I connected the transmission shifter linkage. I drilled a hole in the rod that connects to the floor shifter. I also drilled a hole in the shift bracket that bolts to the trans, bolted them together, it works pretty smooth. It looks hillbilly, but it detents into each gear smoothly. I may eventually get a threaded turnbuckle and a bearing end to make it smoother yet. This works for now. I still have to figure out the transfer case shifter. Here are a couple pics of the shift linkage, the adapter plate, and the new crossmember mount. I used the Blazer crossmember mount and drilled holes in the crossmember for it. I found a shorter drive shaft for the rear, but it does not engage very far into the transfer case. Only about 1 1/2". It feels strong, I'll have to see if it vibrates when I drive it. I still have to hook up the starter, finish the transfer case shifter, modify the trans/engine dust cover to fit.

 

Looks good! Your getting close! I wondered about the trans shifter as well due to the different shift patterns,ie, the 904 with 3 gears and the 700r4 with 4. I think the 87 & up cherokees had 1st & 2nd on the same detent. I was thinking maybe we could increase the sweep of the floor shifter to get one more detent. If not I guess the stock marker points on the shifter will be off. I like your idea of the swivel rod ends, I think I have some somewhere that I picked up at a swap meet. Hope I get that lucky with the drive lines! I was looking at the t-case shifter and it looks like we could use the blazer parts from the case up to the pivot bracket that bolts to the case, then the jeep parts from the pivot bracket to the floor shifter. The stick unscrews and may have to do a little extra triming for clearance.

 

You're right on the money there. The 87-2001 Cherokees had an AW4 (Asin Warner 4 speed) automatic, but the shifter did not have different positions for 1st & 2nd gear. The 3 shifter positions were D, 3, 2/1.

FWIW, I'm looking for the floor shifter and cable linkage out of a mid 80s to mid 90s Camaro with the 700R4 to transplant into my project. They have 4 detents, and the cable linkage means all you have to do is get (or fab) a bracket to attach it to the tranny.

I'm also going to be doing pretty much what you describe for the t-case shifter. Keep the Jeep part attached to the Jeep, keep the Chevy part attached to the t-case, and fabricate whatever is necessary to make the two work togther...

Hey, nice work. Some might call it hillbilly, but I'd call it creative - I'm a big believer in doing whatever works! Besides from your picture, it appears that if you just use a cutting wheel to saw the "hook" off the end of the rod and cut the excess loop off the tranny bracket it would look like it was made to fit together that way!

 

Got the Jeep back on the road tonight, she runs good. The trans shifts nice and firm. I still need to finish the linkage for the transfer case, the relay and switch for the fan, and the switch/relay for the lockup. I still need to cut the hood and put a scoop on it too. I still have the redneck pitman arm, but I inspected it and it's solid as a rock. The fourth gear really makes a difference with the steep rear gears.

John

 

That's great to hear!

Your Jeep was a 2.8 V6 automatic, right? That would mean it almost certainly had 3.55 axle gears, and the A904 had a 2.84 1st gear and 1:1 3rd gear. That would give you a stock first gear final drive ratio of 10.08:1 and a high (3rd) gear final drive ratio of 3.55:1

Compare that to the 300d. Every year except 85 had 3.08 axle gears, a 3.68 1st gear, and 1:1 4th gear. So its stock final drive ratio in 1st was 10.60:1 and a high (4th) gear ratio of 3.08:1

Finally with your 3.55 axles and the 700R4 - with a 3.06 1st gear and .70 4th gear you now have a 10.86:1 1st gear and 2.49:1 4th gear.

So you have a first gear that is a little lower than either the Mercedes OR the Jeep, and a high gear that is higher than either one of them as well.

Should work out pretty sweet!

On my project, my axles are 4.10, so I'll have a 1st gear final drive ratio of 12.55:1 and 4th gear final drive ratio of 2.87:1. So I'll have a 1st gear a LOT lower than the Mercedes or Jeep, and a 4th gear just a little lower than the Mercedes and basically the same as the stock Jeep. The benefit to that is that it should allow me to run a bit larger tires - if I'm happy with the first gear acceleration and decide I want to lower the highway RPMs for economy, without it feeling too underpowered. I have a set of axles with 3.55 gears too if I were to decide I wanted to try that ratio...

