Turbo Diesel 2.8 CRD in a TJ/LJ solved.....

[Metcalf]

Well, it looks the the common ( wealthy ) man can now have the CRD liberty swapped into there TJ/LJ jeep!

http://www.burnsvilleoffroad.com/Articles/LibertyDiesel.aspx

http://www.burnsvilleoffroad.com/Images/Articles/LibertyDiesel/4WDP-100200-DSL-44-48.pdf

http://www.4wdandsportutility.com/features/jeep/1002_4wd_2006_jeep_wrangler_tj_diesel/index.html

Burnsville Offroad was finally able to pull off a full conversion where everything works. AEV was the first to do this, but they will not do another. Burnsville was able to pull it off by swapping the dash cluster and steering column from the Liberty. They also had to swap in a set of JK axles in order to get the ABS speed signal that the computers need ( for cruise control if I remember correctly ). Burnsville also pulled off a 6-speed manual conversion with the Rubicon 4:1 transfer case for you gear grinders.

Overall though this is pretty promising. Being able to use the JK axles for the ABS speed signal solves the last part of the puzzle. This swap could be done now by a talented individual in there garage.

As a note.

-Full backspacing JK wheels would pull the width down to the same as 17" AEV Pinters on TJ axles.

-AEV was able to pull off this conversion by using a small interface computer between the liberty computers and TJ dash cluster.

-Hotwire also did one conversion but was missing the ABS signal so the Cruise control would not work and they had some automatic transmission control glitches.

-Green Diesel Engineering is also doing some very interesting work on reprogramming the engine control computer.

http://www.greendieselengineering.com/

The last piece of the puzzle is really the reprogramming of the stock transmission computer. I hope someone cracks it soon.

Good news all in all.....anyone now where to find a wreaked CRD libby?

 

[xr8dxj]

:smilies27 Turn-key 7.2 Hemi (automatic) install - $42,500.00 !!!

 

[Metcalf]

yeah....ouch......I wonder what that 7.2L engine costs just by itself...

No Hemi talk......DIESEL please!

 

[4Rescue]

That is AWESOME Metcalf!!!!!

Thanks for sharing. This engine swap + 6spd Man + a LWB Jeep of some sort would definalty make me consider a Jeep again. I just CANNOT STAND auto tranny's one bit (even less so for Expo use) so I just don't think a J8, no matter how amazing, would ever suit me (plus I think the JK's look hideous w/o the AEV "Highline" body on them). For me the "No manual option" just kills a perfect vehicle espescialy for the price.

This is defiantly cool news and probably will make more then a few here on the Portal VERY happy. Now if I could just remember those winning Lotto numbers....

Cheers

Dave

 

[Metcalf]

I think its promising. For me, it basically fills in one of the last pieces of the puzzle. The wiring still scares me, but at least its possible!

Personally, I would just use the Liberty 545 auto and NP242. The manual vs auto thing is just personal preference. Even Tom Sheppard uses an automatic in his G-wagen now, I do now that he had some teething problems with it however.....

I would love to see how much of the liberty harness they used. It would seem that they would have used almost all of it, and that might be easier than trying to blend the TJ harness too much. I would LOVE to see someone make a complete replacement harness for the TJ that would allow the conversion. I don't think it will ever happen unless one person is very passionate about the conversion. I would love to tackle something like this if I had more time and space. Once you did the first one it would be pretty easy to board out for some limited production, or at least being able to make one when someone needed one. If someone wanted to eliminate the automatic and its computer that shouldn't be too hard to leave out since its a separate computer.

Beyond the wiring there would need to be.....

-Motor Mounts. I thin making a set that could index of the existing mounts would not be too hard. Maybe just have a jig that could be used on an exchange basis?

-Upper front control arms. This is a sticky one. Everything I have seen so car uses a radius arm style replacement system. RE long arms from Burnsville, and Range Rover arms from AEV. I would love to have an up close look, or access to some CAD data! I would like to know if it would be possible to use a 'bent' upper arm similar to the Currie J-arm to clear the CRD motor mount?

-Cooling package brackets. Both AEV and Burnsville used the complete CRD liberty cooling package. It looks like they where able to bolt it in with a fabricated bracket set. Again, maybe just some blueprints for the industrious people and a set for sale for the people who don't have the time to fab stuff like that themselves.

