hmmm i need help

so heres the thing i plan on throwing a 350 sbc into my 75 cj5 and i dont know wether it is better to keep the t-18 four speed or put a turbo 350 transmission in it what would be the best option for some occasional trail rides with moderate to severe rocks on the trails. thanks

 

CJ5 with an auto tranny=very short driveshaft=no lift practical

Use the 4 speed, if you dont want it, I could be interested in it...

 

I agree with packrat....
I have ran a TH350 in a CJ5 with a high pinion 44 in the rear...and that worked good...But...it was a lot of money and the reverse rotation gears are not available in a wide variety of ratios as others. I would stick with the T-18 personally.

 

I'd keep the close ratio T-18 and use a MPI 4.0L or 4.6L stroker AMC 6. Much easier swap... drivetrain does not move at all, and the engine will drop right in. Power of the 4.6L will be close to a carbureted 350 and you'll get better mileage. Even the 4.0L is a significant power upgrade over the 258, with much improved driveability. And, it drops in with no chassis or drivetrain mods.

The CR T-18 in the 258 CJ-5 is an excellent transmission, though it's noisy and shifting can get tedious if you drive in traffic a lot.

The TH350 will fit; see the Novak pages on that swap. Your driveshaft will be short, but doable.

Seems a shame to replace one of the best drivetrain combos Jeep offered in the CJ-5 - the 258 with a T-18 - with something as ordinary as a Chevy. JMO - any swap other than an AMC 6 into that Jeep will be a big downgrade and ruin the resale value. JMO.

I don't care so much about the transmission, but I want your floor panels if you swap.

(Just in case I hadn't mentioned it - the stock T-18 is a very desirable setup).

 

well i think i will keep the t-18 and idk maybe a 401 or a 360 but i already have a 350 well kinda it needs to be rebuilt but hey i have no objections to that or what years did the 4.6 come in?

 

The 4.6L (281 cid) is a 258 crank in a 4.0L block - makes a stroked 4.0L. You'd have to build it.

There's a Yahoo forum on these engines.

There's also a forum specifically about swapping the 4.0L into CJs. http://cjoffroad.com/forums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=24

Just because you have the 350 does not make it the best choice. IMO it's a mistake to use the engine that you have rather than the best engine for the job, just because you have it.

If you build it right, the 4.6L will be as powerful as a 360. Plus you can use the factory MPI. Here's some quick background: http://www.ajeepthing.com/stroker-motor.html

 

well i could get the engine from a nearby jeep yard and it would be cheap i imagine everything there is but he also has a 401 for cheap too and i just like the sound of a v-8 and the 401 i hear is pretty much an upgraded 360 but higher horses and torque

 

If your local yard has a 401, I'd definitely get that instead of a 360. The 401 is a much more desirable engine than the 360; steel crank, steel rods, special alloy block - worth an extra grand when you sell the Jeep. More powerful than the 360 too. Could be lots of trouble for most drivers - if you do it, be sensible about how you drive.

 

:iagree:

A friend had a 401 in his CJ-5. After he split two model 20 transfer cases in half he finally decided to ease up on the stupid pedal. In other words, drive it respectfully if you go with the 401....

 

I have a friend with a 383 sbc in his 3B, and he has split a few d20's as well.
He thinks he should have went with a 6cyl. now

 

I wouldn't worry too much about trail carnage - I'd worry more about driving too enthusiastically on the street. That's a lot of engine for a CJ-5 chassis, and most drivers don't have the skill or experience to safely take advantage of it. Jeeps aren't the most responsive chassis design, and with that much power it's pretty easy to overextend and crash.

Not being negative - but forewarned is forearmed.

 

This is JMHO... if you are wanting to drive your Jeep on a regular/daily basis, put in a stroker 4.0 (4.6L). It will be an easy swap, and as stated, much easier on the fuel gauge, plus plenty of power. I had a 304 that could lift the tires on dry pavement (I wasn't the one to find that out, tho), now it's got a 360 that is way more motor and way more gas consumption. The 401 would be monster torque and very thirsty... and not real street friendly in a short wheelbase CJ.
Again this is my opinion, but hey, if I wanted better gas milage, I'd drive a 3-cylinder econo-box...R)

 

I want a 401 in my cj6. Most of us don't drive jeeps for economy. We want monster torque so we can throw mud 600 ft in the air in a mud bog....or idle up a clif. We put stupid large tires (40's) on a jeep. We are man and man needs a 401.

That being said, thank about how you are going to use it. What will you be doing with it. Can you afford to drive it when gas hits 5 bucks a gallon...or more. Do you really need that power? Why do you need that power?

 

I wanted a 401 in my jeep, but at the time I wanted to install it and the modifications I wanted to do to the 401, I did not think it would pass our emission test we have in Wa. State, so I used a modern factory fuel injected gm V8 instead. One year later they changed our laws so emission test only went back 20 years, wish I would have done the 401 now. Oh well, fuel injection does run flawless! The only reason for me running a V8 was for the sand dunes and I have not been there in 8 years! Kind of a personal preference. 401 will break more drive train parts, I almost guarantee this!