TJ's with 5.9 or 5.2 swaps

Cheap summit block huggers....I dont like them. I am on my second set.

If you can fit ram or Durango manifolds, just use them. If you are using a ZJ transmission, use those. Zj transmission has the starter on the right, ram has it on the left.

I am trying to find a good manifold setup for mine. I am tired of cheap headers, and I am too cheap to buy good ones.

I think Stans Headers makes a nice block hugger, but he wants 500 bucks for them.

The power increase from manifolds to block huggers is barely noticeable. Block hugger primary tubes are too short too have any real scavenging effect.

Paul
 
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I used stock exhaust manifolds on my Magnum swap. No need for constant bolt and flange troubles with aftermarket. I prefer reliability of stock over trying to inch every single tenth of a horsepower out of the conversion. I wanted to have it look 100% stock like the TJ came off the assembly line with it as one of the optional engines installed. Also parts available everywhere, dealers, junkyards parts houses.....

Please note my engine is from a ZJ so it has the starter on the PASSENGER SIDE LIKE ALL JEEP VEHICLES. Makes for no interference with drive shafts and shift linkage cable brackets etc.... I recommend ZJ transmissions for this reason and to use the stock manifolds of the 5.9L limited ZJ Grand Cherokee if you want to avoid lots of headaches.

RR
 
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I have block hugger headers that Backwoods Off-Road sold with their engine swaps. I don't know who made them and Evan went out of business a while ago and don't know how to contact him. I have a Dodge engine and transmission so my starter is on the drivers side. I am running a HP44 out of a Ford an haven't had any clearance issues but I also have 4+" of lift on my TJ.

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I do have a pair of what I think are Durango exhaust manifolds sitting in my garage if someone could use them. But they are heavy so I don't know what shipping would be.

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Evan was/is a pretty good guy. I talked to him a bit before I did my swap.

Evan's headers are from Stans. They should be about the best out there as far as durability goes.

They problem with cheap block hugger headers is the tubes are so short that they do not flex and they crack at the collector.

I think Stans are built properly and do not crack as easily as summit or hedmans ( or other cheap ones) Sandersons may be ok, I think that's what Novak uses for their house brand, with a considerable markup of coarse.

I may try ditch the Summit ones on mine and use ram truck manifolds, but I may be too close to the firewall. I pushed my engine back to make room for a mechanical clutch fan.
 
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Evan was okay but I had some issues with the wiring and some other things with the swap itself. I had him do my swap for me at the time because I was just recovering from being wounded in Iraq.
The only bad thing I can say about the headers is that the chrome coating burned off or discolored pretty fast but I have not had any issues with them as far as cracking or leakage.
 
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I have the mechanical thermal clutch fan and serpentine belt drive from a ZJ and used the 4.0L fan shroud. Everything fit perfectly like it was designed that way. There is at least 1" or better clearance all around the back of the flanges on the ZJ exhaust manifolds with no notching of the tub or frame required. I did install a 1" body mount kit to give more room for the Atlas II TC and the oversized gas tank.

The Y pipe and upstream O2 sensors are all ZJ parts, the only thing I did was take out that nasty flattened pinch area in the right hand Y tube for clearance in the ZJ because there's lots of room in the TJ for it.
 
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Using a ZJ transmission with the rh starter location would be the best setup. I am using the ram 46re and I am running a HP dana 30 with 2 inches of lift. I have about 4.5 inches of up travel and the front driveshaft is close to the starter.

I agree the zj manifolds are the best fit. I have a set and the rh side would work but no way the left will with the ram transmission. Bummer
 
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@RangerRick , how bad do you think the early to mid 80s center dump truck manifolds are? They are still available new, and they would fit nicely on my setup.

I dont want to give up a bunch of power. I have seen dyno runs comparing ram manifolds to shorty headers. Usually only a 15 hp gain up top for the headers vs the ram manifolds .Just curious on your thoughts on the center dump style
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Will they fit & will the light A manifold ports match with the Magnum heads properly? I don't know 100% answer really.

For a Jeep I don't think the HP loss over headers is enough to make me want to run headers. 15HP is 15 HP but I don't like the burnt spark plug wires, extra heat in the engine compartment so you have to wrap them with fiberglass wrap etc. to keep things tame. The Magnum manifolds work fine for me and they don't give me any troubles with cracks or leaks.

RR
 
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I might pick up an old crusty one on ebay just to check . Magnum exhaust ports are slightly different than la. My headers are for an la and seal up good, it's just the cracking that sucks.

I wish I would have used a gc transmission. That would have made this easier.

Thanks

Paul
 
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Yes @Paul Ruggles it would have been easier with drive shaft & exhaust manifold routing.

If your V8 is a 5.2 or a stock 5.9L engine making advertised power, the much more common 44RE from a 1996-1998 5.2L V8 ZJ Grand will probably be alright behind it long term if the driver isn't overly abusive and there are upgrades that can be done to clutch packs and hard parts to make it almost as strong as the 46RE. So if anyone is still contemplating the swap, a 44RE by a reputable shop reman'd would probably hold up unless you plan to be really hard on it or tow a big heavy trailer which isn't really a good idea with the short wheelbase TJ to begin with. The only real thing to remember is 5.9L engines are externally balanced and you need to make sure the flywheel/torque convertor is balanced for the engine if it's a 5.9.

RR
 
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Yes @Paul Ruggles it would have been easier with drive shaft & exhaust manifold routing.

If your V8 is a 5.2 or a stock 5.9L engine making advertised power, the much more common 44RE from a 1996-1998 5.2L V8 ZJ Grand will probably be alright behind it long term if the driver isn't overly abusive and there are upgrades that can be done to clutch packs and hard parts to make it almost as strong as the 46RE. So if anyone is still contemplating the swap, a 44RE by a reputable shop reman'd would probably hold up unless you plan to be really hard on it or tow a big heavy trailer which isn't really a good idea with the short wheelbase TJ to begin with.

RR

I started with a 44RE behind my 5.2 but it was out of a Dakota I think so my started is on the drivers side. I cracked the case around one of the cooler lines so had taken the tranny into a shop to get a new case. When they tore the tranny down all the clutch packs were smoked and it needed a total rebuild. So instead I got a reman from a shop near Seattle. That tranny lasted about 3 years before it started to act up on me. I didn't get a chance to figure out what was wrong with it before my engine took a dump too.

When I started building my 408ci engine I talked with Martin Saine about which tranny to use behind this engine. SWAG numbers from the 408 are 450+HP and 465+TQ based on dyno's done on similar builds. He told me at the time that he could build a 44RE to handle 500HP but suggested because of my tire size and weight of my Jeep that it would be a better idea to build a 46RE for it.
 
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I used the Ram manifolds for mine. Made running the A pipe a little more fiddly for the 3rd link, because you can't really run under the trans like they do in the trucks or ZJs.

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Is anyone running a manual behind their Magnum swap? And is everyone running the mechanical fan or did anyone go with an electrical fan? I'm considering the electrical to save a little room and the potential of a little better cooling, Input is always appreciated on this swap!
 
We have a YJ with an AX15, uses a 3.9 bellhousing. Also a radiator with electric fan.

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