# Planning 2001 Jeep GC conversion



## CuTeBoi (Jun 1, 2018)

I'm looking for the correct SR for asking for help in picking parts, since I have a donor car that just had a motor die on it.

If this is the right place, here's what I'm up against:

My 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.7L engine just died last week, and I was looking for a replacement engine, it costs 1,600$ from junk yards local to me, or 1,200$ from ebay. Problem I find with local options is that it's going to cost a lot of time, and I'm at the moment unable to maneuver a V8 of that size to do the work on my own, and it's time consuming for such a large engine if I hurt myself, since time off work will cost much more than the vehicle is worth. I have plenty of other vehicles for daily driving, this Jeep is only driven maybe 3 times a year, and off road. It's really useless.

So my thought with my drives to Mexico every year is that I use the Jeep as a glorified covered Trailer, but with a proposed fancy feature; It could be DRIVEN to be parked on my driveway. There's laws in place to prevent people parking trailers, and having a trailer hidden as a Jeep seems like a great way to bypass this law, and make it rather easy to have an electric motor help it park.

I'm living in the San Antonio TX area, and i've already started stripping out the engine as I will be using this as a flat towed vehicle to Mexico then to Panama. I will be using it as a nice fancy sleeping cabin for my kids when on a property I trust, and maybe use it for charging phones, the purpose I don't think is too important.

My problem: What AC motor could I use that's good enough to move the Jeep. Speed isn't the issue, it's for either driving around the block, or to park it into the driveway with powered systems. Also, I'd like to try and future proof it by having it have a range of maybe half a block to start with, and upgrade by just adding more batteries in parallel. I honestly will never drive it, and will just used the motor to help the car parallel park if I'm driving the car to some foreign city, or to park it up a small hill in Panama to store it on a property where my truck can't navigate (serious problem I don't want to get rid of). I'd LOVE to somehow attach a tesla motor to the 4x4 transfer case, and grab the smallest capacity battery that can power it, and get the electronics for it. I'd love to keep it inexpensive, so that I can get the motor, pedal, and motor controller for as low as possible. If the cost of a tesla motor + accessories to make the motor spin forward or backward is too high, then something that can handle tesla batteries so that I can purchase some cells from ebay, and attach as needed in the future. I'm not needing this trailer to move fast, if it's slow and steady, I could do that as well, this is a future proof project that if it turns into a full fledged offroad EV, I could do it in 5 ~ 10 years when batteries get cheaper or better chemistry is invented/discovered.

Throw some ideas, try to keep them under $3k for the motor, controller, pedal, batteries. No I'm not worried about steering being a problem, I can buy a hydraulic pump that can be powered by a deep cycle 12V battery, it's not an issue for the next decade.


I've browsed around Ebay for batteries;

Teslas are too expensive, and seem like great ideas. 1,000$ each 24v module
C-Max batteries are large, and have a large capacity, and seem economical. I don't need much range, so capacity doesn't have to be large. 350$ https://www.ebay.com/itm/202321528648

Would 5.5AH be enough to move the motor and drive the car around the block, and no more? That'd be great!

I saw some 5KW AC motors from 300$ to 1000$, but I have no clue how to pair up a motor controller with a motor. I'd like for the motors to be able to go into reverse without needing a reverse gear of some sort, as I would love to have the motor mount directly to the transfer case, and avoid the transmission completely. And would such a motor be able to move the car in 4x4? I hope to have the Jeep stripped out in the next 2 weeks.


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## Kevin Sharpe (Jul 4, 2011)

CuTeBoi said:


> What AC motor could I use that's good enough to move the Jeep. Speed isn't the issue, it's for either driving around the block, or to park it into the driveway with powered systems.


Why not use the starter motor and some cheap lead acid batteries?


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## dedlast (Aug 17, 2013)

When I moved my project car into the garage, I just used the starter and the one battery. I have a fairly steep but short driveway and that was enough to get the car up and in position. The heads were off so there wasn't any compression to fight against. In your case, I'm not sure I would want keep the block, even if all the pistons were stripped out of it and just the crank was left, although that is an option.



Bill


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## CuTeBoi (Jun 1, 2018)

I never thought of just using the starter. I could remove everything and break off the engine into pieces leaving the starter mount in place only. I guess I would just need to attach one of those electric sewing machine pedals to the starter relay and put the car into gear. And if I need anything more, just mount a stronger ele tric DC motor to the flywheel, is that about right?

