95Z28A4

I've been weighing my options for a pilot bearing. The only drop in pilot bearing that I can locate for the AX15 transmission that works with my Phoenix Castings flywheel adapter is the early/mid 1990's 5.2L Dodge. I don't like the design of this bearing......it looks weak.

http://info.rockauto.com/getimage/ge...-69907_ANG.JPG

I've been researching in online bearing catalogs and have found a double sealed ball bearing that is close. I'm concerned about the rolling resistance of the bearing, however. The bearing is the FAFNIR 00062174. It will require machining of the center hole in my flywheel adapter. There is adequate metal in the adapter to facilitate machining.

The AX15 input pilot is 0.748" (19MM) diameter

The OEM Dodge bearing is ID=0.7518" OD=1.8161" Width=0.565"

The FAFNIR 00062174 is ID=19MM (0.748") OD=47MM (1.8504") Width=14MM (0.5512")

I went back and read your post above. I've decided to do the same and use the needle bearing that came with the LUK Dakota clutch kit.

http://info.rockauto.com/getimage/ge...E-1295_ANG.JPG

BTW, thanks for adding you flickr link to your signature.

.

Macet

That method is working well for me. All along I tried to keep as many Jeep parts I could makes things easy.

One thing I did to help the bushing stay in place (even though it pressed in tight with the .003 oversize) was to take a punch and divot the bushing every 90 degrees to expand it to the walls of the PC adapter. You could weld the thing but there are other tranny possibilities.

TDIwyse

Hello MaceT. Glad to hear things are running well.

Looks like from June to Sept I was between 85-95% bio. Oct was 50-75%. Nov 30-50%. Dec-Jan was 10-20%. Feb on was 10% or less.

I'm getting out of the bio diesel hobby. My source had started charging me for the oil, then they started cooking it twice as long so it was much more broken down, then I bought some KOH from my coworker that turned out to be NaOH that locked my whole water heater up in some type of solid mass. I made a beginners mistake and didn't do a test batch with the new lye before trying to make a big batch in my processor. I tried making test batches with the lye and even with virgin food grade vegetable oil this stuff would turn the oil into a solid mass. Must've been really old or wet lye. I got my money back for the lye but my water heater is FUBAR. Oh well, it was a good 5 year run and I displaced a large quantity of petroleum.

95Z28A4

I'm still collecting parts. I have my Phoenix castings adapter set. Presently, I'm having a custom crankshaft "hub" machined to use in place of the v-belt pulley(s). The hub will have a flat face with a register (raised ring) for attaching and centering a serpentine crankshaft pulley. I will be using 6 rib serpentine accessories. This should work better than my earlier plan to have a flat faced insert machined for the face of the single groove factory pulley.

I'm using a 1997 Grand Cherokee 4.0L AC compressor, 2007 Dodge Hemi Ram alternator (136 amp) and a 1998 Wrangler P/S pump. The pump is presently being built by AGR for hydroboost - 3.5 gpm @ 1500 psig. I wanted to use an off the shelf OEM pump, but after many, many attempts, I could not find a physically small pump with adequate output for use with hydroboost.

I also found a rear Dana 44 with 3.07:1 gears from a Cherokee. These rearends are somewhat rare as they were only used in 1987 - 1989 Cherokees with the 5 speed transmission and towing package. Fortunately, replacement parts are plentiful. The axles and other internals are the same as the TJ Dana 44.

Thus far, I've spent a lot of time engineering the conversion hoping to make the actual work flow smoothly.

Thanks for adding your flickr link to your signature.

.

Macet

TDI

It is amazing that the oil shows no fuel contamination. I think being that you monitor blend to temp so well it vaporizes well. I am almost ready for my first large batch. I hate to hear you will be stopping production. I am definitely not in as big of a rush and have been watching my dollars with this project being fuel prices in my area are dipping under $2. Unfortunately they will go back up; at least I will be ready. In my area I do not think demand for WVO has gotten to a point where suppliers are asking a price. I have talked to a large BBQ joint that went through 50 gal a week that was getting paid. Most of the small businesses I deal with are happy for I make it easier for them.

TDIwyse

I've read that most oil analysis places can't accurately read biodiesel fuel contamination as it's different molecularly from petroleum diesel. So I'm not sure how confident I am that there's no bio getting into the oil. However, if there is some contamination going on there doesn't appear to be any negative impact to the oils ability to lubricate and protect the engine.

Best wishes with your processing. It was a fun hobby for several years but then started to feel like a bit of a chore to have to keep making it . . .

95Z28A4

Uploaded a few more pics to flickr.

I drilled out the threads and spot-faced 4 bolt hole bosses on the Dakota bellhousing for bolt head clearance and removed an unneeded starter mounting boss. The casting has adequate material around the bosses to facilitate milling. I drilled & tapped my Phoenix Castings adapter ring for 3 additional bellhousing attachment bolts (similar to Macet) for a total of 9 and mounted the ring on the Cummins. I'm using socket head bolts on the 2 lower bolt holes for clearance reasons. I mounted the Dakota bellhousing to my AX15. I'm waiting on my pilot bearing bushing to be machined. It should be complete this week.

My power steering pump arrived last Thursday, but the builder shipped the wrong pump. I should have the correct pump this Friday. Hopefully, I can start mocking up my accessory brackets this weekend.

