To swap or not to swap, tis the ?

[CABBOTT]

Ok guys I need y'all's plethora of knowledge. I'm torn between keeping my AMC 360 and a 5.3 vortex I found for sale. So what's y'all opinion, I found the 5.3 complete from top to bottom with wiring harness, sensors and ECM from a truck that had 77,000 mi. The truck was totaled from the rear end. Do you guys think I should jump on the buy? If so what all should I expect to need to buy for install? The 360 I have now I just finished the team rush, but I also found that I have one cylinder that is only pushing 60 psi compared to the other cylinders all pushing 120 psi all help, suggestions, and advise will be greatly appreciated also ASAP on the replies if possible hate to miss a deal you know

 

[Old Dog]

For sure you would need new motor mounts and some adapters, new exhaust, maybe different driveshafts. But IMO it would be worth it.
Are you getting a Transmission to go with it?

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Id like to say keep it jeep but the older i get the more I like my stuff to run or be easily fixable.

If I was to find a good running 5.3 with all the accesories I would jump on it. Get every thing you can from it including the gas pedal if its a drive by wire set up. I would use the 5.3 with a 4l60 or 4l80E. You will need the wiring gone through to get it ready. Most companies will send it back with 4 wires to hook up. you will need new radiator, motor mounts and Transmission adapter. For the Transfer Case Im not sure.

For the 360 your looking at a rebuild and that will be between $1200-$2500.

My next motor swap into a Jeep will be a ls motor

 

[CABBOTT]

See I'm all about keeping it old school and AMC powered, I even got the plate customer to AMC CJ, but I use my vehicles...a lot so the fuel mileage, dependability, off road advantages, ease of obtaining parts and repairing all ways in and the more I like the 5.3 idea. I had planned on going that rout down the road when I get another cj and convert this one but the price and availability are right just don't have the 4l60 to go with it but I'm also worried of all the other parts ill have to buy to get it up and running and the cost associated with it

 

[Hedgehog]

Depending on the money and depending on whether you want the experience of the swap you could go either way. I would rebuild the AMC. The 360 belongs in your Jeep.

 

[harleydragon]

I like to keep my vehicles as simple as I can

 

[Old Dog]

might want to look through this 5.3 Jeeps - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

 

[CABBOTT]

Well the Transmission is sold already and the motor is a throttle by wire which he doesn't have the pedal for it. Hmm I'm starting to rethink the 5.3, I have the time but not the bank roll for all the extras ....... Damn you America for not standardizing everything like the communist jk America rocks

 

[Saddle Tramp]

Boy, I thought this was a CJ board; brothers in arms so to speak that live and enjoy the piece of history we have either bought or inherited; either way we are entrusted with their preservation. I never dreamed that so many are ready to castrate their CJs at the drop of a hat in favor of a SBC. (Before the flaming begins as most of you know I give all the accolades to the SBC, BUT… a SBC belongs in a hot rod or a full blown pickup, not a CJ.)

Don’t misunderstand, I’m not saying that you need to keep your CJ bone stock either but there are so few relatively unmolested CJs left in the world keep your jeep, jeep, particularly the powertrain and if you just gotta stuff a SBC in something, buy a Wrangler.

 

[cj7inthetwigs]

I agree with keeping the jeep together. I never could understand why folks would run bowties in the stangs and ford motors in their vega's. Yes,alot of stuff interchanges with the bowtie and everyone has one making them cheaper. I don't think I have read about someone cramming a new 5.9 in their jeep? Why? While my title stated "American Motor Company" , I would feel better with mopar lurking under the hood than the run of the mill...If your answer is cost, go buy a Sidekick or Geo Tracker.. Theres ways to modernize your original equipment and get the most out of what you've already got.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

 

[jdarg]

Don't listen to these guys. Do what you want, its YOUR Jeep. There are no rules. It sounds like you like old school so fix the 360, not that the 5.3 is a bad platform either, but everyone has different goals and means. That 5.3L swap is going to have all kinds of little hidden costs though unless you really do your homework, trust me.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Go and price the cost of having your 360 rebuilt. Dont forget things like larger pistons for the over bore, rings, bearing, having the crank turned, new cam, water pump, heads rebuilt, new motor mounts, gaskets, timing chain, freeze plugs, oil pump, either new timing chain cover or have yours overhauled, fuel pump, new cap, rotor, and wires.