I was hoping to get rid of the transmission and attach something to the transfer case, giving me much more space for a frunk, But I'll do this to get started.

Any suggestions on what I could do after? So I could roll it down the street?


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## MattsAwesomeStuff (Aug 10, 2017)

How about you just throw a cordless drill onto the tranny? They're good for a half/1 horsepower.


A treadmill motor would also work in a pinch.


Don't bother with a speed controller, just hook up the number of batteries you need, maybe use a blowdrier or toaster to limit the little bit of current you'll need.


There's lots of wrong ways to do this


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## CuTeBoi (Jun 1, 2018)

Yeah, I just realized that this has a LOT of potential with my duty. I'll most likely see how I just replace the starter mount with a DC motor with the value of the battery pack I choose. That would be great.

I'm thinking of wiring one of those foot pedals from one of the power wheels directly to the starter relay, keeping it simple.

Now for brakes, what kind of 12/24v vacuum pump should I use for the brake system? The power train is already figured out.


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## MattsAwesomeStuff (Aug 10, 2017)

> Now for brakes, what kind of 12/24v vacuum pump should I use for the brake system?


None.

You'll have manual, unpowered brakes. They won't work great, since you can't really push that hard with your foot, but you won't be going fast or far, so, who cares.

I wouldn't even add another battery, just use the starter battery.



> I guess I would just need to attach one of those electric sewing machine pedals to the starter relay and put the car into gear.


Sewing machine pedals, the old ones, were variable resistors that could handle about 100 watts. You'd melt one trying to drive with it for more than like, 3 seconds.

If you just want an on/off switch, it's going to be a bumpy ride and you're going to chew gear teeth, but, whatever. I guess you could put in a big resistor for a slow start, and a second starter relay in series with the first one that shorts out that resistor for full speed. Drill and add a little light switch to control the signal for the relay and mount it to your dash. 

Again there are many terrible ways to do this, most of which will sort of work.


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## CuTeBoi (Jun 1, 2018)

I just realized something, I don't think I can do the starter method to run the transmission if it's an Automatic transmission. I recall an article long ago that this guy put a forklift motor into his honda civic, and had said that to use the motor he had to make sure to use a manual transmission, because an automatic transmission requires spooling up and have a minimum speed for the transmission to build up pressure for the plates to engage the gears.

Would the starter do the deed? or would I need something higher speed?


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

Hi
A starter is very low duty cycle - why don't you get an old forklift motor and put that in
Here they go for $100 for a small one - 9 inch and $200 for a big one - 11 inch

$1000 will get a decent high voltage controller - but if there is a working controler at the forklift place that would do you for low speed 

Then you have batteries - a Volt pack will be about $2000 
Which will blow your budget but just one module would be OK and about $500


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

MattsAwesomeStuff said:


> Again there are many terrible ways to do this, most of which will sort of work.


 LOL True!


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## CuTeBoi (Jun 1, 2018)

Duncan said:


> Hi
> A starter is very low duty cycle - why don't you get an old forklift motor and put that in
> Here they go for $100 for a small one - 9 inch and $200 for a big one - 11 inch


It's why I came here, I don't know what to buy.

I've been suggested to just use the starter to move the car.


Here's what I have so far, tearing apart the engine still, need to get the harmonic balancer off the front of the car, then get the timing cover off, then I can get all the timing stuff off, and then remove the head. I'll most likely cut things out at some point. But the cheap sewing pedal does the right job very well.

https://youtu.be/C5CiYZwsP-o


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## MattsAwesomeStuff (Aug 10, 2017)

> I've been suggested to just use the starter to move the car.


I mean, starters are cheap, you know how and where to get a new one. I would say plan on using one, change your mind if it melts.

I don't think Duncan read your requirements in detail, spending $6000 on a trailer just to help move it around is unnecessary. No controller, no extra batteries, and I wouldn't even waste money on a used motor.


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## CuTeBoi (Jun 1, 2018)

Duncan said:


> Hi
> Then you have batteries - a Volt pack will be about $2000
> Which will blow your budget but just one module would be OK and about $500


Why not a C-Max battery pack? they seem to be plentiful on ebay, 5AH each cell, and modules sell for about 350$, are they that bad?


