The Novak Guide to

Installing Ford Windsor V8 Engines

into the

Jeep CJ5 & CJ6 Universals 1972-1975

Ford V8 power is a fine thing for nearly any post-1971 Jeep CJ. These engines develop great power and they fit well into the envelope of the Jeep's engine bay.

This won't be much of a comparative discussion between GM and Ford V8's, but our customers do often ask us our opinions on the topic. Ford V8's are smart swaps, especially if using a Ford manual transmission. When considering an automatic, the GM lineup does provide greater options. Fuel injected Ford V8's are especially exciting for a Jeep engine swap. A 5.0L in their various tunes will offer great performance and a 351 EFI even more so. Ford engines are light, narrow and have the distributor favorably located. These engines are a bit longer than Chevy V8's, but they can nest deeper into the firewall area to compensate for this, leaving adequate room for cooling components.

These conversions take some basic planning and effort in their execution, but the results can be quite fantastic. With improvements in power, fuel economy, reliability and broad range driveability, once one has driven a CJ with a proper Ford conversion, it is tough to ever look back.

Before we talk procedure, let's cover a bit of the history of these Jeeps and their key parts that will play a role in the planning of a successful conversion.

A Little History

The CJ's of the 1972-1975 era were, mechanically, a slight departure from all previous CJ Jeeps, though overall, they were still based heavily still on the Bantam / Willys / Ford military Universal. These CJ's feature a compact design; narrow track and short wheelbase for weaving up, through, over and around obstacles.

AMC's installation of the straight six actually forced a serious design change in the the Jeep CJ5, as AMC designers had to lengthen the 1972 CJ's front clip by 3" (increasing the wheelbase to 84") to allow for its fitment into the engine bay. This bodes well for Ford Windsor installers as the space required for these V8's is quite adequate - previous CJ Jeeps were not good candidates for these fine swaps.

Factory Engines

The AMC 232 & 258 I6 was available in the CJ platform. AMC also offered its V8's in these Jeeps. Many individuals are prompted to replace these with Ford power because of the fuel efficiency, strength, drivability and parts availability offered by the 302 (5.0L) and 351 (5.7L) engines.

Factory Transmissions

The Jeep CJ had three manual transmission options from 1972-1975:

• The T14 three-speed, as typically married to the I6 engines
• The T15 three-speed, as typically married to the I6 and V8 engines
• The T18 four-speed, also typically married to the above engines

Transfer Cases

Jeep has usually excelled in its transfer case offerings and new (in the CJ, anyway) for 1972 was the Dana 20 transfer case, provided by Dana Spicer.

Successful conversions retain the gear-driven Dana 20 due to its strength, compact design, refined operation and servicability.

Planning the Powertrain Conversion

Transmission Choice

It is crucial to discuss transmissions early on. They are sometimes more central to the conversion than the engine.

Though some of these following transmissions do not offer overdrive, many CJ's with larger tire sizes and proper axle ratios will still allow for a respectable freeway cruising RPM. An individual is best to perform some gearing calculations as part of this stage of the planning.

Automatic Transmission Options

Auto trans options for Fords are just not great. The C6 is too long, the AOD is good but year to year changes stifle adapter developments and requests for C4 swaps into these Jeeps are somewhat rare.

Manual Transmission Options

All CJ's during these years had manual shift transmissions.

Many Jeeps are destined for more hybrid or even hard trail use and some individuals will be choosing manual shift, heavy-duty truck four speeds to place behind their Ford powerplants.

Ford T18: A choice, heavy duty, four-speed transmission for the Ford & Jeep enthusiasts alike. • The Dana 20 transfer case is adaptable to the T18 by using our #188 series adapter kits.

Ford NP435: Also held in high regard for Ford conversions is the New Process 435. • The Dana 20 transfer case is adaptable to the 435 by using our #432 series adapter kits.

Options outside of these mentioned are usually not practical, useful, affordable or any combination of the three.

