More Sgt. Savage Episodes

XOR - Xtreme Off-Road Builds

Parts Used In This Episode

Edelbrock
Cylinder Head, Assembled, Aluminum, Natural, Jeep, 4.0, L6, Each
4 Wheel to Heal
4 Wheel to Heal (4W2H) is dedicated to taking wounded and disabled veterans, from all branches of military service, to off-roading events. These events involve four wheeling, rock crawling, mud bogging, shooting and camping. Our mission is to boost morale for these veterans and give them an experience they will never forget.
Advance Adapters
Atlas 2 Speed Transfer Case
Edwards Ironworkers
55 TON Edwards Ironworkers with Hydraulic Accessory Pack option; 10 Ton Bender, 15 Ton Horizontal press,Tubing Roller and 40 Ton Shop Press.
ESAB
The Official Welding and Cutting Supplier of Xtreme Off Road, featuring the all-new Rebel 215 Multi-Process Welder
Gen Right Off Road
Crawler COMP Gas Tank TJ / LJ
Hotwire Auto
Custom ECU Flash, And Engine Wiring Harness
Knox Auto Parts
Donor Jeep for Parts
PowerTrain Products
30rh Trans - Se - Wrangler 32rh Trans - Sahara, Sport - Wrangler
RockAuto.com
Alternator, Water Pump, Starter, Radiator And Coolant Hoses, Gaskets, Clamps, Sensors, Filters
The Industrial Depot
Fasteners, Hardware, and Shop Supplies

Episode Transcript

(ANNOUNCER)>> YOU CAN DESCRIBE JOHN CURTIN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, MARINE, OUTDOORSMAN, KIND HEARTED PET OWNER. WE CALL HIM A HERO, AND TODAY ON XTREME OFF ROAD HE'S IN OUR SHOP HELPING US REBUILD HIS BEAT UP TJ INTO THE TRAIL RIG HE DESERVES.

(IAN)>> ABOUT THIS TIME LAST YEAR WE BROUGHT

A JEEP CHEROKEE INTO THE SHOP. NOW THIS JEEP WAS OWNED BY SOLDIER BY THE NAME OF ERIC GODFREY. NOW HIS RIG NEEDED A PILE OF WORK. SO WE ALL PITCHED IN AND TOOK CARE OF IT FOR HIM. NOW HE'S BEEN WHEELING THE HECK OUT OF THAT CHEROKEE EVER SINCE, ENJOYING WHAT WE DID FOR HIM. NOW DURING THAT BUILD WE MET A PRETTY COOL CAT BY THE NAME OF JOHN CURTIN.

NOW HE'S A MARINE WHO ALSO ENJOYS OFF ROADING. THE PROBLEM IS THAT JOHN JUST BOUGHT THIS JEEP, AND

WHEN YOU THINK OF THE TERM MARINE AND SEE THIS JEEP, THEY DON'T GO TOGETHER. WE'RE GONNA FIX THAT. JOHN REBUILT ERIC'S CHEROKEE AS A MEMBER OF FOUR WHEEL TO HEAL, AN ORGANIZATION THAT WAS FOUNDED IN 2011 BY MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY AND OFF ROAD COMMUNITY. THEIR MISSION IS TO GET INJURED VETERANS OUT OF THE HOSPITAL WARDS AND ONTO THE TRAILS.

(NATHAN)>> IT'S A MORALE INCREASING ACTIVITY. IT'S EVERYTHING THAT THEY ENJOYED ABOUT BEING IN THE MILITARY WITHOUT ANY OF THE RISK. (JOHN P.)>> THEY BASICALLY JUST COME OUT, CAMP FOR THE WEEKEND, AND GET TO RIDE AROUND IN JEEPS AND WE JUST TEACH THEM HOW TO WHEEL. YOU KNOW LATE NIGHT AROUND THE CAMP FIRE AND STUFF IS USUALLY WHEN PEOPLE START OPENING UP ABOUT SOME OF THEIR EXPERIENCES, AND TALKING IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT HELPS PEOPLE MOVE ON.

