LS Swap Jeep Cherokee hits the road! Plus Welding an Aluminum Intake Tube

I started this project back at the beginning of March, and now its 100% DONE! An LS swap is fun in any project, and an XJ Cherokee is no different. They're lightweight, parts are plentiful, and can make a lot of horsepower with some simple bolt ons. The stock 4.0 jeep inline six was a great and very reliable engine, but of course the LQ4 LS engine is a lot more powerful, plus it sounds a whole lot better as well. This particular engine is a Truck LS, an LQ4 in particular, and features a car LS6 intake manifold, a small cam, Novak headers and swap mounts, a custom built exhaust running 2.5" dual into a single 3" Magnaflow muffler, and the whole thing is constructed from mandrel bent stainless steel, and all tig welded together. Also in this video, I build an aluminum intake tube and give a few fabrication tips, and then it's time to hit the road!
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Chapters:
0:00 Teaser
0:15 A few things I fixed off camera
5:41 Building an Aluminum Intake
7:22 Aluminum Fabrication Tips
10:52 Final TIG Welding on the Intake
13:58 Polishing the Aluminum
16:34 FAQ's about the Jeep Build
19:20 TEST DRIVE TIME!
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[@LawrenceTolman]

I'm always glad to be finished with any project, but I will be sad to see this one go. It was a blast to work on this XJ, and I cant wait to show you guys what the next project is!

[@estevanramirez9815]

Is there a way where i can contact you?

[@dalehall2993]

@@estevanramirez9815 [e-mail]

[@thomaslascola2698]

LT.. An episode on your thoughts of a Frankenstein build would be cool or if somebody has that build like seeing different manufacturers equipment working with one another.. like for me my Frankenstein truck. Is a Cummins (dodge) with a Allison transmission( gm) with banks turbo(s) (ford) would like to hear your insight on what you like from different manufacturers and if you do a build like that.

[@elchuco9153]

Is there a way to install a 350 sbc with long tube headers? I know the XJ has limited space but I don't like the hugger headers at all.

[@dannyj6434]

I have a jeep that needs a swap! Let me know if you willing to take on another project

[@jimmyburks7030]

Love it, can't wait to come get behind the wheel and test the seat of the pants dyno! See you in a couple of weeks.

[@702bikelife2]

Not sure if previously mentioned but if you don’t mind can you say what you paid ?

[@richardpulliam5475]

@@702bikelife2 I’m pretty interested in what LT charged you also. I had a hemi installed in a tj by an outfit in Detroit. They charged me about $7,000 with me providing most of the parts.

[@jimmyburks7030]

@@richardpulliam5475 That's pretty close, including having the drive shafts rebuilt and battery relocated.

[@jimmyburks7030]

@@702bikelife2 about $7k

[@alpinesupra88]

@@jimmyburks7030 what part of Texas you in? I’m in the dfw area, would love to wheel with you.

[@NoName-yl3pb]

This is right next to where I live! Nice to see another XJ on that trail

[@danf4616]

"It'll pass everything...except a gas station!" 😁

[@pablomartinez4716]

It probably gets better gas mileage than it did in the first place

[@jimmyburks7030]

I don't know what MPG it's going to get , the 4.0 was getting 10.5 MPG gotta be better than that but the SPG (Smiles Per Gallon) is going to be off the chart!

[@randybullington4492]

Yes, more gas usage... but if you've got the kind of money to do this kind of an extensive build,... money for some extra gas is typically not a problem.

[@obxjeepguy]

Absolutely love the fact that it's not loud, and obnoxious.

[@yerwrng]

Pronouns ?

[@Greg_Galbo]

Your fabrication and tig skills are outstanding! Loved watching this build as an XJ owner myself.

[@ValarAmstaffs]

Very cool project! I’ve enjoyed every single episode!

[@J0eBl0e]

As usual, your attention to detail, both in the build and in the presentation, are top shelf.

[@assaultlick2169]

Sounds great. Congrats on the first build for a customer now that you're on your own. Cant wait to see what's next, LT

[@nickrose7592]

That was a great series. I loved watching you on Truck Tech and love your channel. Wishing you much success and good fortune. And the scenery around you neighborhood, with the lake and mountains is beautiful. 🤙🏻🇺🇸🛠

[@keithalbrecht4785]

Awesome work LT!!! Sounds amazing & I see it put a smile on face push that load peddle down!!!!!

[@bryandevries7210]

Now that is a big success! Those aluminum welding skills are awesome!

[@brianmorrow9815]

I loved this particular series and build as I am getting ready to do this exact swap in my wife's 1996 XJ Cherokee. Your attention to detail is top notch nice job.