-JK axles. There are already a good number of places that make TJ bracket sets that would allow this conversion. I like the Clayton Offroad front brackets the best. For the rear I would use the AEV TJ weld-on track bar mount and a set of Clayton spring mounts and lower control arm mounts. Then maybe use a AEV stinger if it will work with the JK rear D44?

-Wheels. Like I said before, if you where to use factory bacspacing JK wheels on the axles the track-width would come out the same as using a TJ axle with AEV Pinters ( perfect for the AEV highline )

-Transmission/T-case. If your using the liberty 545/242 combo you may need to re-index the transfer case? The angle may be too different. If I remember right from the AEV hemi conversions the adapter to do this is out there. Also, on the AEV Hemi TJ conversions you had to use a 5/8" body lift in order to use the Tummy Tucker with the 545 automatic since it is much bigger than the stock 4-speed automatic.

-Driveshafts. They would most likely need to be adjusted. The JK axles would need the pinion flanges replaced with conventional u-joint yokes or the flanges adapted to.

I will edit this when I think of more stuff.

 

[ox4mag]

Dieseltoyz in San Antonio has been doing these conversions for several years now. As a matter of fact, we plan on doing one at some point in the semi-near future once we get through all the other projects we're currently working. Stay tuned.

 

[Metcalf]

Dieseltoyz is listing only the 2007+ Wrangler on there website. That is supposedly a lot easier since it was a factory application overseas.

 

[haven]

Has anyone worked the problem from the other direction?
That is, install Wrangler Rubicon running gear on a diesel
Liberty or Grand Cherokee. Just asking...

 

[Root Moose]

-Transmission/T-case. If your using the liberty 545/242 combo you may need to re-index the transfer case? The angle may be too different. If I remember right from the AEV hemi conversions the adapter to do this is out there. Also, on the AEV Hemi TJ conversions you had to use a 5/8" body lift in order to use the Tummy Tucker with the 545 automatic since it is much bigger than the stock 4-speed automatic.

It is possible to re-index the NV242/AW4 combo used in an XJ. IIRC the thread that shows it being done at NAXJA essentially re-drills either the t-case of transmission adapter for the bolt holes and gets on with it from there. NDB

I am assuming the same can be done with the ChryCo transmission. IIRC all the modern NV cases use a flat, round mounting flange so it should work similarly.

I didn't bother with my build, I just spaced the driveline upwards about 5/8" at the transfer case mount and welded a little ~5/8" pocket into my skid plate. Not entirely a flat tummer but a ~9"x9" area sticking out ~5/8" isn't going to make or break an obstacle.

 

[UK4X4]

http://www.cheapchryslerjeep.co.uk/specials/jeep-wrangler.shtml?gclid=CJb0ktmI_J4CFSBk4wodgzD7JQ

Sold from the factory in the UK..RHD though..

find a crashed one and ship over the front end complete.

a few spanners and scredrivers and your done

 

[Root Moose]

Yeah, I'm surprised no one has gotten into the "front cut" business for trucks like there is for the JDM stuff.

 

[Metcalf]

That is a JK front half cut.

As far as I know there was never a factory TJ diesel application.

If you have the right connections the JK diesel swap is doable with overseas parts from Italy or other parts of the EU that use LHD.

This thread is about the TJ application of the diesel, much more complicated.

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

Has anyone worked the problem from the other direction?
That is, install Wrangler Rubicon running gear on a diesel
Liberty or Grand Cherokee. Just asking...

BINGO! :victory:

 

[Metcalf]

Installing the JK Rubicon axles under a CRD Liberty would be pretty easy all things considered. The only big difference I could find in the FSMs was that the KJ uses only 3 wheel speed sensors ( LF,RF, and a single rear on the ring gear ). The JK uses one on each corner as far as I can tell. I think you could get by dropping one of the rear outputs from the JK to KJ. The pulse rate of the speed sensors may be different too and would need to be reprogrammed on the KJ.

Now, if you don't have ABS on the KJ you only need one speed input as far as I can tell. It goes directly into the body control module to provide a speed signal for the speedometer and odometer in the gauge cluster over the PCI network.

 

[wardrow]

Any body have a price on this conversion?