SAR JK r2.8 Cummins conversion

[superbuickguy]

and to be clear..... what other people like for their cars - I'm your biggest fan, even though I may not be much of a fan of the car.... a car person is a car person no matter what.
With that said

another day on the heep

cross member finishing

fun fact, cat can't stay on with the motor mounts in place

yes, now flat - the biggest problem was the mount compressed more then an inch... this compresses but only like 3/8"

motor mounts welded and painted

other mount welded and painted

in other news, why I hate heeps.... see the stud? that is right dead on top of the transmission... creates clearance problems and a fantastic way to take skin off hands

 

[superbuickguy]

onward, installed the clutch and adjusted the clutch fork

tomorrow, install... though I realized that I'm going to have one problem - I don't have the plug for the top of the transmission (reverse switch).... hope I can get it later - all that money for a installation package... not seeing the value in them

 

[superbuickguy]

unchained

clutch installed

given the angles... I dunno, I may have to open up a can of worms I don't want to do.... but we'll see (cliffhanger!)

 

[AggieOE]

Looking great! Any idea of the weight difference between the two setups?

 

[superbuickguy]

time to make some bits to keep from dropping a very expensive transfer case

and installed

had to modify the t-case control bracket to fit

quickdraw brands. screw them. 3 weeks ago, I asked them for pictures or drawings on how this goes together - **************** crickets. Never buy from them, they're no cheaper then what you can compile yourself - and with everyone else, you get instructions.

I have no idea what I'm doing wrong.... for the money it costs to get stuff from them, and the radio silence when asking even the most basic of questions.... I hear they'll be at SEMA... yeah, we will talk... might even record it.
that list:
belt is wrong? it clearly is because even the Cummins manual shows the belt routing like I have it.
who needs the air intake box they sent? unnecessary and a needless expense - pretty sure it won't work
the shifter - they sent just a gear shift - there is no ********** way, you need a 5 1/4 offset shifter (and the bonus is the shifter doesn't work with it)
no instructions for the motor mounts
missing trans mounts (part of that cricket conversation above)
in happier news, driveshafts are in... little bit of work on the cross member and that's done.
checklist:
driveshafts: done
clutch: done
motor mounts: done
trans-mount... just a bit of die grinding

I'll try to get a belt tomorrow... while I did have options on routing for the 6.5 - I don't see another way of running this so I get an inch or so more of length.

 

[superbuickguy]

Looking great! Any idea of the weight difference between the two setups?

a lot (lol). Shipping weight on the Cummins is 900#, I'd guess that at least 150# is the really cool box. (which jives with what I heard of 768 for the motor). The transmission has to be at least another 40-60 lbs.

and that question you all are wondering.... how does it fit. Poorly without a lift. Replacing a v6 with a straight 4 makes for a longer motor but the other really big issue is the height. My final angle is 5.68 degrees at the output shaft (which 1-3 degrees is optimal). The lift will be around 2 1/2 over what it was when I started this conversion. And the biggest 'fit' problem is the transmission tunnel - I refuse to chop up the floor (mostly because I don't have that kind of time - but if I did, I'd add at least an inch to get the trans further away from the ground.)

and I'm still predicting the performance will be just fine. I'll probably put 34s on this when done - and it's current diff ratio is 3.73 - which makes it functionally the same as the diesel Colorado I daily (which has very similar hp/torque numbers). It's power I describe as great pulling from a stop power and sufficient power - even when towing at max capacity.... and some point in my life, I may swap the 350 in my FJ40 for a 2.8 duramax. GM could have owned the world with that motor if they had just kept producing it (and before someone gets squirrely - when your Tacoma gets 25 mpg with 33s and can tow 7700 lbs (at 13 mpg), let me know) - also, my wife drives a diesel Colorado and routinely gets 35 mpg on stock tires and better throttle control

 

[sackettmw]

quickdraw brands. screw them. 3 weeks ago, I asked them for pictures or drawings on how this goes together - **************** crickets. Never buy from them, they're no cheaper then what you can compile yourself - and with everyone else, you get instructions.

I had similar experiences with Quickdraw. Had a simple problem with they sent the wrong pilot bearing with a bellhousing kit for an FJ40 I was working on. It took so many phone calls and emails to get the correct part. I had to wait for Chad or something like that to call me back so I could send pictures and get talked to like I was the one wasting someone's time.

