First stoker build

[jcori3]

Hi everyone! First off i want to say that i am new to the forum and i have been reading it a lot. Trying to answer as many questions as i can on my own by reading. I am having to rebuild my 97 tj wrangler 4.0 due to # 2 piston skirt breaking and after i tore it down i also noticed # 6 was cracked as well. I use my jeep as my primary daily driver and need it to be dependable. I also pull a bass boat and i would like a little more extra power as well for that. I would also like to run the regular 87 octane gas as well if i can. But its not a deal breaker as i live close to work. I have seen the different builds and i think i am leaning towards the poor mans. I have a 97 tj wrangler 4.0, 5spd. On a budget and plan on building motor myself as i have built several other motors over the years. Can someone make me a list of exactly what i would need as far as parts and what machine work i would need to have done. The cylinders appear to be ok from the piston damage but havnt been checked so it could need to be bored. Everything else on the engine was really clean upon taking it apart. I would really like just a turn key and be able to drive anywhere, a build that ran smooth and idled nice. Not really into the hot rod stuff just need a little more pulling power. Thanks again for any advice and suggestions.

[Cheromaniac]

The modified poor man's stroker would be just the ticket for you. These are the parts that you'll need from the list shown at http://www.jeepstrokers.com/forum/viewt ... =34&t=3036

258 crankshaft: Ebay
Connecting rods: Reuse stock 4.0
ARP rod bolts: Summit Racing
Pistons & rings: Keith Black ICON
Main bearings: Summit Racing
Rod bearings: Summit Racing
Cam bearings: Summit Racing
Oil pumps: Summit Racing
Timing sets: Summit Racing
Camshaft & lifter kits: Summit Racing
Cam bolt, pin & spring: Reuse stock 4.0
Cam bolt washer: Reuse stock 4.0
Rocker arms: Reuse stock 4.0
Harmonic balancers: Summit Racing
Harmonic balancer spacer: Hesco
Freeze plugs: Summit Racing
Valve springs/retainers/locks: Reuse stock 4.0
Pushrods: Reuse stock 4.0
Gaskets & seals: Summit Racing, Mopar Performance
Flowkooler high flow water pump: Summit Racing
Thermostats: Summit Racing
Thermostat housing: Reuse stock 4.0
Cylinder head bolts: http://headbolts.com/Jeep-AMC-232-244-2 ... bolts.html

The minimum machine shop work required will be hot tanking the block, cylinder bore/hone, pressing in new cam bearings, check block/head surfaces for flatness, and lap the valves/seats with grinding paste.

[jcori3]

Will I need to have my block decked if I go with 4.2 crank and 4.0 rods and the kb pistons?

[Retlaw01XJ]

Will I need to have my block decked if I go with 4.2 crank and 4.0 rods and the kb pistons?

Decking may not be absolutely necessary. You'll have to check the deck surface for flatness. It may or may not need to be decked to make it right.
Not decking it will give you lower compression.... you want that to run 87 octane. But you will lose a little power with the lower CR as well.
I compromised and cut mine 0.020" for a CR of about 9:1. Been running 89 octane for the 500 miles I've put on it without issue. I'll eventually try 87 octane.

Buying the engine parts in a package will save you some $$.
Look up kits from Falconglobal on e-Bay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jeep-engine-kit ... 5187471969

You'll need to upgrade to larger fuel injectors too, so add that to the list.

[jcori3]

Ok so i dont have to deck it for it to work? Just if i want a higher compression? It isnt that big of deal to me i would really rather run the 87 octane fuel anyways. I plan on taking the block and head to the machine shop monday afternoon. I will find out if i need to have either surfaces milled for flatness and report back. Per say if my head and block are flat and true i can just assemble the 4.2 crank and 4.0 rods and the kb icon pistons and have no problems?
thanks again for the help.

[Retlaw01XJ]

Right, if surfaces are flat, decking is optional..... but recommended for performance. Kinda depends on what cam you choose.... a hotter cam usually likes a little more CR than stock.
Check your camshaft and lifters to see if they can be reused. Mine showed some wear, so I upgraded to a mild Crower 44243 which can use stock springs. A hotter Comp cam will produce more power at higher rpm but needs extra-cost valve springs and retainers.

Connecting rods.... if you upgrade to the ARP bolts, the big end will need to be reconditioned. $42 bolts + $100 machining.
The small end of the rods will need to be ground down a little for piston clearance.... shop charged me $60 for that.
Shop should check rod straightness (parallelism). Mine were within 'factory spec' (nearly 0.008" across a nearly 4" bore), but my 4.0 failed from a broken #2 piston as well.... I can't say if it failed because of the bent rods, but I'm sure it didn't help the situation!

My $2500 budget was close to $3000 due to the replacement cam and lifters, $150 main bearings for the undersize crankshaft, and higher machine shop costs in my area....

[jcori3]

Monday i take everything to the machine shop to get cleaned and checked. I will report back on the surfaces and bore to see what has to be done. The stock cam shows wear and i want to replace cam and lifters since i am doing a complete rebuild. What is a popular cam that is good for running the stock valve train that i wont have any problems with?

[jcori3]

Block and all are still at the machine shop. They are backed up a little so it might be another couple weeks or so. Still trying to figure out all i need to get and to do. Looks like the cam is the main thing i am having a problem trying to decide on. I want to keep my valve train on the head stock for now.

[jcori3]

Just got a call from the machine shop. They got everything cleaned up and checked. The block will have to go .030 over to clean up. Crank will need to go to .010-.010 to clean up. As far as the head it was cracked in a couple places at the valve seats. This is a 97 tj factory head. What casting numbers do i need to STAY AWAY from? I heard there was a few years that they had problems with the head cracking really easy. I need to make sure i dont get one of those heads. Thanks

[Cheromaniac]

Just got a call from the machine shop. They got everything cleaned up and checked. The block will have to go .030 over to clean up. Crank will need to go to .010-.010 to clean up. As far as the head it was cracked in a couple places at the valve seats. This is a 97 tj factory head. What casting numbers do i need to STAY AWAY from? I heard there was a few years that they had problems with the head cracking really easy. I need to make sure i dont get one of those heads. Thanks

Just get another head from a '91-'99 model with casting no. 7120 or 0630. The 0331 heads from '00-'01 are the ones to avoid.

[jcori3]

Thanks, that was what i needed to know.

[jcori3]

Putting my motor together its a 97 model. Haynes manual i reference says all this crap about the timing set and counting pins and links and suck. My new timing set, wich is just a single roller stock has a dot on both gears. so i put the assembly on with the two dots facing each other, or dot to dot as you would say. The haynes manual never had a pic or anything written on doing it this way. Is this correct?

[Cheromaniac]

Haynes manual i reference says all this crap about the timing set and counting pins and links and suck. My new timing set, which is just a single roller stock has a dot on both gears. so i put the assembly on with the two dots facing each other, or dot to dot as you would say.

Correct. Ignore what the Haynes manual says about counting links.

[jcori3]

Great, its the only way it made sense to me. Also having to get a new head. I read that a 7120 head will fit my 97 block with no modification, is this true?
I was told that the 0630 heads crack easier than the 7120 so that is the reason i was wanting to go with the 7120 head. Also heard that out of all the heads the 7120 flows better than the others. Also a thing i liked about the 7120. Is all this correct?

[jcori3]

Forgot to mention it had the 0630 head on it from the factory. Thanks again