I am considering doing a mild Modified Poor Man's Stroker to my stock 4.0L. I want to keep this as simple as possible, reliable as possible, and as inexpensive as possible (within reason). I care more about reliability than anything else (but of course I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't want a bit more power too haha). I've come to this decision after researching the internet and this forum like crazy. The forums have been greatly informative but now I am wanting to key in on what I'd personally need to make this a reality and would really appreciate input from you all!
Details: 1997 Wrangler 4.0L w/ 3 Spd Auto. Engine has 115,000 miles on it. Engine runs rather nicely. Only issues are a potential oil pump going sour (takes a few seconds for oil pressure to build), I have some very minor oil leaks at the pan I believe, and I've overheated the engine once or twice a while back before I was able to replace the water pump. I don't think any serious damage was incurred.
My Skills: I was an aircraft mechanic for nearly 6 years and am now an engineer so I have decent mechanical skills. I work on all of my cars and perform almost all of my own maintenance. I have plenty of hand tools but will need to purchase an engine hoist (anything else specific I may need?). I have never removed an entire engine as of yet and have very little experience taking apart an engine (did one in aviation school) BUT I don't mind learning on the go as I do all this and feel confident I can figure it out.
Desires: I want to keep as many stock components as I can. I want to keep the stock cam, stock rods, and stock rollers/lifters if possible. I'd prefer to keep things conservative and go with a smaller overbore (.020 from what I've gathered). I'd like to keep compression on the lower side for safety's sake but I do not mind having to use a higher octane fuel so long as it does not need to be higher than 91 or 93.
My Specific Questions: What are all the parts and tools I need to purchase to complete this build? (treat me like I'm a complete idiot and just spoon feed it to me please, haha) What options do I have for pistons? What do I need to request from a machine shop? What quench should I aim for? How far should I go in taking apart the engine? What accessories/parts should I upgrade while I am doing all this? Are there any specific tips I should keep in mind? How long is this realistically going to take?
I appreciate any and all advice guys. Let me know if I am being too demanding!
I just want to ensure I have as much information as I can get. If you think this is too big of a job for me or feel the stroker is going to be way more headaches than good, feel free to tell me and I'll stop now haha. My other option is to just take off the heads and do a mild engine refreshing without removing the engine from the Jeep but then I wouldn't get the power and torque gains I desire....
-Alex