(IAN)>> THE TIME SPENT ON THE TRAILS GIVES FOUR WHEEL TO HEAL PARTICIPANTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO READJUST TO CIVILIAN LIFE IN A RELAXED ENVIRONMENT AT A TIME WHEN MANY OF THEM ARE STILL UNCOMFORTABLE IN SOCIAL SETTINGS.

(FIOREAMANTE)>> A LOT OF PEOPLE GET INJURED AND THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO GO INTO PUBLIC. THEY DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO SEE THEM LIKE THIS. OR THEY'RE JUST NOT COMFORTABLE WITH CROWDS OF PEOPLE OR WHATEVER. AND THEM COMING INTO THE WARDS AND PULLING YOU OUT, IT BRINGS YOU BACK TO REALITY CAUSE IT'S JUST, I MEAN IT'S A HELL OF AN EXPERIENCE TO STEP ON A BOMB.

(JOHN)>> BEFORE I WAS INJURED HIKING, KAYAKING WAS A BIG PART OF MY LIFE. GOING CAMPING, AND I WAS ALWAYS SCARRED TO

AFTERWARDS BECAUSE PROSTHETICS, YOU DON'T

KNOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN. YOU NEVER WANT TO GET STRANDED SOMEWHERE. SO THESE GUYS KEPT ASKING IF I WANTED TO GO OUT, I WANT TO GO OUT, AND FINALLY ONE DAY I WAS LIKE YEAH, THAT SOUNDS GREAT. I FINALLY BUILT UP THE COURAGE AND I HAVEN'T LOOKED BACK YET.

(IAN)>> JOHN REMAINS AN AVID OUTDOORSMAN. ONCE THE JEEP IS COMPLETE HE'LL HAVE A CAPABLE, WELL EQUIPPED RIG, MAKING IT EASIER TO PURSUE HIS PASSIONS. BY BUILDING IT HIMSELF HE'LL HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO MAINTAIN AND REPAIR IT AS WELL.

(JOHN)>> I DON'T WANT SOME MANTLE PIECE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I WANT SOMETHING I CAN DRIVE AND FIX MYSELF.

(IAN)>> TO HELP WORK ON JOHN'S TJ WE CALLED UP JEFF HARDY AND JOHN ANDREW, AND YOU MAY RECOGNIZE THESE TWO. WE LENT THEM A HAND ON THEIR JEEPS DURING SOME DRIVEWAY RESCUE EFFORTS. THEY WERE MORE THAN HAPPY TO COME AND

RETURN THE FAVOR.

THE JEEP TJ HAS BECOME AN INCREDIBLY POPULAR BASE VEHICLE TO BUILD A SERIOUS CRAWLER OUT OF. THERE IS A TON OF AFTERMARKET SUPPORT AND THEY CAN BE BUILT INTO AN INCREDIBLE STREET LEGAL CAPABLE OFF ROAD RIG. EXACTLY WHAT CURTIN IS LOOKING FOR. I'VE BUILT A TON OF JEEP TJ'S AND WHEN YOU HAVE AS MANY MODIFICATIONS PLANNED AS I DO FOR THIS RIG, IT'S

BEST TO STRIP THE JEEP DOWN TO A BARE FRAME.

UNDERNEATH IS USUALLY LIKE A THREE QUARTER.

ALRIGHT THIS SIDE'S JUST GOT TWO BOLTS IN IT THEN IT SHOULD BE GOOD TO GO.

WITH ALL THE FRONT SHEET METAL OUT OF THE WAY, THE JEEP GOES UP ON THE LIFT AND THE BODY UNBOLTED, LEAVING US WITH A ROLLING CHASSIS.