 

The stock '99 2.5 TD Cherokee has a manual AX15 transmission with 4.31:1 in the first gear instead 3.83:1 as usual and the fifth gear is a 0.79:1.
Axle gear ratio is 3.73.
Up to 33" you don't need to regear.
Maybe that helps a bit to calculate gearing.

 

OK, so your final drive ratio in 1st is 16.07:1 and in 5th it is 2.95:1 - even a little lower first than what I will have and a slightly lower 5th gear than what I'll have in fourth as well. Your first and fifth are both significantly lower than Benzer's first and fourth.

The 2.5L turbo diesel in the 99 XJ, wasn't ever offered in the US, sad to say. If it was, we wouldn't have to be doing all this work for these conversions. I see that you are in Germny, so that explains how you got off so easy You European guys get ALL the good diesels. What are the HP and torque ratings of that 2.5L? Probably a bit better than the old 4.3L V6 Olds IDI I'm putting in my project. In stock form it only has 85 HP and 165 ft/lbs torque. With the modified exhaust and intake I'm putting on it it might make another 10 ponies and a few more ft/lbs. I probably won't drive it too long before installing a turbo - that ought to pump it up to around 130 HP and somewhere in the neighborhood of 220 ft/lbs torque.

The 2.5L, with a 25% lower 1st gear, 5 gears to work with (vs. only 4 in the auto) and (most likely) more power on tap, may be good to go on up to 33"s without a regear, that may not apply to my project with the 4.3L - at least not until it gets its turbo.

Now Benzer's OM617 may already be closer to your 2.5L TD. It is turboed from the factory and has a stock 125 HP and 180 ft/lbs torque. Though his gearing isn't quite as low as yours. Others who have done the Mercedes swap (Vlado), using the standard ratio AX-15 have said that 4.10 axle gears and 31"s seem to work out just about perfect for good low-end power and acceleration, and a useable 5th gear...

EDIT: I found the specs on that VM Motori 2.5L turbo diesel of yours. They're rated at 118HP and 221 ft-lbs torque - not bad at all. Nearly as much HP as the stock Mercedes OM617, and substantially more torque. My 4.3L should be able to compete with those numbers too - once the turbo goes on - but neither Benzer or I are going to have the gearing you have. I doubt that either of us will be able to run 33"s without a regear - unless we're willing to live with some seriously sluggish acceleration and get very little use out of our top gear (OD).

But I could be wrong, and I guess we'll see soon enough. I have mounted tires in 29", 30", 31", 32", and 33" diameters all sitting beside my house ready to try. I also have a set of 3.55 axles I can try if I want to. I should be able to find a combination that works...

 

I already have different injectors and a chip combined with more boost.
I can turn it up to 160hp now and a torque increase of 55ft-lbs.
But I have to be careful- the engine or better it's heads is very heat sensitive.

I have a mileage between 26 and 29mpg.Which decreases real quick if I play with the pedal.
But it's still enough for a daily driver. The VM Motori have a very bad reputation over here. So a Mercedes is maybe a better choice?
You are right 31" and higher take a lot of the kick in the pants- but they still work.

Be happy not to deal with the VM engine- You really have to keep an eye on it, as you can see in my signature.
90% of all Diesels owners had to deal with cracked heads- with the exception of me until now.
I like follow this thread- I can see some good work any great ideas!

 

Well there you go - you not only have better gearing, but more HP & torque to work with as well.

That mileage sounds a little better than the Mercedes (most get 24-25 mpg) and about what I expect from the Olds as an NA (we'll see about it once it's got a turbo)

Yeah, it sounds like it may have its own set of issues...

Have you checked out my build thread yet? You might find it interesting too...

Take a look here https://www.dieselbombers.com/diesel...-cherokee.html

 

I'm in!!