Going to get started soon

[Russ Pottenger]

A piston with a full circular dish, no valve pockets, and centered pin can go in either direction.
As per my previous advise your at risk damaging the piston if you try to remove it from the rod.

You should be good to go.

[SilverXJ]

I don't know, I'm thinking of just leaving those two pistons that way and installing them so that the oil squirt holes face the same way, but the bottom logos will face differently compared to the other four.

That is what I would recommend.

[bigal389]

Listen to Russ and Silver.
Al

[optmaxx]

I just got my other new set of rod and main bearings in the mail so I'm back to my build. One of the new main bearings that I just got had a pit that I can feel with my finger nail, and I wasn't comfortable using it so I reused one of the other new main bearings that I had on previously, but I removed them because I had to clean the engine again. Here's a pic of that new bearing I just got, would you guys have used it anyways? Or was it ok for me to reuse the new main bearing that I had on previously?

I also rechecked the clearance for the new bearings, they were the same brand and size as the previous new ones, but I wasn't sure if that was necessary since the previous ones checked out ok.

[optmaxx]

I had to go to a Jeep JY and pick up some missing bolts and a camshaft pin spring. While I was there I started talking to the Jeep JY mechanic and I told him that I was in the process of putting on my timing cover, so he recommended this Nissan gasket maker. He said that it's so good, that you can leave the bolts off, he was kidding but that's how much he likes this product. I figured that I can trust his advice since all he dose is Jeep rebuilds, so I picked some up at a Nissan dealer. It was about $17, here's a pic.

[Russ Pottenger]

I had to read it twice.

The Junk Yard mechanic told you to bolt on your timing cover with gasket maker and no bolts.
If I'm reading this correctly and your considering doing it, .... Please don't.

[optmaxx]

I had to read it twice.

The Junk Yard mechanic told you to bolt on your timing cover with gasket maker and no bolts.
If I'm reading this correctly and your considering doing it, .... Please don't.

Ha ha, sorry, I haven't had anything to eat yet so I'm all over the place, but I tried correcting what I wrote. He didn't recommend leaving the bolts off, he was just illustrating how good he thinks the product is.

[optmaxx]

I got the head on, almost done. Can I reuse the rockers from my 4.2?

[optmaxx]

I've been pulling out my old engine by pieces because I'm reusing some parts, so all I have left in the engine bay is the short block. The two top bell housing bolts were easy to get to this way, but I realized that they won't be so easy to get to once I drop in my stroker, and I'm the only one working on my YJ. Will I have to lower the cross member to make it easier, and is that something I need to do once the engine is in? Or, what will be the best way to get to those once the Jeep is in? Will dropping in an engine be too hard for one person or should it be handled by two people? I'm also changing the the motor mounts, so will it be better to put them on the block before the install or bolt the to the engine bay before the install?

Hers' a pic of the old 4.0 head that was on my 4.2, I remember getting the water jackets welded and they seemed to have held up ok. I was wondering about the darker colored valves on cylinder one and what it could mean, and it seems that the smaller valve looks sunken in a bit. I also noticed some water on my pistons, but I'm not sure if it's from when I pulled out the head.

[Cheromaniac]

Looks like you didn't drain enough coolant out of the engine and that's probably why you got water on all the pistons.
The no.1 cylinder looks like it was running richer than the others (perhaps due to a bad plug, plug wire, or distributor cap not providing enough spark). I agree that the exhaust valve does look like it's sunken in so you'll need to remove it and check the condition of the valve seat. The valve itself may also be tuliped and need replacement.
You really need two people to drop an engine in so that the second person can guide the engine into place while the first person operates the cherry picker. It's probably easier to bolt the new mounts to the block first before the install and put the frame bolts in afterwards.
The top two bellhousing bolts are a major PITA to get to once the engine is in. It'll be a lot easier if you drop the short block in first and bolt the head assembly on afterwards.

[bigal389]

The best way I have found to be to the two top bolts is to lower the transmission skid and support itafter getting the motor mounts bolted up, then use a 3 foot extension. I've never really had a problem with them this way.
Al

[optmaxx]

I was able to find help to drop in my engine, but it'll have to wait till tomorrow. In the mean time I ordered some Lucas SAE 30 break in oil, exchanged whatever parts that I still had under warranty (like my radiator) so that I can have as much new parts in as possible, and I created my priming tool from an old dizzy which wasn't very hard to do. I can't wait, although I'm not expecting it to be ready to run tomorrow, I just want it in and the rest I can handle myself if it comes to that.

What are the start up procedures once I have the engine primed and ready to go? I'm using the old cam with new lifters, will I have to keep it revved up to 2k rpms for 20 mins? Also, when I'm priming the engine, will someone need to turn the engine by hand as I prime it with the drill? I might have some 24lbs injectors around, but they been used in a while, however I also have some newer rebuilt regular Jeep injectors. Should I I try to run the 24lbs injectors anyways?