IT'S A CLEAN JEEP. I MEAN IT'S IN SUPER GOOD SHAPE, THERE'S NOTHING BROKE, THERE'S NO RUST, ONE LITTLE DENT IN THE BACK PASSENGER'S SIDE. THIS JEEP'S IN GREAT SHAPE, A LITTLE BIT OF RUST RIGHT THERE. WE'LL PAINT THAT.

THE MAJORITY, WELL OKAY, ALL OF THE DRIVETRAIN IN

THIS JEEP IS GOING TO BE REPLACED. THE TWO POINT FIVE LITER FOUR CYLINDER ENGINE, MANUAL TRANSMISSION, AND TRANSFER CASE ARE PULLED AS A SINGLE UNIT.

WHOO, MOTOR OUT! YOU SURE YOU STILL WANT TO GO THROUGH WITH THIS?

(JOHN)>> NAH, PUT IT BACK IN.

(IAN)>> BUT LEAVING THE STOCK AXLES IN FOR NOW MAKES IT EASY TO ROLL THE FRAME OUTSIDE TO BE CLEANED. 15 YEARS OF DIRT AND ROAD GRIME ARE WASHED OFF THE FRAME TO GIVE US A GOOD CLEAN BASE TO START WORKING WITH. ALRIGHT CURTIN, FIRST NEW PART GOING ON YOUR JEEP RIGHT HERE. THIS IS A GEN RIGHT OFF ROAD FUEL TANK. OKAY, IT'S AN ALUMINUM REPLACEMENT TANK FOR THE BACK OF YOUR TJ. THEY MAKE IT OUT OF ALUMINUM SO IT'S STRONGER. IT HAS A BIG BEEFY SKID PLATE SO IT CAN HANDLE OFF ROAD.

BUT YOU SEE THIS KICK OUT IN THE FRONT PART OF IT?

(JOHN)>> YEP.

(IAN)>> THAT IS TO GIVE THE REAR AXLE MORE ROOM TO TRAVEL UP AND DOWN BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA

STRETCH THE WHEEL BASE ON YOUR JEEP ABOUT FOUR INCHES. THAT'S GONNA GIVE YOU BETTER RIDE ON THE ROAD, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY MORE ARTICULATION WHEN YOU'RE OFF ROAD. THE BEST THING IS IS IT USES ALL THE FACTORY STUFF. IT'S JUST LIKE A STOCK TANK. IT USES FACTORY FUEL PUMP, FACTORY SENDING UNIT, EVERYTHING. ALL WE'VE GOT TO DO IS SWAP IT OUT OF THE OLD TANK AND PUT IT IN THE NEW.

(JOHN)>> VERY COOL.

(IAN)>> I'LL GET THE PART. GEN RIGHT SENDS THE CORRECT SPECIAL TOOL NEEDED TO REMOVE THE FACTORY FUEL MODULE.

IT'S GOT TO GO IN, SOCK GOES IN, SEE THE ARROW?

(JOHN)>> YEAH.

(IAN)>> THAT ARROW POINTS TO THE FRONT THAT WAY IT KNOWS WHERE THE FUEL LINE IS. SO IT'S LINED UP CORRECT. AND WITH THE ASSEMBLY SWAPPED INTO THE NEW TANK, IT IS RAISED INTO POSITION UNDERNEATH CURTIN'S FRAME.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP A CUSTOM BUILT FOUR LITER STRAIGHT SIX PROVIDES PLENTY OF POWER FOR JOHN'S TRAIL RIG. PLUS A HEAVY DUTY TCASE GETS THE TORQUE TO THE TIRES.

WE HAVE JUST STARTED TO TEAR APART JOHN CURTIN'S TJ IN ORDER TO TRANSFORM IT INTO A HARDCORE OFF ROAD RIG. WITH THE TWO POINT FIVE FOUR CYLINDER REMOVED FROM THE FRAME, THE FACTORY MOUNTS NEED TO BE CUT OFF TO PREPARE FOR THE CONVERSION TO A FOUR POINT ZERO STRAIGHT SIX.

