1983 Jeep Cj5. An ongoing project ( & it just got bigger)( gluten for punishment 11 Jan 2020 ) (Page 3 of 3)
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Well I blew up the motor in the 83 cj5 yesterday. Oil pump took a dump or spun a bearing. I dont know, but bad things happen when either of those happen.
R.I.P. 258 straight 6. This is an opportunity though!!! Picked up a new parts jeep last night & killing a few birds with one stone . When we picked up the 69 cj5 a while back, he also had a running 70 cj5 with no title. So I paid it no attention. This is what I got yesterday & there will be much Frankensteing involved. 1970 cj5. Dauntless 225 v6. T14 3 speed. Dana 18 t-case. Dana 27 up front. Best of all, flanged offset Dana 44 out back. Has 4.88 gears already & maybe a trac-locker. The plan. I'll be transplanting the full driveline from the 70 into the 83. Except maybe the t14. If a can get the t176 that's in it to bolt up, I'll use it. Will also need new spring pad I believe. Will need to use the weird early cj radiator tunnel grill thingy since the v6 is so much shorter. New exhaust will be required. True duals on headers anyone? Figure out all the other little things that will pop up. Then the tub will either replace or provide much needed panels for the 69. Hoods almost mint with one small dent from the inside. Needed steering column, indicator switch, fenders (maybe), exhaust manifolds (practically unobtainium for the Dauntless), and some other small parts. Like a master cylinder & assorted linkages. Didint get the hard top and doors unfortunately. Opinions & thoughts? 
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Originally Posted By Mattgunguy:
Opinions & thoughts? I would stay with the 258 or upgrade to a V8. |
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Originally Posted By Boomer: You will spend more time, effort and money cobbling all of that stuff together and trying make it work than just rebuilding or replacing the 258. And all of that only end up with something worse than you started with. I would stay with the 258 or upgrade to a V8. I come to really like the oddfire 225 v6. It's a little torque machine & I'm not often accused of doing the smart thing. So I'll be cobbling stuff together. I like different. |
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Originally Posted By Superluckycat:
304's are dogs. I had one in my 78 CJ. Those little 225 V6's are good engines. The 258 is a good engine, too. I don’t get why the OP isn’t just staying with that. By the time he reworks engine mounts, transmission mounts, the exhaust system, drive shafts, suspension, brakes, etc the 225 swap gets pretty involved. And if he wants to keep that T176 he is going to have to spend a fair amount of even moar money adapting it to both the Buick 225 AND the Dana 18. The 1983 CJ5 already has the better transmission (T176) and transfer case (Dana 300) than the 1970 CJ5. So why not build on that instead of tossing them aside? If money is an issue, sell the 1970 CJ5 whole or as parts to fund an engine replacement or swap that retains the better parts and doesn’t require as much work and expense. I get being different when the end result actually makes some sort of sense. |
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I get what you're saying Boomer, & I agree 100%. A 258 is a good motor & I prefer it over the amc v8's. I'm doing this strictly out of personal preference for the 225 v6 & a dana 18 t-case. I agree that the t176 is an much better trans. I've got the less common 2 piece bell housing in the 69 that should lit me keep running the t176 & advanced adapter makes an adapter to run the Dana 18 on a t176. I've come to loath the amc 20 rear end, has been nothing but trouble from the word go. Sure the Po didnt help it out with the neglect it received, but I dislike it now. The dana 27 front is probably a step down from the dana 30. But the wide track front and narrow rear has been annoying me. So I'll use the 27 until I can get a narrow 30 with the appropriate gear set. I'm not concerned with the exhaust, I roll my own anyways. One of the Joy's of having your own fab shop. You can make alot of your own parts and save the coin. So in the end, I totally agree. What I've planned makes no sense & I should replace the 258 with a 258. This is just kinda of a "because I can deal" I suppose. I was planning on getting the 70 to help with restoring the 69 anyways. It's got a great tub on it. This other shit just kinda happened. Far sooner than I expected. |
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Well, Boomer gets his way. At least partially. The early cj complete swap is now off. Still gonna use the Dauntless v6 eventually. Took some parts up to Kansas City last Saturday to help a keeper out. Well, we came home with other jeep parts. The wife contacted a craigslist feller while we were in kc, who didn't get back to us until we were almost home. Then he called. But to get a flanged centered dana 44 rear & perfectly good T-176 transmission for $80 total, we made a little u-turn. Did you know that you can fit a rearend and a transmission in the back of a Prius at the same time? Kid used the rearend for a pillow on the way home. Then today I took the plunge to do a full regear front and rear. New bearings & shims throughout. Went with 4:88 Yukon gears for both axles. New carrier for the front. Sprung for a Grizzly locker in the rear. So that should keep me busy for a bit. Gots to dig dig out the run out gauge. 
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Originally Posted By wildearp: Maybe shop for project donors in AZ instead of the rust belt?   Were we talking cars or women? Meh. Doesn't matter. Not much difference in this instance. |
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Well thanks to the beer virus, I've got at least a couple weeks stuck at home. So I've got a good start on the regear. The rearend is ready to go in now. Went fairly smoothly on the assembly. Used a trick I saw on a YouTube video. Pulled and kept all the old bearings & races. Honed them out until they are just barely a slip fit one the carrier & pinion. Then used these bearings to figure out the needed shim adjustments. Whole heck of a lot easier than pulling the new bearings off repeatedly. Got the pinion riding right in the center of the ring with a nice contact pattern. Backlash is a tight .06, with no end play what so ever. Got the new seal & wheel bearings on & the axles back in. Was going good, until I had to cut the old axle u-bolts off. Didnt remember to buy new ones. Normally not a big deal. But when you're quarantined to your property and can't go to the parts store. You're kinda screwed. Got some coming from Amazon. Hopefully they're right. Will probably get started on the front here quickly. Just haven't decided if I'll pull the axle out & do it on the bench, or do it under the vehicle    
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