'86 engine swap

[Posi]

I have a 86 CJ7 with AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l , T-5 , Dana 300 .

The jeep T-18 is far more expensive than the Ford T-18 . I could be wrong though. When I was looking I already had the jeep T-18 and the Transfer Case . To go with a Dana 300 I would have had to buy the Transfer Case and the adapter kit. So why spend the money on a jeep T-18 just to tear it apart when you'd do the same with a Ford T-18 ? I don't expect you to follow my logic on this one, but it makes sense to me.

Your situation doesn't relate to the PO.

The OP can buy the T-18 /20 and run with it as is, or
Install 315 gearing in the 20
Use the 300 he already has and adapted it to the T-18 .
Buy a ford T-18 and use his bell and 300

If the price is reasonable and it checks out fine I would go with the nutz to boltz Bell/T-18 /20/shafts. There are more fords then Jeep T18s out there, in my area they both can be had for the same price. I've paid nothing, to never more then $200 for a Jeep T-18 , the fords are going for the same price around here. I've done the Jeep T-18 to 300 swap, the 315 geared 20, and the ford to 300. All about the same price.

If he finds a ford T-18 he still has to buy the 300 adapter at over $500, the T-5 bell would work for him.

Or if the Jeep setup he is looking at is in good shape, and sells for a fair price, it's a plug n play no adapters needed.

 

[Hedgehog]

Boy you sure got me there. Thank you for shepherding me along on almost all my posts.

I agree the least expensive way to go would be to install the CJ jeep T-18 /Dana 20 . I've lost track, are we sure it's a CJ T-18 or a truck T-18 ?

It seems like it would be a relatively easy swap to put a Dana 300 on a stock CJ T-18 , but it's not. If you are starting from scratch and using a Dana 300 Transfer Case it would be less expensive to start with a Ford T-18 . That was my only point.

Why do I know? When I was doing my T18a and Dana 20 with a terra low gear set many were doing there best to convince me that I should go with a Dana 300 for the greater number of gear set options available for that Transfer Case . They had a point with the Dana 300 so I did the research. A lot of money would have been wasted if I went with the more desirable Dana 300 . Essentially the CJ T-18 would need to be stripped down for an adaptor in exactly the same way a less expensive Ford T-18 would.

 

[Posi]

Boy you sure got me there. Thank you for shepherding me along on almost all my posts.

I agree the least expensive way to go would be to install the CJ jeep T-18 /Dana 20 . I've lost track, are we sure it's a CJ T-18 or a truck T-18 ?

You should stop taking things so personally. It's not all about you.

Yes, it is a CJ T-18 , the casting number are correct for a CJ T-18 . If it were a FSJ T-18 the casting numbers would be different, there would be a 6" spacer between the bell and Transmission , and the stick would be straight.

It seems like it would be a relatively easy swap to put a Dana 300 on a stock CJ T-18 , but it's not. If you are starting from scratch and using a Dana 300 Transfer Case it would be less expensive to start with a Ford T-18 . That was my only point.

If you had a 300 it would cost the same to adapt it to a Jeep or ford T-18 . The Jeep or ford T-18 could be the same price like they are around my neck of the woods. I think what you mean is that you would spend a lot more money in your area for a Jeep Transmission then a ford Transmission .

When I was doing my T18a and Dana 20 with a terra low gear set many were doing there best to convince me that I should go with a Dana 300 for the greater number of gear set options available for that Transfer Case .

The 300 only has 1 optional gear set, the 4.1 that I know of.

I know this is after the fact, but you likely paid around $800-$900 for the 3.15 gear set. It sounds by your post you were looking to save money, you could have lowered your gearing in your 20 from 2.03 to 2.46 for about $100 -$200 using D18 gears, and a bronco sliding gear.

 

[Hedgehog]

You are correct, I'm taking this far to personally. My input is not needed I feel the foolish need to either lash out stupidly or walk away from this thread.

O.P. - Good luck with your build, I think you are on a good road here. Sorry to have confused things.

 

[Posi]

My input is not needed

I have to say, the play for sympathy is not appealing, and frankly, getting old.

If you read my previous posts their focused on transmissions, t-cases, and gear swaps in hopes of helping the OP, if it helps other members that's great as well.

This is a Jeep forum, the focus should stay Jeep related, not emotional baggage, or innuendos IMO. Stay positive!

 

[Torxhead]

You are correct, I'm taking this far to personally. My input is not needed I feel the foolish need to either lash out stupidly or walk away from this thread.

I have to disagree with that Hedge, as it helps us all to learn and to keep the forum alive.

 

[Hedgehog]

Torxhead - Thanks, I'm not walking away from the board, in an attempt to keep the peace, just this thread. I honestly do believe the OP is being well served by the posters here. I was clumsy in a point about what seems like a simple swap amongst a linear family of parts not necessarily being the least expensive way to your go and was called out on it. Not handling it well derailed an otherwise useful thread. I apologize for my actions here.

 

[nivensid]

Ready to pull the 304V8 out of the CJ5 and clean it up before installing in the CJ7 . Thanks for all the information.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Good luck!
OLG

 

[hole]

Your situation doesn't relate to the PO.

The OP can buy the T-18 /20 and run with it as is, or
Install 315 gearing in the 20
Use the 300 he already has and adapted it to the T-18 .
Buy a ford T-18 and use his bell and 300

If the price is reasonable and it checks out fine I would go with the nutz to boltz Bell/T-18 /20/shafts. There are more fords then Jeep T18s out there, in my area they both can be had for the same price. I've paid nothing, to never more then $200 for a Jeep T-18 , the fords are going for the same price around here. I've done the Jeep T-18 to 300 swap, the 315 geared 20, and the ford to 300. All about the same price.

If he finds a ford T-18 he still has to buy the 300 adapter at over $500, the T-5 bell would work for him.

Or if the Jeep setup he is looking at is in good shape, and sells for a fair price, it's a plug n play no adapters needed.

My only question here is about the re-use of the T-5 bell. When I went from T-5 to T19 I used an early bell from T-150 (same pattern) otherwise I would've needed to drill and tap my T-5 bell. Am I missing something here?