(JOHN)>> THIS IS MY FIRST TIME USING A PLASMA CUTTER AND I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY AWESOME.

AND IAN EXPLAINED TO ME HOW IT WORKED AND IT JUST KINDA BLEW MY MIND ACTUALLY.

(IAN)>> THE FOUR POINT ZERO THAT WE ARE USING FOR THIS JEEP WAS BUILT DOWN THE HALL IN THE ENGINE POWER SHOP, WHERE PAT AND MIKE TOOK A BONE STOCK BOTTOM END AND TOPPED IT WITH AN ALL NEW EDELBROCK ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEAD. DESIGNED TO PROVIDE MORE FLOW AND IMPROVE ON SOME WEAK AREAS OF THE ORIGINAL CASTING DESIGN.

NOW YOU DON'T NEED ACCESSORIES ON A DYNO ENGINE, BUT ON A JEEP YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE THEM. AND AFTER FILLING UP OUR SHOPPING CART ONLINE, TOM TAYLOR AND JESSA TORVIC, AFTER HEARING ABOUT THE PROJECT, DECIDED TO DELIVER THE PARTS IN PERSON AND HELP OUT WITH THE BUILD.

(TOM)>> ROCK AUTO IS AN ONLINE AUTO PARTS STORE. WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR OVER 15 YEARS. WE GIVE THE CUSTOMERS ACCESS TO ALL THE INFORMATION THEY WOULD FIND AT A TYPICAL AUTO PARTS STORE COUNTER IN ONE CONVENIENT SPOT. ALL THOSE PAPER CATALOGS, ALL THOSE COMPUTERS, IT'S ALL CONDENSED INTO AN EASY TO USE FORMAT ON

ROCK AUTO DOT COM.

(IAN)>> SOME OF THE ENGINE BRACKETS ARE CLEANED ARE REUSED OFF THE ORIGINAL FOUR CYLINDER, BUT ITEMS LIKE ALTERNATOR, WATER PUMP, STARTER, AND OTHER WEAR PIECES WILL BE REPLACED WITH THE NEW ROCK AUTO PIECES. THEN THE ENGINE IS PULLED OFF OF THE STAND AND HUNG ONTO THE ENGINE CRANE TO PREP FOR MOCK UP.

SEE, ENGINE DELIVERED FOR US. OKAY SO THIS IS THE PLAN. I REALLY WANT TO USE THAT FOUR LITER IN JOHN'S JEEP BECAUSE THE GUYS AT ENGINE POWER BUILT IT. IT'S A GOOD, STRONG BOTTOM END, AND IT'S GOT THAT EDELBROCK ALUMINUM HEAD ON IT. SO IT BUILDS A GOOD AMOUNT OF POWER AND THAT WAY YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE HASSLE OF A VEIGHT SWAP TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE POWER UNDER THE HOOD OF HIS JEEP. THE ONLY DOWNFALL IS IS THAT BLOCK IS NOT JUST GONNA BOLT RIGHT INTO THIS FRAME. EVEN BECAUSE WE'RE SWITCHING FROM THE FOUR CYLINDER TO THE SIX CYLINDER, THERE'S CHANGES

TO MAKE BUT I THINK THE BLOCK MIGHT BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. SO I NEED TO BUILD SOME CUSTOM MOUNTS. NOT A BIG DEAL BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, WE'VE GOT TO MOCK IT ALL UP. SO WHAT I'M GONNA HAVE YOU GUYS DO NOW IS BOLT THE TRANSMISSION ONTO THE BACK OF THAT ENGINE AND THEN WE'LL BOLT IT ONTO THE SKID PLATE WHERE IT WOULD NORMALLY MOUNT FROM THE FACTORY. AND THEN WE'LL JUST SET IT ON SOME JACK STANDS. AND THEN WE CAN START CUTTING UP SOME STEEL AND MAKING SOME MOTOR MOUNTS. THIS IS LIKE THE CUSTOM FAB BEGINS NOW.

