• Welcome to The Truck Stop! We see you haven't REGISTERED yet.

    Your truck knowledge is missing!
    • Registration is FREE , all we need is your birthday and email. (We don't share ANY data with ANYONE)
    • We have tons of knowledge here for your diesel truck!
    • Post your own topics and reply to existing threads to help others out!
    • NO ADS! The site is fully functional and ad free!
    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

    Problems registering? Click here to contact us!

    Already registered, but need a PASSWORD RESET? CLICK HERE TO RESET YOUR PASSWORD!

Building a Jeep Comanche Truggy, 6.2 6.5 swap help

H

huntingman2706217

Member
Messages
115
Reaction score
5
Location
United States
So im currently finishing up my cage and 06 SD axles with 40's under my MJ (comanche to those none jeepers). Next winter im planning for a 6.2 or 6.5 swap. I currently have the front half of a XJ (same front half a MJ has) sitting under my shed for engine mach up...

I guess ill go over what im looking for first... Im looking mainly for low end torque and reliability. I only want power gains where reliability is not reduced. and i dont care about fuel mileage. I would really like to not do any machine work since i cant do any of that myself. In a sense im looking to refresh a motor with all new gaskets and mix and match better parts... if this is even possible... lol...

So far (correct me if im on the wrong track please!!) with my research (which i feel is minimum at this point and has mainly been based on getting my tranny behind it and fitting it into the jeep) i think im going to go with a late 80's early 90's 599 block 6.2 and 6.2 heads (possibly 6.5) with 6.5 precups. I understand the 6.5's are the same block in the early years but the heads seem to have issues from what i read. ARP head studs and Scat crank are apparently a must. Delta apparently makes a cam that will help with more low end torque so i will most likely look into this however this may be something i would do down the road depending on price. Ive read you can bore the motor .30 but im not interested in doing so unless i have to. The Blocks crack enough that i dont want anything any thinner then it already is... im hoping i dont even have to pull pistons at all...

I of course would like to run a turbo however im not sure if a 6.2 specific aftermarket kit would be best (once owned a 6.2 blazer with a sidewinder kit) or if its possible to use 6.5 intake manifold with 6.2 heads and run the OEM 6.5 setup with 6.5 mechanical pump/lines and 6.5 marine injectors for the extra fuel... (again correct me if you see something wrong please!!) I also dont know which system would give the most room between the block and the frame.... people are installing Lq4's (chevys 6.0's) in XJ's with shortys and no real problems... fabrication is not a problem for me either... notching a frame is nothing...

I have a JY near me with several 6.2's and a couple 6.5's... i can get any of them for about $300... running 6.2's for $400-$500 nothing ever comes up on my CL for cheaper if anything pops up at all... I took pictures of a couple of them to see if anything looks like something i should buy for parts or something. One of which is a Jasper rebuild... Not to excited since i have seen people complain about theirs as well on various forums.

Heres a couple of my jeep build this is going on...

IMG_20140218_173207[1].jpg

IMG_20140210_095121[1].jpg

These are a couple pics of the 6.5's i have in my local yard... the one with the cover is a 96 truck with a jasper engine. No idea of the codes as i cant see them without taking it apart... turbo and some small stuff are gone but its pretty much complete... left out to the elements though... though all are...

next one is a 94 6.5... most of it is gone and i can probly get it even cheaper but its going to be the same block as the 6.2's and with 6.5 heads (heads are not worth a dang correct?) it actually has a bellhousing bolted on it (NV4500 possibly) which would have been nice to have... but no transmission... weird...

The 6.2's range in many years and they have two that will run... one im pretty sure is from a 82 suburban... it may have been 84 but its possible its a red block... i dont think i really care though id rather have the 599 block...

So am i on the right track? anything you would do that is a definite DUH? Any thoughts as to which engine or engines i should pick up? maybe a 6.2 then the 94's heads and the 96's intake and accessories?

Thanks for any input and help!


20131211_093707[1].jpg

20131211_093934[1].jpg
 
If you get a running engine do yourself a favor and get some gapless rings for it. otherwise 6.2/6.5 not a lot of difference. Marine injectors won't make any difference either. Biggest gain will be the IP and turbo
 
huntingman2706217 said:
course the jeep would be sideways... oh well... gonna be that way a lot more then likely anyways!
Click to expand...

Did not phase me as I figured that was it's natural state. :D

First-off: :welcome2: to TTS!

Looks like the approach is to rebuild the engine no matter what, so depending on the budget might want to consider a military pull (either Ted's, or the place out West). Reasoning for the military pull is that it cuts down on the guesswork of what block you are getting and, depending on the generation, might have all of the known issues worked out of it.

For getting power gains without sacrificing reliability, the P-400 is good for 250 hp out of the crate; challenge is finding a used one.

In terms of the crank, am reading current comments about inconsistencies with the SCAT crank (some are spot-on quality, some not so). (Just repeating what I have read.)

Depending on how much 'head room' you have in the engine bay, might want to look at the center mounted turbo.
 
Some how wrote and posted but didn't work so I'll try again in short lol

I have a guy here that sells 6.2 military take outs... weird guy tho and I didn't think there was a difference in the blocks till u got to newer years of the 6.5's? He also wants a grand each so at that price I wouldn't rebuilt It I'd just bolt in and go... maybe a few parts..

