Redleg

Wondering if anybody knows of a cherokee or grand cherokee with a 6bt?

rbrettctd

Ive seen a Cherokee STUFFED with a 6BT in a magazine, but cant remember which one. Ill dig around through my collection and see if I still have it. There is a wrangler on youtube with one. And lots of JEeps with 4bts out there.

mcinfantry

we have a forum for swaps. pretty good to. im a 4bt nut.

www.4btswaps.com

Redleg

Thanks for the link MC, I'll be checking it out. I have a 6b and a jeep. I don't want to pick up a new engine. I figure the unibody wouldn't support the weight, especially if you have to cut into the dog house and core support. I'd set it on the dodeg frame if it could be done safe and clean, without looking like it had a 10" body lift. Impatiently waiting rbrettctd....

Oilguy

I don't think it would be impossible... but the 4.0 straight 6 fits pretty tight and that is about 1/2 of the mass as the 5.9....I would rather have that engine in a Wrangler or one of the old Cherokee's (70's early 80's big body with full frame)
Don't let me talk you out of it though.... show us that is CAN be done and then post pic's on how you made it work.... I am sure you will get plenty of props!

Oilguy

Redleg

I did some looking last night. The back of the head to front of the fan is pretty darn close, maybe an extra inch or two for the CTD, mostly for vibration and the normal twitch at start up. Exhaust from the turbo is close but probably manageable. It looks like the turbo would clear the top of the wheel well/spring perch. If not, the dodge frame and suspension will be used so the spring perch could be modified some. The 4.0 has both manifolds on the driver side, so there is plenty of clearance for the CTD to the booster and steering. One of the AC hoses would have to be modified for length, so some of the accessories could be moved. I'd have to adapt it to a CTD condensor. The 4.0 has a smaller belt width. It looked like the dodge radiator would fit with the jeep support trimmed to clear the sides. I think it's deep enuff for the thickr core. I may have to modify the dodge cross member to drop it down a bit, although the jeep will be sitting high in the dodge frame. I guess otherwise find a heavy cross-flow that isn't so tall off a ford or chevy.

The dodge frame would need to be shortened 30". It makes an upward curve from front to back, right at the back of the transfer case. If I cut that out, I could match the rear frame with the front for a nice long, smooth, surface. It would off set the the height which I could make up for by reduseing the lift block on the rear. That sucker is about 6-8 inches and the frame is 7 inches high. When I have the driveshaft shortened, it's due for a a new slip joint anyway, I can add a CV joint behind the T-case to relax the angle. First check, the uni-frame of the jeep is online with the dodge frame. I am wondering if I would need to beef up the floor pan of the jeep for the dodge body mounts, or if they would be heavy enuff since they would be structural on the jeep? Anybody think of anything else?

Redleg

Well, I've been measuring over and over. ANd everything looks feasable. I still need to measure the distance from the back of the blocks to the center of the mounts to be sure the back of the 6bt wont be too far into the firewall. Back of the block to the front of the fan on both is within a couple of inches. I should be able to get the later, shorter fan mount for the 6b. I found some tutorials on guys that modify thier frames with rectangle tube in place of the ZJ, unibody frame to support cages, 4 link suspensions and 1 ton axles. Since the dodge frame would be mostly boxed for the shortening process, I could attach the body to the frame as they do, eliminating the clunky body mounts on the dodge, and eliminating the extra 4 inches of jeep frame height. Fortunately the NP205 doesn't use a weak slip-yoke, so I can install a cv on the shortened shaft, although it still doesn't seem like it would be super-short. Gonna get the rotted cab off this weekend I think and, do some serious measureing. Might plot out a dogknapping scandle as well, to get a certain professional to eyeball the situation.

Raspy

Redleg,

How much higher will the the body have to be to get the pan to clear the front axle at full suspension compression? You could flip the turbo with a different manifold if needed to clear the suspension towers. And if you really got in a pinch you could leave out the intercooler.

Wetspirit

Redleg

Since I would be useing the dodge frame, there shouldn't be too much issue with modifying the shock tower if needed. Since the Dodge is a 1st gen, there is only about 2 inches of suspension travel currently. It will get replaced eventually. I'm leaning towards a 2nd gen coil set up if I go through with this. No intercooler right now, not sure if there will be room just yet, but I have some ideas on modifying the grill with a fabricated core support to make room. Otherwise, a glass hood with a cowl and a ford cooler across the top of the enging in place of the long airhorn. After finding a tutrial on the Grand Cherokee getting converted to a tube frame last week, I'm really leaning towards shaving the frame rail from the unibody, replaceing it with plate and attaching it directly to the dodge frame. Still just researching, but if it's gonna happen, it's gotta be done before the leaves start dropping.

Raspy

If you have a choice between the 1st and 2nd gen front suspensions, definately go with the 2nd gen. My first gen rode like a buckboard and there was not much I could do about it (and I tried). That inch or two of travel and the friction between the leaves is a problem. But you probably already know that. Sounds like a fun project.

John

1stGen545

I have put a 4BTA air to water in a TJ. We put 3/4 ton 8-lug ford axles and a Getrag with ford 205.

Redleg

I'd be useing the current set up for a bit, then I'd swap for coils later. I can't see anyway of makeing it work without useing the dodge frame.

545, any picture or links?

redhedbronco

http://www.overlanddiesel.com/71/80.html? *session*id*key*=*session*id*val* (6bt) http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4123 (4bt)

Redleg

Sweet jeep! I 've got most of the cab lopped off the dodge now. Couple odds and ends yet and I should be able to start stripping the jeep down. Then I can set the jeep on the frame and see for sure what I can do as far as whittling away at the "sub-structure " of the unibody. The tunnel and firwall on the dodge are in good shape if I need to modify the tunnel on the jeep at all. I did a lot more checking with the dodge body out of the way now, and it looks like Engine size isn't a big factor. Just doing it this way due to engine weight/power and pan clearance. It's not just the weight of the cummins in the unibody, but the bigger engine and tranny as well. Anyway, if it won't work the dodge needed a new cab anyway. The driver door was getting pretty scary.

induchman

We're in the process of doing a Wagoneer with a 4BT engine adding an Eaton 6 speed to it.