WE START WITH A BARE FRAME BUT WE BUILD A COOL JEEP. COOL, YOU'RE USED TO THAT. YOU READY FOR THIS? HANDS IN READY? JEEP ON THREE, ONE, TWO, THREE, JEEP! THE MANUAL TRANS IS JUST USED TO LOCATE THE ENGINE MOUNTS. AND WITH THE PACKAGE BOLTED TOGETHER IT'S LOWERED INTO THE FRAME RAILS, BOLTED UP TO THE FACTORY SKID PLATE, AND SET ON SOME JACK STANDS. COME ON DOWN, YEAH NICE AND SLOW. FROM THE FACTORY THE JEEP ENGINE RUNS DOWN HILL

RIGHT AROUND FOUR DEGREES. NEW ENGINE MOUNTS ARE THEN MADE FROM SOME THREESIXTEENTHS INCH PLATE AND WELDED INTO PLACE.

(ANNOUNCER)>> WHEN WE'RE SNAGGING PARTS FROM A DONOR VEHICLE WE USUALLY GO TO THE JUNKYARD, BUT THIS TIME WE BROUGHT THE JUNKYARD TO US.

(IAN)>> TO CONVERT THE MOTOR WE PUT IN YOUR FRAME

OVER TO FUEL INJECTION, WE NEED A COUPLE OF PARTS.

THEY RAN IT ON THE DYNO ON ENGINE POWER WITH JUST A CARBURETOR. SO IT'S NOT SET UP FOR FACTORY EFI, AND THAT'S THE BEST OPTION SO YOUR TRUCK'S STILL 50 STATE EMISSIONS LEGAL. NOW WE COULD GO TO A JUNKYARD AND START DIGGING AROUND A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT JEEPS AND PULLING PARTS OUT, BUT INSTEAD I BROUGHT THE JUNKYARD TO US.

I HAD THE GUYS AT KNOX AUTO PARTS DROP OFF THIS COMPLETE JEEP. IT WAS IN THEIR INVENTORY AND IT'S READY TO BE STRIPPED. SO BEFORE THEY STRIPPED IT, THEY DROPPED IT OFF HERE SO WE CAN JUST SORT OF PICK OF WHAT WE WANT OUT OF IT. WE NEED TO TAKE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAUSE THAT'S GOT THROTTLE BODY AND THEN ALL THE INJECTORS ON IT. WE NEED TO PULL THE COIL PACKS, ALL THE ENGINE ELECTRONIC WIRING, THE CAM SENSOR, THE CRANK SENSOR, AND THE COMPUTER, AND WE NEED TO REMOVE IT KINDA THE SAME WAY WE STRIPPED THE JEEP TO BEGIN WITH. JUST MAKE SURE TO UNPLUG EVERYTHING, NOT CUT ANYTHING, THAT WAY WE CAN SEND THE COMPUTER OUT, HAVE IT REFLASHED, AND PUT IT ALL BACK TOGETHER.

SO WE GET TO WORK, INSTEAD OF IN THE JUNKYARD UNDER THE SUN, JUST IN HERE IN THE AIR CONDITIONING AND

WE'VE JUST GOT TO STRIP THIS THING DOWN.

(JOHN)>> COME ON, LET'S DO THIS.