I know the 6.2 is bad abiut crank failure correct? Thought the scat was the fix for this?

Thanks for the welcome and the info! I know my questions are probably routine here but I'm trying to get a central place of information and I'm not really trying to build a power horse like most... well maybe down the road a little but for now reliability and getting enough power to make It worth the swap from my 4.0 I6
 
Welcome.

A lot of the crank failures are attributed to bad harmonic balancer. The golden fix is a fluid damper balancer.

Like mentioned above the p400 is the cream of the crop, and rare as hens teeth used. The #2 and way more common find is optimizer block, which have upgraded block, heads, crank, cam in it. This is the one with the international logo on the valley. Usually found in military take outs.

You know of coarse we would love to see some vids of that bad boy climbing when finished...
 
That's right I remember that now about the harmonic balancers... I stopped by that guys place and he had only 2 6.2's... One with 13k miles and a 660 cast number and 82 date on it but it was no red block... The other was in a 86 suburban he had sitting in the back... He wanted $1500 each now so he's not getting my money lol... p 400 is a casting number or? What did they come in? I've red the optimizers are the top dog but I'll never come across one where the owner doesn't know that...

Can the optimizer logo be seen without pulling parts?

And videos deff will come... I'll be doing gears I hope this weekend and then I'll be able to get the wheels redone and the axles forever under the jeep... then just gotta tweak some driveshafts I built when these axles were under my cherokee... or maybe I'll just build new...

Thanks again fellas!
 
well got the MJ sat down on all 4's today... still need to build a rear drive shaft and finish a control arm i screwed up... but then i should be driving again which at that point ill setup my bump stops and limiting straps to match up...

1978884_10152401440318993_4163350321951762281_n.jpg


anyways down to what i came here for...

Two days ago i picked up a 92 599 mechanical pump running and driving 6.5TD for $300... complete from down pipes to turbo... eeerrrrything... after a couple measurements and now that my shock hoops are built i think with the turbo on the side its not gonna fit by a couple inches... i could always mod the hoops later on but rather not if i can... i know some van motors have a rear mounted turbo and im not sure what that means? as in behind the block itself or does it sit more on top?

How hard would it be to find someone here or any other recommended sites to trade? i would think most would want the setup i have and not the van setup? I know that without the turbo the engine will clear by 5 total inches give or take... which should be enough room to get to anything i need...

another question... is there anything showing what everything is on this engine? lots of weird plugs and plastic little boxes... lines... i know engines but this thing has some weird stuff... so wasnt sure... wiring schematic for the engine maybe? otherwise ill figure it out...

the bad is he pulled it because the torque converter bolts backed out and wobbled out the holes on the flex plate... dont think this is a major deal but i also notice the dampener is already busted... he said it did it in the past also and he replaced it with a used one which of course did it again... i planned to tear the motor down and replace every seal... oil pump... stuff like that... but thats about it... however in knowing this should i pull the crank and have it worked? or yall think it would be fine?

i also believe im gonna find a TH400 now instead of running my 5 speed... i can sell it for more then what a TH400 and transfercase will cost and it will simply be stronger, and auto which is more desirable for the sport, and bolt right up...

what all else would you guys do to this motor before install?

thanks again!
 
also is there a easier accessory drive to run? do most of you like the serpentine belt setup or V belt setup? i ask because if i bust a belt im screwed in the woods... or if anything locks up im screwed... where as a older V belt setup would give me a chance to at least make it back to the trailer?
 
I would go with a serp set up. Every V-belt I have seen on a 6.2 was a dual belt. It always seemed one was tight and the other was flapping.
 
Our old 6.2 when it popped a belt it took the other one with it. Happened rather frequently compared to the serp set up.

Sent from my Studio 5.0s using Tapatalk
 
On the van turbo (same as hummer turbo):
It's a center mount c6. It mounts where the fuel filter mounts on a normal truck. The intake manifold bolt holes in the head are a different angle, so you need van heads,intake, up pipes, turbo. And then you have to drill the block for oil supply and return for the turbo. Complete tear down for that. I kept the truck (also n/a) heads and custom made intake mounting studs by bending gr.11 threaded rod, high heat treating, then cryogenic treating them. Then replace the intake gasket 3 times just learning to not tear it by how it puts a side load on it instead of even direct pressure.

It can be done. If you have any other options, choose plan b. Remote mount your truck turbo, it will be far less work and then you can add a qsv, or upgrade the whole turbo once you realize how many better turbo choices there are out there. Maybe put the turbo in that spot, and custom build your own headers/ up pipe to feed it as a center mount. Otherwise where ever you can fit it.

What is your upper end rpm going to be, under 2200 I hope wih any gm turbo. They will go above it, they just don't like it.
 
X2 on serp belt. Carry spare and wratchet. Cool thread as I am gonna swap 6.5 into my 89 Jeep GWag when I finish my chevy this spring. The AMC 360 gets 11 mpg highway on good day while behaving. I had a 86 MJ back in the day with the gutless v6, but it was a very capable beach fishing truck. Cool project by the way.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top