time for v8 chevy swap

the f134 gave up the ghost today. lots of smoke, knocking, and no power to make it up the last hill even in low. given the cost of rebuilding the f134 ( $2,000) i dont want to waste my time/money. who has done the v8 chevy swap and where did you buy parts? what was your donor motor from? thanks

 

I would find another runnig F134 - may even come in the form of a parts Jeep.
I see them all the time for under $1000. If you just want a ordinary V8, I guess the SBC is ok.

Mike

 

The F134/T-98 combo is much in demand, and swaps to the T-98 aren't common. I don't think you'll find many easy options other than the 134 to that transmission.

If it were mine, and I was set on an engine upgrade, I'd consider a couple of alternatives. First, sell the whole Jeep and find another with a drivetrain I liked, -or- yank the whole drivetrain and replace it with a V6 and more modern 4-speed.

SBC swaps were common, and lots of them are still around, but the engine is a tight fit in the engine compartment and those swaps aren't common today. If you're a Chevy fan, the 4.3L V6 is widely available and solves a lot of fitment problems. Most GM engines can be mated with a Ford 4-speed pretty easily, though you'll need to adapt the transfer case to the transmission. Another alternative is the Jeep T-18 from a J-truck or Wagoneer, which can be adapted to GM engines for a few hundred (less than the Novak or Advance adapter kit).

Just a comment - that's a lot of tire for those axles, and a significant power upgrade will test your ability to keep off the throttle. I predict you'll break something pretty soon after your swap.

<edit> Oh yeah, I also predict you'll spend more on a swap than on rebuilding your F134. $2000? You'll be hard-pressed to complete any swap for much less than $2000. There are no inexpensive options for the T-98 AFAIK.

Lots of good stuff to read about Jeep swaps on the Novak site: http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/cj5_55-71_swap.htm - explore the whole site ... lots of good info in the engine section, transmission section, etc.

 

Another comment - the F134 is a very sturdy and forgiving engine. I'd suggest you take it apart and survey the damage. You may be able to patch it up for short money... post up pics of what you find.

 

I would have to agree with keeping the 134, or a swap to a V6 at the biggest. I am not a big fan of V8's in CJ's. They are nice to look at but break thing to easily. By the time you upgrading the other parts to handle the extra power you'll probably be in it allot more than $2000. JMHO.
Keith

 

after more thought i'm thinking about selling the jeep. i am going to post it in the forsale section. i think that maybe i different jeep might be better for what i want to do.

 

Advance Adapters makes an adapter to mate a chevy bellhousing to a T98. You have to be certian of the stick out length of your input shaft in order to get the correct adapter.

http://72.20.96.178/commerce/ccc1145-t18-26-t98-281955-197929.htm

 

I've had a chevy v8 swap in my ecj5 for more than 20 years. I have had no need to change. I've owned several stock jeep 4 & 6's. A few things that I've experienced:

I bet the swap would be $2000 or more today, unless you can find used parts for cheap. You need new motor mounts, trans adapter, etc. that all before you buy a block and trans. Then you need to be sure brakes, and springs etc can handle the motor... Then there's stearing...

But, cost of ownership over time is really CHEAP. Parts to maintain a chev v8 are rock bottom and very available.

Mine runs cool. It is not hopped up (other than headers) and it brings a ton of torque and HP. I have 3 different sets of axles with different brake/gearing setups. I run 31's and 33's. I don't break things - but also use common sense with the gas pedal.

I think you'd be splitting hairs to compare a swap over a rebuild of your current power plant. If it were me, I'd consider how long I plan to own the rig, what my planned use is, and make a decision from there. In the end you'll be happiest.

I'm going to keep my v8.

Just my 2 cents.