COMPLETED: At Home 6.1 Hemi conversion

[TheMike]

In short: 2007 JK Rubicon Unlimited. Bone stock to start. 6.1 Hemi with 5 speed automatic from Burnsville Offroad. AEV: 4.5 premium lift, 37 MT/R w/Kevlar tires, AEV Pinter wheels, and AEV front bumper with Warn 9500ti winch.

I installed a 2 post lift in the garage prior to install to facilitate a much easier install. Separated the body from the chassis. Only minor welding required for the motor mounts and transmission mount. A little more experience required to "re-clock" the header flanges to clear the upper control arm mounts on the JK. That was done professionally. A/C lines required modified as well as a little tweaking of the power steering cooling lines. A complete custom exhaust is required. I am using a Hot Rod shop here in Denver who only does mandrel bending for a true 3" exhaust all the way back.

In the end it took me 3.5 days from start to finish for the Hemi conversion. An additional 2 days for the lift and other little things to finish the job. It would have gone quicker if I has more help from buddies but when I worked on it from 6:30 till midnight every day it was a little much to ask.

Videos: YouTube - JK Body and Chassis Separation. The 1st YouTube - 6.1 Hemi Inaugural StartI

New Shoes compared to the originals:



Body and Chassis separation (3.5 hours total from start to apart)



The Hemi in the stand (you have to replace the oil pan for proper mating to the transmission as well as remove the headers for the re-clocking)



Empty chassis waiting for a new heart and mounts:



New motor mounts:




Speaking of new heart:



Re-Clocking of the header flanges:



Ready to mate the two back together:



continue....

[TheMike]

Continuation....

Friends always willing to lend a hand:



Finished:




New AEV Bumper:



Completed rig with lift and new tires and wheels:



This was nothing hard but time consuming. I wouldn't hesitate to anyone who can wrench to do this themselves. I searched long and hard prior to me taking this on trying to find someone else who did it themselves but couldn't find anyone. I am more than willing to assist anyone with what I learned along the way.

Enjoy!!

Mike

[scottrock]

Nicely done sir

You make it look simple

[SONIC]

Dsy did his own a while ago.....5.7 i think though


looks awesome. Very jealous.
If you dont mind, what was total cost? (-lift and tires etc)

[d'sjk]

Great Job!!! I am green with envy!

[HITMONEY]

Awesome job! I wish I could put a two post lift in my garage!

What do you think the Hemi conversion cost you in all?

[Labrador]

AWESOME!!!

[100dollarman]

Mike- Thanks for sharing the pics and making it look easy!]


You da man!

[TheMike]

I know people wonder cost. I will say this: I got 54K total into the project. 23k for the JK and the rest is upgrades. You can get a completed 5.7 JK for around 50K from installers but that usually won't include the AEV Bumper, wheels and good tires. I saved probably 10k doing it myself and I got a 2 post out of it. Now I got 80 extra HP over the 5.7 without power robbing 5.7 parts on the 6.1. (not a bash whatsoever - just a fact).

Nothing helps you know what you got better than doing it yourself.

To me and my family, it's money well spent. I had the same money into my LJ in the end with all I did to that. Difference there is I lost my butt when I sold it for $27k to do this project.

There is no comparison between the two...hemi or no hemi. That's just serious icing on the cake!!

[usmcdoc14]

can you break down JUST the swap cost and any details/issues you ran into?


i love the camear shake when you scared the crap out of her

[tkob1060]

thats awesome


but I think I want the LIFT more then the Hemi

[TheMike]

Originally Posted by usmcdoc14

can you break down JUST the swap cost and any details/issues you ran into?


i love the camear shake when you scared the crap out of her

That's scare was the best part!!

To be fair to Dan at Burnsville, I will say this: I "guess" just the conversion kit was about 20k when all said and done. Like I said earlier, a few things must be done/provided by you. The exhaust alone is over a grand to get it done right. Re-clock the headers was about $140 by a professional shop. A/C requires some line modifications and you have to get it charged. A case of ATF 4. Engine came filled already with oil (Mobile 1 0w40 is required by the oil cap). Little things like bolts to mate the engine and trans and many trips to the autoparts store adds a bit too.

When I bought my kit from Dan, I know for a fact from the time I told him I was going to do it to the time the engine was available, the price went up $775. Once those few motors he got were gone he told me the cost of just the motor was going up $2200 more. I didn't ask why.

I got turned on to his stuff by a guy locally who had just picked up a 6.4 (500 HP) hemi conversion done at Burnsville. He was given a "deal" for his setup hoping that it would drum up a bit of business. It did. I drove his 6.4 hemi JK and was totally hooked. That video:

YouTube - 6.4 Hemi in a 09 JK Rubi.

That motor alone was 12K. I didn't have any desire for that much (420 was enough) because I had a set amount of funds to complete this. I didn't want to have to get D60 axles and other things that much power might need. I got off subject a bit.

I didn't part anything out. All new crate stuff and all new engine accessories. You could probably safe a few grand by searching and haggling a bit with having the exact part numbers in hand. I truely wanted a one-stop-shop and Dan provided that.

I am working with Dan to provide customers a complete installation instruction setup. He provides many pics of what needs to be done but I promised to help him complete a PDF instruction manual. When he installs hundreds of these kits, the little things get lost in the experience so I offered to help. He may, or may not, have given me a reduced price on the "kit" but there were other things he did that were above and beyond the kit that I feel I was treated very fairly.

