I was inspired to start this build by this forum after countless hours of reading and forming my own opinion. My initial intent was going with an LS but I just couldn’t convince myself that is the route I needed to go.
My intent behind this thread is document some design decisions, mistakes, and nuggets of information I have found useful during my journey.
As starting point it’s 2001 Tj with 4cyl engine, automatic with 3.73.
It’s painfully slow, or was.
Progress to date: sold original engine, transmission and exhaust.
Initial decisions summary:
Goal is to get it running safety and cost are a constraint in my decisions, but I also don’t like to redo work.
- decided my donor will be a well maintained 2001 Dodge Ram 5.9 automatic.
-will try to run original tj radiator with original and let temperatures dictate any upgrades
-will use advance adapters engine mounts in suggested location
-will use jb conversions super short sye
-I don’t want to regear
-I want to add ac and cruise control but not at the expense of extending the engine swap downtime.
-I don’t care about it looking stock, but I want it to look good to me.
-I am not going to replace or overhaul any major parts of engine or transmission until I have to.
-I am going to install Savvy body lift as part of the process
Decision Realities( ie what I had to rethink(updated2/23/2023)
-2001 Dodge ram is ccd vs my 01 tj’s pci. So I had to buy a pci 5.9 auto pcm
-I under estimated the rust I had to address. I had to spend a month doing rust repair.
-I replaced the side body mounts with genright body mounts since they where in poor shape
-rear( bumper) tub mounts where rusted off. I didn’t want to cut up my whole rear so I welded pieces of square stock on each side to the tub and reinforced with bolts. (It’s invisible to anyone but me).
-I had Dana 44 in my future plans and decided I rather not buy another driveshaft in the future. So I bought a rear LJ Dana 44 with disc brakes, 3,73 gears.
More pics to come soon…
My intent behind this thread is document some design decisions, mistakes, and nuggets of information I have found useful during my journey.
As starting point it’s 2001 Tj with 4cyl engine, automatic with 3.73.
It’s painfully slow, or was.
Progress to date: sold original engine, transmission and exhaust.
Initial decisions summary:
Goal is to get it running safety and cost are a constraint in my decisions, but I also don’t like to redo work.
- decided my donor will be a well maintained 2001 Dodge Ram 5.9 automatic.
-will try to run original tj radiator with original and let temperatures dictate any upgrades
-will use advance adapters engine mounts in suggested location
-will use jb conversions super short sye
-I don’t want to regear
-I want to add ac and cruise control but not at the expense of extending the engine swap downtime.
-I don’t care about it looking stock, but I want it to look good to me.
-I am not going to replace or overhaul any major parts of engine or transmission until I have to.
-I am going to install Savvy body lift as part of the process
Decision Realities( ie what I had to rethink(updated2/23/2023)
-2001 Dodge ram is ccd vs my 01 tj’s pci. So I had to buy a pci 5.9 auto pcm
-I under estimated the rust I had to address. I had to spend a month doing rust repair.
-I replaced the side body mounts with genright body mounts since they where in poor shape
-rear( bumper) tub mounts where rusted off. I didn’t want to cut up my whole rear so I welded pieces of square stock on each side to the tub and reinforced with bolts. (It’s invisible to anyone but me).
-I had Dana 44 in my future plans and decided I rather not buy another driveshaft in the future. So I bought a rear LJ Dana 44 with disc brakes, 3,73 gears.
More pics to come soon…