• 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

that it is! i got lots of small things i need to do to it still but least i can play with it... its not even locked in the rear... its got LSD rear but i ran plain fluid... let the LSD seize up and once it fails completely maybe then i can afford a $1200 locker... lol... fronts welded... has disconnects so ill probly just leave it welded... gotta get my onboard air setup... and gauges... only a temp gauge right now lol... going all custom... slowely gathering parts for this motor swap but nothing really wrong with what i have so itll be a slow process... i hoped for this winter but may not even be by then... maybe next winter ill put her down... lol... all depends on funds i guess...
 
i will try and get pics up shortly but they are on my phone and harder to move around inside the site using my phone...

I set the 6.5TD in my 01 cherokee front end im using for mach up... looks like with slight mods to the frame on both sides that everything will fit... HOWEVER my MJ has shock hoops and those shock hoops are sitting right in the way of the turbo...

i know the van heads and intake manifold are different... but i have a ton of room between the motor and firewall... and i dont mind moving the firewall some...

the issue with using the van turbo that people seem to not like doing is the heads... because its not a bolt on setup unless you move the heads... well i can weld, cut, bend whatever... so what is stopping me from using the stock manifold and heads and building my own lines from the turbo to the manifold? anything? cause that would be easier and take less time then finding and installing new van heads...

basically what is the reason people change their manifolds in the first place to run the van turbo and exhaust setup?
 
Quick version- modify intake and exhaust as needed to use a flange mounted good turbo, not gm's van/ hummer turbo.

Long version-get cozy...
To use the van turbo, you have to remove the camshaft and crank for cleaning. Sounds silly but, been there done that. The oil in and out of the turbo is the problem. You have to drill the oil port for the oil supply into the galley under the intake valley. Then drill a hole down to he area of the camshaft so that only half the drain hole penetrates to the cam. Now you need to mill out the recess in order to hold the uneven "figure 8" oring, or do what I did and buy blank stock of headgasket material, make gasket, then mill the surfaces of the middle intake manifold section to have proper height clearance. If you build a spacer block like the Russian guy (cant remember name at the moment) was going to do for the oil, then your better off to custom build up pipes, and intake manifold to deal with the turbo no longer fitting either exhaust or intake manifold.

I have truck heads and made studs for mounting the van intake. Buy grade 10 threaded rod, cut to length, bend and re-temper with heat, then cryo. Buy a couple of intake gasket sets, You will ruin 1 set learning to torque as the manifold now tightens at an angle to the head instead of into the head. I used plasti gauge to figure the most even tourque. Not excited about having to do this in the future for repairs, as each area needs different torque. P.I.T.A.

The van heads have the intake bolts at a different angle than truck heads because of the needed clearance for the 2 side manifolds of the 3 piece intake manifold. After having done it, I would do something different. A custom up pipe set up to a flange mount turbo like gm 8, ATT or hx40ii would be better. Making a modified intake and up pipes would be easier than doing the alterations for the oil. The expense of a gm6 center mount turbo mod is more than the other options. The only reason I went with this turbo is my truck is tight on space for any other options. I was considering, and think I made the wrong choice to not put my turbo on the roof and be able to use a much better turbo.

What is stopping you? Nothing. I was on a mission to make it work, and I did. Just know that it will take more $, and a lot more time. Part of my time was offset, because I wiped out my center cam bearing and had to be that far into it anyways. It was still a mistake, but I've made bigger ones. You need good fabrication skills, lathe, mill, welder (still have to modify the aluminum intake), and time to spend. About twice as long to just build custom exhaust and intake mods.

Look up the turbo set up banks did for the modified hmmwv set up. It's a t3 flange welded to custom y-pipe for input. Then custom down pipe. Oil supply came off original truck location for ops, and dumped into side of oilpan. Then a custom pipe to the lower intake truck manifold. A much better choice imo.

My thing is I am unwilling to do a body lift, or modify the windshields, and for a hummer, one of the two is a must. Given your options- no friggin way would I use this turbo again.

Good luck to ya.
 
U just made everything 500% more difficult lol... why can't I keep the location for the turbo oil now and rework the lines?? Save the crazy cam work?? I plan to pull the heads and oil pan to inspect and re gasket but I'm shooting for no machine work... I don't want to do a full rebuild really... it was a good running motor when pulled and it just going in the crawler that runs like once a month maybe... lol
 
Ok, lets start over. Do you have a van/hummer turbo block and heads or truck block and heads? This can be determined by the oil supply and drain for turbo oil in the rear top of the block, and angle of the intake mounting bolts in the heads.
 
i have the truck block.. heads and all... mechanical 6.5... 599 block... exahust crossover and all that mess... cant use the OEM turbo and its location...

I also thought about building a NA6.5 instead and sell off the turbo setup however stock for stock with the 4.0 inline 6 i have already id actually be losing horsepower and torque... lol... without the turbo it just isnt worth the swap i dont think... unless i want the cool factor...
 
im thinking the van style turbo and exhaust will fit... however im not interested in changing the heads and want to fab the truck intake system to work... use all the same oil lines just rework them... and bend the intake tube around like a horse shoe to fit the truck intake instead of useing the van setup... or build my own top part to the intake manifold out of steel and just face it back like a van setup...
 