Transfer Case Choice

The Dana 20 is strong, easily adaptable, compact, and your Jeep likely already has one!

The stock Dana 20 transfer case found in these CJ Jeeps is very appropriate for V8 power, and is adaptable to all of the best transmissions, as listed above.

Some individuals ask us occasionally about trying to install Ford style transfer cases like the 205, 208 and others. They do not fit well into a CJ by virtue of their length, width, front output side and long adapter assemblies as designed for full-size trucks. Additionally, their gearing and other features do not lend them well towards the goals most are seeking with their Jeeps.

Engine Choice

This is where the planning gets most interesting and the decisions most subjective. The very first decision to be made here involves this: what kind of power do you need to do what you want with your CJ? From 289 up through 351 and from simple carburetor and ignition systems up through a full OBD-II compatible 5.7L; the choice is yours based on your comfort level.

A Ford 302 / 5.0L rear sump oil pan, available affordably from Ford Racing Parts (#M-6675-A50).

A Ford 351 / 5.7L rear sump oil pan, available affordably from Ford Racing Parts (#M-6675-A58).

The oil pan sump location should be considered when choosing any of these Ford V8 engines. Most of them have front sumps that cause front differential clearance problems. The 289 and 302 engines can be fitted with a rear sump oil pan and pump pickup from a Bronco or ‘83-‘93 Mustang 5.0 engine. We've also heard from our customers that the oil pan off later model Explorers with the 5.0 has the correct pan configuration.

There are two completely different block bolt patterns used on the Ford small block V8s. The first small blocks were the 260 cubic inch engines in 1962-64 and the 289 c.i. in 1963-65. These engines are usually referred to as "5-bolt" engines because they had five bolts attaching the bellhousing to the block. 5-bolt engines have a transmission bolt pattern that measures about 6-1/4" wide by 7-1/2" tall and have a 4.687" bore in the bellhousing.

Some 1965 and all 1966 and later 289, 302, and 351 Ford V8s are referred to as "6-bolt" engines because of the six bellhousing to block attaching bolts. These 6-bolt engines have a transmission bolt pattern that measures about 8-1/2" wide by 6-5/16" tall with a bore diameter of 4.850".

The modern incarnations of these motors are very good. Fuel injection versions through 1995 are good to work with and readily available. OBDII versions (post-'95) versions will have more advanced PCM and electrical hurdles but not much for knowledgable Ford enthusiasts.

Injected vs. Carbureted

Injected vs. Carbureted
This question has been at the forefront of the conversion world for a while now. There is something great about a simple, clean, unencumbered carburetor and simple ignition system. However, there is something excellent about a modern, self-adjusting, efficient, operate-at-any-camber fuel and spark delivery system.

No doubt that many individuals are in their comfort zone with the earlier hardware, but distill it down to the basics and it is the same essential thing that was going on in 1903; getting fuel and spark into the cylinders with the right mix and timing. There is no way around the conclusion that fuel injection systems do this better and in a broader range of conditions. Old iron is really cool, but this author has lived squarely during both carbureted and injected eras, an I see fewer breakdowns than ever, and have been in the bays and at the wheels of enough injected vehicles to know that they use less fuel to generate more power and in a cleaner, more reliable manner than their predecessors.

We get an occasional call from customers that have found a great V8 and ask if they can put a "simpler" carburetor on it. This has every distinct disadvantage that we can think of: increased parts cost, decreased efficiency, driveability and reliability. Don't even think about it. Fuel injection is generally much easier to work with than too many people think.

That being said, choose what you want. Unless, of course, you have emissions restrictions...

Emissions

Not just for Californians anymore, vehicle emissions considerations play a big role for most swaps. However, we feel that the fear of emissions by swappers is very overblown. It simply is not the challenge that many perceive.

Back to Californians; if you can pass California emissions standards, you can pass almost* any state or county regulations. As such, we will focus on the way the California Air Resources Board does it.

