New valves or not?

[cigarluvr]

I am putting together my parts list for my new stroker project...so far I have most of the essentials

'00 block out of TJ,
4wt Crank - thks ajmorell
68-231-4 cam and lifters - thks SilverXJ
MP valve springs
MP retainers and keeps
0331 head - I know, I know but until I get the engine out of '93 ZJ I am gonna use it so blah!
Rods - 707 casting
I think Santa's bringin me H825CP40's - we'll see

My question is this...the keepers are single groove whereas my 0331 cam with 3 groove valves...will the new keeps work with them or will I have to get new valves?

A good source if so?

[SilverXJ]

The MP locks won't work on the triple groove valves found in the 0331. The stock locks may work, but I am not sure. If you did need new valves you could use a used set.

Also, I think you have a typo. '93 ZJ doesn't have the 0331 head. Wrong vehicles and wrong year. Maybe you meant a '03 WJ?

[cigarluvr]

NO typo...just maybe worded incorrectly...

I have a '93 ZJ with a 7120 head in the rig now...

I am building a '00 TJ based stroker that came with a 0331...wish I could swap the heads but my ZJ is my daily and walking to work in the Alaska winter is not much of an option...lol

So I guess I nned to get new valves...poop...trying to avoid that...oh well...thx!

[cigarluvr]

What size are the original intake valves on the 0331? 1.94 or 1.97?

[SilverXJ]

The 2000 0331 valves are Intake: 1.915"; exhaust: 1.505". Also, if you have the choice I wouldn't use the 0331 head.

[cigarluvr]

I wish i didn't have to , but parts on the island here are scarce especially in the dead of winter. On top of that shipping is insane as you discovered. I want to get this engine together then take the 7120 head that is running now and go over it and then put it on later. Not an ideal situation but one that will have to work.

[mendelmax]

On the other hand, I started to think that this whole "oh no, 0331!" is a bit of a fairy tale. Those that were "supposed" to crack probably cracked already during 10 years of use. If they didn't yet, then probably they won't, unless of course some of the operating conditions change dramatically, like huge overheating or something like that.

I wouldn't hesitate to use this 0331 if it's not going to get much work on it. In worst case it will crack, so you'll simply replace it with the revised one.


Yet, another thing comes to my mind- how about welding the head BEFORE it cracks? I mean adding the extra material to the place where it tends to crack. What do you guys think?

[SilverXJ]

Well, if it cracks you could be looking at replacing a bunck of bottom items as well because as oil mixes with coolant it becomes acidic, and it won't lubricate well.

Doing anything with a flawed 0331 head is a wasted effort (unless you absolutely need to use it for some reason). If you want a 0331 head that won't crack pick up a later one.

[mendelmax]

I agree that coolant can mess many things up, but I guess most of us here tend to check things often in their jeep. I for instance have my coolant level marked with pencil and I check it at least once a week So I guess I would notice the problem before it would ruin the engine.

I 100% agree with you that buying revised one is a better way to go, but since he already has one, and has problem to get any other one, I would say to give it a chance.

[amcinstaller]

i wouldnt risk it. what if it was to crack during operation? you may not know until its too late. hit the JY, pull one, or see if someone has one they can part with for decent coins. my fiances father was a tinkerer. he used to do all kinda stuff, like mounting rototillers to rideon lawnmowers. also built a few chebbies. but the one thing always remained the same. hed cheap out on somethin, and that part would make the whole project fail. moral of the story, dont cheap out, youll enjoy your stuff much longer.

[cigarluvr]

So y'all saved me a ton of work THANK YOU!!! After I had the head tanked, my machinst told me that the head was .014 out...and then after I brought it home and let it sit for a bit there she was...right between 3 and 4...bigger than shit crack running from the lifter valley all the way to the exhaust port.

WTB used head...lol. Thanks again...

[SilverXJ]

Glad you found that before you put any work into it and put it on the new engine.

Did your machinist say anything about the crack?

[cigarluvr]

No, but he wasn't looking for it...he just tanked it for me and happened to set a straight edge across it...

[amcinstaller]

nice! you should take a picture and provide some info for the thread about those heads. seems to me someone was maybe looking for those to cut up as well?