2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee

This is the buildup of my wifes 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee. We started with a  2wd jeep GC then added a dana 30 front axle (yes light duty but it will only be needed if stuck in the mud which is rare anyway) to make it 4wd. The front suspension was also changed since the stock upper arms were in the way of the engine, we swapped it all out in favor of a clayton radius arm style suspension with 4" of lift for plenty of clearance. This allowed us plenty of clearance for the oil pan as well as the 31" tires, with simple oil pan mods we will be able to bolt the dana 44 we are slowly building for the future. The rear is stock but with the required lift springs and shocks.

 The engine started out as a straight 6 from jeep but was swapped out for an isuzu 4bd1T diesel with an HE351 turbo, 370cc bosch A pump, 100% over size 4 X 18 injectors, and a few other mods. I think this will provide plenty of go for the jeep as well as provide a nice bump in mileage over the stock engine's 16-18mpg. The trans is a 2006 GM 4L85E that has been rebuilt along with a custom converter for a lower rpm stall than the original gas converter would offer. Exhaust is 3.5" out of the turbo to the bottom of the engine then it goes into a 4" system with mbrp magnaflow diesel muffler. The serpentine belt drive is one of our custom pieces done specificly for this build to give it a more modern look as ease of maintenance. The alternator is from a 1995 mustang (3G 130 amp) the a/c compressor is a GM V belt drive. The intake manifold is a piece from New Zealand not offered in the USA.

 I had to make a few one off pieces for the jeeps factory a/c and tach to work. The key to makeing these 2 items work is simulating the cam and crank sensors. If you dont simulate those two sensors then the jeep will think the engine isnt running and after 5 seconds it will deactivate everything and now allow the a/c controls to work and the tach obviously wont work since it gets its signal from the crank signal.

The day we bought it, still gas powered and 2wd :(

Bye bye gasser

Kate making the downpipe for the exhaust

Test fitting the engine in the jeep

Made the new turbo oil drain and flipped the starter upside down for diff clearance

Had a few parts powder coated and ceramic coated

IDS adapter bolted up along with flexplate for the 4L85E trans

The first oil filter relocation kit I made out of scrap aluminum

Made a simple bracket to bolt up the stock jeep shift linkage to the 4L85E

Audi vacuum pump to make the brake booster and a/c vents work

Vacuum switch and relay, this only lets the vaucuum pump work when needed

Modified stock fuel pickup, removed the stock pump and replaced it withh 1/2" hard line for the pickup

The jeep as it looks from the outside as a driver, can't tell a difference besides the diesel sound