TTB WJ 5.2 Magnum Swap Part 3

This is Part 3 of our 5.2 magnum swap, our goal is September 26th but we are hoping to be done done one week earlier for some pre testing.

Read The Rest
Part 1: It’s Finally Happening
Part 2: Out With the Old
Part 3: The Last of the Stock Components
Part 4: All About Brakes
Part 5: Pulling the 5.2 (time lapse)
Part 6: The Test Fit
Part 7: Cutting and (not) Fitting
Part 8: Broken and Upgraded Parts
Part 9: Leaky Plenum Gasket
Part 10: Side Projects and Summer Fun
Part 11: Setting the Motor
Part 12: Custom Exhaust & Driveline
Part 13: Cutting and Rebuilding
Part 14: Giant Radiator in a Little Jeep
Part 15: Custom Tube Bumper
Part 16: Driveshafts
Part 17: A Real Firewall
Part 18: Starting Final Assembly
Part 19: Extending The Engine Cage
Part 20: Still Assembling
Part 21: It Lives!
Part 22: Brakes and Wiring

The Last of the Stock Components

Over the years we have been slowing replacing, and in some cases, flat out removing stock parts that we didn’t need. While some parts have been upgraded like the driver seats and axles, we have removed little things we don’t find necessary like the front windows, A/C, rear seats, and all of the interior paneling. The bulk of the removal was done before the main cage was built in 2008, but things like the stock wiring, brake system, and engine electrical system have stayed in place to keep everything running smoothly. With the engine bay empty and no longer a need for the stock PCM we decided to remove as many unneeded items as we could. This includes brake booster, master cylinder, PCM, TCM, both fuse blocks, and what was left of the stock wiring from the engine and behind the dash.

Before

About 2 years ago we started to remove all unnecessary wiring starting at the rear and working up to the dash. Then, last year during our dash rebuild we removed everything up to the firewall. Our new engine will be run by the the stock ZJ PCM and a standalone wiring harness we no longer had a need for the little bit of stock wiring we had left in the TTB WJ. Along with the wiring we also pulled the stock master cylinder, brake booster, and pedal.

After

Why The Brakes

You may be asking yourself why a motor swap requires us to remove the stock brakes? While these two may seem unrelated let me make the connection for you. With the motor out we want to clean up the engine cage, this includes making room for bypasses in the future, which requires us to move our current coilover mounts back. The issue what that is the stock brake booster and master cylinder is pretty much right where the new coilover will be, so it has to go. I don’t want to give away too much before next week, but we will be installing a manual brake system with dual master cylinders. (Check back next Tuesday for updates on that)

With the engine and transmission already gone, as the wires, computers, fuse blocks, and brakes came out we realized this was just about all that was left of the stock components. The only WJ parts we have left are the grill and lights, unibody shell, steering wheel, gas pedal, and shifter assembly. By the end of the swap the motor, transmission, drive shafts, axles, brake rotors and calipers, fuse blocks, gas tank, radiator and a few other odds and ends will all be non WJ parts. Even with the majority of the parts coming from a Ford Bronco and a Jeep ZJ we will always be loyal to the WJ name. TTB WJ for Life!

What’s Next

This week was a little slow, maybe it was because we were recovering from the 4th of July, maybe the pressure the deadline hasn’t fully set it, maybe we were just taking our time clipping wires as we didn’t rip out too much. Whatever the reasons, we will need to make up some time to make the September 26th deadline. Next week will hopefully be action packed with the new pedal and master cylinder install, some brake tech, new steering wheel mounts, more frame plates, and prepping the engine cage to test fit the 5.2 (which is on the books to come out of the ZJ on July 25th).

Don’t forget to check back next Tuesday for updates.