[@jaksparrow9474]

How is it going with the swap

[@robwatson7204]

Thats awesome. I actually used to have a 96 xj that I ls swapped. 5.3/4l60e/hybrid np231j. It was crazy fun to drive around.

[@overkillgarage]

I wish we had seen your project earlier. We would have enjoyed working with you on the project. Neat XJ! 👍

[@mattd8222]

Holley makes some cool CAN network gauges that piggy back on each other I plan to use with my LS project

[@NaphalmMan]

Great job man 👌 followed this build all the way through 👍👍👍

[@Rube_Toob]

Hell yeah gearheads live for moments like this. Hearing a bad ass engine in an awesome ride. I really want to do an engine upgrade on my XJ, can’t decide wether to go with a 4.0 strokes to 4.7 or go with an LS upgrade. Biggest concern for me is I head out far from home on overlanding trips and I need the rig to be very reliable. Thanks for inspiration!!!!

[@leahcimlllewodcm-oc1he]

This is the biuld that I want to do for my Jeep Cherokee Laredo project

[@jamieweirdworld]

Very cool! I've been daily driving my 01 XJ that I swapped a 6.0 into for 5 or so years. It's bulletproof, and lots of fun.

[@jimmyburks7030]

This is going to be my daily driver/weekend warrior, can't wait to get behind the wheel for the first time.

[@dustinsnider1646]

Super cool build man you killed this install 👌

[@Jeeptalkshow]

Congrats on a successful completion to the project.

[@Fernando-Lopez67]

With a lot of work and dedication it’s amazing what someone can accomplish. My goal is to be this talented

[@MrNobody-bv4ec]

Sweet xj man, I have a 2 door that is a long work in progress but i've always loved these two door xjs so it might take a while to get her where I want it, but by god i'll get there! Till then i'll watch guys like you and keep me motivated!

[@philrabe1158]

I have a 1992 XJ with a stock 4.0. I live in Ogden, so whenever you do a meet and greet, I will bring it and you are welcome to drive it.

[@turbocreeper]

Loved the burnout at the end, was hoping to see that lol. Great job LT

[@EricErnst]

That thing comes alive when you put your foot in it. I thought that big magnaflow was going to be pretty quiet when you installed it. She has a nice growl. -t shirt ordered. 👍

[@LawrenceTolman]

I was happy to hear the sound as well, I was worried it would be a little too quiet, but it turned out perfect in my opinion

[@javiroo1743]

Jeep looks awesome ,Love the stance on the jeep.. had a 2001 but 4 door.. loved it, ls swapp was the plan but had to sell it..

[@comanchefun1612]

Man this a awesome video, and a Texas Jeep! I just picked my donor up today, 03 5.3 can’t wait. Although I’ll be keeping the AW4

[@detroithammer8869]

nice, love the last launch, never see a jeepster jump out like that!

[@chadasher4116]

Great job LT. You have the same problem as me while driving the LS XJ, every time you step on the loud paddle you smile.

[@LawrenceTolman]

yeah, it definitely gives it a different feel on the street for sure. you gotta be on your toes

[@dewaynefryback6743]

Awesome job brother !

[@rotaxtwin]

Seems to accelerate at part throttle really easily, and sounds really good. I'm sure the customer will be pleased.

[@matthewbloise7591]

Very cool! I have a 2001 4 door XJ in the same color and eventually want to do a LS swap. Awesome video series 👍

[@2000S10V6]

After attending lsfest all I can think about is an ls swap into my 2000 S10. This build makes me want to do it even more!

[@jaimepena3594]

I have a super clean xj rig ive been fixing up looking to swap in the near future, after seeing your very hard and very clean work i would look forward to have u be the one doin the swap 👍💪

[@matthewmcclendon5312]

Best part of the whole series was at 25:00. Mission Accomplished!! Nice job

[@sickkid129]

Haha I couldn’t help but to laugh when that Subaru was passing you and you floored it then chuckled after! So want to do this to my cherokee

[@euba0149]

But the Subaru still passed it basicalllh effortlessly

[@tjadamsZ06]

@@euba0149 perhaps because it was already rolling with a huge speed advantage? If you watch the video, LT slows down and you see the Subi coming up in the rear-view carrying way more speed than the XJ, it's already going around the XJ before LT even floors it and the XJ downshifts and starts to accelerate. Oh, and it is an STi too...

[@tjadamsZ06]

perhaps because it was already rolling with a huge speed advantage? If you watch the video, LT slows down and you see the Subi coming up in the rear-view carrying way more speed than the XJ, it's already going around the XJ before LT even floors it and the XJ downshifts and starts to accelerate.

