers.
 
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Wildman said:
The Blackheart headers are a BUST.. They were hitting the firewall on the drivers side and wouldn't allow me to get the engine into the motor mounts.
So they came back off but when I grabbed the stock manifolds I had I realized that they are for pre-Eagle heads so don't have as large of a port to match the Eagle heads so I'm either going to have to find a set of Egale head manifolds or a different set of headers.
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Is there enough material on the GC exhaust manifolds to grind a transition in them to match up with the Eagle head ports?
True, not a perfect setup but might be a good to great solution, especially since you already have the GC manifolds.. and we know those fit the installation..
Just my 1¢ worth...
 
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Daubie3 said:
Is there enough material on the GC exhaust manifolds to grind a transition in them to match up with the Eagle head ports?
True, not a perfect setup but might be a good to great solution, especially since you already have the GC manifolds.. and we know those fit the installation..
Just my 1¢ worth...
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I'm going to lay a gasket on them tomorrow and see what I might be able to do with them. The ones I ordered are for the 09 & newer but if they don't work I'll just return them. Fingers crossed that they do fit.
 
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Wildman said:
I'm going to lay a gasket on them tomorrow and see what I might be able to do with them. The ones I ordered are for the 09 & newer but if they don't work I'll just return them. Fingers crossed that they do fit.
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The reality is that these HEMI swaps are for the most part a novelty, a VERY fun novelty but still a novelty. As with any custom vehicle there is absolutely no limit to what you can end up with given enough time, money, money, money, money, ability, room for everything to fit or the way to move/remove things in the way and patients (whatever the hell that is)...
So I wouldn't beat yourself up to much on trying to squeeze every last thing out of the project. No matter what you end up with I'm sure you'll be very happy..
And again, just my 1¢ worth..
 
Daubie3 said:
The reality is that these HEMI swaps are for the most part a novelty, a VERY fun novelty but still a novelty. As with any custom vehicle there is absolutely no limit to what you can end up with given enough time, money, money, money, money, ability, room for everything to fit or the way to move/remove things in the way and patients (whatever the hell that is)...
So I wouldn't beat yourself up to much on trying to squeeze every last thing out of the project. No matter what you end up with I'm sure you'll be very happy..
And again, just my 1¢ worth..
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Yes the journey is just as much fun as the rig once it's done. If I can find some "CHEAP" headers like I did for my Magnum engine I wouldn't mind test fitting them to get an idea of what models will work on our rigs. I'd read a post by someone on one of the other forums where he'd taken a set of headers and had cut the collectors and pointed them in a different direction. So yes as you said anything is possible it's just time & money. I have a LOT of one and only a little of the other.
 
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Wildman said:
Yes the journey is just as much fun as the rig once it's done. If I can find some "CHEAP" headers like I did for my Magnum engine I wouldn't mind test fitting them to get an idea of what models will work on our rigs. I'd read a post by someone on one of the other forums where he'd taken a set of headers and had cut the collectors and pointed them in a different direction. So yes as you said anything is possible it's just time & money. I have a LOT of one and only a little of the other.
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You could start a new trend and go old-school Gasser and run long tube fender well headers... LOL.. 🤣
 
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Daubie3 said:
You could start a new trend and go old-school Gasser and run long tube fender well headers... LOL.. 🤣
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Fitting those old long tube headers was a PITA on old CJ's so I can't imagine trying to make them fit on a TJ...

I have seen a few guys who did a true dual exhaust on their swaps. They of course didn't have that huge STaK's t-case. Or even an Atlas, I think they were all running NP231's.
 
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Wildman said:
Fitting those old long tube headers was a PITA on old CJ's so I can't imagine trying to make them fit on a TJ...

I have seen a few guys who did a true dual exhaust on their swaps. They of course didn't have that huge STaK's t-case. Or even an Atlas, I think they were all running NP231's.
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Here you go.. this ought to solve the problem.. Make them out of heavy enough tubing and they'll be dual purpose rocker sliders.. LOL

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Daubie3 said:
Is there enough material on the GC exhaust manifolds to grind a transition in them to match up with the Eagle head ports?
True, not a perfect setup but might be a good to great solution, especially since you already have the GC manifolds.. and we know those fit the installation..
Just my 1¢ worth...
Click to expand...

It looks like there is enough material on most of the ports to blend them some.

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At this point I'm going to wait for the new exhaust manifolds to arrive before I try anything. Then if the new ones don't fit/work I'll look at trying to make these flow better.
 
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