PDA

View Full Version : Gathering Info for a 350 swap



flexxthese
08-31-2009, 06:28 PM
I got my hands on a nearly brand new goodwrench 350 that's in a blazer right now. A few beers its decided we want to try and cram it into my jeep. It's a 1999 Grand Cherokee with the I6. The 350 is carb so that should make it easier.

I've been around cars for years but i'm not a genius. I can yank a motor and put it back in no sweat but ask me what half the things are that i'm unbolting and I can't tell ya.

With that said, I've browsed here an JU (about to hop on pirate and google) for some info, any info. Most the threads everyones just bitching at the OP so i didn't gather much info. I know I need an adapter for the bellhousing and i'll go searching more into that. What about motor mounts? Exhaust I can rig up, anything else to be cautious of? I know i will prolly lose most if not all of my gauges, but i can toy with that later with some mechanical gauges down the road. Because the motor is carb I shouldn't need to worry about splicing harnesses and such correct?

Any links, forums, books, whatever would be awesome. i'll be back here with questions as i gather more info

Ken L
08-31-2009, 06:45 PM
Your transmission will not last behind a 350, so grab the donor's trans too.

The axles won't stand up if you use the skinny pedal either, so plan on new axles.

flexxthese
08-31-2009, 06:49 PM
Yeah my transmission barely holds up behind the i6. It was my understanding the d44a has the same internals as the d44 but with the obvious aluminum housing. if i throw a locker in there should I be okay?

dp96zj
08-31-2009, 07:06 PM
You wont want to keep that 44a in. Sure, it shares the same number as the iron 44, but that's about the only similarity (quality-wise). It's a strong enough axle for mild wheeling and smaller tires, but if you're planning on pushing it with a 350, it won't last long. If you're gonna spend the time and $$ modding it for a 350, at leas put some decent axles under it. Hell, it wouldn't even be any fun unless you had tons under it :D

flexxthese
08-31-2009, 07:27 PM
hmmmm this could become an interesting build o:)

I already blew out front and rear axles last year. Shoulda went bigger then dammit. I got the motor for free so that's no biggie, the research continuesss.

dp96zj
08-31-2009, 07:31 PM
http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19280 :smt023

Kraqa
08-31-2009, 07:59 PM
i did it.

it is a shoe horn if you plan on doign it with a budget.

the stock HEI distributor doesnt fit with the cowl. an aftermarket one will only allow it to fit. if you ever need to pull the distributor, or the intake for that matter you'd have to pull the motor.

the headers need to be block hugger style.

motor mounts need to be custom.

if you want to use a manual tranny you need to cut a hole in the tunnel for the slave cylinder. i'm sure an auto woudl have fit just fine.

if i were to do it.....i'd do a 5.9L at least you knwo all that shit fits.

or go the extra mile and do a LS motor.

i wouldn't do the swap if it was a carbed motor. not worth it. the 5.2 coudl be bolted in and you woudl alreayd have a much better performing motor with less hassle.

i did mine cause it was on propane.

flexxthese
08-31-2009, 08:07 PM
hm i'm on my way out for some serious jack daniels an country music so i'll have to read that better when i get back. if you think i should hold off on the 350 give me some ideas of something else to shove it in, i got the fn thing for free an from what i gather, a brand new good wrench 350 is cash moneys so i might as well use it

rstrucks
08-31-2009, 09:53 PM
Kfab is that you?

rstrucks
08-31-2009, 09:57 PM
i wouldn't do the swap if it was a carbed motor. not worth it. the 5.2 coudl be bolted in and you woudl alreayd have a much better performing motor with less hassle.


Agreed. Just because it's free........

Maybe sell the 350 and buy a 5.2 or 5.9. Or go all out and do an LS swap.

ATL ZJ
08-31-2009, 09:59 PM
Or go all out and do an LS swap.

it's what all the cool kids are doing :D

Kraqa
08-31-2009, 10:03 PM
Kfab is that you?

me?

rstrucks
08-31-2009, 10:09 PM
me?

No, this post just reminded me of Kfab -


hm i'm on my way out for some serious jack daniels an country music so i'll have to read that better when i get back. if you think i should hold off on the 350 give me some ideas of something else to shove it in, i got the fn thing for free an from what i gather, a brand new good wrench 350 is cash moneys so i might as well use it

flexxthese
09-01-2009, 02:14 AM
nothing wrong with some good ol boys and our barn burners!