[@euba0149]

@@tjadamsZ06 it’s okay to be slow lol . I spend my whole trying to make slow shit fast

[@dustysteele5408]

I definitely want this done to my 2-Door XJ!

[@barned]

Nice job man!

[@mathewkorn5008]

Great job -Very Clean!

[@joshuadcryer]

Excellent work bro!

[@teaguegearhart9851]

Looks amazing at hill climb. Lots of power.

[@Darkhorse5150]

Sweet ride

[@matiasbosshardt8888]

Nice XJ!

[@sts7049]

i see you watching for the po-po in the rearview on those pulls!

[@andrewsweezy]

You're an Amazing Mechanic Man!

[@LawrenceTolman]

Thanks 👍

[@southmaplegarage]

Hey keep in mind when your cutting aluminum, you can use wood blades in a chop saw and for sheets a plain old circular saw and wd40

[@patterry7757]

Portaband for the tube sawing 👍

[@forreststrong797]

Such an awesome build I really like it! I think i would've tried to put the air filter in the cowl like the THOR intake if space allowed, it looks pretty tight though. Nice job!

[@6NoOne6inParticular6]

Great Job!

[@xavelongoria7457]

Cool build Man!!😎

[@drew7767]

nice, turned out great!

[@hoagiesherlin7732]

Very nice setup

[@stevenbrowningsr1144]

Take a little crazy glue to the crack in the window drip rail. Definitely better than the 4.0L in my TJ!

[@someofthissomeofthat6014]

Nice attention to detail. Your work is very nicely done. If I had the money I would have you do my XJ too.

[@Prop_2112]

That was absolute Awesome. I have a 99 XJ that i would Love to do an ls swap someday ! Cheers

[@FortyTwoAnswerToEverything]

Clean and absolutely OCD about a perfect install. You did it again!

[@LawrenceTolman]

thanks!

[@dbrandon4528]

Great work!!

[@sacrificialrubber779]

Come out to California, my son just bought one with a 6” and 33”s. I’m sure that he would let you wheel it!🤘🏻

[@tomboehlke9480]

I just new you could not resist burning up some of his nice off road tires.

[@charliedee9276]

Use a nice miter saw with a fine tooth, above 60T, carbide blade. Makes a real accurate smooth cut in aluminum, it is what we use to cut the frames when building aluminum patio rooms.

[@joshhunter935]

Nice way to end the build, waiting to get my project off putting a 5.3 into my tahoe

[@TheMrSauers]

Yes! I love my XJs!!!

[@crsmith56]

LT, that intro totally reminded me of the neighborhood of Edward Scissorhands. Just creepily in the middle of nowhere!

[@otsenres1636]

Awesome job LT, it sounds nasty n hopefully we'll see some wheeling action soon!

[@LawrenceTolman]

Fingers crossed!

[@palanthis]

LT, I had a 2006 Rubicon (TJ) with the 4.0 straight six. No joke, I used to ease it up to some pretty gnarly hills, put it in 4L, 1st gear and just ease off the clutch. It would idle up them. Great motor! I replaced it with a 2010 Rubicon (JK) with the 3.whatever V6. That motor would not repeat the trick. Not enough torque at that low of an RPM. They were both great off-road, but the JK was better on the highway. lol. Next Rubicon will be the new one with the Hemi in it.

[@daveluke2924]

thats an awesome swap, you should post up customers reactions

[@RobertKohut]

Nice!! Great build. You did a top notch job... :-)

[@leahcimlllewodcm-oc1he]

I have a 1992 Cherokee Laredo Jeep in good condition no rust thinking about the same

[@johnathongulley1146]

Good job man.. keep it up

[@stevenlowrance05]

That look on your face when you punched it, classic. Well done 👍.

[@MrDavid0982]

Use a wood blade on the chop saw to cut aluminum. Works great.

[@georgiaboy1579]

Outstanding work Sir

[@LawrenceTolman]

Many thanks

[@cherokeekalles9511]

My 96. Xj got ripped off, but I'm loving that build 😎

[@ka24de720]

Great work man!! Learned a lot from this. Any way you can make a video for the shifter cable bracket you made? Novak recommends after market shifter

[@51BATTY]

That’s awesome. I miss my xj. Only thing I’d change is make it a little louder

[@notforgotten2798]

I love an XJ with a 4.0 and gears..I love a 5.3 or 6.0 too. I'm kinda torn. I know no one asked but I think I'd stick with the 4.0. Looks and sounds great though 👍👍

[@alejandroacosta8717]

Looking good! Great job on the build LT! What's next?

