Cummins 4BT

I don't have the engine yet but I have put 100 dollars down on one and could get it back if I decided not to go with it but if anyone can get into more detail about V8 swap I'd love to hear it. I know once everything is all said and done I'd have 7500 in it. That's engine, rebuilding it, transmission, and atlas transfer case.
 
Jeep2010 said:
I don't have the engine yet but I have put 100 dollars down on one and could get it back if I decided not to go with it but if anyone can get into more detail about V8 swap I'd love to hear it. I know once everything is all said and done I'd have 7500 in it. That's engine, rebuilding it, transmission, and atlas transfer case.
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Jeep2010. I've swapped engines or should I say repowered four jeeps and one old power wagon over the last 25--I mean 28 years. It is never as simple as you think it will be and it usually costs 2-3 times what you think it is going to cost. If you were to replace the motor you already have I think you would end up way ahead in the end personally.

With that being said, we are just trying to help you accurately decide what you are thinking about doing.

The 4BT is called one of the worst swaps. See Four Wheeler magazine in 2010 (http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/engine/154-1006-top-10-dumbest-jeep-engine-swaps-ever/). It is electronically simple but I don't know how you are going to make it work with your 2010s computer. It won't pass emissions for you if that is ever a concern. Emissions wasn't a concern when I put it in my 58 Dodge Power wagon. I assume you like having a speedometer and a fuel gauge as well.

Anyway, back to the V8 swap. It will probably turn out to be $6000 plus the engine/tranny if you put all of the time in it yourself to do the labor. If you can find a cheap donor motor/transmission then you would end up comparable to a 4BT in price but the motor would probably be a little tired.
 
My concern is that that none of the electronics are going to work and all your dash lights are going to be on? I don't know this just wonder. i guess you could just paint over them?
 
Eddie runs a LS swap in Moby, along with Moochie as well (different motors) and they are very happy with them from what I understand.
 
I'm going to have someone drop the motor in the jeep and re-do all the electrics. They have done it before and still has all original function. I've heard that the cruise control might not work though.
 
2Cross said:
Jeep2010. I've swapped engines or should I say repowered four jeeps and one old power wagon over the last 25--I mean 28 years. It is never as simple as you think it will be and it usually costs 2-3 times what you think it is going to cost. If you were to replace the motor you already have I think you would end up way ahead in the end personally.

With that being said, we are just trying to help you accurately decide what you are thinking about doing.

The 4BT is called one of the worst swaps. See Four Wheeler magazine in 2010 (http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/engine/154-1006-top-10-dumbest-jeep-engine-swaps-ever/). It is electronically simple but I don't know how you are going to make it work with your 2010s computer. It won't pass emissions for you if that is ever a concern. Emissions wasn't a concern when I put it in my 58 Dodge Power wagon. I assume you like having a speedometer and a fuel gauge as well.

Anyway, back to the V8 swap. It will probably turn out to be $6000 plus the engine/tranny if you put all of the time in it yourself to do the labor. If you can find a cheap donor motor/transmission then you would end up comparable to a 4BT in price but the motor would probably be a little tired.
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^ This so much

I've had a couple friends who have done ls1 swaps in their cars, thinking they could get away with doing it cheap doing it themselves . Both of them ended up over 10 grand in the swap alone, my one buddy had to bust out his credit card. He really wasn't anticipating spending a lot of money on a simple "ls" swap. It's always more money an time then you think.

That said IMO a v8 of some sort is the way to go, just be ready to spend some coin doing it right.

When my 3.8 lets go on me one day, I will probably get another 3.8 with low miles.
 
I get wanting to do something cool and different. I don't getting wanting to stink up the trail with a diesel. Seriously, I'd be so pissed off running behind a smoke stack all day long. I also don't getting the desire to put such a heavy ass motor into a Jeep.
 
Recurve said:
^ This so much

I've had a couple friends who have done ls1 swaps in their cars, thinking they could get away with doing it cheap doing it themselves . Both of them ended up over 10 grand in the swap alone, my one buddy had to bust out his credit card. He really wasn't anticipating spending a lot of money on a simple "ls" swap. It's always more money an time then you think.

That said IMO a v8 of some sort is the way to go, just be ready to spend some coin doing it right.

When my 3.8 lets go on me one day, I will probably get another 3.8 with low miles.
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I got a chance to take a ride in a 4BT powered JKU. It had impressive torque, like throw you back into the seat torque, but, as others stated, it shook you to death. The owner did say he was getting crazy good fuel economy with it. I don't remember the exact figure, but I think like 30mpg. He had a company do the swap for him, so the price was set and that made it predictable for him. I have no idea if he takes it offroad so I can speak to breaking things but I imagine with that torque and him running Rubicon axles that it wouldn't take much.

I have an L96 with a 6L80E installed from MoTech in my JKU. Going with MoTech meant the price was set up front and so I could budget and have the piece of mind to know it would be completed for that price. All electronics work, including the cruise control. My gas mileage isn't much better than before, I get 16-17 on the interstate and 13-14 in town. I do wheel mine on moderate trails ( trails that are 3-4 on a scale of 6 and 'C' on a scale of 'A' being easy) and I love the low gearing of the 6L80E combined with 4LO.

Not sure if it's still true, but I believe with a 4BT you need 4" of lift. The L96 in my JKU is on 2.5" of lift.

Also, in defense of the argument that the torque from the 4BT means you need to look at 1-ton axles, I think the same is true with the V8. I'm on Rubicon D44s with chromoly axle shafts and quite a bit of torque management programed into the tune to keep parts from breaking, so I think that argument is kinda a wash as both platforms give you the opportunity to break stuff easier (albeit the 4BT would probably break stuff much easier).
 
This won't be a build that in going to be "rolling coal". My buddies tj only smoked if he in the sense floors it. It's not going to be crazy smoke. I know I'd be spending big money for an LS. I realize moving to one tons will be needed but for the time being I'm curious to see how far my axles take me. And I'll be getting a new lift that can support the weight. Still looking into which lift exactly but I have the budget set aside. This will be a long project as I'll be rebuilding it myself with some help.
 
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