.

TDIwyse

Looking good! Everytime I check out your pics I get a serious case of shop-envy.

95Z28A4

I uploaded a few more pics to flickr. I have installed the pilot bearing bushing & pilot bearing in the flywheel adapter and mounted the flywheel adapter to the Cummins flywheel.

I decided to trial mount the AX15 to the B3.3 before installing the Dodge flywheel & clutch. I wanted to see if the AX15 input shaft properly mates to the pilot bearing. I was able to shine a flashlight through a hole in the Dakoat AX15 bellhousing and snap a few pics. Looks like the shaft should be further into the pilot bearing. I'm somewhat concerned about input shaft stability, but more so about my clutch hydraulics providing adequate throw to disengage the clutch. According to Phoenix Castings, my flywheel adapter is their first for use with a short SAE 4 flywheel housing and a small block Dodge flywheel. Others have used the conical flywheel adapter and a spacer ring with the flywheel housing adapter (like Macet).

Macet,
Can you please look at the links below and compare the clearance to yours? is it similar?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95z28a4...n/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95z28a4...n/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95z28a4...n/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95z28a4...n/photostream/

Tonight, I will attempt to reach into the bellhousing with a Sharpie to mark the input shaft before disassembling for measurement. I will send the photos and measurements to Phoenix Castings for their opinion on the clearance.


Edit:
I was able to reach into the Dakota bellhousing through the top inspection port and mark the input shaft with a Sharpie. I then pulled the AX15 and took some measurements. It seems the input shaft extends completely through the pilot bearing. So, input shaft stability should not be an issue. I'm still concerned about clutch disengagement, however. The mark left on the AX15 input shaft by the previous Jeep pilot bearing seal appears to be 0.115 further inboard than my Sharpie marking. Links below.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95z28a4/3454631458/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95z28a4/3453819339/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95z28a4/3454632440/


.

Macet

95Z28A4,

Looking good. I just used clay to see how the pilot was receiving the input shaft. Looks like your method is more analytical. Cool! Actually I did try my clutching system on before I bolted the flywheel to the tranny. I just didn't have the support of the bearing retainer on the AX15, but it gave me a good Idea that the system would work. Visually what you have looks like it will work.


TDI,

I ran my first tank of blend last week (B50). I swear is makes a pretty noticeable difference in noise.

TDIwyse

Nice!

I'm assuming in regards to noise you mean it's a bit quieter? If so, I notice that too. All my vehicles have blended themselves back to almost straight petro diesel now that I'm not making bio anymore. They sound a little louder and I also notice more puffs of smoke in the VW and Jeep when getting on the fuel after shifts before the turbo ramps up to supply enough air.

Was wanting to ask you guys with the B3.3T (or any mechanically injected diesel) if you've noticed a difference in power as a function of temperatures. I get noticeably more torque/power when temperatures are cool/cold than hot. I don't notice this in the electronic diesels (the common rail cummins or the vw). Is this due to the simpler injection pump not adjusting the fuel quantity during injection? So when its cool/cold out the fuel is more dense so a given volume of fuel inject would contain more energy. Any insight into this phenomena? The accelerometer shows this as well so it's not just in my head :-)

Macet

Yeah. It’s quieter. The start ups are easier too. I am assuming that it is due to the higher cetane rating of Bio. I have been doing some reading and found that ULSD has a rating around 40 where Bio could have as high as 60 depending on feed stock. The higher cetane coupled with a slight (say 10%) decrease in btu content gives a quieter smoother engine with a little less power. To me the power loss is unnoticeable. I like it.

Yeah the power gain from decrease in temp is plausible. On a mechanical it’s just as if you put a CAC the engine. Also there are tables that the electronic engines pull fueling and timing parameters from tables that are a function of temp. So ratings will be more consistent as temperature changes.

I have been given a rule of thumb on a mechanical ( for every 10 degree temp change you can see 2% power gain/loss).

TDIwyse

Thanks Mace. And best wishes on the bio adventure!

95Z28A4

Thanks. I spoke to Bill with Phoenix Castings Tuesday morning. He agrees that I shouldn't have a problem with clutch disengagement. I will mount the tranny to the engine with the flywheel & clutch when I return home next week. I'm presently in Tennessee searching for retirement property to purchase.

I picked-up a 2004 WJ Grand Cherokee 2WD front axle on my way up to Tennessee as a steering/brake donor for my B3.3T Jeep. The steering and brakes on the WJ are a big improvement over the XJ/ZJ/TJ brakes and steering. I have been running WJ brakes and steering on the Dana 30 in my 1998 Cherokee for nearly 2 years.

.

RyanD1981

TDIWyse, MaceT, 95Z28A4, I have a question. What are the emissions standards like where you guys live? I have an itchin' to do this type of swap, but I have to pass AZ standards for a '94 vehicle (engine year does not matter). I also won't be able to do this swap for a couple of years due to budget constraints.

Let me tell you what I have. I have a 1994 YJ, with a 4 banger, an AX5, 4.10 gears, and D35 rear. It also has no A/C, no P/S, no radio, and the wife likes it that way (it's actually her Jeep). When I get around to doing this conversion, I want to spend as little as possible and fight as few previous mods as possible. I can get a hold of an AX15 for about $750, and an NV3550 for about $900.

Thanks in advance and love what you guys are doing.