We’ve read that California law does exempt 1973 and earlier vehicles from emissions regulations. The CARB web site, however, mentions that vehicles since 1967 are not exempted. Again, do your research. Of course, based on the target of this manual, most conversions in question will be in later model Jeeps.

Engine conversions, according to California regulations, are to meet the following standards:

“Engine changes are legal as long as the following requirements are met to ensure that the change does not increase pollution from the vehicle:

• The engine must be the same year or newer than the vehicle.
• The engine must be from the same type of vehicle (passenger car, light-duty truck, heavy- duty truck, etc.) based on gross vehicle weight.
• If the vehicle is a California certified vehicle then the engine must also be a California certified engine.
• All emissions control equipment must remain on the installed engine.

After an engine change, vehicles must first be inspected by a state referee station. The vehicle will be inspected to ensure that all the equipment required is in place, and the vehicle will be emissions tested subject to the specifications of the installed engine.

Note that there are two emission systems to consider: Exhaust and Evaporative. The former consists of burning (and reburning) the fuel and air to the cleanest state possible, and then reburning yet again through the catalytic converter in the exhaust circuit. Evaporative emissions consist of how the unburned fuel is stored and transferred in the vehicle. The principal piece of hardware used here is a charcoal canister that absorbs fuel fumes as they slowly evaporate from the tank and lines. Upon starting the engine, the canister is purged of these fumes through engine vacuum and the temporary opening of a purge valve. Usually, one should retain the Jeep's existing canister as it already fits, and evaporative emissions management are no different for the engines involved.

Engine Choice and Emissions

your Jeep is considered to be a “Light Truck” by most jurisdictions. As such, you can usually source your engine from a Ford truck or SUV without failing your emissions certification. However, this again is according to local laws and your research is encouraged. Car engines do burn cleaner and may be more affordable as well.

What to Pull From a Salvage Powertrain

There is simple and specific strategy to pulling an engine or engine/transmission combo from the salvage donor vehicle for the best results for your Jeep conversion.

you need four or five key things:

1. The engine (don't let the obvious escape you).
2. The accessory package and its brackets. The latter is especially important in that you don't want to waste valuable time and money chasing down the bracketry. The three major Ford accessories that are native to the engine that you will install into your Jeep are the alternator, power steering pump and perhaps the air conditioner pump.
3. The computer PCM or ECM that controls the motor (and possibly the automatic transmission) combo)
4. The powertrain wiring harness. This is where individuals get unnecessarily uptight. This harness is quite obvious and surprisingly well self-contained. you will want all circuits to the engine's sensors and controllers, and you may opt to include the Ford Power Distribution Center, also known as the relay center.

This is usually how the engine is shipped by the pros and it is salvage industry standard to include the above, with the exception of the accessories in some situations.

Engine Placement

Engine placement is not hard, and it is actually a satisfying part of the project - to decide the optimal location of the powerplant.

The placement process works by top-down engineering. This consists of loading the engine with all of its accessories, including the exhaust manifolds. Lower this assembly into the engine bay and start nudging it around. you are looking for:

• Firewall clearance; a general rule is to leave yourself enough room that you can service the points at the rear of the engine without the removal of the engine from the Jeep. This includes any distributor, plugs, manifolds or other sub-systems. Note here that the Jeep has an indentation just off of center in the firewall for clearance with the factory I4 & I6 engine heads and valve covers. This is a very handy place to partially tuck a Ford V8. Denting and especially cutting of the firewall looks quite terrible and will take away from the great look of your new engine.
• Frame rail clearance; it is usually exhaust manifolds that dictate location here. Most CJ installations will require the engine to be offset 1" to 1-1/4" towards the driver's side.
• Steering shaft clearance; Actually, more of a driving reason for the offset as listed above.
• Radiator clearance; your choice of water pump and fan (mechanical or electric) will establish your envelope here. Shorter water pumps and electric fans offer the greatest clearance.
• Hood clearance; will the hood close without any (remember that engines twist under torque) interference? Choice of air cleaner and air induction tubing is also an issue here. The CJ actually has a generous engine bay height envelope but you should still avoid mounting the engine too high for the sake of tunnel-to-transmission clearance and overall center of gravity.
• Front axle clearance; will your your axle, at maximum compression, threaten your oil pan?

