I know my screen name is a little misleading...

[vetteboy]

...but unfortunately it has followed me around the forum world for the last ten years, and I'd rather keep it consistent.

What brings me here is a long-time appreciation for these motors, and the opportunity to finally use one in a project.

For the last 5 or 6 years, I've had a Jeep Cherokee that I've raced in offroad events all over the country...mostly in the Northeast, but I've had it as far as California a few times. Its motor is a 4.0 bored & stroker to 4.6L, upgraded cam & valve springs, nice header, the usual goodies. It's a torque monster but really starts falling off in the upper revs...it was built originally as a grunty rock crawling motor, and I kinda fell into racing after the fact.

I love that truck, and I actually bought it bone stock back in 2000, but it's pretty beat at this point and I'm starting a new project for this coming season.

With the goals of being a lot smaller, a lot lighter, and a motor with a very wide powerband and a versatile rev range, I figured I'd finally give a SHO motor a try. Most guys that do what I do go straight to the Chevy LS motors, but I've been competing in a 6-cylinder class this whole time and I like the guys in that group, plus I'm always one for trying something different. So the basis of this project is:

- '94 3.0 SHO motor
- '94 Ford Explorer frame/axle donor
- '94 Jeep YJ body

The motor is getting paired to either a Jeep NV3550 5-speed or, if I can get the adaptation figured out, a NSG370 6-speed. None of the Ford 4x4 transmissions really interest me as I've already got a built transfer case for the Jeep trannies, and I like the idea of a closer-ratio 6-speed behind this motor. It's looking like a Megaquirt MS3x will be the brains of the operation, with full sequential control of both ignition (COP-converted) and fuel.

This is my donor car, obtained complete for $450 with a good motor, shattered clutch, and moldy interior:

The donor frame:

And the donor body:

This is a rough sketch of an AMC bellhousing pattern overlaid onto a small-block Ford pattern, which would then take advantage of the adapter plate that Canfield already makes that converts the Vulcan 3.0 pattern to the Ford small block pattern. Really kind of awkward and I hope to be able to consolidate this part of it somewhat.

But anyway. I realize the bulk of this project isn't going to be geared much to this forum, but I'll definitely share the progress on at least the motor portion as I move along, and I really appreciate all the knowledge I've found from this site so far.

So thanks everyone, and I look forward to seeing where this project ends up.

- vetteboy (Chris)

 

[Shovert]

Welcome to the forum. Interesting project. I also own a Jeep Cherokee 212000 miles most dependable vehicle I have ever owned. Not used off road so not very stressed out. I love you guys that can do CAD drawings. Wish I had that knowledge. My swap is the SHO into a Mustang. Maybe some ideas in my photobucket can help. As always if can help just ask or PM. Good luck and keep us updated. Maurice

 

[vetteboy]

Pretty sure I stalked some of your pictures when I was researching what's involved in flipping the intake manifold.

After thinking about it more, I think it'll be more beneficial for me to leave the manifold as it is, and run a small cone filter right off the throttle body that extends thru the cowl/firewall of the jeep body. Less hassle overall and it puts the filter inside the cab and away from a lot of dust & other junk.

Although, running the Megasquirt gets rid of the MAF setup (converts it to MAP) and I can do away with all the stock ignition stuff with the exception of the crank sensor. So I'll really have almost a blank slate to work with on this motor and I'm looking forward to that part. Especially with it longitudinally mounted; that opens up a ton more options and serviceability than having to deal with the back cylinder bank pressed against the firewall.

Good luck with your project as well, and I'm sure it'll be a great resource as I get into some of the technical issues with this transplant.

 

[intimdatr]

Always glad to see another SHO motor going to better use than being behind a crappy FWD tranny!
Welcome to the forum!

 

[firebat45]

Definitely keep us updated, I love seeing any sort of SHO swap. There are CAD files of the SHO bellhousing pattern on the forum, you can use those to design a 1 piece adapter instead of bolting 2 adapters together.

