4.7 V8 swap?

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redlinegw

redlinegw

Shannon
Joined
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Anyone consider swapping a 4.7 V8 into an A-body? We owned a Jeep Grand Cherokee with this engine and it ran bitchen with a lot of power. I remember when a magazine ran a Dakota comparison 4.7 vs RT 360 and the 4.7 beat it everytime. Just a thought?
 
I've got a 4.7 in my Dakota. Plenty of power for a bitty little thing. Not sure how much aftermarket performance stuff is available though.
 
I told my bud less than an hour ago the 4.7 and auto overdrive would be cool in an old valiant.
 
I wouldn't waste my time. There is squat for aftermarket stuff and the little engine would only be a novelty at best. Besides most of the used engines are outrageuosly priced because people don't change oil in them often enough and the demand for good used engines is very high.
 
The 4.7 is an awesome little motor. I've got a pretty beefed up one in my Durango. Bad news is aftermarket is slim to none and pretty pricey. Check out airram.com. They are pretty much the only aftermarket out there right now.
 
My mom has a 02 jeep grand cherokee with a 4.7 and it hauls ***! I love driving that thing...Ive always wondered what that engine would do in a light a body...It is true the aftermarket for these engines are slim..I cant find good aftermarket parts for the jeep..
 
KRC performance Is the only place I know of that has supplies of 4.7L performance parts. http://www.krcperformance.com/ I have been told that the 4.7L uses the same bell housing bolt pattern, motor mounts and flex plate bolt pattern as a 5.7L hemi. I don't know if it's true or not. I had a crazy idea a few years back to install an aftermarket ford flathead distributor to the valve cover and drive it off of a camshaft. I would run a megasquirt ECM and it's running.
 
hemijoejr said:
KRC performance Is the only place I know of that has supplies of 4.7L performance parts. http://www.krcperformance.com/ I have been told that the 4.7L uses the same bell housing bolt pattern, motor mounts and flex plate bolt pattern as a 5.7L hemi. I don't know if it's true or not. I had a crazy idea a few years back to install an aftermarket ford flathead distributor to the valve cover and drive it off of a camshaft. I would run a megasquirt ECM and it's running.
Click to expand...

That is true, the 4.7 uses the 545rfe which is the same trans that is bolted to the 5.7. Not so sure about the motor mounts though.
 
The bell housing pattern is the same as any Mopar small block including the early 392 style hemi, A and LA as well as the new generation hemi.
 
It would be fun. Those things go like scat. They aren't much bigger than a 273 (.030 bigger bore and a little longer stroke) and perform about the same:
The 05's were rated at 235 hp. and 295 ft.lb. (HP273's were 235 hp and 280 ft/lb)
The 08's were rated at 290 hp. and 320 ft.lb. depending on model
A 08' Ram was rated @ 310 hp. and 329 ft.lb.

Build yourself a nice HP 273 with some lightly ported heads and get 300+
hp and torque. Here's some interesting reading:

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/47.html
 
Conceptually, I *LOVE* the 4.7L... lighter than any other Mopar V8, fully modern architecture, and heck, cammers are just plain cool. The sad fact is it's unloved in the aftermarket, which is directly related to it's second fiddle position on the power scale. Why waste time making parts for a 400hp 4.7L when you can make the same parts for a 500hp 5.7L? The logic is pretty clear, but that was one of the cool things about the old Mopar Performance / Direct Connection days - every engine got some sort of hot rod parts.

I think folks that are looking for a relatively healthy stock-type power plant would enjoy a 4.7L. In general, that includes me - the current version makes as much power as my "warm" 340, and would likely get nearly 2x the mileage if the EFI was tuned right. Then there are guys like Duner on Moparts who put a little turbo on the 4.7L and really make it scream.

The problem for me right now is that, looking at new engine prices, the 4.7L is at least as much money as a same-year Hemi. Sometimes $1000 more. That hurts, and would be really hard to justify spending that much more for less... Still, I'm fascinated with the things, and won't know if I'm going Hemi or Cammer until I have one in the garage...

Clair
 
Funny I bought a 2001 Grand Cherokee last week. I am currently doing the timing chain set in it. Got the whole jeep for 1k, and blue book is at 9k

I was thinking that it would be cool to transfer the whole drive train into the vailant. A four wheel drive vailant..... Could be cool.

I read that you can't bore these blocks out. And that you can only get the pistons and rods as an assembly from chrysler. I also read that they consider this a "hemi".

I also found crate 4.7's for $1900...
 
I had the 4.7 in my Dakota and it scooted pretty good for its weight. It also got over 20mpg on the highway. I think it would be a cool transplant if you can find a deal on one.
 
every time i have talked about a 4.7 to techs', all they say is that they are complete junk. and i would have to say the same. the reason that it is so exspensive to buy a used 4.7 is because all the ones that winde up in the junkyard are either got a rod knock, bad head gaskets, or completely locked up. so there are not alot of usable ones.
 
340plot said:
every time i have talked about a 4.7 to techs', all they say is that they are complete junk. and i would have to say the same. the reason that it is so exspensive to buy a used 4.7 is because all the ones that winde up in the junkyard are either got a rod knock, bad head gaskets, or completely locked up. so there are not alot of usable ones.
Click to expand...

It is complete junk.
I call it the plastic gunker.
 
I don't agree that it's total junk but there are a couple reasons why it's gotten the reputation that it has.

First of all the factories are running the cylinder head temperature higher in order to meet emissions requirements to get at least a 10 year service life out of an engine so that they make their investment back. This requires that the oil change interval be strictly adhered to and high quality oil be used. Synthetic should be used in my opinion and changed at 3000 miles. This will keep the oil from sludging.

Second it's true they can't be bored, and the heads cannot be shaved. If you overheat one it's junk.

Combine these two factors with the fact that they are small, displacement wise, fairly wide for a small motor, and there is very little in the way of performance parts for it and you get an engine that really isn't a desirable swap candidate.
 
I for one am interested in the swap.I don,t need aftermarket performance. I want to install one in my little motor home.I love the 4,7 and I think it would be a great replacement for the 318 thats in it.I don,t like the 5.7s I am just not a hemi guy.The overdrive would be assume. Mark
 
and that is the song of the rodder...I'll do it my way!
a 4.7 in a lil T-bucket with a 5-speed would be cool
 
I really like the 4.7 in my 2000 Dakota sport. Not the greatest on mileage but plenty of power when you need it. Sounds good with the flowmaster on it too. I have had plenty of people ask me what it was because of how it sounds. 139000 miles and going strong.
 
I've had 2 vehicles side by side, the Jeep with a 4.7 and an 80 Mercedes 4.5, I always wondered why the resemblance is so uncanny. 2 Cammers and practically the same clothing
 
My 02 quad cab has 147,000 and only thing replaced on the motor is the power steering pump. No knocks rattles or smoke and pretty smooth for a big truck

Picture 368.jpg
 
i really like the 4.7 in my 02 ram. its just a pretty light single cab short bed, but when i first got a 1/4 mile time on it ( just goofin around ) it ran a best of 16.8 with just under 80,000 on it . seems to do a pretty good job
 
The Grand cherokee I got ended up needing the engine rebuilt. It was easy to do but the cost of the parts sucked. It would have been cheaper to buy a crate motor.
The only thing I didnt like about the engine was the lack of cam bearings & #8 oil drain design (in the top of head). The oil accumilates at #8 and plugs the lifter and also #7 #8 connecting rod seem to starve for oil compared to the rest of the rods.
 
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