Most shops here on the east coast will quote you $AMC 150 per cylinder for motor work plus another $300-$600 for the head job depending on what it needs. so your in the 1500-2000 range for the 360 rebuild minimum. Thats if you break it down and take it to them. Then you need to either reassemble yourself or pay another 800-1000 to have it assembled and broke in.

Again I have lots of love for the 360 but after you spend all that money on it guess how you will feel when you start getting 10mpg because a 360 is a gas hog... bore it .030 over and it will suck up more gas. Then you start to have a miss and throw more time and money at it to fix that. Oh.. you didnt pay to upgrade and modify the oil system so now you have a great 5psi at idle.

then theres the 5.3 OBDII system. most guys are getting 17 mpg from their stock motor in a 5400 lbs truck. A stock jeep with a 360 weigh in about 2750 lbs. So you are cutting the weight in half thus increasing the MPG. If you have a running, idle, misfire issue you can take it to any shop and have the codes read and find out where your problem is. I would push for a 4l60E or 4l80E Transmission , yes they cost a bit more and are computer run but they do have the OD which is what helps with the gas milage.

Im currently working on a YJ with a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l engine, if that motor ever craps the bed im going for a 5.3.

Theres so much info out there on building both motors that it will make you want to vomit. Keep in mind cost, efficiency, trouble shooting and availability of parts.

 

[harleydragon]

Don't listen to these guys. Do what you want, its YOUR Jeep. There are no rules. It sounds like you like old school so fix the 360, not that the 5.3 is a bad platform either, but everyone has different goals and means. That 5.3L swap is going to have all kinds of little hidden costs though unless you really do your homework, trust me.

exactly..we are all individuals ..when I buy a cj that is stock,I try to keep it that way.But,the majority of the ones I end up with have already been butchered.Then,I opt for a full chevy running gear with a carbed 350 and simple electronic ignition because they are plentiful,cheap to work on and most important to me,I have worked on them most of my life and know them like the back of my hand.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

Go and price the cost of having your 360 rebuilt. Dont forget things like larger pistons for the over bore, rings, bearing, having the crank turned, new cam, water pump, heads rebuilt, new motor mounts, gaskets, timing chain, freeze plugs, oil pump, either new timing chain cover or have yours overhauled, fuel pump, new cap, rotor, and wires.

Most shops here on the east coast will quote you $AMC 150 per cylinder for motor work plus another $300-$600 for the head job depending on what it needs. so your in the 1500-2000 range for the 360 rebuild minimum. Thats if you break it down and take it to them. Then you need to either reassemble yourself or pay another 800-1000 to have it assembled and broke in.

Looks like a remanufactured AMC 360 can be had for about $1600:

https://www.sandjengines.com/rebuilt-auto-engines/JEEP/WAGONEER

Yes there will be some incidentals and such to add to that price but if it was only about the money the World would all be driving Hitler’s Volkswagen Beetle.

 

[Hedgehog]

He did ask us our opinion. It's not like we are barging in on his swap dream. I think the advice given so far is all valid.

 

[harleydragon]

He did ask us our opinion. It's not like we are barging in on his swap dream. I think the advice given so far is all valid.

sure it is..he is getting different viewpoints..swapping usually runs into a lot of changes..cheapest,easiest would probably be to have the 360 rebuilt..these newer vehicles seem to have so much trouble with ecm's,sensors and fuel injection that I tend to stick with what I know which is carbs and simple electronic ignitions

 

[Jimbos76cj]

https://www.sandjengines.com/rebuilt-auto-engines/CHEVROLET/CAMARO

5.7 350 for 1700..

 

[CABBOTT]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate everyone's input and opinions. Well I've decided to stay with the 360 in it.......but I went and bought the 5.3 anyways it's just hard for me to pass a good deal by though I won't be throwing it in this jeep ill keep it for just in case measures should anything major happen or when I get my next project

 

[harleydragon]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate everyone's input and opinions. Well I've decided to stay with the 360 in it.......but I went and bought the 5.3 anyways it's just hard for me to pass a good deal by though I won't be throwing it in this jeep ill keep it for just in case measures should anything major happen or when I get my next project

yep,I love having spare parts..I have a shop full of jeep and harley parts.90% of them I will never use but I like having them,just in case