Also, I have a base tune for Megasquirt that will get the engine running. Not set up for sequential, but that's easy enough to change. If you wait a few months I should have a full N/A tune set up.

 

[vetteboy]

The Vulcan pattern has thus far been elusive, which is why I was stuck with the twin adapter plates. If I can find it here I'd love to try and make something with it...I really think the Jeep 6-speed would be a cool match for this motor. Transmission options that work easily are slim to none, and it doesn't help any that Wikipedia for the longest time had some crap info about the bellhousing interchangeability, which got quoted all over the internet.

For reference, in the east coast races I'll usually have the transfer case engaged in lo-range, which adds a 2.62:1 reduction into the mix. So final drive in this new rig will end up being about 75-80 MPH @ 8000 RPM in overdrive, and while I'll hit that, there are very few areas on the courses I race on that you can do it for any decent length of time. That leaves me 4 closely-spaced gears underneath that to keep the power where it needs to be, and a much lower 1st gear to crawl over stuff.

But yeah, I'm sure the Megasquirt base tune will be useful when I get to that point...I tried contacting gmail on here as well as he's actually right around the corner from one of my racing venues.

 

[firebat45]

But yeah, I'm sure the Megasquirt base tune will be useful when I get to that point...I tried contacting gmail on here as well as he's actually right around the corner from one of my racing venues.

I got the start of the tune from gmail, then ran it somewhat and tuned it further. He's got lots of good info too if he's still around. As soon as the weather gets nice here I'm going to finish ironing out the tune.

Anyway, here's a link to the thread with the CAD files:

http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=117155

 

[SuperHO]

Fwiw, stock cams don't breathe so good above 7k. If you're planning to rev that high, is suggest looking at aftermarket cams.

Also, before anyone else harps on ya, make sure to do basic maintenance on the engine. Change upper gaskets, rod bearings, etc.

Also.....kickass project, man!

 

[jayro]

Interesting project. Keep us updated.

 

[typhoon5000]

:wave: Welcome to the forum man! Sounds like a really cool project. I think it might end up being the first Yamaha SHO-powered 4WD vehicle that I know of (someone correct me if I'm wrong?). I can't wait to see the progress and the best of luck with it.

 

[Off Road SHO]

:wave: Welcome to the forum man! Sounds like a really cool project. I think it might end up being the first Yamaha SHO-powered 4WD vehicle that I know of (someone correct me if I'm wrong?). I can't wait to see the progress and the best of luck with it.

Consider yourself corrected. The guy in Tucson, EK, put a SHO motor in a "modified Ranger with a Model A truck bed on the back for weight. I'll get pics.

Tom

Edit,

I found a bunch of pics but it takes forever for me to up load them the SuperMotors. Email me if anyone wants them. It's quite the monster.

 

[mrecoolgar]

Howdy fellow engine swapper.
I have an 88 RX7 convertible I hope to get done this year.
A Vette engine is a popular swap in the RX7's.

 

[vetteboy]

Fwiw, stock cams don't breathe so good above 7k. If you're planning to rev that high, is suggest looking at aftermarket cams.

Also, before anyone else harps on ya, make sure to do basic maintenance on the engine. Change upper gaskets, rod bearings, etc.

Also.....kickass project, man!

Thanks!

It's got roughly 130k on it and I know the guy I got it from never did the timing belt, so it's gonna get that and rod bearings at a minimum. Much easier to do all this stuff with it on a stand anyway.

Howdy fellow engine swapper.
I have an 88 RX7 convertible I hope to get done this year.
A Vette engine is a popular swap in the RX7's.

I was just out in Hershey for work the other day...

I think your photo of the Canfield adapter is the only one in existence, I've referred to that pic a bunch of times in the last few months while trying to get a handle on this adaptation.