(IAN)>> WHENEVER YOU'RE PLANNING A SWAP LIKE WE ARE, REMOVING THE HARNESS YOURSELF WILL

ALWAYS BE THE BEST BET. THAT WAY YOU CAN BE SURE THAT YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU WILL NEED AND NOT DO ANY DAMAGE TO ANY OF THE CONNECTORS. THIS IS MORE LIKE SURGERY. EVERY CONNECTOR IS UNPLUGGED ON THE MOTOR. THE ACCESSORY DRIVE IS REMOVED TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WITH THROTTLE BODY AND INJECTORS IS PULLED TO BE USED ON THE NEW ENGINE, AND THE HARNESS IS PULLED FROM UNDERNEATH THE JEEP WHERE IT'S CONNECTED TO THE TRANSFER CASE AND THE FUEL PUMP MODULE. ALL IN ALL FROM THE DONOR JEEP WE WILL BE TAKING THE FAN SHROUD, THE FAN, THE COIL PACK MODULE, COMPLETE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, INTAKE MANIFOLD, THROTTLE BODY INJECTORS, AND THE STOCK ECU.

CURTIN EVERYTHING'S MOCKED UP INTO YOUR FRAME USING THE OLD FOUR CYLINDER TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WAS IN THE JEEP TO BEGIN WITH. BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA USE THAT DRIVETRAIN BECAUSE WE HAVE TO CONVERT THE JEEP OVER TO AN AUTOMATIC SO YOU CAN DRIVE WITH THE HAND CONTROLS, AND THAT'S WHERE THIS BAD BOY COMES FROM. THIS IS A THREE SPEED AUTOMATIC FROM POWERTRAIN PRODUCTS. IT'S AN ALL NEW REBUILT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FOR A 2001 JEEP TJ. SO THIS WILL BOLT IN RIGHT BEHIND THE MOTOR AND THEN

BOLT UP INTO PLACE. NOW WE COULD REUSE THE TRANSFER CASE THAT CAME IN YOUR JEEP BUT IT'S NOT THE BEST DECISION. THE BEST DECISION IS THIS BAD BOY RIGHT HERE. THIS IS AN ATLAS TWO TRANSFER CASE FROM ADVANCED ADAPTERS. IT'S THE GO TO HARDCORE OFF ROAD TRANSFER CASE. NOW WHAT MAKES IT COOL IS IT'S 100 PERCENT

AFTERMARKET, AND THAT MEANS THAT IT'S A LOT OF INTERCHANGEABILITY INSIDE THE CASE. YOU CAN SEE THIS ONE'S SETUP FOR BASICALLY WHAT'S CALLED A DRIVER'S SIDE DROP. SO THE TRANSMISSION IS HOOKED UP HERE AND THE FRONT OUTPUT IS COMING OUT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. WELL IN THE FUTURE IF YOU EVER SWAPPED OUT TO A DIFFERENT FRONT AXLE. LET'S SAY YOU GOT A GOOD DEAL ON A BIG ONE TON

FORD, YOU NEED A DIFFERENT DROP, YOU NEED THE INPUT TO BE ON THIS SIDE OF THE TRANSFER CASE. YOU CAN ACTUALLY SWITCH THESE FROM SIDE TO SIDE WITHOUT HAVING TO GO GET A BRAND NEW CASE. YOU CAN ACTUALLY UNBOLT EVERYTHING, JUST MOVE IT FROM ONE SIDE OF THE CASE TO THE OTHER. THE COOLEST THING ABOUT THIS CASE IS THE FACT THAT IT'S GONNA HAVE TWIN STICKS INSIDE THE CABIN. SO WHEN YOU'RE SITTING IN THE JEEP, YOU'LL HAVE A SHIFTER FOR YOUR AUTOMATIC AND THEN TWO SHIFTERS FOR THE TRANSFER CASE.

ONE THAT CONTROLS THE REAR AXLE AND ONE THAT CONTROLS THE FRONT AXLE. SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO OPERATE THOSE INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER WHEN THEY'RE ON THE TRAIL.

(JOHN)>> AWESOME, WHY WOULD I NEED TO DO THAT ON THE TRAIL?

