6.9 Jeep Swap

[VandalS]

I've got an 87 F-250 and I'm planning to move it to a Jeep Gladiator. I've got the following list of things to do just to keep everything running right, and keeping fluids in:

-Transmission swap/rebuild
-Main seals F/R
-Oil Pan Gasket
-Oil Change
-Coolant change
-Freeze plug replacement
-Return Lines

Is there anything else that I should be checking/repairing over the months prior to the swap or mods that are worth it.

 

[chillman88]

Dude! I'm stoked. Make sure you take lots of pictures! Sounds like an AWESOME project!

 

[79jasper]

Glowplugs, injectors, ip, cam, turbo, headstuds. Lol

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[VandalS]

PO says he did gp's. When I turn the key on I hear a series of ticks about 1-2secs apart. Sometimes there is just one tick. Also the tach needle moves when it ticks. Are the gp's bad or is that normal?

I'll take pics once I get it from stock trim and start swap.

 

[79jasper]

Never trust the word of a seller. Lol


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[laserjock]

Unless you have the correct tool don't knock the freeze plugs out. They are not standard freeze plugs. If they arent leaking, I'd leave them in.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Exactly on the freeze plugs. Also they're stainless steel so the won't rust. the PO may have changed glow plugs, but put in the wrong kind. ANYthing other than Motorcraft/Beru ZD1A glow plugs are bad news. Some don't work. Others work all right, but the tips swell up and then break off inside the head when you try to remove them. Your 87 has a 6.9, but that was the transition year, so it's dressed like a 7.3. It also has a 7.3 style wiring harness that takes 7.3 style glow plugs. If you ask for glow plugs for a 6.9, your wiring won't plug on to the tops of them.

 

[kuskoal]

Do a body swap if you can! There was an M715 on 4wheeler? That some dude slapped the body on an f350 chassis. Kept the zf5 and all.

 

[franklin2]

I would take the oil cooler off and change out the o-rings.

 

[VandalS]

Love the alert feature that didn't email me about replies . New forum, learning the new functions.

For the GP's the PO said he replaced them with what Autozone had in stock. My best guess it Autolite so I've got a set of Motorcraft 6.9/7.3 plugs coming along with the GP harness from a 6.0 PSD. I'll have to lightly mod the harness but planning to swap it out at the same time as doing a return line kit. Nothing is leaking, but having some cold starts that it catches, goes, dies, and then takes several cranks to get it going again. Runs rough for a little bit and then smooths out nice. A little bit of smoke on cold start as well.

For the freeze plug, the one for the block heater was replaced with a cup plug put in Chevy style. It's got a leak going there so I plan to knock it out, put in the right plug with sealant, flush the coolant system, and install a filter. PO didn't know about coolant additives so I doubt it has seen them in a while if ever. I'll see about getting the tool for FP install, or just go with the 2 hammer approach or make a dimple-er out of another freeze plug with a rounded center protrusion. I need to fix the leak as I'm worried the wrong plug that was installed may make a hasty exit.

For the rest of the truck, right now I'm pulling stuff that doesn't work or isn't needed (cruise control, AC) and I'm going to try and get it to a solid engine/transmission combo. I'm planning on doing rear-main seals this weekend along with a new oil pan gasket and a clean T-19 transmission swap to fix some shifting issues. I've also got the firewall plate on order to help with the clutch. The only other things I think I need right now are an improved fuel/water separator setup (PO has a bolt in the drain tube) and an electric lift pump.

For the jeep swap, I have a J200 body and just need to clean some things up. To make everything fit I'm going to need a hydraulic brake booster and the hydraulic clutch. I'll see how well everything else fits in a slightly smaller engine bay.

 

[VandalS]

Started peeling the onion. Pulled the non functioning cruise control and found several spots where the vacuum tubing had worn through. Gonna pull the reservoir can tomorrow and get it ready for a new fuel/water separator to be installed where the stock one is. After that I'm pulling the AC pump and pieces. Going to mount the coolant filer off the fuel filter mount. Planning to get this all done before seals arrive.

On another note, the crank main seal sleeve showed up a little tweaked. Will in straighten out during the installation?

Thanks

 

[IDIBRONCO]

It depends on how tweaked it is. It may be better just to send it back for one that isn't.

 

[VandalS]

I'd say it's a little out of round and the lip has a slight bend. I haven't seen if the shaft needs the sleeve, but figured it was good to have on hand.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

The out of shouldn't matter since it's slight and should return to shape when installed. I'd be careful of the bent lip. If it's been bent enough to make a wrinkle in the sleeve itself, that won't come back out. It's your choice, but I've had to drop the transmission out of an ambulance to replace a sleeve once. The guy who installed it REALLY needed glasses but wouldn't wear them. He didn't see the slight burr on the crank and installed the sleeve over it causing a wrinkle in the sleeve. I had to carefully chisel the sleeve off, smooth out the burr with a small file, install a new sleeve and seal, and then put it all together again all because the guy didn't check things close enough. Needless to say, I wasn't happy about it. I'm just overly cautious about this kind of thing.

 

[VandalS]

No wrinkles in seal mating surface, just the lip is a little tweaked and it is out of round. It should shape to crank fine.