New 4.6L stroker build

Project vehicle blogs or "mod diary" specific threads only.. Pics encouraged!!
User avatar
SilverXJ
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 5789
Joined: February 14th, 2008, 7:14 am
Stroker Displacement: 4.6L
Vehicle Year: 2000
Vehicle Make: Jeep
Vehicle Model: Cherokee
Location: Radford, Va

Re: New 4.6L stroker build

Post by SilverXJ »

Coffee Commando wrote:I'm not sure what you mean about the oiling setup. I read through the posts but I only remember you mentioning doing it. How do you do that. ?
Its covered in this very thread. Run a line from the oil sender area (Tee fitting) to behind the gear, drill and tap and install a restricted orifice fitting aiming at the gear.
Coffee Commando wrote:EDIT 2: I just spoke to the technician working on my engine. He said they were able to use the cam thrust plate with my original cloyles dual roller timing gears. It's the Purple MOPAR Cam (PN: 4529228AD for '87-'97 model year 4.0's). Should I be worried...?
I would be very concerned. The earlier cam sticks out of the block about .25" and the diameter of the front cam lobe. The later cam has a protrusion from the block that is about .75" and half the diameter of the journal. In order too... ugh... never mind.. i'm not even going to go through what they would have to do to make it work, but it wouldn't be easy or cheap.. or even worth it. Bottom line is that I would take my crap and run if they some how fit the earlier cam and gear with the later plate with out extensive machining. Hopefully there is just some confusion in what they were saying.
Coffee Commando
Making Progress
Making Progress
Posts: 64
Joined: May 27th, 2012, 8:30 am
Stroker Displacement: 4.6
Vehicle Year: 2000
Vehicle Make: Jeep
Vehicle Model: Cherokee

Re: New 4.6L stroker build

Post by Coffee Commando »

F&*# me in the gonads rolling down a hill covered in thorns. So it's time to order a new camshaft and swap out the one that's just been broken in then.

I called there today to find out what exactly they had to do and the operations manager informed me that they didn't actually have a problem with it in the end... so either I got the right cam on accident, or something has been forgotten since 3 months ago (it's been there a while).

I am going to have to go down there tomorrow and check the part number on that cam now. I really hope Summit F'ed up the order and pulled the correct part number off of the shelf.

How can I actually tell the difference between the new and old style cam-shafts? (assuming mine is no longer there) I looked around online today trying to cross reference the different MOPAR purple cams and all any web sites show are general pictures of a cam that's not even for the jeep or a black and white cad drawing from the late 80's.
Coffee Commando
Making Progress
Making Progress
Posts: 64
Joined: May 27th, 2012, 8:30 am
Stroker Displacement: 4.6
Vehicle Year: 2000
Vehicle Make: Jeep
Vehicle Model: Cherokee

Re: New 4.6L stroker build

Post by Coffee Commando »

Camshaft PartNumber ES-242 from EngineTech is on order. It's the OEM camshaft with the key-nose design for 99+ 4.0 engines. Got it on RockAuto.com after confirming it wasn't the dowel-pin setup over the phone.

I also got the thrust-plate and cam-sprocket bolt, or whatever it's proper name is, from a MOPAR dealer nearby in Wilmington.

I didn't know Golen used blank cams from Comp-Cams for their grinds.
User avatar
SilverXJ
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 5789
Joined: February 14th, 2008, 7:14 am
Stroker Displacement: 4.6L
Vehicle Year: 2000
Vehicle Make: Jeep
Vehicle Model: Cherokee
Location: Radford, Va

Re: New 4.6L stroker build

Post by SilverXJ »

I don't think Golen grinds their own cams... I'm pretty sure they use someone else's cam.
nicpaige
Consistent
Consistent
Posts: 218
Joined: October 16th, 2014, 3:35 pm
Stroker Displacement: 4.6
Vehicle Year: 2000
Vehicle Make: XJ
Vehicle Model: Sport

Re: New 4.6L stroker build

Post by nicpaige »