(IAN)>> WELL THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IS IN TWO WHEEL DRIVE LOW, SO YOU CAN ENGAGE THE REAR LOW IN THE TWO WHEEL DRIVE, THAT'S GONNA GIVE YOU LOTS OF TRACTION IN JUST REAR TWO WHEEL DRIVE. SO IF YOU'RE JUST ON A MILD TRAIL, IT'S STILL GONNA GIVE LOTS OF TRACTION.

YOU CAN JUST CRAWL THROUGH MOST OF IT. YOU'LL HAVE LOCKERS FRONT AND REAR. SO YOU LOCK UP YOUR LOCKER, TWO WHEEL DRIVE LOW, AND YOU'LL HAVE STILL LOTS OF STEERING IN THE FRONT BECAUSE THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANYTHING DRIVING THAT FRONT AXLE. SO IT'S NOT GONNA BE STIFF. AND THEN IF YOU GET INTO A LITTLE HILL WHERE IT STARTS TO BOUNCE A LITTLE BIT AND YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TRACTION, YOU CAN SIMPLY REACH DOWN AND GRAB THE SHIFTER, DROP THE FRONT INTO LOW, AND IT'LL JUST PULL YOU UP. YOU'LL NOTICE THE STEERING GET A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER, BUT THEN YOU JUST POP IT BACK OUT AND KEEP DRIVING. SO THERE'S JUST MORE OPTIONS. SO YOU'RE ABLE TO MANEUVER BETTER ON THE TRAIL, MORE

OPTIONS, IT'S A DEEP GEAR RATIO THAN A FACTORY CASE. IT'S A THREE POINT EIGHT TO ONE, SO IT GIVES YOU MORE TORQUE DOWN TO THE TIRES AND WHEELS AND THIS COMBINATION WITH THIS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND THAT FOUR LITER, THIS JEEP, UNSTOPPABLE.

(JOHN)>> AWESOME, GOOD TO GO.

(IAN)>> SO NOW WE'RE GONNA BOLT ALL THIS STUFF TO THE MOTOR, DROP IT IN THE FRAME.

(JOHN)>> SOUNDS GOOD.

(IAN)>> I'LL GET A CART CAUSE IT'S HEAVY.

TO THE JEEP!

(ANNOUNCER)>> UP NEXT, AN EASY WAY TO KEEP JOHN'S JEEP STREET LEGAL AFTER ITS FOUR LITER ENGINE SWAP.

(IAN)>> WE ARE BACK ON XTREME, WORKING ON JOHN CURTIN'S JEEP TJ, GIVING THIS MARINE A RIDE

WORTHY OF A SOLDIER. WITH THE ENGINE AND TRANS BOLTED TOGETHER, IT CAN BE LOWERED INTO THE JEEP'S FRAME AND THE MOTOR MOUNT BOLTS DROPPED INTO PLACE.

THEN ALL THE PARTS WE PULLED FROM OUR DONOR JEEP FOUR POINT ZERO CAN BE INSTALLED. THE INTAKE AND THROTTLE BODY, AND INJECTORS, ALONG WITH THE COIL PACK.

TO FINISH THE MOCK UP OF THIS NEW DRIVETRAIN THE ATLAS IS SLID ONTO THE BACK OF THE TRANS AND RESTS ON THE FACTORY SKID PLATE. ALRIGHT CURT, YOU NOTICED THAT WE HAD LIKE FOUR DIFFERENT THREADED HOLES IN THE FRONT OF THIS TRANSFER CASE, AND THOSE ARE FOR STUDS THAT WOULD GO INTO THE BACK OF THIS TRANSMISSION. NOW WE CHOOSE WHAT HOLE WE PUT THE STUDS IN BASED ON WHAT'S CALLED THE CLOCKING OF THE TRANSFER CASE, CAUSE THIS TRANSFER CASE CAN BE MOUNTED REALLY FLAT LIKE THIS, OR HUNG DOWN LOW LIKE THAT, JUST DEPENDING ON HOW WE WANT IT. IDEALLY WE WANT IT AS FLAT AS WE CAN GET IT CAUSE THAT'S GONNA GIVE US MORE GROUND CLEARANCE. SO YOU'D NORMALLY YOU'D RUN IT UP AS HIGH AS YOU CAN GET IT. THE PROBLEM WITH A JEEP IS YOU'RE GONNA