It was a lot in the end but well worth the cost and time. I have yet to get it out and run it through it's paces. I know I will be smiling all the way as I write out the payment checks.

[TheMike]

Originally Posted by tkob1060

thats awesome


but I think I want the LIFT more then the Hemi

Why not do both? It's only money

[thebigtman]

Mike,

First of all, thanks for sharing. I am about to dive into mine. I caught your you tube videos a few days ago and I laughed at the camera shake when you fired it up. Priceless!

Secondly, your feedback on some of the little things that aren't covered in the directions is VERY helpful. I would have never known about the reclocking of the header flanges. I take it those were stock Jeep SRT8 headers.

I've spoken with Dan and looked at his directions. I think they're okay for most people who would attempt to tackle the job but they certainly lack the detail and polish of the AEV instructions. I think Dan has a great kit, it just needs some extra polish.

I should also mention something about the exhaust. I spoke with the MBRP rep from our board. I know Dan was working with them to develop an exhaust. Steve from MBRP told me that the exhaust will be a cat back kit for the hemi conversion. This leaves you to figure out how to connect the stock headers from the SRT8 up to the MBRP kit. I'm trying to chase down whether the Jeep SRT8 downpipes, which have the cats in line, will work. No one seems to know yet. MBRP's kit was designed off of the 5.7 hemi swapped Jeep they have in house so it's unknown how it will work with the 6.1's. Nonetheless, I'm glad to hear that you have a shop in town that can do the exhaust work and you can get it mandrel bent.

If possible, could you give us some detail on how far the header flanges needed reclocking? This would certainly be useful for me when I start mine.

[thebigtman]

I forgot to mention...GREAT JOB!!!!

[rubirobv]

Awesome Job. Definately the direction I want to go in.

FYI, There is a kickass build in the October 2009 issue of 4wheel Drive Mag. Burnsville Off-Road, 392 hemi , 3" lift with 42s and a whole lot of other cool stuff. Man, they build some cool rigs.

[BDR JR.]

that is turning out great! that is now on my long to-do list to my jk now.lol

[RotorHead]

Awesome job. Thanks for taking the time to document everything.

[RODICON]

Real nice. I'm installing mine in 2 weeks.

[STUPIDFACE]

Bad ayse, mayne...

corey d

[mtnmedic]

man, i totally would have helped. shame i didn't know about your build until now. enjoy it.

[TheMike]

Originally Posted by thebigtman

....I would have never known about the reclocking of the header flanges. I take it those were stock Jeep SRT8 headers. ...I think Dan has a great kit, it just needs some extra polish....I spoke with the MBRP rep from our board. I know Dan was working with them to develop an exhaust......If possible, could you give us some detail on how far the header flanges needed reclocking? This would certainly be useful for me when I start mine.

When you get the directions from Dan, the re-clocking is very simple with excellent pics of exactly what to do. I had mine done professionally and am pleased with the $140 to get it done. In short, you cut off the flanges, flip the header over laying it flat on a table then weld the flanges back on while they too are flat on the table. It makes perfect sense when you see the pics. 90 degree turn I guess. Definately needs to be done or they would be inside the upper control arm mount without re-clocking them.

The headers are a Grand Cherokee (SRT8) stock header. That's all I know because I asked as they don't come with exhaust end flanges. Dan can provide them too but he says that any "reputable" shop should have them too. The shop I am taking mine to for the exhaust Tues said without seeing the headers in person they wouldn't know for sure but worse case could have them made. Dan sent me a set just to be safe. I'm tired of this baby sitting in the garage just begging to be driven. You reuse your 2 downstreem O2 sensors but use 2 new provided ones for the upstream ones.

Originally Posted by RODICON

Real nice. I'm installing mine in 2 weeks.

Be sure to let me know when you have questions. Dan is always happy and willing to help over the phone but he's busy too. Feel free to call at any time 303-775-3595. You working start to finish or over time when you can get to it. Maybe I'll stop in too if I get an invite and an address.

[TheMike]

Oh yea, one other thing to note on this motor. The computer redline limits at 5500 RPM (you can see that in the original post video when it shifts). The actual engine redline is 6500 I believe. New computer flashing is in the works that will allow the 6500. Dan said he would reflash at no charge when it's ready.

It doesn't take long to get to 5500 either. About 6 sec at 7500' in elevation! That extra grand would be nice for that high rev lovin 6.1!

[rollingredruby]

Fantastic build and well documented. I was wondering about your comment on the diff's and drivelines. Are you concerned about the extra power/torque and breakage?

[TheMike]

Originally Posted by rollingredruby

Fantastic build and well documented. I was wondering about your comment on the diff's and drivelines. Are you concerned about the extra power/torque and breakage?

At this point, the diffs are the weak link (plus the rear shaft). AEV swears that the stock D44's are holding up fine. To be safe I am installing Chromo shafts in the rear and the Longfield CV shafts in the front (all in the garage just waiting for install). The new front ds is a 1350 from Tom Woods and will replace the rear when I can afford it or I damage it - which ever comes first.

I am also going to install the front axle housing sleeves as well as the C gussets. Got both of them from BOR too. Just need more time. Will be very gentle untill those go in. I don't want bent tubes or C, I'll tell you that!