Our experience shows that the Ford engine will come ahead about 2" from the stock I6 location in most situations.

Engine Mounts

Removal of the stock frame brackets is required to make way for the new engine. We recommend our #MMX mounts for Ford Small Block V8 engines. They make for a clean, strong installation, and their versatile adjustability makes them ideal for a variety of conversion options. They are typically welded on to the Jeep frame for the best results. The Ford motor mounts manufactured by Novak (shown) are installed on the engine to replace the original Ford cushions. These brackets completely replace the original Ford mounts. The gusseted frame brackets weld to the inside faces of the frame rails and support the weight of the engine through the neoprene insulator. The other insulator fits under the frame bracket to effectively dampen engine vibrations without being too soft. Refer to our instructions supplied with motor mounts for more information.

Cooling

It will be little news to most readers that the factory radiator will not work with a conversion engine both in terms of cooling capacity and outlet location. Novak started swapping V8 engines into CJ Jeeps several years ago and setting up a cooling system was a challenge. Since then we now offer a bolt-in performance aluminum radiator with the outlets already configured for Ford power. See our Cooling Components section to view the line-up.

As engine choices vary, you will need to choose your hoses from amongst those on hand at your local parts source, whose length and curves are based off wire bent templates you can fashion.

Using a Novak RadLock radiator, a Novak customer documented the use of Gates hose #21941 for the upper inlet, trimmed some at each end for length and diameter. For the lower, a Gates #20957 was trimmed at one end for the length.

We are unaware of any OEM radiators that will work without some extensive modifications. Additionally, the narrow grille of the Jeep calls for an aluminum radiator that dissipates heat faster than the copper / bronze versions.

Electrical

This cable pass-through speed sensor (VSS), by Dakota Digital (#01-4160) will feed an appropriate speed signal to most Ford PCM's, for fully appropriate functioning and fuel delivery at all speeds. It will connect to your Dana 20 speedometer gear output.

Some view the electrical and wiring aspects of a conversion as the 800 lb. gorilla of the swap. In fact, it is seldom as difficult as perceived.

At the most fundamental level, whether you are working with a carbureted, throttle body injected or multi-point ("tuned port") injected engine, you will retain and connect the original Ford alternator in the same manner as was the Jeep alternator; the same for the distributor, etc.

From basic to advanced (TPI) injection systems, the swaps are still largely the same.

For fuel injected swaps, you should know that the engine and its PCM are largely self-supporting. In other words, the very grand majority of the engine wiring harness goes to (sensor data) or comes from (systems control) the PCM, and most sensors are directly related to the engine itself. If uninstalled correctly, most of this harness will be intact and not needing any splicing. Like any electrical item, the computer needs power and ground, and a power distribution center (largely consisting of relays and bridges - you can keep the Jeep one!) to switch and of course, distribute power to the various systems.

The installer should keep one simple principle in mind: make the engine think it is running in its original Ford chassis. A simplistic but fair summary would state that a 1968 Ford 302 and a 1992 5.0L have the same basic wiring requirements; power to the starter when it is required, power to the distributor (or coils) when needed. The battery needs power from the alternator to keep it charged.

Steering

Installers will be pleased to hear that steering need change none or very little to perform the engine conversion. you will use a Ford power steering pump and its bracketry that is usually native to the engine being installed.

you will retain the factory Jeep power steering gear. you may need the assistance of a hydraulic shop to have the high pressure (feed) hose ends matched or adapted as per your pump and gear combo. Usually the low pressure (return) line can be cut from hose stock and secured with the use of hose clamps.

