OP
Absolutely anything you need or any questions please feel free....i have tons of pics too....there's nothing especially difficult about this swap...
VM 2.8 turbo diesel frame-up TJ build
- Thread starter Mike Alfano
- Start date
OP
The VM diesel TJ build is now two weeks into the new semester. Only one or two students from last year with the rest being a whole new crew.....everyone excitied to continue this build. Over the summer I found new biscuit style motor mounts that would allow the engine to be dropped about 3 inches on it's mounting pad. This gives it a lower center of gravity and gives us the clearance we need for the hood to close properly. Also, the transmission mount/skid plate had to go also....we ended up using the original Liberty transmission mount/crossmember but we adapted it so that it mounts in the original bolt holes in the frame. So now the engine is sitting much lower and the longitudinal incline of the engine is now just slight. In the last couple weeks we also installed new steering linkage and a Rancho steering damper. Hoping to get the rest of the body parts out to the school next week....stay tuned....!
Hey Mike,
Glad to hear the build is still moving forward and I'm looking forward to seeing pictures of it completed! Keep up the awesome work!
--Grant
Glad to hear the build is still moving forward and I'm looking forward to seeing pictures of it completed! Keep up the awesome work!
--Grant
Whitetrash
TJ Enthusiast
OP
Going to finish the steering system today. The steering column from the Liberty will not mate up with the steering shaft from the TJ. We had to cut up both intermediate shafts and are about to weld a piece from each to make one useable shaft. We also had to fabricate a new steering shaft mounting bracket to replace the one that was cut off with the old motor mounts. Hope to have the steering system done today.
Great looking progress @Mike Alfano! I can't wait to see how your CRD swapped Wrangler performs on and off the road!
OP
I can't wait either. Going to paint the fenders, windshield frame, grille and tail gate. Mechanically we still have to install front and back brakes with lines, engine and tranny cooling, drive shafts and exhaust. Only have one class in the auto shop this semester but hoping to finish before the end of the semester in January.
OP
Steering input done. Going to paint the rest of the parts this weekend.
This is fun to follow, thanks for sharing 
I just sold my 2005 CRD and bought a TJ which brought me here. I will miss the 30MPG GDE eco tune (wheeled around Escalante National Monument for about 6 hours one day and still had a quarter tank left) and the relatively quiet cabin on the highway.
I had issues with high altitude starting (no power for block heater situations like backcountry ski trailheads) that I couldn’t solve or I would have kept it.
Recommend a fuel lift pump with check valve and make sure to use the later fuel filter body (I think there may have been a recall as the original could develop leaks around the heater).
I just sold my 2005 CRD and bought a TJ which brought me here. I will miss the 30MPG GDE eco tune (wheeled around Escalante National Monument for about 6 hours one day and still had a quarter tank left) and the relatively quiet cabin on the highway.
I had issues with high altitude starting (no power for block heater situations like backcountry ski trailheads) that I couldn’t solve or I would have kept it.
Recommend a fuel lift pump with check valve and make sure to use the later fuel filter body (I think there may have been a recall as the original could develop leaks around the heater).
OP
Body parts got painted but I made a huge mistake.....I didn't ask my brother what the ratio of clear to flattening agent he used when he sprayed the tub.....he couldn't remember and guessed at the mixing ratio....and the parts came out too shiny.....will have to re-clear them when jeep is done. Sucks because it's a mistake that could have easily been avoided. Anyhow we started on the brake plumbing today as well as installing a fender.
It's looking great so far despite the mistake! What color is that?
Going to be one hell of a cool build, that's for sure.
Going to be one hell of a cool build, that's for sure.
OP
OP
Got the transmission shifter connected today....had to modify it to accept the shifter cable from the Liberty. Works great. Tomorrow we install brakes front and back as well as brake lines. Tried to install the radiator and intercooler from the Liberty and it seems the steering box is in the way....not sure if the radiator from the TJ is adequate to cool the VM 2.8....we'll see.....may have to buy an aftermarket aluminum rad....
2006TJ1
TJ Enthusiast
The general consensus tends to be that the Mopar radiator is better than majority of the equivalent aluminum radiators.
I have no knowledge as to whether the stock unit is up to cooling the 2.8 or not, but if not it might be worthwhile to look into radiators designed for v8 tj swaps.
I have no knowledge as to whether the stock unit is up to cooling the 2.8 or not, but if not it might be worthwhile to look into radiators designed for v8 tj swaps.
OP
Thanks for the input..i didn't even think to check what rad is used in an LS swapped TJ.....if it will keep a V-8 cool...it will be more than adequate for the 2.8 VM
2006TJ1
TJ Enthusiast
OP
Going to go up to the body shop and grab the rad from the tj tonight...will compare them tomorrow and let you know...
OP
The radiator from the Liberty has the same core surface area as the radiator from the TJ....the only difference that I can tell is that the Liberty's rad is a 3 row core while the TJ's is only a double core rad.
This build is awesome. Can’t wait for the next update. Keep up the good work!
OP
Making some good progress...got the transfer case shifter assembly from the Liberty installed into the TJ.
We had to cut a larger opening where the shifter mounts as the Liberty's shifter has a larger foot print. The Liberty's is a better system because it uses a sealed shifter cable instead of steel rod linkage.
I'm super lucky because the school auto shop is in the same giant room as the machine shop...and....the machine shop teacher is a great guy and on board with our build...he lets his student that is in my auto class work on machine work for the Jeep. One student has been making greaseable bolts for everywhere underneath where there are bushings....got the last pair done today for the front sway bar.
Hit a technical challenge that needs solving and hoping for your input before I cut my brand new calipers in half. When we added the 5/16" spacers to the wheel bearings (see pics on page 4 of this thread) it pushed the rotors outward by the same distance....now when we tried to install the caliper with pads installed they wouldn't fit because the caliper doesn't have enough reach for the pads to slide in....after not sleeping for thinking about it the other night I've reached what I think is the most reasonable solution...to cut the calipers in half longitudinally and weld them back together 5/16" wider....Anyone have another solution? Didn't foresee this obstacle because for some reason I was thinking that the front brakes on the tj were like a chev truck with a bolt on caliper bracket that we just needed to add 5/16" washers to....anyway sorry for the long winded update.
We had to cut a larger opening where the shifter mounts as the Liberty's shifter has a larger foot print. The Liberty's is a better system because it uses a sealed shifter cable instead of steel rod linkage.
I'm super lucky because the school auto shop is in the same giant room as the machine shop...and....the machine shop teacher is a great guy and on board with our build...he lets his student that is in my auto class work on machine work for the Jeep. One student has been making greaseable bolts for everywhere underneath where there are bushings....got the last pair done today for the front sway bar.
Hit a technical challenge that needs solving and hoping for your input before I cut my brand new calipers in half. When we added the 5/16" spacers to the wheel bearings (see pics on page 4 of this thread) it pushed the rotors outward by the same distance....now when we tried to install the caliper with pads installed they wouldn't fit because the caliper doesn't have enough reach for the pads to slide in....after not sleeping for thinking about it the other night I've reached what I think is the most reasonable solution...to cut the calipers in half longitudinally and weld them back together 5/16" wider....Anyone have another solution? Didn't foresee this obstacle because for some reason I was thinking that the front brakes on the tj were like a chev truck with a bolt on caliper bracket that we just needed to add 5/16" washers to....anyway sorry for the long winded update.