'99 V8 AWD chassis under '96 V8 body

Well, this is my project:

I came across a '99 Explorer V8 AWD rolling chassis with 1,400 miles on the drivetrain. I got the whole package for damn cheap. Anyway, this weekend I am going to basically slap the body of my current '96 V8 (with 135,000 miles and a bent frame) onto the new, factory-fresh chassis.

So, does anyone have any advice for me before I begin this project? I'm assuming the '96 and '99 V8's are the same aside from the GT40/GT40P heads, right?

Give me input and advice!

I'll have plenty of pics and stuff afterwards!

 

[james t]

asp84- im not debating you, but from what i can tell, the 96 and the 97-up computers read EGR in different manners. yes, the hooking everything up would be easy, im just wondering if the computer would work. like i said, im not debating here, just going from what i read in my Haynes manual.

 

[asp84]

James T,
Let me explain to you what S525 is going to be using. He is goign to use his old 1996 internal EGR and elbow on his 1999 engine. His old 1996 Computer system and wiring will also be transfered over. It is very simple...... and very plug N play.
Sorry for the confusion

 

[section525]

Swap In Progress!

Day 1

Whoa.. I got the body completely off and the motor/chassis rolled out from under it. The night actually went really smooth. Didn't break anything, didn't drop the body, and we were actually able to get the frame out from underneath with the motor/tranny still attached.

Here's the pics!

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Lookin Tough!
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8" Body Lift
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12" Body Lift
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Would be easy to change the plus right about now
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I did a 6" TT drop the get the motor to clear the grille area
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Tomorrow I'll be swaping motor parts, harnesses, and all that fun stuff. I'll probably have that done and MAYBE even drop the body back down tomorrow night! I'll keep you guys updated!

 

[asp84]

S525.

WOW!!! You did a lot for your first day!! Congrats on a job well done. Hopefully you'll be able to get everything transferred over by tommorow and the body ready to put on. Before ya know it, you'll be turning the key on a brand new AWD drivetrain.

Al

 

[section525]

Day 2

Well, today wasn't has productive as yesterday (at least by looks). I got all the fuel lines ripped out of the '99 chassis, got the gas tank down, ripped out the brake lines. I began rebuilind the '99 motor (adding my upper and lower intake to it). I got most of the engine wiring harness on.

Things I need to do tomorrow are: replace fuel/brake lines, finish engine harness hookup, swap tranny harness, switch tanks, finish steering box swap, then drop the body and hook everything back up!

Here's a pic of what the day started with.

 

[jssong]

looks like the project is coming along great..

 

[section525]

Day 3

Okay.. I thought this would be the last day of the project, but you know how it goes...

Today, I swapped the fuel rails from the '96 to the '99. Swapped the body harness, the gas tank, & tranny harness. I finally got the damn steering rack out and set inside the new frame. I just need to bolt it down. Got the motor 100% rebuilt and wired up.

I found out the CMP sensors are different, and I'm going to have to change the '99 one to the '96 one.

Tomorrow, I'll be doing that, adding the front brake line, tranny coolant lines, finishing the steering rack, and THEN DROPPING THE BODY (and hooking up everything else that goes with that)!

So hopefully tomorrow will be the day. My hands are completely shot and I'm sore as can be.

 

[Adam Foote]

pretty good sized project... ready to see final prodcut

 

[section525]

It was about 6x a bigger project than I thought it would be too! I can now say I know my truck from the inside out. I've nearly wrenched every bolt in the whole damn truck.

 

[asp84]

S525,
you gonna start a part out thread? If so, link me!!!

Thanks,
asp84

 

[Heath]

Yeah really, put a link in this thread to it...

 

[section525]

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[section525]

Day 4!

Man oh man... we just rolled through day 4 of 3. Ha. Okay, so it's taking a little longer than expected. But we're ALMOST done.

Today we got the body back down on the new frame! I'm about 90% done! Everything went pretty smooth today. Didn't break or bend anything...

Here's some pics:

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OKay, TOMORROW it SHOULD be all done!

 

[section525]

OKay.. here is a pic of the two 'trucks' side by side:

 

[section525]

I've lost count of the days... I think I'm on 5?

Well, STILL not done! But almost! I only have to find two vaccuum lines their homes, splice into the ABS sensor, bleed the brakes and install the passenger side header. I think thats it! I'm ready for this to be done and gone!

I did start the truck up today though! I was relieved to see it run! I was getting worried that I would have spent all this time swapping everything over onto an engine that wouldnt even run! But it did.. I'm stoked. It started right up too!

Okay.. I think tomorrow is the day. I'll get tons of pics of everything tomorrow in the daylight!

 

[Fischer]

Sweet swap. Done yet. That is very slick, I am sure you'll love the AWD.

 

[liquidx9]

S25... you have cojones, i will give you that, welcome to the AWD club

 

[section525]

Day Mutha F'in 6!

Well, I'd like to thank you for following this all the way till day number 6. I did a lot today. The truck is basically all back together. Today, I added all the fluids, fixed the cut abs sensor wire, installed the header, uhmm.. slapped on the fenders and started her up.

As of now, I'm getting a flashing OD light . It may mean that I don't have a sensor hooked up (I friggin hope). The thing is, the light came on before the truck was even put into gear. So, I'm trying to figure out (have asp84 figure out) what the deal is there. I drove it home tonight (I've been doing the swap out at my Dad's) and it ran good, there was just some slipping between 1st and 2nd.

Anyway, the only thing I have to do now, aside from fixing the damn tranny, is slap on the bumpers, the front sway bar, shackles, aals, and do the TT again. Plus some little thing like replace hose clamps and stuff. I'll get some pics of it tomorrow in the daylight!

 

[liquidx9]

again sir, you are a pimp.... tell me your doing some kinda engineering **** up at CSU chico

 

[AdamsGuitar]

I sure hope it's a sensor problem, but my 95 EB had the exact same problem when I bought it and I ended up getting a complete tranny rebuild two days later when the tranny completely died (car would not move at all, like it was in neutral).