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## CuTeBoi (Jun 1, 2018)

MattsAwesomeStuff said:


> I mean, starters are cheap, you know how and where to get a new one. I would say plan on using one, change your mind if it melts.
> 
> I don't think Duncan read your requirements in detail, spending $6000 on a trailer just to help move it around is unnecessary. No controller, no extra batteries, and I wouldn't even waste money on a used motor.


Yeah, I was thinking that, I don't need range, and I don't need speed. I need inexpensive, and I just need to be able to park the car when I get to destinations.

I need to go to Autozone and get a puller to remove that damned pulley, so I can start removing the rest of the engine in pieces.


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## CuTeBoi (Jun 1, 2018)

Got the pulley off, trying to remove the exhaust heat shields and the exhaust piping, and I'm unable to get access to it, it's against and over the steel rails of the jeep. Looks like this isn't designed to be taken fully apart in the engine bay.

I was hoping to finish this weekend, but I don't think that will be possible.

maybe I'll just grab the reciprocating saw, and start cutting away at the engine like a mad doctor. But I definitely can't do it this late in the evening, I know cops will be coming by telling me to keep it down.


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## MattsAwesomeStuff (Aug 10, 2017)

CuTeBoi said:


> I'm unable to get access to it, it's against and over the steel rails of the jeep.


Well just get out the sawzall and...



> maybe I'll just grab the reciprocating saw, and start cutting away at the engine like a mad doctor.


My man.



> But I definitely can't do it this late in the evening, I know cops will be coming by telling me to keep it down.


Plan it out, then do it quick and back inside. Leave it for 30-45 minutes (time for cops to drive by, see nothing, and leave) then go out and do the quieter stuff again like undoing bolts.


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

CuTeBoi said:


> Got the pulley off, trying to remove the exhaust heat shields and the exhaust piping, and I'm unable to get access to it, it's against and over the steel rails of the jeep. Looks like this isn't designed to be taken fully apart in the engine bay.


True. Few cars or light trucks can be fully torn down in place.



CuTeBoi said:


> maybe I'll just grab the reciprocating saw, and start cutting away at the engine like a mad doctor.


This whole idea of chopping away at the block without a real plan or an understanding of what is inside the engine and what would be needed to keep the starter motor working seems like a huge waste of effort to me. I doubt anyone who has worked with engines would consider cutting through major components (the block or the crank, for instance) with a recip saw.

And then there's the problem that you're right: the automatic transmission won't work for this purpose.


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## CuTeBoi (Jun 1, 2018)

brian_ said:


> This whole idea of chopping away at the block without a real plan or an understanding of what is inside the engine and what would be needed to keep the starter motor working seems like a huge waste of effort to me. I doubt anyone who has worked with engines would consider cutting through major components (the block or the crank, for instance) with a recip saw.


I have an understanding of what's inside an engine, my only thing is I don't know what's inside the Jeep engine. My work on engines has been limited to Toyota Corollas, Solaras, Camry, Honda Civics, Fits, and Accords.

This is my first attempt at something so large, and I own a 2013 Chevy Silverado 3500HD, which I don't believe I'll ever be able to tear apart, other than to change the bed.

With the suggestion of "run off your starter" is to tear into the block and the crank shaft up to the first bed, were the shaft runs through. I was thinking of keeping the flywheel, but with the issue of the transmission not able to do what I want;

Does it really matter what I am going to save at this point? I'm just removing the engine until I get some sort of plan on what motor I can use to bypass the transmission, and just go for the motor going on the transfer case.



> And then there's the problem that you're right: the automatic transmission won't work for this purpose.


well, darn. But my work of removing the engine still needs to happen. And at this point, removing the transmission as well, since I can sell that along with many other parts. The engine is no good, and will need to be recycled, in pieces.


*Still, I need a choice of a motor/controller* to handle moving the Jeep directly from the transfer case. I'll work out the coupling part, and how to brace the motor. Unless I need to get a transmission that I can attach to the transfer case to allow reverse, forward, and park, I honestly don't think I need that, if a motor controller can do that, except the park feature, which I have no clue if I need that, unless I just add an actuator that just engages a gear to prevent the gear from moving.


