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That plate at the rear of the tranny mount looks similar to the Chev/Motech one. That means the transmission has moved rearward so what did you do with the stock driveshaft? My tranny moved about 3" to the rear which meant two new driveshafts.
I didn't have to do anything with the driveshafts. Both front and back fit fine.
I think possibly the adopter used with the chevy transmission to jeep Tcase is what's causing the need for new shafts.
Just had a random thought and wanted to put it out there before I forget.
According to JSS, if you plan to run the premade exhaust made by them, you'll need 2009 to 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee manifolds. It's because of the outlet direction.
I ended up buying a set at a cost of about $350. Driver side was $200 and passenger side about $150. And when it came time to put them on, I realized the ones on the 2006 Commander are the same as the 2009-2010 Grand Cherokee. So that money didn't need to be spent. So, I bet any hemi Cherokee and Commander manifolds will work.
The inlet ports might be different, but that doesn't matter. If I would have used the ones off the Commander, I would have had them machined.
Just another option. The driver side 2009 to 2010 manifold is no where to be found for the last couple of years.
Following is the BOM from Todd at JSS.
I'll have some more on the progress on my swap tomorrow. I got the wiring harness and computer today. Those are the last big items I need to finish.............................
5.7L non VVT Truck Hemi
The following part numbers are for 2007-2011 NON-VVT Hemi swaps
Fan Clutch (Napa Part #: 271367) (Compatible with VVT, NON-VVT Hemi’s and Chevrolet LS Engines: Hayden Transmission Cooler (Hayden Part #: HDA-679 or Napa Part #: 1-7510)
Engine Fan (Chrysler Part #: 52027888)
Upper Radiator Hose (Napa Part #: 7311) (Works with TJ, LJ, NON-VVT JK’s and VVT JK’s: Lower Radiator Hose)
Oil Filter Bung – Small Tread (Chrysler Part #: 04104511)
Works with VVT, NON-VVT Hemi’s and Chevrolet LS Engines: Quantity of 2 – Engine Mount to Frame Bolts (Chrysler Part #: 06508081AA)
Works with VVT, NON-VVT Hemi’s and Chevrolet LS Engines: Quantity of 2 – Engine Mount to Frame Nuts ( Chrysler Part #: 6502585)
Works with VVT, NON-VVT Hemi’s: Quantity of 2 – O2 Sensors (Chrysler Part #: 56029049AA)
Works with VVT, NON-VVT Hemi’s: Oil Filter Adapter (Chrysler Part #: 53013680AD)
Works with VVT, NON-VVT Hemi’s: Oil Filter Adapter Bolts (Chrysler Part #: 06102041AA)
Works with VVT, NON-VVT Hemi’s: Oil Filter Adapter O-Ring – Outer (Chrysler Part #: 53021661AA)
Works with VVT, NON-VVT Hemi’s: Trans Shift Cable Bracket (Chrysler Part #: 52104371AG)
Works with VVT, NON-VVT Hemi’s: Trans Shift Lever (Chrysler Part #: 52109706AC)
Transmission Parts Compatible with WK (Grand Cherokee) and 545 Transmissions
Works with VVT, NON-VVT Hemi’s: 4WD Adapter (Chrysler Part #: 52119433AB)
Works with VVT, NON-VVT Hemi’s: 4WD Seal (Chrysler Part #: 52119498AA)
Works with VVT, NON-VVT Hemi’s: Coolant Bottle Mount (Chrysler Part #: 52028065AF)
2007-2013 VVT, NON-VVT Hemi’s and Chevrolet LS Engines: Engine Mount “WK – Grand Cherokee” (Chrysler Part #: 52090304AG)
2007-2013 VVT, NON-VVT Hemi’s and Chevrolet LS Engines: Engine Mount “WK – Grand Cherokee” (Chrysler Part #: 52090305AG)
NON-VVT Hemi only: Right Exhaust Manifold (Chrysler Part #: 53013606AB)
NON-VVT Hemi only: Left Exhaust Manifold (Chrysler Part #: 53013605AB)
Works with VVT, NON-VVT Hemi’s: Power Steering Hose (Napa Part #: 7-6052)
Quantity of 16 Bolts – 10mm x 25mm – These are the bolts for the engine mounts and the transmission mounts
Quantity of 8 Nuts – 10mm x 1.5mm zinc coated- These are for the transmission mounts (Fastenal Part #: 1190702)
Capacitor 56041889AA
Air intake sensor, 2005 Dodge Ram 5.7L Hemi 56028364AA
Got the harness and computer yesterday and spent the day installing the harness. It would have been a whole lot easier to do this with the engine out, but it's still working out ok, just really slow.
Hot wire auto's harness includes a connector for a condenser and my engine did not have it. It's Mopar part # 68080837AB. It just bolts to the block within reach of it's harness connector.
The T case shifter bracket is not a simple bolt in deal, like the trany shifter bracket. The usual way to install the T case bracket is to cut and notch a rib in the trany/T case adopter. I may have done it this way, but it just doesn't feel right. And since my drivetrain is already installed, there is no room to try cut that rib. Instead I cut up the bracket and welded it so the mounting holes go around the rib. It worked out well.
