heepindixiepoeboy Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 I recently acquired a 1983 cj7 no motor transmission or transfer case . I have a 1989 (I think) xj no issues, and I'm on a tight budget. Can I use the transmission (aw4 I believe), 4.0 and transfer case? I have both a 231 and 272 I believe, both came from xj's. The stock cj7 axles are there it's sitting on 33's. Any help would be greatly appropriated. Oh yeah newbie to the site, hello all. I'm not scared of wiring, mechanics of it all just makin sure I'm not on a dummy mission lol. Picture attached of cj7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heepindixiepoeboy Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 This is the xj donor, minus the swampers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megatron Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Hey man and welcome to the site. Resurrecting an old CJ, right on man.. As per your question about using the donor vehicle. Ya you can pull the power pack out of the XJ and drop it into the CJ. Now the mounts and cross members may not match perfectly but they shouldn't be to hard for a person with a little skill to adapt them together. The big thing to watch for is the drive shafts and outputs. You will need the XJ shafts that match the transfer case, but they probably wont have the right yokes for the CJ front and rear axle. They do make cross u-joints for applications like this but I don't know what part number you would need and there is a chance they would match, just something to watch out for. You will need the majority of the electronics from the XJ (mainly motor and ignition controls) plus possible the fuel tank if you plan to reuse the XJ electronic fuel pump. Perhaps it could be retrofitted to the existing CJ tank, but that might be a bit complicated. You could always go with an inline fuel pump, but that's extending your budget. Exhaust will need some modifications to go from the XJ to CJ, but nothing crazy. You will need to consider floor pan modifications for shifters etc. Once again nothing crazy, just something that will need attention. I mean really, that XJ motor will run on the ground if you pull the ECU/Ignition and wires out of the vehicle with it, your just putting a shoe in a different box so to speak.. Should be a cool project. I assume the XJ is a carb motor so really an ignition switch and some gauges and that thing should work in a go kart if it will fit lol. You may consider swapping the steering column into the CJ from the XJ to save some wiring troubles. That or just do a standalone fuse panel and ignition switch for the engine.. Either way keep us posted on your progress. Look forward to seeing it on the trails.. Dustin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Moses Ludel Posted July 11, 2015 Administrators Share Posted July 11, 2015 Your biggest obstacle is the transfer case drop side. The XJ Cherokee has a left side (driver's) output to the front axle. The Dana 300 in an '83 CJ drops to the right (passenger) side. You cannot use the NP231 with this layout in the CJ-7.The AW4 coupled to the EFI 4.0L from an '89 XJ Cherokee would require all electronic interfaces. As Dustin shares, the engine electronics and ECU/PCM, plus all sensors, high pressure fuel pump and wiring harnesses for the engine, would be needed from the donor vehicle or aftermarket (like an inline high pressure fuel pump and high pressure fuel lines, fittings and hoses).If you want to keep the original Dana 30 front axle with leaf springs, consider the 4.0L engine and AW4 mated to a Dana 300 with a clocking ring, parts available from Advance Adapters. Confirm AW4 output spline count match and Dana 300 adapter needs before going this route.Another approach, which would enable use of the NP231 and all, would be changing the front axle to a left-side differential Dana 30 or 44. This could include the Dana 30 front leaf spring 1987-95 Jeep YJ Wrangler. Compare the spring perch locations, steering linkage layout and parts differences. The Wrangler uses longer, wider springs, which some swap to a CJ for improved ride quality. For now, you're interested in the spring perch spacing compared to your CJ-7's spring positions.Moses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heepindixiepoeboy Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 Thanks guys, the transfer case is my only obstacle if I just use all from my xj. Someone was trying to tell me I bad to flip my transfer case over, idk anything about that. ok on a different approach, what would be the cheapest option? Thought about a 4.3 Chevy motor, but not really sure about transmission and transfer case options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heepindixiepoeboy Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 *had not bad* lol auto correct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Moses Ludel Posted July 14, 2015 Administrators Share Posted July 14, 2015 Biggest obstacle remains the right side drop of the transfer case, regardless of your engine choice. The 4.3L Chevy V-6 era is chain drive transfer cases. G.M. full-size trucks have used the NP208 transfer case, which