GET INTO THE FLOOR. SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NOW IS WE'RE JUST LIKE SET IT IN HERE AND LEAVE IT ALONE UNTIL WE PULL THIS FACTORY TRANSFER CASE/SKID PLATE OFF AND ACTUALLY GET THE

ONE FOR THE SUSPENSION KIT IN PLACE CAUSE THEN WE'LL GET IT AS CLOSE TO IT AS WE CAN. BUT AT LEAST NOW THAT IT'S ALL MOCKED UP INTO PLACE YOU CAN SEE YOUR WHOLE NEW DRIVETRAIN.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

(JOHN)>> IT LOOKS PRETTY SEXY.

(IAN)>> ALRIGHT, GOOD, NOW WE DO NEED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WIRING FOR THAT MOTOR. SO YOU GOTTA COME ON UP AND WE'RE

GONNA GO OVER HERE. I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT YOU'VE GOT TO DO. YOU CAN'T JUST DROP A SIX CYLINDER ENGINE INTO A JEEP AND EXPECT IT TO RUN. IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE GONNA MAKE THIS TRUCK EMISSIONS LEGAL. WE HAVE SOME MORE WORK TO DO. SO THIS IS THE WIRING HARNESS THAT YOU AND I

STRIPPED OFF OUR DONOR JEEP.

THIS IS THE FIREWALL AND UNDERHOOD HARNESS OUT OF THE ORIGINAL JEEP THAT YOU BOUGHT, YOUR JEEP.

THESE ARE THE TWO COMPUTERS OUT OF THE TWO JEEPS. WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA BOX THIS ALL UP AND SEND IT OFF TO A PLACE CALLED HOT WIRE AUTO. AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY REFLASH THE COMPUTER, THEY'LL REBUILD THE HARNESS TO MATCH OUR ENGINE, AND MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE FUSE BLOCK HARNESS. SO WHEN WE PUT IT BACK IN THIS JEEP WILL ACT LIKE IT WAS A SIX CYLINDER STRAIGHT FROM THE FACTORY. AND THEN IF ANYONE EVER PLUGS IN, THEY NEED TO TESTING FOR EMISSIONS OR IF IT NEEDS TO BE SERVICED ANYTIME, WHEN THEY PLUG INTO THE OBTWO PORT UNDERNEATH THE DASH, THAT LITTLE PLUG, THE VIN WILL MATCH INSIDE THE COMPUTER AND IT'LL BE LIKE THE TRUCK WAS ORIGINALLY BORN A SIX CYLINDER. SO WE DON'T DO THAT HERE, WE SEND IT AWAY. SO YOUR JOB, PUT THAT IN A BOX.

(JOHN)>> BOX IT UP, GOT YA.

(IAN)>> AND WITH THE WIRING HARNESS AND ECU READY TO SHIP, JOHN IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO GETTING BEHIND THE WHEEL OF HIS TJ.

(JOHN)>> YEAH WORKING IN THE SHOP, THESE TWO WEEKS RIGHT NOW HAVE BEEN A TONE OF FUN SO FAR.

I'VE HAD A BLAST, EVERY DAY IAN'S TAUGHT ME SOMETHING, I'VE LEARNED SOMETHING, AND I'VE JUST GOT TO STAY BUSY ALL DAY WHICH IS NICE. I'M GETTING MORE AND MORE EXCITED EVERYDAY. I'M GETTING LITTLE BUTTERFLIES IN MY BELLY. YOU KNOW I'M GETTING AMPED, I'M GETTING READY TO GO. I WANT TO GET OUT ON THE TRAILS.
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