This evening I didn't use the reciprocating saw, but I did make a plan on how to cut off the exhaust headers by lifting the valve heads a bit, and cut past the valves and cut the bolts holding the exhaust in place, once cut, I can just lift off the valve body parts and toss as needed. I'll need to cut out the exhaust from under the car, all cabling from the O2 sensors are gone already, and I'm almost done. Tomorrow, that reciprocating saw may need a new pack of metal cutting blades. Anything to not get an Engine Hoist.

I'm also liking that thread by JackBauer, he made his own motor controller, wonder if the motor controller supports reverse. If so, I may just use his method, and what ever 9" fork lift motor he's using, I didn't catch a model number, or something to search for on Ebay.


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## MattsAwesomeStuff (Aug 10, 2017)

CuTeBoi said:


> Unless I need to get a transmission that I can attach to the transfer case to allow reverse, forward, and park, I honestly don't think I need that, if a motor controller can do that, except the park feature, which I have no clue if I need that, unless I just add an actuator that just engages a gear to prevent the gear from moving.


Again, a non-issue. Keep the tranny if you want, it's auto but, at jogging speeds you'll be fine.

If you want to get rid of it, you can electrically reverse either by switching voltage electronically, or, by using a pair of contactors (one can be the one you've already got) to reverse both positive and negative. You can do this while the motor is off, so, you can get away with lighter contactors. But if you're an auto guy and can swipe a bunch from the junkyard, you're fine. Solenoids are a lot easier than a whole tranny or a fancier controller. (Erm, your contactors have to be double throw, starter solenoids might not have a terminal at the unactivated area).



> I'm also liking that thread by JackBauer, he made his own motor controller, wonder if the motor controller supports reverse. If so, I may just use his method, and what ever 9" fork lift motor he's using, I didn't catch a model number, or something to search for on Ebay.


Make your own decision, but, I'm going to all but insist you not spend a goddman dime on your shitbox project. You don't need any of that superfluous shit. You are functionally looking for something as strong as two buddies pushing your car to help you park. Just use the starter. If you melt it, oh well, upgrade later.

Damien's controller will work on your starter motor too, if you're worried about speed control. A DC series motor is a DC series motor. But you don't need it. Two modes, slow, and fast, should be fine. Buy an old hair drier, stove element, toaster.. anything that makes heat, and use that.

Don't overthink this. Don't overcomplicate it. You're looking for minutes of runtime over the next decade.


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## Kevin Sharpe (Jul 4, 2011)

This rambling video demonstrates a car driving along the road using the starter motor and a single 12V lead acid battery... as others have said, don't overthink this


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## CuTeBoi (Jun 1, 2018)

Kevin Sharpe said:


> This rambling video demonstrates a car driving along the road using the starter motor and a single 12V lead acid battery... as others have said, don't overthink this


I don't think that will work, that works on Standard transmission, great idea, but may not work. I'll get to work cutting the exhaust pipes now, and take some more pictures, and maybe a video. I'll remove all the extra parts I wont need. Need to remove the lower part of the engine and start removing sump pump, and other little bits here and there.


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## CuTeBoi (Jun 1, 2018)

MattsAwesomeStuff said:


> Again, a non-issue. Keep the tranny if you want, it's auto but, at jogging speeds you'll be fine.


Ok, I'll keep at it.



> Make your own decision, but, I'm going to all but insist you not spend a goddman dime on your shitbox project....





> Don't overthink this. Don't overcomplicate it. You're looking for minutes of runtime over the next decade.


You're right, I just wanted clarification if the starter method wont work because of the car being an Automatic, what would be my next options.



I'll keep at it, and keep it as simple as possible, it's only to move the car into a parked position, and not much else.


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## CuTeBoi (Jun 1, 2018)

I got a lot done today, it took quite a while to cut off the bolts on the exhaust manifold on one side, and the other side, I was able to just cut the exhaust before the 1st catalytic converter.

I also took the time to disconnect all the wiring to the transmission, I don't like that it's unplugged, I may cut off the harness since many connectors are broken, and I doubt I can sell it in the condition it's in. I'll cut the harnesses, and seal the connector ports, because I know the transmission is still good to go, and I will be able to make some money on it when I find a good replacement for the starter motor method of moving the car.

Spent 15$ on a pack of 5 metal cutting blades for the reciprocating saw, it helped a lot.