Suspension & Engine Weight

Customer Tom Uhl shows a sanitary install of a Ford 5.0 V8 into his CJ. The reader may notice that the front accessory package is hardly short, but there is still the room needed for a clean swap, requiring no more room than the I6 and with much better power and reliability.

you'll be replacing one of three factory engines. Their nominal estimated, accessory loaded weights are:

• 232-258 I6, 515 lbs.
• 304-401 V8, 575 lbs.

Engines you may replace these with may include:

• Ford 302, 460 lbs.
• Ford 5.0L, 450 lbs.
• Ford 351 (Windsor), 515 lbs.

Factory springs are usually great for most Small Block V8 engines. We have replaced four-cylinder Jeep engines with V8's and noticed no sag or overly soft ride in the front axle. Aftermarket springs usually make no distinction and are rated well for most engines this side of Big Blocks.

Lift is not required for the Jeep to perform the engine swap, but may be done for reasons external to the swap.

Fuel Delivery

Fuel pumps have evolved from low pressure (4-12 PSI) mechanical, engine mounted units for carburetors - good at pulling fuel over a distance - to medium pressure (13-18 PSI), electric in-tank pumps for throttle body engines, to high pressure, electric, in-tank pumps. These latter pumps are designed to push fuel, not pull it, and at pressures ranging from 38-50 PSI for multi-point injections systems.

Additionally, with the higher temperatures that these high-pressure pumps generate, their immersion into the cooler fuel is critical for the durability of it's electric motor. External pumps of the same ratings are available and are self-cooled by being built into heat dissipating aluminum housings.

Earlier Jeeps that have fuel tanks that were set up for carbureted engines may provide some problems, especially in off-road environments. Fuel injected engines require an uninterrupted supply of fuel, and baffles built into an injected style tank keeps the fuel from sloshing out of the intake of the pump. Carbureted setups don’t have this concern due to the built-in fuel reservoir the carburetor that provides for any gaps or air-pockets in the flow.

If you are working on a pre-injection Jeep, consider buying an aftermarket fuel cell, or having an inline reservoir made to buffer any interruptions in the fuel flow to your injectors. Or, install an external fuel pump and mini-reservoir at the closest point to the fuel tank that is available.

Some engines will require more pressure and will therefore need a new pump, either in-tank or auxiliary. Some engines will require less pressure, and an in-line restrictor may be your key. Various fuel pump and restrictor systems are available on the performance parts aftermarket, and, as mentioned earlier, you may wish to have your fuel tank modified by a professional to accept a different pump. Aftermarket fuel cells also provide a flexible solution to some of these problems.

Exhaust

Sanderson #FF4 and #FF5 series should be considered for their good block-hugging design, craftsmanship and affordability as potential headers for your Jeep swap. Please do your research to ensure the proper headers for your engine and project.

The installer must run a header that is tight fitting. The shorty, block-hugging style is the best bet.

Garner the services of a local exhaust shop to help you put together a clean, safe, easy flowing exhaust system and one in accordance with your local regulations. If you are running a fuel injected engine, you will also need to have O2 (oxygen) sensor bungs - typically one per bank - welded into the down pipes below the headers. California installations will need to utilize a header that is CARB certified.

While the CJ has a relatively narrow window in which to run pipes, and a transfer case to dodge as well, you can run dual exhaust. However, we suggest running the driver's side exhaust circuit under the rear wall of the oil pan and in front of the transmission / bellhousing face, into a Y-pipe joining it with the passenger side circuit. you can also run this Y behind the transfer case (give yourself some room to service the transfer case later) and then into the exit circuit. From there, run rearward to the catalytic converter and then the muffler, following which, you will arc the last section of pipe up over the rear axle and then straight out the back with the tailpipe. 2-1/2" diameter pipe is usually very adequate and will flow as much as you need. 3" is an option.

Leave the factory heat shielding in its location and position your catalytic converter and muffler under it, or use ceramic wrap or other heat mitigations.

Muffler choice is up to you, and possibly your passengers, neighbors and local noise ordinances.

