Jeep 4bt coversion ???

[Sea01Cummer]

I am about to tackle this swap for a friend. The mail jeep has a industrial 4bt in it now but has retained the sae housing and is adapted to a gm transmission of some kind ( not a turbo 400). My friend plans to get a wrangler to swap the engine to. My question is will a dodge cummins adapterplate bolt to the back of the engine after removing the sae bellhousing. Is there a difference between the standard and automatic dodge bellhousing adapter? I have one from a 24v engine but i have no idea if it was auto or standard. Can the dodge cummins flywheel be bolted on to the industrial 4bt crank? Is there a difference on crank bolt patterns from the bread van 4bt and the industrial 4bt? I plan to use the Dodge nv 4500 and transfercase on this swap.



Thanks for the help[.



Steve

 

[Steve Graham]

My question is will a dodge cummins adapterplate bolt to the back of the engine after removing the sae bellhousing.

Yes



Is there a difference between the standard and automatic dodge bellhousing adapter?

No



Can the dodge cummins flywheel be bolted on to the industrial 4bt crank?

Yes



Is there a difference on crank bolt patterns from the bread van 4bt and the industrial 4bt?

No





Steve G.

 

[Sea01Cummer]

Thanks Steve, you da man. Those were the big answers i needed.



Steve

 

[CLamb]

What does he plan on using the jeep for? I would think the narrow power band would be a problem offroad. Jeeps are a big hobby of mine and I just can't see the small power band helping much when rock crawling etc. Just a thought I have had, it would be a cool swap for sure it would just really depend on what the usage was I guess.

 

[DKarvwnaris]

What does he plan on using the jeep for? I would think the narrow power band would be a problem offroad. Jeeps are a big hobby of mine and I just can't see the small power band helping much when rock crawling etc. Just a thought I have had, it would be a cool swap for sure it would just really depend on what the usage was I guess.

I've yet to see a Jeep that can bog down the 4bt's. There is nothing even close to a power shortage with a 4bt. These engines will disembowel a 1/2 ton pickup if turned up. Jeeps are usually geared high from the factory due to the inline 4 and 6 engines, the 4bt's will adapt very well to their gear ranges.

Several of the "pro" rock crawler buggies have run the 4bt's without anything close to complaints. I've personally watched a 4bt powered blazer with 35" tires drag out a 1 ton 4wd f-350 from a mud pit.

 

[CLamb]

I would not be worried about power, i would be worried about getting tire speed etc. The RPM range is so short it could make that difficult. Shifting is not something you want to do in the middle of an obsticle, automatic or not. You could just remain with factory gearing and a larger tire but I still think it would cause problems. Also the extra wieght would hurt the center or gravity as well.



You technicly don't really need power to wheel alot of stuff, do it with gearing. But you gear one down enough and you run into problems when you need tire speed on something slick etc.

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Traction and variable speed with a 4bt was not a problem at all with this vehicle during the top truck challenge :

http://scorpioncars.com/action/_target38.htm



http://scorpioncars.com/action/_target11.htm



Here's their home page: http://scorpioncars.com/index.html



A B series engine can vary from 1200 RPM's to around 3000 if you adjust the governor springs for it. Not trying to argue with you on this, but the torque this engine will produce can more than make up for lack of engine RPM range, it will just bulldoze its way through.



I'll take some video's of my CJ once I get the new frame built and figure out what type of air suspension I am going to run for the rear axle. I'm looking for Unimog axles for it still, most are just too heavy for what I want.

 

[Sea01Cummer]

I plan to use a 4bt, dodge adapter plate , dodge nv4500 and dodge transfercase. Will there be room for all this and actually have a driveline from the transfercase to the rear end???? LOL My friend is looking for a jeep now to swap the parts in, should he stay away from the cj5 and look for a cj7, wrangler???



Steve

 

[DKarvwnaris]

I plan to use a 4bt, dodge adapter plate , dodge nv4500 and dodge transfercase. Will there be room for all this and actually have a driveline from the transfercase to the rear end???? LOL My friend is looking for a jeep now to swap the parts in, should he stay away from the cj5 and look for a cj7, wrangler???



Steve

Honestly?. . I would look for a Scrambler to do this to, or stretch the wheelbase a bit on the CJ-7/Wranger. The 4bt's will fit in the CJ-7 wheelbase, but the driveshafts end up so short, you will be limited if you want to lift it without a short high dollar transfer case.

There are other things to deal with on the CJ bodies, but not too much. Most of the CJ's from the 70's and 80's had plows handing off the fronts of them with 304 V-8's in them. I would definitely look to box part of the front frame and reinforce the steering section of the frame. A larger cross member will be a good idea.

If you want to run big tires, I would consider a body lift before suspension due to the rough pogo stick arced springs in this short of a wheel base, not to mention the driveshaft issue with this kind of torque.

 

[SBertelson]

Here is a link to one we built with about 6" of lift and 35" tires. Do a SYE kit on the transfer case and you will have plenty of length on the rear shaft. They run about $300 from JB Conversions.



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CUMM...4651328320QQcategoryZ6285QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Here is a link to one we built with about 6" of lift and 35" tires. Do a SYE kit on the transfer case and you will have plenty of length on the rear shaft. They run about $300 from JB Conversions.



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CUMM...4651328320QQcategoryZ6285QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

That's a Wrangler, not a CJ-5. That little bit of length makes all the difference.

 

[Steve Graham]

I would not be worried about power, i would be worried about getting tire speed etc. The RPM range is so short it could make that difficult. Shifting is not something you want to do in the middle of an obsticle, automatic or not. You could just remain with factory gearing and a larger tire but I still think it would cause problems. Also the extra wieght would hurt the center or gravity as well.



You technicly don't really need power to wheel alot of stuff, do it with gearing. But you gear one down enough and you run into problems when you need tire speed on something slick etc.

Well, I would say that your worries are ill conceived. Geared properly there is no problem. I've driven my CTD for 12 years and my Scout CTD for 5 years all over the south west and have spent a lot of time with the transfer case in 4 low and never had a need for more of a power band. Usually you don't shift when your on the hard stuff. You pick you gear and go.



Steve