I also had to figure out how to remove the different components from the engine itself. I had to remove the valve heads (left and right of the V8 block), remove the mid line of the engine where the crank shaft goes, remove the sump pump, remove the oil pan, and clean things up.

I took 9 hours working on the car, mostly sitting around pondering what steps to take.

I got it down to the bottom of the engine block with the crank shaft resting on it, I connected the lower block to the transmission case with the 4 bolts holding the bottom block, and 4 bolts holding on to the transmission.

https://imgur.com/a/ywWBgJK

I'm still downloading the video from my security system, since it would be hands off, and I wouldn't have to dirty up my phone, or any camera I chose to use.

I'll upload a timelapse of the 9 hours of doing very little except hurt myself. Hands hurt, head hurts, wife even helped out, because she wanted me done earlier than 2am... Now I'm working on other things, and I'm not going to bed until 2am.

Tomorrow I will try to move the car with the starter alone. See if that gets the job done.


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## MattsAwesomeStuff (Aug 10, 2017)

See a bolt, remove a bolt, 9 hours later... 

One of the gears of your transmission will likely be straight through 1:1.

In the video Kevin linked, you can see that the guy moves the car in 3rd gear, which is probably pretty close to 1:1.

Once you see to what degree the starter can handle moving the vehicle, I'd get ready to remove the tranny entirely and mount the starter to the driveshaft directly, if that's worth your time for the extra space/weight and bonus of selling the tranny.


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## CuTeBoi (Jun 1, 2018)

MattsAwesomeStuff said:


> See a bolt, remove a bolt, 9 hours later...


Essentially, I sat around staring at components, trying to work out how to remove them. The transmission is quite massive and heavy, I can lower it if needed, doesn't seem too bad.



> One of the gears of your transmission will likely be straight through 1:1.
> 
> In the video Kevin linked, you can see that the guy moves the car in 3rd gear, which is probably pretty close to 1:1.
> 
> Once you see to what degree the starter can handle moving the vehicle, I'd get ready to remove the tranny entirely and mount the starter to the driveshaft directly, if that's worth your time for the extra space/weight and bonus of selling the tranny.


Problem I see in that video is that I don't have a manual transmission, I don't know how to set it to "3rd gear". I'm back in my home office today, I'm also letting my hands, fingers, legs and ego recover for today. I'm looking at how to lock a transmission into a gear, without really damaging it. Not getting much information.


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## MattsAwesomeStuff (Aug 10, 2017)

> Problem I see in that video is that I don't have a manual transmission, I don't know how to set it to "3rd gear". I'm back in my home office today, I'm also letting my hands, fingers, legs and ego recover for today. I'm looking at how to lock a transmission into a gear, without really damaging it. Not getting much information.


So, I don't think you'll need to. If you want to just test it, then just leave it as is.

I'm not as confident in this, but I think the reason that automatics aren't used in DIY conversions is largely because the torque converter gets confused by the oodles of torque the motor has available, and it might never shift out of 1st gear (with that much torque, it might be waiting for a weaker torque at high speed that never gets there). At least, not with some awkward feathering of the pedal.

But the reason I pointed out the whole 3rd gear thing is because the output side of the transmission likely spins 1:1 with the input in 3rd or 4th gear. Meaning you could replace the whole Tranny and just mount the starter to the driveshaft.

If you have a hope of selling the tranny, I wouldn't mess with it, you're just going to wreck things.

On the note of gears.. doesn't your gear shift have a "1" and "2" on it, in addition to PRND?


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

CuTeBoi said:


> I also had to figure out how to remove the different components from the engine itself. I had to remove the valve heads (left and right of the V8 block), remove the mid line of the engine where the crank shaft goes, remove the sump pump, remove the oil pan, and clean things up.
> ...
> I got it down to the bottom of the engine block with the crank shaft resting on it, I connected the lower block to the transmission case with the 4 bolts holding the bottom block, and 4 bolts holding on to the transmission.
> 
> ...


The names of engine parts don't matter to the EV conversion, but if you're selling parts it would help to know what they're called....
They're not "valve heads", they're cylinder heads. There's no "main" or "upper" block, there's just one block; the photo which shows the crankshaft shows the crank sitting in the main bearing girdle, with the block removed. The "sump pump" is the oil pump.

