How to Install an AMC 360 in a Willys Pickup

With a few modifications, the AMC 360 engine will fit into older model Jeeps.

Rugged and steeped in history, the Willys Jeep was first produced in 1940, with the Willys pickup introduced seven years later. Factory equipped with four- and six-cylinder engines, the Willys’ Jeep vehicles were underpowered by modern standards. Designed for 1972 American Motors Corporation CJ-series Jeep vehicles, the AMC 360 V8 engine is a viable option for anyone wanting to upgrade a Willys pickup engine.

Things You'll Need

• Wheel blocks
• Wax pencil
• Wrenches
• Oil drain pan
• Bucket
• Pliers
• Flat-head screwdrivers
• Jack
• Chain
• 3-inch bolts
• Engine hoist
• 4 motor-mount adapter brackets
• CJ-series 360 engine
• 360 exhaust manifold gasket
• 360 exhaust pipe
• New transmission mounting bracket
• CJ-series-360-compatible transmission
• Engine wiring adapter
• New engine hoses
• New hose clamps
• Engine coolant
• New oil filter
• Motor oil

Instructions

Engine Removal

1. Park the truck on a level spot, block the front and back of the rear wheels, and shift the transmission into neutral.

2. Trace and outline around both hinges on the hood with a wax pencil and remove the hood with a wrench.

3. Remove the engine oil pan plug with a wrench and drain the oil into an oil pan.

4. Set a bucket under the radiator, loosen the drain petcock on the bottom of the radiator with a pair of pliers, and drain all coolant from the engine. Disconnect all engine hose clamps with a flat-head screwdriver and pull the hoses from the engine, with your hands.

5. Remove the battery cables and grounding wires from the starter and engine block with a wrench. Disconnect the engine wiring harness plug with your hand.

6. Remove the mounting bolts from the fan shroud, fan, radiator and water pump with the appropriate wrenches.

7. Remove the first section of the exhaust pipe from the engine exhaust manifold and the tailpipe, using a wrench.

8. Disconnect the bolts from the engine flywheel and the bolts connecting the engine block to the transmission with a wrench. Disconnect the driveshaft from the rear of the transmission, using a wrench. Support the transmission with a jack, remove the bolts from the transmission mount with a wrench, and lower the transmission to the ground with the jack.

9. Bolt a length of chain to two open holes on opposite sides of the engine block with a wrench, and attach the chain to an engine hoist. Remove the motor mount bolts with a wrench and remove the engine from the truck using the hoist.

Engine Installation

1. Bolt a motor mount adapter bracket to each motor mount on the truck, using a wrench. Attach the 360 engine to the hoist; lower the engine into the Willys pickup engine bay, and bolt the motor mount adapters to the engine block with a wrench.

2. Install a new manifold exhaust gasket and exhaust pipe section, matching the 360 exhaust manifold to the 360 engine, using a wrench.

3. Install a transmission mounting bracket, matching a new transmission compatible with the 360 engine, to the transmission mounting brace on the truck, using a wrench. Lift the new transmission in place with the jack and bolt the transmission in place with the wrench. Bolt the driveshaft to the transmission.

4. Reinstall the radiator, the fan and the fan shroud, and attach the engine grounding cables and battery cables with a wrench.

5. Attach an engine wiring adapter to the engine wiring plug and insert the plug into the truck wiring harness.

6. Install new engine hoses, compatible with the 360 engine, with new hose clamps and a flat-head screwdriver. Fill the radiator and engine with new coolant.

7. Align the wax pencil markings drawn on the inside of the hood up with hinges and bolt the hood to the hinges with a wrench.

8. Install a new oil filter, securing it hand tight plus half a turn, and ensure that the oil pan plug is securely in place before filling the crankcase with fresh motor oil.

Tips & Warnings

• Top off the radiator with antifreeze after the new engine has been thoroughly warmed up.

References

• Jeep Tech: Jeep Engine: AMC 360 V8
• JP Magazine: 1961 Willys Pickup
• The Complete WW2 Military Jeep Manual; US Army Staff
• AMC Jeep CJ-5, CJ-6 & CJ-7: 1968-1981 Shop Manual; Kalton Lahue

Resources

• Arizona State University: Willys Jeep Trucks