UPDATE - SUCCESS and PICS ! Havent Started in 2 Years

[flyusmc]

We'll, I just bought an 78 Cherokee Chief with a 401 4bbl to swap into my 1988 Wagoneer. (Pics Soon!)
I bought it off craigslist in Denver, and the old owner was very nice and trailered it down to Colorado Springs for me.

He said it ran great but was trying to rebuild the old Holley carb and could not do it right. So he parked it and let it sit for 2 year in a open field.

My plan was to get it driving (even if it was rough driving) so I could take it to a Military auto hobby shop and pull the engine to rebuild it.

So I just bought all the rebuild parts I needed (minus pistons or bearings until I get the motor check out) and set about getting the ol' beast in running order.
I just
1. Changed the oil and filter - Black as tar and stunk!
2. Filled the radiator- It was empty and super clean
3. Put 2 cans of ISO heat in the tank with 5 Gal of 91 Octane
4. Changed the Fuel filter
5. Filled the empty Power stearing pump
6. Installed an Edelbrock 1406 Carb :) -Still doing a little plumbing.
I will refire her today and am excited to see if/how she runs

Everything else looks brand new including headers, and new exhaust, new platnum plugs, Cap, rotor, and wires. Plus the engine and oil pan look just painted with no scratches.

-To me this hints that a rebuild or at least a refreshing recently occured right before the old owner tried to rebuild the carb.

Who know's maybe I just pull it and run it without a rebuild and save the rest of my parts for when I need to rebuild.

BTW I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the 78 When I'm done. I will also have a great running 360 and super tuned 2bbl to go with it. Your thoughts?

Flyusmc

[Elliott]

Do a compression test and fire 'er up.:thumbsup:

[billyrb]

I would buy a set of pan, waterpump, head & intake gaskets and pull the intake / heads / waterpump & oil pan and inspect it (if it were me). All it takes is about 2 hours of your time and you can then be sure of what was done / what the condition is. If it looks fresh & new, you can also measure the bore and see if it was a stock bore, 10 over, 30 over or 60 over. If it looks old / worn, then you can take the weekend and drop in some new rings / bearings and help it last a while longer.

[dlowrance]

BTW I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the 78 When I'm done. I will also have a great running 360 and super tuned 2bbl to go with it. Your thoughts?

Flyusmc

If the 78 is in good shape offer her with the pulled 360 as a package deal to your fellow IFSJA'ers...you know, like ME....:D

[etjeep]

I would pre-lube the motor after sitting two years.

[Dmntxn77]

If you decide to part the 78, I would probably be interested in some parts if it is in decent shape.

[skeletor]

i would keep the 401 in the cherokee and drive it like crazy. besides everyone knows that cherokees are way cooler that wags :D

[JeepNOFEAR]

i would keep the 401 in the cherokee and drive it like crazy. besides everyone knows that cherokees are way cooler that wags :D So true :thumbsup:

[flyusmc]

Success!!

After all the prep work I cranked her for 3 15 seccond intervalls and she fired right up. Very little tuneing was needed!

I was nervous for a bit becasue I did not know how to mount the Edelbrock 1406 up to the stock intake manifold. I just modified a spread bore gasket (Exacto modified :D) and it sealed tight and worked very well.

Besides residual gas being bad in the tank, it runs and idles very smoothly. There is/are major exhaust leaks, but that wont matter as I am going to pull the motor from the truck anyway.

Darn it. Picures arn't working. I try to upload from my computer but I get the error " Unable to load pixXXX).

FLYUSMC

[JeepBountyHunter]

Congrat's bud, I would stick that 360 in the Cherokee and sell it complete..don't part that Cherokee, these are harder and harder to find!

[fulsizjeep]

You know you will want to run the peediddle outa that 401 right in the Cherokee before you engage the swap. heh, that's how I did it. :cool: I drove that ole rusted out Cherk for 2 years before we parked it as unsafe to drive. The body panels wanted to flap like a albatrose. :D

[Heavy_Metal_Thunder_81]

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Its ORANGE!!!:dancingbanana:
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And its a W/T!!!!!!!!!!!!:thumbsup:

[goldhammer]

Bear in mind if you swap the 401 into the wag, you will need to get a 401/727 flex plate, and don't forget to pull the crank bushing out -T400's used it, but the 727's do not. Some one will cime in with a p/n for the flex plate, if not tell the parts guy you want one for a Javelin or AMX. Jeep never ofered the 401/727 combo.