Yes, it's a harmonic damper; that's what it's called because that's what it does. 

Overall, I suppose this is strong evidence that you can accomplish something even if you have little idea of what you're doing, if you're willing to work hard enough. 

So it seems that the block wasn't sawn (with a recip saw or otherwise) - it's sitting on the driveway, with heads stacked on top of it.

Don't expect much if anything selling the parts if you go ahead with using some parts of the engine, since you will have only parts of an engine, and even some of them have been damaged (such as cutting the exhaust studs).



CuTeBoi said:


> The transmission is quite massive and heavy, I can lower it if needed, doesn't seem too bad.


Yes, the way to remove the transmission is to support it with a jack, remove mounting bolts and other connections (shift linkage, wiring, fluid cooler lines, etc), then lower it.



MattsAwesomeStuff said:


> One of the gears of your transmission will likely be straight through 1:1.
> 
> In the video Kevin linked, you can see that the guy moves the car in 3rd gear, which is probably pretty close to 1:1.
> 
> Once you see to what degree the starter can handle moving the vehicle, I'd get ready to remove the tranny entirely and mount the starter to the driveshaft directly, if that's worth your time for the extra space/weight and bonus of selling the tranny.





CuTeBoi said:


> Problem I see in that video is that I don't have a manual transmission, I don't know how to set it to "3rd gear".
> ...
> I'm looking at how to lock a transmission into a gear, without really damaging it. Not getting much information.


And yes, third gear is likely direct (it is in the 42RE, 45RFE, and 545RFE transmissions), but it's unlikely the automatic transmission will work effectively when only spun at low speed by the starter, so it might not provide a useful indication of the viability of driving the shaft directly with the starter motor. Automatic transmissions are shifted by engaging clutches with hydraulic pressure (under electronic control in modern transmissions).


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

MattsAwesomeStuff said:


> I'm not as confident in this, but I think the reason that automatics aren't used in DIY conversions is largely because the torque converter gets confused by the oodles of torque the motor has available, and it might never shift out of 1st gear (with that much torque, it might be waiting for a weaker torque at high speed that never gets there).


No, they just waste power in the torque converter unless it bypassed by a lockup clutch is engaged, and their controls don't lock it up... and they don't work at all unless they're kept turning (but there's no reason to turn an electric motor at idle). The torque converter doesn't respond to the amount of torque available - that's not how shifting it controlled even in an old hydraulically controlled automatic (and they've all been electronically controlled for a long time, including in a 2001 Grand Cherokee).

The long-obsolete (because it has only two speeds) Powerglide is used in many conversions because it can handle a lot of power, and is relatively simple. Even then, it is modified to work in an EV, and it's still heavy and very expensive compared to a basic manual transmission.


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## MattsAwesomeStuff (Aug 10, 2017)

> Don't expect much if anything selling the parts if you go ahead with using some parts of the engine, since you will have only parts of an engine, and even some of them have been damaged (such as cutting the exhaust studs).


His engine was blown when he started the project.

I think it was a given that it was scrap. The tranny is the only thing he might take the time to sell.


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## CuTeBoi (Jun 1, 2018)

MattsAwesomeStuff said:


> So, I don't think you'll need to. If you want to just test it, then just leave it as is.


Yeah, but lets see where it goes, if it goes.



> On the note of gears.. doesn't your gear shift have a "1" and "2" on it, in addition to PRND?


there's always the low gear, but I don't think it's what you think it is.




brian_ said:


> Overall, I suppose this is strong evidence that you can accomplish something even if you have little idea of what you're doing, if you're willing to work hard enough.
> 
> So it seems that the block wasn't sawn (with a recip saw or otherwise) - it's sitting on the driveway, with heads stacked on top of it.


I only got to cut through a piece that goes through the timing chain to a tensioner that I didn't have the right spanner to release the bolt,. so I cut through it. I thought this was an aluminum block, but it's steel, or has a lot of iron content as my magnetic tool tray stuck to it. I wasn't expecting it to be ferrous, which made my reciprocating saw work extra hard. 

Again I've torn apart plenty of engines, but I haven't taken the time to learn what each component is named. When I go to the junk yards that sell parts, and don't let you pick-n-pull, I always take the old part and present it to them as what I need. I don't typically change out just the cylinder heads for service or to resurface when getting a replacement engine for a tiny Honda/Toyota is relatively cheap considering my time spent on removing components, taking them to a machine shop, have it resurfaced, wait for the lead time, then reinstall. I did that on my first engine rebuild, and I wont do it again.



