Topic: Swapping out the 2.5 L with a 5.7 L Hemi

[97 TJ - I dont wave]

  I am now done playing with my 2.5L - there is no replacement for displacement.
Swapping in the 5.7 L Hemi looks pretty straight forward these days with all of the after market support.
Essentially take off the old motor mounts weld in Teraflex's motor mounts and bolt on their transmission bracket.
Send off the harnesses and computer to have the Hemi connectors put on the TJ wiring harness and the computer recoded (get rid of the silly things like the security function). New gas pedal, teraflex Hemi skid, new radiator, drive shafts, and the blah blah blah, everything we have all read a few thousand times....

A few questions I haven't found and am not sure of the answer too.

1) I know I want the Hemi (5.7) drivetrain out of a 4x4, but are there better years than others for the swap into my 97 TJ?
2) Is the easiest thing to use the transmission and transfer case from the original drivetrain?
3) Fuel lines, gas tank - which ones do I use? I have read multiple scenario's, what's the easiest/most reliable?
4) There is a set of Dodge exhaust manifolds that fit between the frame rails. I saw them in a forum somewhere, but I cant find it again to save my life. What year dodge has these?

As I start assembling everything I will take pics and post along the way.

This project will take me a few years (Money), but my plan is to start pulling it together this year (2010) and next and then do the install winter of 2012. Doing it this way will allow me to launder enough money out of my account so my Wife won't be in checking account shock.

Thanks for your help....

[sharpxmen]

best if you find an insurance write-off - that way you get the fuel injection as well. If you end up buying these separate will brake the bank, will cost you as much as another vehicle.

[dwtaylorpdx]

You want to use the Hemi's matching Auto transmission, or a NV4500+ remember it
will need work to avoid the missing transmission computer...

The 5.7 will scrap any of the Jeep manual transmissions.

I'd make sure and get a variable displacement one just to get every MPG for
the $.

Be prepared to drop serious dollars for the fuel injection tuning.

Dave

[jagular7]

First would come the engine, next the trans. With the power of the driveline, why keep the stock aluminum chain tcase? Swap in an aftermarket $2000 case. Then swap in rears to handle the torque and hp. Swapping in big diffs requires big tires to clear. To get the most out of the tires, you'll need different than stock suspension.

So in overall cost, might as well keep your 4cyl Jeep, wheel it, gather together pieces to get your hemi Jeep together. Sell off the 4cyl Jeep for a bank to start assembling your hemi Jeep.

Review 4x4Xtreme. They did this particular build in a few weeks without a budget. Wrecked TJ, swapped in Hemi driveline, D60s front/rear, gears/lockers, coil-overs/long arms, stretched wheelbase, 40s, aluminum beadlocks, and wheeled it in TN for a couple of vids.

[97 TJ - I dont wave]

That is exactly the plan jagular... Right now I am trying to determine if there is one year better than the other for the Hemi's. 2004 Dodge rams seem to be the popular choice. Between the Burn's guys, aev, hotwire, and teraflex it seems like I have all the parts on my wish list together that I will need. Now the only question is what year/make/model of Hemi 5.7 drivetrain to pull??? I know to stick with the suv or truck, but which to choose? Is one year better than the other, is the Ram better than the commander, Cherokee?? They all had Hemi options. So which one will help the process go the smoothest? At least as smooth as a operation as this can be? Once I decide that then I will start accumulating the pieces. Thank you

[FourbangerYJ]

Your gonna need a lot bigger axles to handle all that new power too.

[97 TJ - I dont wave]

Done, my xmas present was the rear pro rock 60 with the ARB. I kept the 4.88 gears front and rear. I am going to keep the Dana 30 up front and see what happens.