And the vapor canister purge valve connection goes to a little fitting on the intake, just behind the throttle body. Had a hard time trying to figure that out.
Vapor canister fitting Transfer case shifter bracket
Did the first start today. Started right up, no issues, except for a IAT code. I'll need to work through that.
Hopefully tomorrow I can finish up the upper and lower radiator hoses and be able to drive it a little.
So far so good. I'm sure there will be lots of issues still, like overheating from using the stock rad, etc, but that's pretty simple stuff.
It has 60 PSI oil pressure cold idle, engine sounds great, No Hemi tick, I was worried about that.
There's still a lot of loose ends. Those take forever, or it just seems.
Last edited by Junkyard junkie; 09-23-2022 at 05:29 PM.
Main reason for this post is to show the lower radiator hose. It's a combination of 3 hoses, joined by two billet aluminum, barbed couplers and sealed by T-clamps. I've done this several times now in other projects and it works fine. The top hose is build similarly.
I try and get the best routing for the radiator hoses to eliminate kinks and rubbing. T- clamps on the couplers and the water pump and radiator side are joined by regular worm clamps. That's about how many boxes of parts it took to do this project. The badge didn't go on till after the first start. And it sounds friggin' awesome! Even better with the cut-out open, but that's too much for regular driving.
Went for a test drive today. Everything works well, did not encounter any issues, but it was only about a 5 mile drive.
Still have a few things remaining, like remove and wrap the exhaust, put on the front bumper and figure out the horn wiring, got some broken wires there and don't know what goes where. And of course need a bigger radiator.
About the only thing I would have done differently is put the harness in place before installing the engine, but I couldn't wait. This would have been a lot easier and cleaner.
And I don't like the intake, so that'll need to be redone. But this CAI should add about 100 HP over the stock engine.
Two bonehead mistakes to own up to.
# 1 is I didn't know there is already a trany cooler. Looks like it's part of the AC condenser. So I didn't need to run two new ones, but now that I know, I'll tie it into the other two.
# 2, I switched the left and right side O2 sensor wires, even though they are clearly labeled. Spent about an hour this morning trying to figure out all kinds of weird codes that kept changing. Finally with help from Chris from HotWireAuto, I got that resolved.
Last edited by Junkyard junkie; 09-30-2022 at 05:08 AM.
Went for a 200 mile, shake-down run yesterday. Everything was going great until my radiator fan stopped working about 80 miles from home. Luckily I had water with me, so I could keep the rad topped off as it boiled over. It took a while to get back, but it went ok. Got home and found out it was just a loose relay, so I'll need to keep an eye on that.
Here's a shot of the dash and gauges. I have 5.13 gears and 35's. RPMs are right at about 2000 at 60 and 2200 at 70mph.
No idea what the MPG were, I thought about measuring that, but decided not to even bother.
I'll need to work on the AC lines, they were holding, but have now sprung a leak somewhere. Will likely end up getting a new radiator. This engine wants a very big coolant overflow bottle, at least 3 liters worth. That's what I'm seeing right now, but it maybe that I'm running hot.
The dash temp gauge measures the oil temp. I put in a water temp gauge and that's been reading about 210 to 230. The dash temp gauge never moved from dead center.
It was a lot of fun to drive this thing. 50 to 90 MPH happens very quickly. There's no hesitation to pass slower cars, just floor it and go.
Last edited by Junkyard junkie; 10-15-2022 at 05:15 AM.
Outstanding write-up and coverage of a Hemi swap into a JKU . If the 3.8 in our own 08 JKU craps out we will really consider the Hemi swap option...and we'll likely start surfing the ads for good deals on the donor hardware.
Lemme know if I have the following 'donor' info correct:
Engine: 5.7 Hemi from a 2008 Grand Cherokee or Commander (has correct timing chain cover and manifolds)
-- 'any' Hemi engine, car or truck, 5.7, 6.2. or 6.4, will work, but the GC or Commander donors are the most compatible with the 08 3.8 V6 Trans: 545RFE 4x4 transmission from a 06-10 Ram 4x4 Computer: ECU from a 08 GC (enables factory overdrive) - will be reprogrammed Wiring harness: 08 Grand Cherokee, reprogrammed by Hot Wire Auto Engine Mounts: New conversion mounts from Jeep Speed Shop
Couple questions:
1) Do you know the year range for the engine(s) from a Grand Cherokee or Commander?
2) In your opinion, how many miles on a 5.7 Hemi would be 'acceptable' as a drop-in, and at what point should a rebuild be considered? If it had 200k miles, would a simple ring/bearing refresh and new lifters suffice, or would a full rebuild be the smart move?
3) Do you know what caused the common 'Hemi tick'? Presume to resolve that in the process...
4) Does the trans have to be from a Hemi, or will one from a 4.7 also work?
5) Presume you used the OE Hemi torque converter and flexplate, and it bolted up clean to the 545?
If you know then great but please don't think I'm asking for you to go research all of this - I can as well but I figured I'd ask just in case.
09-10-2022, 09:53 AM
. If the 3.8 in our own 08 JKU craps out we will really consider the Hemi swap option...and we'll likely start surfing the ads for good deals on the donor hardware.