Driveshafts

It's a high probability that the existing driveshafts will be the wrong length for the new powertrain. Plan on ordering new ones as part of the build's time and money budget. Given the variation in transmissions, transfer cases, SYE's, axles and lift, you will not know the proper length for driveshafts without measuring once the rest of the work is done, and the Jeep is settled down on its springs.

Sometimes one is tempted to tweak the position of the engine to make existing driveshafts work, but having the engine misplaced isn't worth it. Besides, there is an narrow window in which a GM V8 fits right in a YJ. If using our Gen III+ engine mounts, they will establish that for you.

If using our #MMX mounts for Small Block Chevy motors, you will have a little more installation freedom, but don't place the engine wrong for your old driveshaft's sakes.

Crossmember & Rear Mount

This popular rear mount is strong and easy to set up with any Jeep swap. See our lineup of rear mounts, here.

There are only three major places a powertrain needs support and mounting. Two at the engine, and one under the rear of the transmission (some transfer cases have the provision for a side mount to help control torque kick-back). Nearly all Novak adapters have cast-in or modular mounting bases that are configured for use with an industry standard urethane rear mount.

There is no need whatsoever, in terms of the engine & transmission swap, to use a different crossmember than the factory versions. They are typically low profile and can easily be predrilled for a new transmission mount unit. Unless you are retaining a T176, getting rid of the factory urethane mount and any ancillary bracketry with it is the largest favor you will do for yourself in this area. Go with a clean, simple, industry standard mount like the Novak #RMU. you may need some simple spacers. Box steel or aluminum pucks are useful here. Anything needing to be fabricated needn't be elaborate.

Axles

Many people mistakenly think that a more powerful engine demands stronger-than-stock axles. This is not necessarily the case. The factory AMC 20 and Dana 44 rear axles can withstand very ambitious engines. Such is the case for the front Dana 30 as well. Whether your converted Jeep needs stronger axles is more a question of how you use them, and usually in terms of off-road considerations more than on-road use.

Axles are generally out of the scope of our work here at Novak, but there are plenty of companies that deal with them to be of assistance if you feel you must upgrade them as part of your conversion.

Linkages

This topic generally covers throttle, clutch release and transmission & transfer case shifter systems. As with many aspects of a swap, this can be a simple as the installer would like it to be.

Nearly all modern Jeeps and Ford engines use sheathed cable for throttle control. you can use the Jeep throttle cable against the Ford carburetor or throttle body.

Transmission and transfer case shifters are discussed in instructive detail in the Novak instruction packages that will come with your gearbox adapter assembly, and specifically to your particular drivetrain choice for your Jeep.

Use the factory Jeep release arm with the Ford style throw-out bearing and Ford clutch. More details on this topic are located here.

Brakes

A stronger engine means faster acceleration and sometimes the ability to tow, as the CJ's chassis is rated to tow up to 2,000 lbs. However, the ability of the Jeep's brakes to bring things to a safe halt may be below what it should be.

As a general rule, if the brakes were good before the swap, they will probably adequate after the swap. However, many CJ's had questionable brakes from the factory. It is up to the individual doing the conversion to ascertain whether or not to upgrade the braking system. Brake systems are out of Novak's scope, but there are companies and shops that deal with brake upgrades, usually involving larger discs & drums, four-wheel discs, occasional master cylinder upgrades, etc.

Summary

This article is meant to be introductory and to give the reader an idea of the scope of a conversion project. No two swap combinations are ever exactly the same, but an understanding of the principles and parts involved will take any thoughtful installer a long ways. As discussed in this guide, further and more deeply detailed information comes with Novak adapter assemblies, engine mounts, radiators and other components. Additionally, our customers can speak with our Techs about the conversion being performed.

All in all, there is no change to your Jeep that is more exciting or beneficial than a powertrain conversion. Individuals have been swapping Ford power into Jeeps for decades and they still occur with frequency and great success.

Sources

• The Novak archives and its years of customer input
• Ford Performance Products