How much do you think I could get for the 350 (goodwrench 350 with only a couple hundred on it) vs what a 5.2 would cost?

I just met a dude whos all for helping with whatever swap i go for, and he can fab anything up so that's going to be a big plus.

Kraqa (http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum/member.php?u=797) - You did it in a wj? any pictures? What cowl are you talking about, the hood? The stock headers will be too wide? the 5.2 and 5.9 you're referring to, are you talking about the ones that came in older grands? Or do I have other options?

If this ends up having too many negatives, maybe i'll cram this bitch into the commanche ;)

flexxthese
09-04-2009, 06:04 PM
hmmm i might just grab a stock low mileage v8 ho, not sure if i feel like changing the axles already. i just put them in. atleast that should pop right in there a lot easier and have less down time for my ride.

Now what to do with the 350....commanche perhaps

downtowncb
09-04-2009, 09:48 PM
it's what all the cool kids are doing :D

Hehe :cool:

Nonstop
09-05-2009, 01:19 AM
This is a can of worms I don't want to open too wide...

To my knowlege there is not one single running WJ with a chevy swap complete...or anything other than a stock swap, heard of one I6 to 4.7 but no pics...
The 350 will not fit between the "rails" with any sort of header....Maybe stock manifolds
The Carbed or not discusion is sorta irrelevant... the chevy in a WJ is more the concearn.. mounts, engine and Tcase, line up, clearance issues etc.. are more the issue..
You will loose your gauges unles you get really slick.. The WJ is not that fun to figure out in that dept... but that is not a biggy...scangauge or accu will clear that up, GPS
Throttle cable, cruise control, throtle valve cable, and shitloads else, they will work with the 5.2 just not directly..
Not talking about wheeling or big tires here, just the simple strengths of a stockish set up...
The 44a will stand up to the 5.9...sorta, not wheeling the piss out of it maybe...but a mild 350 isn't sending much more to the wheels..

The 5.2 upsides..
Fits between the "rails" like a charm... ish..
The motor mounts need to be modified, both side, and the pass moved, but the location is oddly similar,...depending on your "vision"
The trans and transfer case are not bad at all to hook up, depending on which ones you use, but cables are a sweet surprise..
The Trans mount, I can give you the idea in a simple drawing. and you can keep the stock crossmember, doubtful with a chevy..
The computer mods to get a ZJ computer and engine in a WJ are nothing near easy, but it is fairly logical.. You will need both harnesses, and junction boxes.. Here is the fun part, the ZJ and WJ comuter use the same plugs, almost none of the pins are the same, pinouts need to be swapped around..But they ar not interchangable by any standard..

There really wasn't one thing that wasn't modified, no bolt ins, however, the fan lined up with the shroud, the clearances where surprisingly perfect in most areas, and the engine is an awesome match for the WJ.... but,,,

If you have a need for more juice, and can find a 4.7, they are getting cheap around here, forgoe the creativity and fun times of doing a swap for the bonus shit of having a cleaner factory style Jeep that is easy to get parts for in case......
The 5.2 swap can be pretty cheap, and engines are easy to come by.. probably 1/3 the cost of a 4.7 replacement if you have am account at Napa, and all the tools...

It sounds like your WJ runs fine, and is probably not torn to shreds, yet, but if you have a need to go for it, or it is already beaten within an inch of it's life, Go For It...

There are probably 100+ points that need to be toyed with, so this isn't the same as going from say a 300cid to a 460 in an ford pickup, and a carb'd 350 could prolly be put in anything, and has... but if a swap is in order in a WJ, ie.. a totalled one or swamped one, the 5.2 is it. and a mildly built 5.2 will take a (heavy)WJ on 33's down the 1/4 in the high 15's and have all the torque in the world to run in the mud, and power lo range as long as there is gas, which goes quick....no jabs, we don't have rocks in FL, only sugar sand... but AL and GA are in the mix this winter.....

Mild rant complete..and sorry so long all, my screen name comes from a lot of things, but my friends know not to get me started unless they have time...
But hey what do I know???

SB406
09-29-2009, 02:54 PM
give me some ideas of something else to shove it in,

K5 Blazer.
Already has mounts for Smallblock Chevy.
106" Wheelbase.
Already comes with 10 bolt/ 12 bolt axles (similiar strength to D44)
1 Ton Chevy axles BOLT IN.
Has a Frame. :D