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4.0 engine swap in a Gremlin

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RamblinAMC View Drop Down
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    Posted: Jan/10/2009 at 7:30pm
What would be involved in swapping a 93 4.0 into a 73 Gremlin? How would it bolt up to the stock auto trans? Or would it be better to use a Jeep 2wd trans?
1963 Rambler American 330

1971 Hurst Jeepster

1972 Commando 4.0

1972 Commando 258

1975 Jeep J20 401
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote poormansMACHINE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/10/2009 at 7:53pm
If you're moving the controller over so you can keep the injection then the Jeep tranny has 2 benefits over the torqueflite.
The  electronically controlled Jeep trans has the provision to mount the crank sensor and has an overdrive.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote purple72Gremlin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/10/2009 at 8:07pm
Originally posted by poormansMACHINE poormansMACHINE wrote:

If you're moving the controller over so you can keep the injection then the Jeep tranny has 2 benefits over the torqueflite.
The  electronically controlled Jeep trans has the provision to mount the crank sensor and has an overdrive.
And the OD from what I have heard is a very good transmission, I would run the Jeep transmission. and as PMM says, its got a place to mount the crank sensor.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RamblinAMC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/10/2009 at 10:48pm
Will the 4.0 bolt right up to the stock trans I have now? And are the motor mount locations the same on the 4.0 and 258? I have access to a Jeep trans,not sure on the price yet.That will have an effect on doing the swap.Unless mating it up to mine is more of a pain than it is worth.
1963 Rambler American 330

1971 Hurst Jeepster

1972 Commando 4.0

1972 Commando 258

1975 Jeep J20 401
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote poormansMACHINE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/10/2009 at 10:58pm
All of the 72 and up 6 cylinders share the same bolt patterns. Same pattern used on the V-8's from 67 and up.
If you're using the injection, you need a crank position sensor. The jeep has it positioned on the bell housing with a trigger tooth wheel incorporated into the flywheel/flex plate.
If you bolt it to the torqueflite, you will need a means to trigger it accurately since it is your initial timing. There is an aftermarket harmonic balancer and trigger/sensor that mounts up front and I believe it runs about 275 bucks.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RamblinAMC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/10/2009 at 11:38pm
I picked up the flex plate today.The 4.0 is still at the tow yard in the Cherokee,which I intend to bring home and remove everything.So do you think there is a way to fab some type of mount up for the crank sensor to use on the stock trans?
 
And where is the balancer mount sensor availible? Might just look into that.
1963 Rambler American 330

1971 Hurst Jeepster

1972 Commando 4.0

1972 Commando 258

1975 Jeep J20 401
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote poormansMACHINE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/11/2009 at 12:03am
Rigging it up on the stock bell housing requires a bit of precision.
It has to run close enough to the flex plate to read and not get hit.
The clock position is your one shot at setting the initial timing since it's not in the distributor as you're accustomed to dealing with on a conventional distributor.
http://www.hesco.us/shop.asp?action=details&inventoryID=43098&catId=7902
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RamblinAMC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/11/2009 at 12:08pm
If I use the auto trans from the 2wd Jeep,will I still be able to use the trans shift linkage that is in my Gremlin now?Or will it need to be changed? I have the column shift and would like to keep everything at least looking original.Is the Jeep auto a 3 spd like the 904? I know nothing about the later model Jeep trans.
1963 Rambler American 330

1971 Hurst Jeepster

1972 Commando 4.0

1972 Commando 258

1975 Jeep J20 401
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote poormansMACHINE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/11/2009 at 12:49pm
The trans is an Aisin Warner AW4. It's a 4 speed overdrive with a lockup torque converter.
Not sure on the shifter.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/11/2009 at 6:57pm
It should work with the shifter, but you may have to monkey around with the adjustments and the shift arm length on the trans. If the arm on both trannys are the same length then it will work with no problem at all. The Jeep shifter only has three positions, there is no way to hold it in first gear -- the first position is 1-2, not L (1-2/D/OD/N/R/P).

You can mount the sensor on the old bell. There are a couple ways to do it, but you need to look at an original bell to figure out the clock position. I did that for my first one, which used a manual trans. I measured from the nearest bell bolt over to the center of the CPS on the stock Jeep bell and mount the CPS from there. Mine was one of the early conversions -- 1999. I had a hard time getting it started because of the CPS position. Thought it should have about a 1/16" gap, but it needs to be about 0.16" (about the same as points). What I ended up doing was turning the ring around to a high spot under the CPS, then pushing it down until it touched. At that point I raised it just enough that the engine would turn without touching the CPS. Fired up then! We now know there's an easier way! Super glue a thin piece of cardboard to the tip! Not index card, think something like a matchbook cover thickness. Remember the old trick about setting points with a matchbook cover? The cardboard won't interfere with the signal and will just wear off. The HESCO relocation kit comes with a sensor that has a piece of such cardboard already on the tip. Speaking of which, I like the Advance Adapters kit better -- it uses the stock CPS, the HESCO kit uses a custom CPS.

There are a couple different ways to mount the CPS. Rather than try to describe one, I'll let you look at an original then look at the CPS itself and see what you can come up with.

One more thing when using the 998 or 904 trans. You have to make darn sure the torque converter doesn't push too far into the pump when mounting the 904/998 converter on the AW-4 flexplate. If it does, you'll trash the pump. One of the guys on here put one in an Eagle and did just that, discovered that he had to do something to mount the converter closer to the flexplate. I forget what it was, and don't recall how the two mount. Of course you could go to the local Jeep dealer and order a flexplate for a 91-95 Wrangler with 4.0L and 998 or 999 transmission. That has the correct flexplate to mount  the converter and has the signal ring for the CPS. You'd still need to mod the bell and/or sensor.


Edited by farna - Jan/11/2009 at 6:57pm
Frank Swygert
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