[@mikegriego3671]

A ZJ with an LS9....

[@EricErnst]

I dig the new shirt. The family crest one isn't really my style. American flag? Check. Tolman Performance? One of my favorite KZbin channels. Check. Ugly truck? Hell yeah. Check. I'm in dude. Glad to see the xj running. On to the next badass project. Can't wait to see what's next. The channel is getting close to your goal. You'll hit a point and then explode.

[@jorgyr36]

I think we just seen every dump truck in Utah during the road footage! Holy buckets!!

[@christianrobertson9093]

It’s definitely starting to be construction season here lol.

[@jerrodcorey25]

11:48 VERY NICE BEAD ON THAT ! ! NICE WELD SIR !

[@LawrenceTolman]

thanks! I always struggle with Aluminum

[@artysmotorsports]

Man this rig is awesome 👌

[@LawrenceTolman]

It sure is!

[@larrycain6425]

I would have liked to have seen a more in depth look at how you wired everything as I'm thinking hard about doing this swap because my 4oh! Popped a piston.

[@EricErnst]

I like to change the idle speed and let the engine idle and learn all over the place until I'm certain it won't stall. That helps develop a base fuel map under no load. On my sniper, I can adjust the idle from 400 to 2500rpms. If it knows the fuel requirements from 400 to 2500 under no load, you're less likely to get stranded. It makes the first drive a lot more enjoyable. My closed loop compensation often flutters between 0% and -0% while cruising. Seeing as much as 2% is a big change. She's pretty dialed in after running on my daily driver.

[@aaronmccollum4618]

I would of loved to see a before, 0-60 and then an after 0-60! But besides that a wonderful video! Double thumbs up!

[@poorwboy]

Very nice work, what bracket and lever did you use for the transmission shifter?

[@796andy2]

nice work 👏

[@stanislavsmetanin1307]

Awesome job, bro)) 👌

[@Skiridr22]

With an adopter the gages can display on that stereo screen

[@cablenowadays6586]

I daily drive my xj on a 3" lift and 33" tires. Ive got 4.56 gears so a little high but on road cruising at 75 and even 80 there is no steering wheel shake or anything. The low center of gravity and wider wheel base really makes the thing feel planted. Makes me want to LS swap mine or maybe even 1jz swap as ive seen someone do before.

[@LawrenceTolman]

I think a JZ would be awesome...

[@curvs4me]

Awesome project fellow Mainiac. You gotta talk to Keeps, I'm 99% positive they would sponsor you. I think the Holley will talk directly to the jeep canbus. EFI 101 has a good canbus how to.

[@jimmyburks7030]

Can you send me a link to this? if it will my life just got better! Thanks

[@curvs4me]

@@jimmyburks7030 I was wrong about that one. Holley is definitely not Syvecs. I think I figured out a way to do it. www.holley.com/products/fuel_systems/fuel_injection/modules_and_sensors/parts/554-165 This is an I/O expansion module that can output analog and digital output. Oil pressure, temperature, and voltage are analog. Like a 5 volt reference adjusted by the resistance in the sensor. Speed, rpm, and such are digital pulse output. Like a square wave from 0v to 5v to 0v at a certain speed for crank and cam position and so on. You may be able to use the i/o module to send the signals to the OEM ecu and it gets converted to canbus there. There are other ways to do it. canbushack.com/

[@TheLoneWolf449]

I just stumbled on your channel with this video, and noticed Mount Timpanogos in one of your shots. Pretty cool to see someone in Utah, looks like you were on the opposite side of Utah lake from me.

[@averagejohn7435]

Man that is an awesome build. I’ve got a four door xj with a five speed. I would have to figure out how to get it with a stick.

[@hionaking2530]

Wicked as mate

[@LawrenceTolman]

thanks!

[@dustinsnider1646]

Also wanna see more of this jeep if the owner does any videos I'm sure everyone wants to see this thing in action

[@bigredracer7848]

I got a 2001 Chevy suburban 4 wheel drive 3/4 ton that I put the 408 cubic in LS and it which makes it a 6.7 l it has 555tq at the crank 361tq on the ground

[@gregj.gotham4402]

You can loosen up the steering box a bit or drop 8 lbs out of the tires to smooth the steering out.

[@dano4572]

beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@domainermastery]

Awesome build!! I did find the bit where you pre-fitted the intake tube and marked it before cutting to be unnecessary since you put it in a rubber elbow.😄I probably would have done that and then been my own worse critique. 🙃