> Don't expect much if anything selling the parts if you go ahead with using some parts of the engine, since you will have only parts of an engine, and even some of them have been damaged (such as cutting the exhaust studs).


The exhaust studs connecting the exhaust header to the exhaust system were cut, but the headers are intact, I am not keeping the cylinder heads, and not worried about the block or crank shaft. I'm going to clean it up a bit, and take to recycling center.



MattsAwesomeStuff said:


> His engine was blown when he started the project.
> 
> I think it was a given that it was scrap. The tranny is the only thing he might take the time to sell.


Pretty much, and some random odds and ends from the engine that I already removed carefully will be sold as well, like the AC compressor, which I sealed up with rubber stoppers, radiator which seems in good condition, oil cooler, valve covers, air intake box.

I broke the throttle body years ago, not sure how, but the pulleys were shattered.


My experience with transmissions is simply swapping out actuators, and I know this jeep has a whole set of them for transmission control, the large bundle of cables on a single connector are for all the sensors and for the gear shifting using the actuators to close off valves for the hydraulic pressure to build up on the plates. I honestly don't know what would happen if I power try to drive the transmission without the ECU, but I doubt it will be damaged.

I was careful with the oil cooling lines, and made sure to attach a bit of tubing to return without going to the oil cooler. Since I don't plan on driving it more than just up a street to park, overheating shouldn't be an issue. I have kept the engine/transmission harness to see if I can part it out and sell the connectors with pigtails, because I know places sell them for mechanics to repair connections.


I don't have as much time as I would like during the work week, but kids are out of school on Thursday, they can help me watch the babies while I work outside and take some time off work to do it. (I work from my home office)


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

CuTeBoi said:


> I thought this was an aluminum block, but it's steel, or has a lot of iron content as my magnetic tool tray stuck to it. I wasn't expecting it to be ferrous, which made my reciprocating saw work extra hard.


It's cast iron, although the heads are probably aluminum. Many engine blocks are aluminum, but not many North American V8s of that vintage.



CuTeBoi said:


> there's always the low gear, but I don't think it's what you think it is.


I'm curious, what is the low gear if not the low gear? It's a 4-speed or 5-speed transmission, with a 3:1 lowest gear ratio.



CuTeBoi said:


> My experience with transmissions is simply swapping out actuators, and I know this jeep has a whole set of them for transmission control, the large bundle of cables on a single connector are for all the sensors and for the gear shifting using the actuators to close off valves for the hydraulic pressure to build up on the plates. I honestly don't know what would happen if I power try to drive the transmission without the ECU, but I doubt it will be damaged.


I agree it will likely not be damaged. My guess is that the gearing will be in Neutral, although it may have the parking pawl engaged (so it won't turn the output at all), depending on how the shifter was left.


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## CuTeBoi (Jun 1, 2018)

brian_ said:


> I agree it will likely not be damaged. My guess is that the gearing will be in Neutral, although it may have the parking pawl engaged (so it won't turn the output at all), depending on how the shifter was left.


I checked the jeep, I tried to roll it in 1, and it wouldn't go forward, it would roll backwards. With the rolling aspect, the parking pawl isn't electronic, which is a good thing. But I know for sure that the starter will not spin up fast enough to move the car.


So, I have a drive to Panama coming up in a week, there's no way to get something going until I get back in a month in a half. I have a invisibrake sysem to install, which is just a vacuum pump to pull on the brake pedal and to activate the brake booster. Once that's done, the tow bar base plate gets installed.

Now, when I get back from this trip, what motor could I mount into place to replace the transmission that could move this Jeep, with some torque, and enough motor power to move it if it gets stuck on rocks?

Pics:








Wired up with negative behind the bell housing (is that the name behind the starter?)










Showing the engine bay, can't wait to get back and remove the transmission, clean everything up, and see about securing the transfer case to the mid support bars under the jeep.










Breather hose for the front differential, and zip tied everything into place.










And what is this blasphemy of Craftsman in a Lowes store??? Is sears hurting so much that their house brand is now going into their competitors shelves?


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