Keith Fromme's 5.0 install

[Deleted]

Keith, I had those same exhaust issues when I did my motor swap. My cure was fenderwells and glass packs. After all this, all you will need are some off road tires.....

[Deleted]

Thanks Norm, I'm not quite sure if I'm ready for fenderwell headers yet. But I might have to. I seem to slide the rocker panels over rocks alot, I am afraid fenderwell exits would get beat up. Anyway, I got it running today, it sounds good. I have one small coolant leak I'm going to have to take care of in the morning, and a few more wires to connect.

[Deleted]

I tried using the in-frame headers, but it had the bad touch with the clutch. Or you could turn 'em up and out the hood like the mud guys do. That would be so Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch!

[Deleted]

Norm, you're killing me. Here's a coupe more of the finished install. All the powder coating was done by neighbor. He's gotten very good at it and he's cheap. We call my intake color ghetto ranger bass boat pimp. It was an experiment, but it works ok for an old CJ. But I really like the Ford blue color he did on the cover.

[87B2XLT]

Lookin' pretty dayum sweet, Keith! Looks like only a few minor details (air filter / intake, etc.) left and you're done. I like the "I like it on the rocks" and the 5.0 emblem!! ;D As far as exhaust goes, maybe shorty headers and a dreampipe y-pipe setup may do the trick instead of fenderwell headers, etc.

[4WDnRocksNmud]

hey keith, you gotta number for your neighbor? I got some body armor and a few diff covers I'd like done if the price is right...

[Deleted]

Bring the stuff over one night or weekend and let him look at it. He has to see it to tell what kind of prep work will be needed and what size the stuff is.

[Chuck]

Man, that's lookin' good!

I wish the later 5.0L blocks still had that boss for the manual linkage, but this still looks do-able. The trick is coming up with a block mount that won't flex under the force and give you clutch chatter. How is the space around that stock Jeep quadrant bar? Will what you have now clear the block and bellhousing if it's pulled out straight and level to its original position? If so, we just need to figure out a bracket to support the end toward the block. If not, it might be easier to come up with a new shaft.

Right now, for the mount, I'm thinking of a pair of plates that actually sandwich both sides of the bellhousing/block at those two lower left bolts. You can sandwich the rear part of the plate between longer bellhousing bolts and the bellhousing, and then mount the other side with a set of nuts on the projecting forward end of the longer bolts. With a pair of plates there, you'd be able to weld on whatever other arrangement you'd need to support the end of that bar, and it'd be stiff enough you shouldn't have to worry about chatter. Is it possible to get a picture from an angle down between the brake booster and the engine at that spot? Or maybe with the camera just forward of the booster? Same sort of angle as that top shot I sent of the 250 the other day.

On the exhaust -- 2.25" to the Y pipe and 2.5" beyond works well for a truck 302. A 3" pipe is wayyyyy overkill, and will just make it a little harder to route. You don't necessarily have to have the crossover tube for the Y pipe exposed -- I can't see the back of the pan, but if that's similar to the truck oil pan, you should have plenty of space to tuck that pipe in between the back of the pan and the inspection cover for the clutch. Can't get it all the way up, but you can get it far enough up there that it's not a low hanging target. This is how I have mine on the Bronco run, and it worked well for the couple of years before I stripped it last fall:



There's no real performance advantage to duals on something like this, particularly since a standard crank V8 produces an odd firing order on each bank without crossover headers. It's hard to tune an H pipe system effectively to get any real gains, and definitely not worth the trouble. You'll get the same basic performance out of a decent, properly sized single exhaust, and they're easier to route and leave more cash for other Jeep parts. ;D

Your neighbor does nice work! I'll have to remember he's there, I might have some stuff to get done over the next year or so.

[Deleted]

Chuck, I know exactly what you're saying. I've layed under it for an hour trying to figure something out. The z-bar will fit without hitting the block or bellhousing and be straight and level. At this point, it appears it will be best just to fab a bracket to mount the end of the z-bar on. I have some flat stock and angle iron, and I can weld, I just don't have the skilz to figure out what shape to make the stuff in. Only that very bottom bolt can go through the mounting ear. The bolt above that one goes in to the block. I'm going to take Friday off and try to get something done, as it's the only thing left I need to do, other than the exhaust.
As for the exhaust, I'm still not sure, I alreay have 2 1/4" going down the left side. So whether I run 2 1/4 down the other side, or scrap what I have and do a y and 2 1/2" is going to be about the same $. I don't thing power wise it will be much different either way, I think the dual exhaust might sound better though.
I'll try to get some more pics. I can't believe that after all this I've researched and worked out and accomplished, I overlooked the fact the bellhousing I have is a later model one; and now I'm stuck.

[CORE 4WD]

Keith I wish I could get over there and help ya out. Gotta make that trip home. I've actually got an adapter for my 351W (new block style) that allows me to bolt the equalizer bar (z bar) to it. I wonder if that would work on your's considering your exhaust? It's for either 302 or 351W. You can come get it if you want to try it out...
Dave

[Deleted]

Dave where'd you get it, and would it possible to send it with Billy and ask him to drop it off next time he's out my way?

[CORE 4WD]

Wild Horses 4x4. All the EB shops sell them. I'll give it to Billy today, if it works just order another one. They're like $15. If that doesn't work and you haven't come up with anything, when I get back I'll fix it up for ya... ;D

[Chuck]

That sounds like it may be a good quick fix! Even if it doesn't have exactly what you need to mount the Jeep Z bar, if it takes care of the bellhousing end you could get one and then weld on what you need. Getting a stiff mount to the bellhousing is going to be where most of the work and figuring will be.

[Deleted]

Yes, you read my mind. Modifying one will be easier than starting from scratch! Thanks Dave!

[Deleted]

Well got it all done today. I figured out a way to make a bracket up, and just started cutting and welding. It may not be pretty, but it's plenty strong and it works good. While I was there I put some of those nice clutch rods with the heim joints on the ends (I think that's what they're called). That in itself made a huge difference. Here's a couple photos, I'm just happy it's working. I took it for a drive with the open headers, got some strange looks, but I don't care, this thing runs great.