I got the start of the tune from gmail, then ran it somewhat and tuned it further. He's got lots of good info too if he's still around. As soon as the weather gets nice here I'm going to finish ironing out the tune.

Anyway, here's a link to the thread with the CAD files:

http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=117155

And thanks a ton for that!

Roughly placing the Ford and AMC patterns together, I wind up with this:

Unless I make the adapter plate really friggin thick, it looks like I lose one of the top bellhousing bolts due to interference with the oil galley cutout. If the other 5 work, I might be OK with this.

After superimposing the SHO flywheel pattern on the AMC crank end, it looks like that will be problematic also.

What flywheel is being used with the T56 adaptation?

I guess all this should eventually make its way to some sort of build thread instead of an intro thread...

 

[jayro]

Thanks!

It's got roughly 130k on it and I know the guy I got it from never did the timing belt, so it's gonna get that and rod bearings at a minimum. Much easier to do all this stuff with it on a stand anyway.

If maintinance is in question I would recommend doing a full 60K with the rod bearing and timing belt. The SHO motor has a pretty nice powerband, but it doesnt make alot of torque. In your style of racing, what kind of powerband is optimal? Were you wanting to leave the motor pretty much stock, or mod it?

 

[vetteboy]

Someone described these off-road endurance races as a thousand little drag races with some rock crawling thrown in the middle of it. This isn't the most exciting on-board cam but it's the only one I have that the GoPro stayed on for any length of time...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQE4pJCp5r8

With the Jeep motor, for the tight/fast parts through the woods it usually never got below 3k RPM. Lots of WOT, then lift for a corner, WOT, lift, back and forth. So with a close ratio trans I figure I'll be able to keep the SHO where it's happy most of the time. I mentioned before that I race with the t-case in low range...which is effectively like having a 12.78:1 ratio in the differential. Gives a pretty nice holeshot. If any of you guys are familiar with dirt track stuff/modifieds/etc, how they use the quick-change gears to optimally match the motor's powerband and redline to a particular track...it's kinda like that.

For the slow crawling kind of stuff, I'll have a 4.46:1 first gear, 2.62:1 reduction in the t-case, and 4.88's in the axles...should be plenty for creepin over stuff.

The jeep weighed roughly 5,600 lbs and before the stroker went in, the stock numbers were only 190 HP and 225 ft-lbs. Target weight for the new rig is much closer to the low 3000s with much less rotating mass. So it should be pretty fun right outta the box, and once I get some seat time and see what I wanna change, I'll probably do some modding to it. With such a (comparatively) lightweight vehicle even modest horsepower and torque gains make some noticeable changes on the butt dyno.

 

[firebat45]

Unless I make the adapter plate really friggin thick, it looks like I lose one of the top bellhousing bolts due to interference with the oil galley cutout. If the other 5 work, I might be OK with this.

After superimposing the SHO flywheel pattern on the AMC crank end, it looks like that will be problematic also.

What flywheel is being used with the T56 adaptation?

I guess all this should eventually make its way to some sort of build thread instead of an intro thread...

5/6 would most likely be fine, it is a beefy iron block. You could try to incorporate the oil pan bolts as well if you want to be extra secure, there are 2 small bolts from the pan to the transmission.

Nobody I know of has put a T56 on a SHO, every manual RWD tranny I have seen on a SHO is either a T5 or a M5OD-R1. The M5OD uses a stock SHO flywheel + pressure plate with a Lumina disk, and I think the T5 uses a stock SHO flywheel + pressure plate as well, with a Mustang disk.

Doing some quick reading, the 1996-2002 Camaro/Firebird use a 9 3/4" clutch with an 1 1/8" 26 spline input shaft. You should be able to use that disk with a SHO flywheel + pressure plate. Somewhat limited on clutch options, but there are still aftermarket clutches available from Southbend and Clutchmasters.

You could always have a flywheel machined custom, or some companies (Fidanza?) will let you ask for X pattern drilled on Y flywheel, as long as they produce flywheels for both cars and therefore have the measurements already.