does drop to the right side, so does the iron case NP205, an iconic ("bulletproof") unit from the K-truck era. Since the 4.3L uses a typical G.M. V-8 bellhousing pattern, you could do G.M. from the engine through the transfer case with a right side drop transfer case. You need to verify that the right side drop output flange can align well with your front Dana 30 axle. As Megatron points out, you will be fabricating drivelines for this kind of installation. Rear transmission/transfer case mount will also need fabricating, along with the front/side engine brackets and mounts. Then there's the radiator and all other components involved in an engine swap. Shift linkage for the transfer case is another chore, exhaust system, wiring, etc. Does open up some possibilities. Take measurements on the transfer case fit and alignment before plunging. The G.M. approach and common bellhousing pattern offer a variety of transmission choices. Moses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megatron Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 And to clear up one of your inputs from a friend, You can NOT flip the factory transfer case over and use it. Most transfer cases now have a crude type of oil pump in them for lubrication and they use they lower hanging portion of the transfer case as a reservoir for the fluid. You really need to keep all the mechanical parts in their factory designed orientation. Engines, transmissions, transfer cases and differentials. They are designed to work this way. After market parts like transfer cases and rear-ends may be designed for alternate configurations, much like Atlas transfer cases. As for the power train. My advice is to stick with a complete power pack from whatever donor you want. You find a complete driveline from an S-10/15 then use motor to the wheels. I only say this because getting certain parts to work with other parts can be costly. Not that you cant use one part from every manufacturer, but sometime the hassle to make it work isn't worth the trouble. Custom driveshaft's can cost more than your whole setup. Remember that lighter and smaller is less hard on parts than bigger and more powerful. I would stay with the inline jeep motors. The Jeep 4 cylinder with the manual transmission/transfer case and 4.10 gears front and rear is a great combo and readily available. That would be a very budget friendly build. You win at King of the Hammers with it, but you aren't racing there either.... Chances are you can find these all but free from guys that are swapping in 60's and v8 engines into their YJ/TJ's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heepindixiepoeboy Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 Thanks guys, yeah think ole boy might of had one to many to drink that day lol, he like that but good ole boy. Who knows his kind of humor, he might've been messin' with me to begin with. Back to my jeep, well sounds like to me that the xj donor with a different front axle might just be my choice. I don't hit the mud holes everyday, mainly like taking my children through the trails here in N.C., like Uwharrie and some homegrown trails through a network of friends. So, sorry if someone doesn't like it lol but guess I'll be tuning this ole cj7 down alil, after all my 4.0 is all the horses I need and drinks enuff gas lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heepindixiepoeboy Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 Any of y'all have a picture, link or any tell tell signs of how to identify the axles already in the cj? I already know from previous ventures that my xj has 3:55 gears (if I'm not mistaken, @ work right now lol) and has Dana 30/35 setup. I've gotta put myself a whole nother jeep bible together. Lol "The New Jeep Testament " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Moses Ludel Posted July 15, 2015 Administrators Share Posted July 15, 2015 If the CJ axles are original, the front is a low-pinion Dana 30 open knuckle. The rear is an AMC Model 20 unit. The XJ Cherokee has a Dana 30 high pinion in the front and most likely a Dana 35 in the rear. Some XJs have the Chrysler 8.25" rear axle, these seem to be models without ABS like my '99 XJ Cherokee Sport. Trust this helps... Moses P.S.: I wrote and illustrated the Jeep Owner's Bible, now in 3rd Edition from Bentley Publishers. The book you'd value at this point would be my Jeep CJ Rebuilder's Manual: 1972-86, also available from Bentley and many off-road sources including Advance Adapters. If you plan to write "The New Jeep Testament" (catchy title!), set aside a lot of time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60Bubba Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Anybody know if David kept the Dana 300 out of his CJ-7 project? He lives in NC, I believe, and had a leftover D300 after his GM engine swap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Moses Ludel Posted July 19, 2015 Administrators Share Posted July 19, 2015 Believe David found that Novak wanted the core...Not sure if he sold it to Novak...David? Moses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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