[Lindel]

Congrats!

[fulsizjeep]

flexplate = 74 Matador X 401 ;)

[flyusmc]

Thanks for the advice on the flex plate and trans ring. I'm getting the NAPA adapator for around 55 bucks.

BTW I do like Cherokees better then Wagoneers, but shuffling kids in and out is much easier in a Cherokee.

So I think he Cherokee will go. ( I just don't have room for 4 Cars)
But on an intersting note, I have since learned I bought the Cherokee from the original owners family.

Its pretty loaded, it has A/C and the in Dash CB. It drives real smooth and also everythign works! All lights, A/C, etc! :eek:

The kicker is that I found tons of original paperwork including the original owners manual and window sticker.

FLYUSMC

[BarnOwl]

Sell the Wagoneer to raise money for the continued preservation of a sweet W/T pumpkin!! :drivin:

[78J10honcho]

please consider saving a nice original 401 powered cherokee

[flyusmc]

I'd sure consider saving an original 401 Cherokee...but I need a 401 for my Wagoneer. I have already bought the rebuild parts for the 401 too.

To be honest the Cherokee is pretty rough. It was sitting in an open field for 2+ years. It would take alot of work to get her perfect.


I would consider selling/trading her as is, if someone wanted to help me with a 401 install in my cherokee.
But it would have to be pretty quick as I have to pay storage fees by the day at the Auto Hobby Shop on base.

FLYUSMC

[BarnOwl]

NO NO NO!!!

You don't get it! Must keep Cherokee and get rid of Waggie!

(Will be way more expensive too!) :D

[fulsizjeep]

Hey, it is your Jeep stuff man. Don't let anyone throw a guilt trip on saving a WT Cherk. I don't buy that ticket. :rolleyes: Some are just sacrificed. :p

[My1990GW]

FlyUSMC...............

Question, what is "rough" about the Cherokee? From the pics, I don't see much (if any) rust, the undercarrige looks ok, the body looks OK, and the interior doesn't look bad....

I wished that you were closer to Maryland, or West Central Georgia because I'd definately take the Cherokee carcass off of your hands!!!

[nepatternmaker]

i'm in Nebraska, I think one of my boys would be interested it the cherk. let me know if you want to sell it and how much.

dave

[mdill]

Sounds like you have a plan, others may not like the idea, but it is your truck.
I hope you offer the carcass to the cause, rather than the crusher.
Hopefully there is someone here that can coordinate the pull of the motor with hauling the rest away (To avoid base storage fees) to either be revived or at least offer the parts up, it is not cherry but looks to have a lot of good stuff that can be used. (The only shame would be if the truck got crushed before it was stripped or had a chance at a new life)

When you do the swap as mentioned , you will need to get a AMC 401 car flexplate (not hard to get) and be 100% sure the "no can see" (It is there really, it is) bushing in the end of the crank is removed before install (If not you will trash the trans 100% sure and the thrust bearing in the engine 90% sure).
You will also want to use the accessory mounts/bolts that came with the 401 to avoid the 7/16 vs. 3/8 bolt size differances in the front of the block.
The exhaust manifold bolts from the 401 will also need to be reused, with the ex-manifolds from the G-wagon.
On a 78 (motocraft ign) all the wiring should be plug and play so no worries there)

Mike D.

[flyusmc]

Okay all. I'm going to start two new threads. One for my rebuild/swap and one for a either selling the cherokee. But an updateI pulled the Cherokee into the bay today and took the fenders grill, radiator, and tranny cooler off. So she's sitting there pretty much half naked. I'll pull the engine tomorrow.

The good news is that I saw that the front fenders only have very minor surface rust and are in good shape. In fact she is in a little better condition that I originally thought.

The bottom line is that I am going to rebuild my nice running 360 and swap it into this Cherokee and sell it. I'll post a best offer add in the For Sale Secton.

Thanks for all your help Guys!
FLYUSMC