 

[-DVP-]

Someone described these off-road endurance races as a thousand little drag races with some rock crawling thrown in the middle of it. This isn't the most exciting on-board cam but it's the only one I have that the GoPro stayed on for any length of time...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQE4pJCp5r8

With the Jeep motor, for the tight/fast parts through the woods it usually never got below 3k RPM. Lots of WOT, then lift for a corner, WOT, lift, back and forth. So with a close ratio trans I figure I'll be able to keep the SHO where it's happy most of the time. I mentioned before that I race with the t-case in low range...which is effectively like having a 12.78:1 ratio in the differential. Gives a pretty nice holeshot. If any of you guys are familiar with dirt track stuff/modifieds/etc, how they use the quick-change gears to optimally match the motor's powerband and redline to a particular track...it's kinda like that.

For the slow crawling kind of stuff, I'll have a 4.46:1 first gear, 2.62:1 reduction in the t-case, and 4.88's in the axles...should be plenty for creepin over stuff.

The jeep weighed roughly 5,600 lbs and before the stroker went in, the stock numbers were only 190 HP and 225 ft-lbs. Target weight for the new rig is much closer to the low 3000s with much less rotating mass. So it should be pretty fun right outta the box, and once I get some seat time and see what I wanna change, I'll probably do some modding to it. With such a (comparatively) lightweight vehicle even modest horsepower and torque gains make some noticeable changes on the butt dyno.

Holy shit! That looks like fun. Ive wanted an XJ for a while, actually think it might be an option this time around if my car sells.

This is going to be a cool project. I just hope it doesnt end like so many others and never get finished.

 

[vetteboy]

Unfortunately I figured out after typing that, that the T56 was never used in any 4x4 applications. One guy made a home-built tailhousing and mainshaft but I think at this point in my project I've got enough custom stuff to worry about.

I was more thinking along the lines of: there exists a kit to adapt my trans to a small-block Chevy, and in that case it also uses the Chevy flywheel/clutch and starter. If I could use that with the adapter plate you posted previously, I was hoping someone had a solution for mounting a Chevy flywheel on the SHO crank.

My trans is a 1-1/8" 10-spline, for what that's worth.

I'm taking a break for tonight I think...maybe tomorrow I'll compile this into a build thread where it belongs, and get some real info going.

One more thing, if possible...do you happen to know what the thickness is for the Chevy adapter?

 

[jayro]

The jeep weighed roughly 5,600 lbs and before the stroker went in, the stock numbers were only 190 HP and 225 ft-lbs. Target weight for the new rig is much closer to the low 3000s with much less rotating mass. So it should be pretty fun right outta the box, and once I get some seat time and see what I wanna change, I'll probably do some modding to it. With such a (comparatively) lightweight vehicle even modest horsepower and torque gains make some noticeable changes on the butt dyno.

That's alot less weight. For the stock sho motor you would be down 25 ft-lbs and up 30hp. With the weigh reduction I think it would feel alot faster. I guess on dirt you can only put down so much power, after that its just a waste. With the smaller displacment you don't get as much increase per mod as some motors. You could always switch it to the 3.2 when you start modding.

 

[vetteboy]

Holy shit! That looks like fun. Ive wanted an XJ for a while, actually think it might be an option this time around if my car sells.

This is going to be a cool project. I just hope it doesnt end like so many others and never get finished.

Well if it doesn't get finished, I'll have some fairly unhappy sponsors wondering where their products went.

There really isn't much XJ left on my XJ, haha...









And one more video, from some testing out in California...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-_mJ0Vrhag

This adaptation stuff is the tedious part...once I have a complete drivetrain, the rest of it should fall into place, as I need to have everything hanging in the chassis to build the rest of the car around it. It's killing me to not have anything physical to work on at the moment.

This poor Explorer has no idea what it's got coming to it...