WOW...just finished this thread. I'm seriously giving the LS swap another look. I had finally made up my mind to go with the stroker and BAM ...this thread showed up. Big props man, you are one persistent guy. It was getting to the point where I was half scared to go to the next page and another disaster. Great job on getting your problem solved. If your ever in Ohio message me and drinks are on me. :cheers:
User avatar
SilverXJ
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 5789
Joined: February 14th, 2008, 7:14 am
Stroker Displacement: 4.6L
Vehicle Year: 2000
Vehicle Make: Jeep
Vehicle Model: Cherokee
Location: Radford, Va

Re: New 4.6L stroker build

Post by SilverXJ »

This isn't a normal happening with strokers. My XJ is just cursed. It would make a great test platform for new parts, as if there is a problem it will show up on mine. There have been a few other cases of cam bearing failure which have also boiled down to cam walk. I still wish I knew the actual cause of why the cam wants to walk. Just make sure you do something about the cam retention mechanism. Either go with the solid pin setup or if you have a block that can take the retainer plate go with a custom cam or stock cam for the retainer plate.

If I knew what I was getting into back then I would have thought long and hard about an LS swap. But then everyone would have missed out on all the other modifications I have done and I wouldn't have written a stroker chapter for a book.
Coffee Commando
Making Progress
Making Progress
Posts: 64
Joined: May 27th, 2012, 8:30 am
Stroker Displacement: 4.6
Vehicle Year: 2000
Vehicle Make: Jeep
Vehicle Model: Cherokee

Re: New 4.6L stroker build

Post by Coffee Commando »

SilverXJ wrote:I don't think Golen grinds their own cams... I'm pretty sure they use someone else's cam.
Chad said they get blanks from Comp and they grind every cam for every application themselves.

Are the lobes on Comp-Cams thin or wide?
Coffee Commando
Making Progress
Making Progress
Posts: 64
Joined: May 27th, 2012, 8:30 am
Stroker Displacement: 4.6
Vehicle Year: 2000
Vehicle Make: Jeep
Vehicle Model: Cherokee

Re: New 4.6L stroker build

Post by Coffee Commando »

SilverXJ wrote:There have been a few other cases of cam bearing failure which have also boiled down to cam walk. I still wish I knew the actual cause of why the cam wants to walk.
I'm sure that the transmission in mine having the problems it did are what wore mine, and the distributor gear, out. I only drove it maybe a total of 2500 miles and there was serious wear on the thrust bearing and the timing cover from the crank and cam sprockets. I think that wear only occurred when I put it in reverse though because it would shift like it was being kicked backwards. Even letting it sit in neutral for a few seconds before putting it in reverse made no difference.

I wonder if in some instances if everyone had inspected their thrust bearings they would have found wear there.
User avatar
SilverXJ
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 5789
Joined: February 14th, 2008, 7:14 am
Stroker Displacement: 4.6L
Vehicle Year: 2000
Vehicle Make: Jeep
Vehicle Model: Cherokee
Location: Radford, Va

Re: New 4.6L stroker build

Post by SilverXJ »

Coffee Commando wrote:Chad said they get blanks from Comp and they grind every cam for every application themselves.
People say a lot of stuff. If they are grinding the cams there is no reason to be buying blanks from comp.
Are the lobes on Comp-Cams thin or wide?
narrow.
Coffee Commando
Making Progress
Making Progress
Posts: 64
Joined: May 27th, 2012, 8:30 am
Stroker Displacement: 4.6
Vehicle Year: 2000
Vehicle Make: Jeep
Vehicle Model: Cherokee

Re: New 4.6L stroker build

Post by Coffee Commando »

I checked out the EngineTech OEM cam I got from RockAuto. It has the thick lobes on it. Their claim to fame on their camshafts is they use OE specified metallurgical procedures to ensure a long life. Double score. But, I've decided, since they still have only taken the timing cover off despite having all the parts for the past 4 business days, to leave the old one in there and let it run until it needs replaced given what I have found.

