M715 engine swap

[Irondust]

Not that I have my eye on one, or anything. ;) I'm just wondering how hard it would be to drop in a 360.

[Zorm]

or what about a 258 or stroker 4.0??

[Hammer]

difficulty depends on what tranny you want to use. The T-98 isn't a bad tranny, but are kind of old and some parts are a pain to replace.
The frame perches for the motor mounts are taller then stock ones. But if you can get some frame perches from a newer FSJ, it almost bolts in.
Firewall clearance can be an issue depending on what tranny you use as well.

[Dive 30]

There is a guy on the CFSJA list that has an M715 with a 360/TH400/Quadratrac swapped in. I didn't get a real close look at the motor mounts, but they looked pretty stock. For the tranny, they took a standard crossmember and extended towards the back with 1/4" plate steel so that it bolted on where the factory tranny mount went. Real clean. After that, some custom drive shafts and you are on your way. He's even got a Howell TBI set-up and MSD ignition. Pretty sweet.

Phil

[Kaiserjeeps]

If it has been done to a M715, you can read about it over at the M715zone.com Great site, lots of info, and we even have two maybe three clowns who keep things lively!! Porkchop has been getting on board, you should too. I signed up a few years ago before I bought one. I learned alot from those guys. Helped me out before my purchase. If your serious...sign up...Kaiserjeeps...(Al)..

[jlinskey]

I remember an article in JP a couple of years ago where the owner of a M715 swapped in a Ford 300 inline 6. Swapping an inline6 for another inline 6 may be cheaper to do than converting to a V8. Moreover with the Ford 300 inline6, you would be able to go fuel injection.

[J10Mike]

Irondust,
Below is an article on M715 engine swaps written by Al Krason on M715zone.com. I would copy and paste this into a test file for future reference.

Mike

Poor Man's Performance Increase for the M-715
Contributed By: Al Krason
This is Al Krason here in Denver, there is an alternative to the 230 Tornado,(that is blown) in the M-715 Kaiser Jeep there is an inexpensive replacement for the 230.
**Please note that the 230 Tornado is not un-reliable, but is very underpowerd for the Kaiser M-715 Jeep.
THIS IS THE POORMANS PERFORMANCE INCREASE TO THE KAISER M-715 JEEP.
I did some looking to see what will fit the T-98 4 speed in the Kaiser, M-715 Jeep, while retaining the original T-98 4 speed. This is what I have found:(please take this for what it is worth to you as the most inexpensive upgrade of M-715 Kaiser). If a "PROPER UPGRADE IS DONE" the cost is indeed very high, going with the standard Novack $360, Advance Adapters, cost is about $500 for A/AD + $130 for eng mounts.
· $800. Rebuilt 350 chevy
· $630. A/AD
· $ 75. Bellhousing used
· $ 50. Clutch new
· $ 25. Pilot bushing/bearing new
· $ 30. Throw out bearing new
· $ 75. Pressure plate
· $ 75. Flywheel used
· $250. Core for 350 chevy (no they will not take the 230 Tornado in exchange)
About $2000. for just the main hardwere and when you add the stuff below it will push you to about $3000. So you got a good truck with a 350 cu engine. Now I now that to install a DIESEL 6.2/6.5 GM is much more expensive the GM has the same bolt pattern as the 350 Chevy) so 6.2 is $3200.00, a long block rebuilt with injector pump, you still need a core, and all the stuff in the middle. About $4000 big bucks. So the question is what can be done to make it a "Good project with some reason of sanity"??
Please note that I did not include stuff like: Labor Cost, radiator, oils & fluids, filters, new starter, alternator, carb, distributor . stuff & wires plugs etc.etc...
The METHOD M-715 upgrade (take your time in developing the proper steps in conversion, remember it's all cost, Your's).
· Use the AMC 360/401 engine,(they are very inexpensive In Junk Yards about $100. for a whole engine (U-Pull)in the Denver market, overhaul kit is $170 with all parts I.E. rings, bearings, gaskets,etc..)
· You need to get the bellhousing, from the T-18 4 speed (it came on the following J-series Jeeps full size, with 8cyl 1971-1978 (tooth count S27-L17T & S27-L23T)). Stickout is the lenght of the shaft on the output of the 4 speed, just the shaft to the first step on the 4 speed) the length of the sitickout has to be 14 1/8" on the right T-18 4 speed. The T-98 4 speed has a stickout of 10 1/4" too short for the bellhousing that comes with the full size J-series trucks. The T-98 & T-18 are the same length and have same bolt pattern, the difference is the size of the input shaft diameter, T-98 has Diam. of 1 1/16" and the T-18 has the Diam. of 1 1/8". The T-98 has 17 splines & the T-18 has 17 & 23 splines-(71-72) 17 splines-(73-78) *I am only talking about the 14 1/8" stick- out 4 speed and years made.. If you can find a Jeep (fullsize) that has a 360 or a 401 with a 4 speed (T-18) it will drop in to the M-715, (the best method & cost effective, all from Junk yard $250.) in the following years 1971-1978. A T-98 can be used providing that a input center shaft is changed from 10 1/4" to 14 1/8" (a disassembly of T-98 is required).
· (C) COSTS>>>>>>> $150. eng good runing (bellhousing & flywheel etc..) (Junk yard block).
o $170. overhaul kit
o $ 80. shaft for T-98
o $ 50. clutch heavy duty
o $ 30. throw-out bearing
o $ 75. pressure plate
o $ 40. eng. mounts
This is much more sane $600. plus Labor & Stuff $1000... $1600.
I will try to refine this further for better costs. Let me know if this list can be expanded more, to include better way of doing stuff... ADD, EXPAND, INPUT, SUGGEST, PLEASE !!!<<<<
I hope this helps those owners that have the FSJ-Military types.
Al Krason, Denver

[Mikel]

In order to mate an AMC 360 to a T98, you will need:

- T98 long input shaft (Can be hard to find. AMHIK)
- Spacer that goes between tranny and bellhousing (commonly found with T18's that have V8's)
- AMC bellhousing (Again from a T18, T150...)

[waggin'ear]

IMHO, This is one of those scenarios where swapping in a chevy engine using an adapter like novak is the easiest if you want to keep the tranny.

A 360 swap is doable (the holes to move the motor mounts are already there), but the tranny won't bolt up. That's why most people swap the entire engine, tranny and x-fer if they stay amc.