Build stroker or Buy a pre build

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Brandon_K
I think I'll order a "tab"
I think I'll order a "tab"
Posts: 40
Joined: February 24th, 2009, 3:18 pm
Stroker Displacement: 4.6L
Vehicle Year: 1999
Vehicle Make: Jeep
Vehicle Model: Wrangler

Re: Build stroker or Buy a pre build

Post by Brandon_K »

I just looked at the kit, I don't see anything special about it. In fact, there are a few things I would change. Most notably, the high volume oil pump, I would swap out for a standard and the single roller chain is, from what I've researched, the weakest of the 3 available (single, silent link, dual roller). I am also partial to Clevite bearings, I don't know anyone that says they actually want to run King's. I'm also partial to Perfect Circle, now Mahle, piston rings. When I built my stroker 3 years ago, I got the following from Falcon Global for $748, shipped;

Head bolts (Felpro)
Pushrods
Comp 68-231-4 cam
Cloyes timing kit
Clevite rods (.10)
Clevite mains (.10)
New harmonic balancer
Perfect Circle rings (.030)
Victor full gasket kit
SP H825CP pistons (.030)
Oil pump (Melling std volume)
Lifters (Sealed Power)

Of course that isn't everything included in their kit. I found a 4.2L 12cw crank locally for $100 and then had another $100 into having it cut and polished. I don't know if Scat has gotten any better, but I know of at least 3 separate instances that the cranked was turned just a hair to much, requiring $160 dealer only main bearings. You would only know this by checking clearance with Plastigauge, which I think a lot of new engine builders skip that step and never know any better. I would personally keep a look out and see if you can find an old 4.2 for cheap and then have the crank turned. In my case, my crank (found on Craigslist) was straight and balanced, but the journals needed cut and polished. No big deal. With that particular cam that I have listed, you also have to go with MP springs, locks and retainers, add in another ~250 there. Freeze plugs were $30 I think (purchased through the machine shop). I bought the 4.2L rods on ebay, resized, shot peened and reconditioned, I think they were $150? Of course, if you go with the KB pistons, you would be using your stock 4.0L rods, which will be cheaper to have reconditioned than buying 4.2L rods. I'm not sure what the cost difference between KB pistons + recon 4.0L rods is, versus the SP pistons + recon 4.2L rods. As the KB pistons didn't exist when I built mine, I'm also not sure if they are dished correctly, etc or if they need more machine work. I would change out the lifters Crower CamSavers (which I have done on this most recent built). Eating cam lobes seems to be fairly common which is why I'm having to rebuild mine. I ate a lobe on a stock Mopar cam. Some believe it is the play in the cam thrust setup with the pin and spring (this wouldn't have been a issue on mine as I was using the 99+ thrust plate setup), some believe it is the lifters (which is what I believe caused my failure), some believe it is the high volume oil pump, some feel it's the narrow lobes on the aftermarket cams (again, not a factor in my case) and some believe it's the higher spring pressures required to run the higher lift cams. On this build, I'm going to be doing a solid retaining pin, CamSaver lifters, standard oil pump, MP springs. I'm not sure if anyone is running this combo yet, so we'll see if that leads to a longer cam life. Cam bearings were another $40'ish I believe.

I didn't add everything with a calculator, but some quick math in my head shows that you can pick better components, Clevite over King, CamSavers over Melling, etc, getting the exact components you want for a few bucks less than an eBay kit that forces you to buy what they want you to. My 2c.
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