4.7 Engine Swap

[WalterG]

It is my understanding that the newer 4.7 motors have more horsepower than the one that is in my '02.

My question, if I were to find a 4.7 from a newer vehicle, maybe a '10 or newer, is it possible to swap the motor into my '02 without having to get new ECM or wiring harness, or is the ECM what controls the power that is being created?

Am I just grasping at straws here? I know the best option for more power is to upgrade to a Hemi, which I will do when finances allow, but this may be an affordable option for me if it's possible.

 

[WalterG]

I guess nobody really does stuff like this with the 4.7..

What about the TCM mod I have heard / read about to make the transmission into a 545RFE? What is the Jeep model that you have to get one from for this to work? Is there anything that has to be done other than plug & play?

Sent from my HTC One Max

 

[xb1230]

The 545RFE mod requires a 2001 Cherokee TCM of a very specific model and then it needs to be reflashed to a specific code that only dealers have access to. There was a guy on another Dodge RAM forum that used to do it, but I have try to get in touch with him to no avail.

As for the engine swap, most often than not what provides more power is not limited to the engine itself. So if you would want all the power the newer 4.7 provides you would have to swap the whole package (Engine, Electronics (PCM, ECM), Tranny (TCM), etc.).

That being said, if you are willing to deal with an engine swap I would definitely look at getting a 5.7L 2002 donor truck and go this route. You will get a much better deal going this route. Look for a complete wrecked truck in a salvage yard with the engine/tranny and electronic intact but thorn body, something like a flip over vehicle. You'll have all the required controllers, wiring harness, and everything you need to make the change.

If you change engine to a bigger one there are a few other things to consider:
1. Bigger engine is heavier and may require some suspension component upgrades
2. More power output may also require stronger drive shafts
3. Donor truck must be RWD or 4x4 same as the receiver truck, unless the tranny is the same, in which case you can swap the ouput shaft assembly adapter to the xfer case from one tranny to the other.
4. Frame does not have to be the same lenght, but if so you can recup more components, namely the drive shafts
5. Having a donor truck exactly the same as yours can be be a bonus as you can recup more components and have spare parts down the road.

Ultimately you may want to look for a new(er) truck that has the engine configuration you are looking for as it may be much more cost effective, and a lot less hassle and trouble than dealing with an engine swap. Of course this does not allow you to indulge yourself with the fun of dealing with such handy work which can be awesome on the "self esteem" scale.

Hope this information can help you make an educated decision on what you want to do next.