Then my suggestion is remote mount the turbo wherever you can fit it. If you can fit it as a rear center mount, then consider the van manifolds. Otherwise build some exhaust manifolds/ headers without too much panic on the flow as the difference from manifolds to headers is huge, but nominal gains. Keep the lower intake manifold and build a pipe system from the turbo to it. Sell the parts you cant use on your other projects.
 
10271573_10152798426203993_185456319824167824_n.jpg


10006352_10152798426323993_3678710312966034167_n.jpg


10711009_10152798425888993_4647189375763791347_n.jpg


1460060_10152798425953993_762937733341682907_n.jpg


1975051_10152798426008993_3534825358934852232_n.jpg


10698459_10152798426103993_7982165605548080073_n.jpg
 
Oh yeah, the gm6 turbo also you need to loose the engine speed sensor there at the rear and get a 2 wire sensor pulling rpm from a different location.

Have you tried placing the turbo you have in that rear area?
 
Oh yeah, the gm6 turbo also you need to loose the engine speed sensor there at the rear and get a 2 wire sensor pulling rpm from a different location.

Have you tried placing the turbo you have in that rear area?
Any place underneath it could fit clear of damage?
 
speed sensor? dont think i really need it at all? was under the impression i didnt anyways...

and the passenger side between the tranny and frame i should be able to... there is nothing there... my control arms mount on the outboard side of the frame... however that low i couldnt count on gravity moving oil at all... im not a turbo person other then remove and replace no i dont really know the ins and outs on them yet...
 
If you have a manual transmission the you can loose the ess and replace it with a oil pump drive only unit saving 1 inch where the center mount turbo would have to go. Automatic trans, then you need something to replace the ess. The center mount turbo will not fit with the truck lower intake manifold in place. You would have to chop out the center area and the 2 rear ports and modify it to fit, along with the ffm being relocated.

The regular turbo really is a remote mount assy, with a manifold built to hold it. The center mount has to fit the machined base for oil in and out, as well as exhaust in, out and turbo out to intake. Have you seen a centermount in person? Kinda sucky design to try to fabricate around.

Remote oil pump for turbo return if needed, easy and not too expensive.
 
Will L. said:
If you have a manual transmission the you can loose the ess and replace it with a oil pump drive only unit saving 1 inch where the center mount turbo would have to go. Automatic trans, then you need something to replace the ess. The center mount turbo will not fit with the truck lower intake manifold in place. You would have to chop out the center area and the 2 rear ports and modify it to fit, along with the ffm being relocated.

The regular turbo really is a remote mount assy, with a manifold built to hold it. The center mount has to fit the machined base for oil in and out, as well as exhaust in, out and turbo out to intake. Have you seen a centermount in person? Kinda sucky design to try to fabricate around.

Remote oil pump for turbo return if needed, easy and not too expensive.
Click to expand...

I had planned to go with a th400... however my ax15 is said to hold up to the power of a mild built 350 and with the 6.5 being less or horsepower and torque WITH OUT the turbo I really think it'll hold up that way... with a turbo I don't know... for now it's not looking like the turbo is gonna be worth it... not on this rig anyways as there's no way the hoop can get out the way... on a regular coil suspension is be fine with the oem turbo setup and i think that's something I should do later maybe...

Plus I just bought a Np231 with a tera low 4:1 kit in it... which I would loose that low crawl speed if i went to a th400 unless I added a Atlas or something to it which is a ton of more money lol... A decently built 6.5NA would turn what kinda numbers you think?? Just bolt ons and a port and polish?

Burning oil said:
How about this idea. Truck engine with center turbo.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-6-5-Tur...szYp3rOHbNuLQHnzcdAcc%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
Click to expand...

I could build something like that as well... I'm just not sure I got the room...

Chevypoor said:
http://www.dieselbombers.com/diesel-engine-conversions/45663-fwd-4-3l-v6-into-4wd-cherokee.html

Check this link out. I would imagine the Olds 4.3L v-6 and the 6.5L have similar widths. I was looking to swap one of these in an S10 a few years back and found this then. He went center mount but had to make some mods to the firewall and maybe some other sheetmetal as well. Been awhile since I read through it.
Click to expand...

Cool thanks ill read through it also!!
 
Oh ya that 4.3 swap Is way different... that's a common swap because the XJ V6 is a 2.8... same as the 3.1... and 4.3 so besides the computer side of it it's a bolt in swap
 
well today i tried sticking the exhaust and turbo setup back on the engine and setting it in just to see... of course it was nowhere near gonna fit... even with the frame modifications i had planned the exhaust manifold flanges are all in the frame and firewall on the drivers side right where the gas pedal is so i cant even really modify the firewall unless i want to move the gas pedal to who knows where...

ive decided im going NA and im gonna run the 6.2 exhaust manifolds... reason being is they drop more straight down just before the back cylinder instead of angled back on the turbo setups...

ill also have to change the oil filter setup to the vertical stance instead of the horizontal...

What are the stock 6.5 turbo, oil line, return line and plate, down pipe, cross pipe, all of that mess worth?

What sucks is i have my flatbed 82 6.2 sitting there and im really temped to swap the 6.5 in it and 6.2 in the crawler... crawler would have same power basically and the flatbed would now be turbo'd for pulling...

i need to see what i can do to modify the AC to clear i guess...


so many freakin choices... wish it was cut and dry...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top