2.5 Jeep into CJ3

I have not seen much on this swap, anybody ever done it? For someone looking for a little more power than an L 134 and not wanting a 225 or 4.3, it seems like a good idea.

 

Hello, I have a 153 cubic inch Chevy inline four in my CJ2A. This makes a very clean installion. This motor is still used in Mercruiser Boat applications and parts are easy to get. This is the most underated motor for converstion and fits really well in the engine compartment. I run 4:27 gears behind this motor and it moves this jeep down the road at 65 MPH all day long. In the Mercruiser applications they have pushed it out to 3.0.

 

where did you source your conversion parts? what sort of bell housing? motor mounts? any more info? any pictures?

 

The 153 Chevy (and 181 Mercruiser) use a Chevy bellhousing. Lots of these swaps have been done - there's amember here with the 181 in his CJ-5 - and there's a page on the CJ-3B board that suggests the 153: http://www.film.queensu.ca/CJ3B/Tech/EngineSwaps.html The 181 is still available new, in the crate: http://www.gm.com/automotive/gmpowertrain/engines/specialized/industrial/2004_3000_ind.pdf

The 150 uses the same bell as the 2.8L Chevy V6. Here's an article on adapting the SM420 to the 150: http://www.jeeptech.com/wiki/index.php/Transmission/Conversion/SM420/Swapping_a_SM420_into_a_YJ You should be able to use the regular GM adapter (Novak, Advanced) with the S-10 bell to connect to a T-90.

Both of these swaps have a lot going for them ... I wonder why more have not done the 150 swap.

<edit> The 2000/2300 Pinto engine is popular too.

 

Gotta be careful saying its a chevy bellhousing... the 2.8 V6 was a 60* V-6 unlike most other GM motors that we would want in our jeeps which are a 90* bellousing. The 2.8 60* V-6 is BOP bellhousing (Buick Olds, Pontiac) that is also what the 4 cyl should be.

 

with a BOP bellhousing, one could put an aluminum 215 Buick/Land Rover engine in a CJ: that might be pretty sweet.

 

Could also do a Northstar V-8 :twisted: R)

 

The 198 V-6 215 V-8 don't use the regular BOP bellhousing. They use a round pattern bellhousing, at least all the ones I've seen. I'm not sure what pattern the Land Rover uses. Would definitely be sweet! Nickmil.

 

In my application I used the Jeep adapter that came with the T14 transmission to GM bellhousing (used in V6 application) and dana 20 transfer case. I made my own motor mounts and made a cradle type motor mount that bolts to the front of the block, and used some rubber biskets from Advaced adapters, and just welded some tabs on the frame for the mounts to **** on. This motor is very compact and you can locate in almost anywhere in the engine bay to line up your transmission to the stock holes in the floor boards so the shifter comes out in the stock location. Again this makes a very clean installation and has ample power. You can also run a GM power steeriing pump of this motor.

 

like to see pics of this.

 

I'm building a jeep right now (and i think termin8ed maybe looking into the conversion also) with a 215 v8. nickmil is correct when he says only the buick 198 v6 (built 62-63) and the 215 v8 (built 61-63) share the same bellhousing pattern. no other gm motor has this bellhousing. when land rover bought the rights to the 215 from gm in the mid sixties, much of the original motor remained unchanged, but i cant speak from experience as i never worked on a rover 215 (more commomly known as a rover 3.5). rover used this motor up until the late 90's and punched it as far as 4.2 litres. i'm sure somewhere in its 35 year run, rover changed the bellhousing.

 

I listed an Iron Duke 4cyl from a CJ8 in the for sale thinking it would be a good swap for someone. It has the standard chevy bellhousing so most any chevy trans should bolt right up, but nobody seemed interested.