 

[AggieOE]

a lot (lol). Shipping weight on the Cummins is 900#, I'd guess that at least 150# is the really cool box. (which jives with what I heard of 768 for the motor). The transmission has to be at least another 40-60 lbs.

and that question you all are wondering.... how does it fit. Poorly without a lift. Replacing a v6 with a straight 4 makes for a longer motor but the other really big issue is the height. My final angle is 5.68 degrees at the output shaft (which 1-3 degrees is optimal). The lift will be around 2 1/2 over what it was when I started this conversion. And the biggest 'fit' problem is the transmission tunnel - I refuse to chop up the floor (mostly because I don't have that kind of time - but if I did, I'd add at least an inch to get the trans further away from the ground.)

and I'm still predicting the performance will be just fine. I'll probably put 34s on this when done - and it's current diff ratio is 3.73 - which makes it functionally the same as the diesel Colorado I daily (which has very similar hp/torque numbers). It's power I describe as great pulling from a stop power and sufficient power - even when towing at max capacity.... and some point in my life, I may swap the 350 in my FJ40 for a 2.8 duramax. GM could have owned the world with that motor if they had just kept producing it (and before someone gets squirrely - when your Tacoma gets 25 mpg with 33s and can tow 7700 lbs (at 13 mpg), let me know) - also, my wife drives a diesel Colorado and routinely gets 35 mpg on stock tires and better throttle control

Wow. I really expected this to be a simpler swap as, I thought, I've heard of a number of people doing it.

 

[superbuickguy]

got some parts today - didn't do a lot because I have another project coming in tomorrow.... just what I need, right?
shout out to AEV, I've never had trouble with any part they supplied

2 1/2" lift... of course Summit is now shipping from wherever they feel like - so nothing arrives in one box anymore

Jeep is turned around so it's on the lift correctly - before, without the motor, it really doesn't make a difference but now... yeah, she's a big girl

 

[superbuickguy]

I had similar experiences with Quickdraw. Had a simple problem with they sent the wrong pilot bearing with a bellhousing kit for an FJ40 I was working on. It took so many phone calls and emails to get the correct part. I had to wait for Chad or something like that to call me back so I could send pictures and get talked to like I was the one wasting someone's time.

I have this image that they have to drag Chad in from wherever he's at to do his job.... and if he can get away with not doing it, he won't

Wow. I really expected this to be a simpler swap as, I thought, I've heard of a number of people doing it.

2 choices, either I'm really slow or they're really not telling you the entire truth.... truth be told, this isn't terrible so far. I read a lot of 'builds' and never found one that talked it through - as this is all volunteer work it's not criticism of what they think you want to see but rather me saying that I'm putting in the stuff that I think someone else might like to know. As those who know me, my tagline is usually "doing it all wrong since 1966"

 

[superbuickguy]

time to reinstall the core support

then the pieces I got yesterday

starting with the back

bumpstops.... I like this kit, well thought out

anyway, that's it for tonight....

 

[AggieOE]

time to reinstall the core support

then the pieces I got yesterday

starting with the back

bumpstops.... I like this kit, well thought out

anyway, that's it for tonight....

I have the AEV 2.5" kit with geo brackets and I love it. Well thought out indeed.

 

[superbuickguy]

back is done

Quickdraw sent a 100" belt, this is 102 1/4" belt and too short. Going 1" larger.... downside is those green belts are $100 each

so will probably get another 'cheap' belt to verify length

 

[superbuickguy]

I have the AEV 2.5" kit with geo brackets and I love it. Well thought out indeed.

it was the progressive springs that got me. that it's well-thought-out is a nice bonus.

 

[superbuickguy]

Now with lift

2 1/2 lift.... lol.... I wonder if the guys who put that marketing on the lift kit did the "yep, looks like 2""

conversely, the back is 2 1/4" lift

Fittings

Fitted

as is typical, one fitting is missing (mind you, I bought a bunch as backstock for my hydro assist stuff on my other 4x4s
fun fact - the take-off for the vacuum is on the front of the 3.6, it's also on the front of the r2.8....

this was not fun to run at the firewall... but the heater is done

and when removing the gas tank, also test the tinsel strength of the pump wires

video shortly