What I have found to be contributing factors for camshaft wear:
1. Skinny lobes vs Thicker Lobes
2. Metallurgical quality of cams
3. Proper oil usage with zinc additives
4. Too much seat pressure with aftermarket springs
5. Cam-walk... for mostly unknown reasons. Although my bearings had wear, the distributor gear was the most damaged and that was because of the transmission pushing the crank forward when switching into reverse. Thrust bearings were also worn of course. Not sure what could possibly cause the cam to walk when it's not a transmission problem. The only things it actually interfaces with that move are the Distributor/Synchronizer and the crankshaft, and the synchronizer moves only because the cam gears it to move.
6. FRAM oil filters. Some FRAM designs, according to the Machinist from the speed shop who had one cut open and compared to a WIX, did not have an anti-drain back valve. This caused the filter to be empty after turning off the engine for a period of time causing the initial startup of the engine to be drier because the oil filter had to be refilled to build up oil pressure.

All this would explain how I had a dowel camshaft previously, not sure on the lobe widths but it was an Erson cam from a machinists catalog, and used it for over 15,000 miles without any problems previously. I used Pennzoil and added a zinc additive with every oil change and only used K&N oil filters. I sold that Cherokee to someone about a year ago and haven't heard from them since so I can only assume he's had no problems with it either. I'm sure if he did he would have rung me back about it since I built it.

Most of this doesn't apply to newer engines that aren't inline 6's because they have an overhead cam-style which lends itself to less cam-lobe wear. Hence after-market cam companies can be loose in their standards for mass-producing camshafts without failures... except for us inline-6'ers making stroked engines with non OE components in tandem with those camshafts using oils with less zinc.
User avatar
SilverXJ
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 5789
Joined: February 14th, 2008, 7:14 am
Stroker Displacement: 4.6L
Vehicle Year: 2000
Vehicle Make: Jeep
Vehicle Model: Cherokee
Location: Radford, Va

Re: New 4.6L stroker build

Post by SilverXJ »

Coffee Commando wrote:I checked out the EngineTech OEM cam I got from RockAuto. It has the thick lobes on it.
All OEM replacement cams have the wider lobes. It is only the performance cams that have the narrow lobes (w/ the Mopar Performance cams being the exception).
6. FRAM oil filters.
They are just garbage filters all around.

I'm not sure why you continue to post in this thread. Consider starting your own thread.
embs2001
Noob
Noob
Posts: 17
Joined: January 23rd, 2015, 7:53 am
Stroker Displacement: 4.0
Vehicle Year: 1988
Vehicle Make: jeep
Vehicle Model: comanche

Re: New 4.6L stroker build

Post by embs2001 »

Now I have a headache.
1988 Comanche w/ m90
Build thread- http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1118735
User avatar
SilverXJ
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 5789
Joined: February 14th, 2008, 7:14 am
Stroker Displacement: 4.6L
Vehicle Year: 2000
Vehicle Make: Jeep
Vehicle Model: Cherokee
Location: Radford, Va

Re: New 4.6L stroker build

Post by SilverXJ »

Lol.. Don't think too much on it. This isn't usually how things go.
Jeepman1981
Posts: 1
Joined: November 24th, 2017, 10:07 pm
Stroker Displacement: 4.6
Vehicle Year: 1997
Vehicle Make: Jeep
Vehicle Model: Xj

Re: New 4.6L stroker build

Post by Jeepman1981 »

How many miles does your stroker have now ? :huh:
User avatar
SilverXJ
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 5789
Joined: February 14th, 2008, 7:14 am
Stroker Displacement: 4.6L
Vehicle Year: 2000
Vehicle Make: Jeep
Vehicle Model: Cherokee
Location: Radford, Va

Re: New 4.6L stroker build

Post by SilverXJ »

It currently has 35,000 miles on it. No problems and I haven't done anything to the XJ in a while besides change the headlights to Morimotos Leds and replace the rear axle bearings.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests