is a "simple" stroker possible?

[RockScar]

I have a '00 4.0 (OBD2) and a 258 currently sitting in my garage, I'm just waiting on some parts before I set the 4.0 in. I have to take the 4.0's oil pan off to weld up a crack, so I'm wondering if there is a fairly simple way to install the crank/rods in without further mods for now.

Basically, what is the simplest way to stroke the 4.0?

[mendelmax]

Sure it is possible. It probably will require premium though. I suggest you to calculate it using the forum calculator.

On the other hand, I'm not sure if it's not better to get it done right the first time.

[1bolt]

Not really, the simplest way still requires getting 4.0 pistons off the 4.0 rods and onto the 258 rods, you then end up with horrible quench and high compression. because the 258 rod/4.0 piston combo puts the crown of the piston too far down in the hole. It's certainly cheap, and if you have access to E85 it might even be a useful build... Just re-gasket and re-ring it and you're done.

One "outside the box" junk yard build would be mating an old 232 with 4.0 rods/pistons so you don't even need to swap rods. If you can find a 232 crank, that would get you high compression, great quench and 4.2 liters, this would be better than the 258 4.2 Liters because you are replacing the old AMC 4.2L with small bores and the 258 head with a hybrid 4.2 that has the larger bores and better breathing head of the 4.0 with more stroke than the 4.0. You give up some stroke but you can rev the 232 build higher than the 258 build (theoretically it can survive higher RPM's and make better power for longer in the rev range).

This doesn't seem like a sexy option at first but if you're after a cheap high compression build for E85 it's actually a very slick option, you get high performance quench and compression numbers, with absolutely no machine work (unless you want to make sure things are flat)

In the end those options might be fun to do something with a spare engine that's laying around and throw in a trail rig or a demolition derby car or something, but without machine work and pistons you're not going to get the full potential from a stroker build.