Gradon's Stroker Project

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gradon
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Stroker Displacement: 4.6/280ci
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Re: Gradon's Stroker Project

Post by gradon »

In the front, I have 2.5" shorter, supposedly 25% stiffer springs from Springworks. Tubular straight adjustable control arms and a custom straight adjustable trackbar from Ironman4x4fab. Addco front 1.125" swaybar. Offset upper balljoints set to max camber. In the rear I have some custom composite mono-leafs from Flex-Form with a 6" arch height rated at 320#/in(double stock rate) and pinned for SUA. For shocks, I've converted the shortest Bilstein 5125&5150s with the t-bars. The rear 8.25" axle is from a 1987 Dodge Dakota, so had the SUA perches the same width as the XJ, the same 5x4.5" bolt pattern, and I was able to re-use the 27-spline Auburn LSD. The shock mounts had to be cut off and re-welded XJ style. The rear also has adjustable hangers. The ride is harsh and I hit bump stops regularly. I want to get the rear up and the nose down(have to section the front axle), get 300-400#/in springs up front, and then source adjustable shocks. It's never finished . . .
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gradon
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Re: Gradon's Stroker Project

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Long time! So I’ve still been DDing my 96 and I auto-xed it at Summit Point a few weekends ago. After one run, I had lifter tick at idle and had to rev up to 3k to get the air out and oil in. I ended up 23rd out of 78: http://live.axti.me/results/4JBC8nZ38 (discard the NC/non-comp runs which were runs 6-10 for people that did both sessions). A week later there was lifter tick all day, then later that night the tick stopped and the jeep was down a cylinder. I did a comp check and cylinder 1 was down to 130psi, but the other 5 were 180psi +/-5psi. I removed the valve cover to find that intake rocker #1 was loose. I removed it and found a collapsed lifter. I don’t know if the cam lobe is damaged, but will find out next week.
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gradon
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Re: Gradon's Stroker Project

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SkylinesSuck
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Re: Gradon's Stroker Project

Post by SkylinesSuck »

Pretty cool that you ran there! Sorry to hear about the cam/lifter issue. I feel your pain. Been there myself 4-5 times :-/
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gradon
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Re: Gradon's Stroker Project

Post by gradon »

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SkylinesSuck
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Re: Gradon's Stroker Project

Post by SkylinesSuck »

Even with a collapsed lifter/wiped lobe, should there be any play with the rocker arm?
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gradon
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Re: Gradon's Stroker Project

Post by gradon »

The lifter no longer has springiness so can’t maintain oil pressure to stay lifted. I’ve never experienced a collapsed lifter, so will see. The rocker looked fine and the push rod wasn’t bent and still had oil in it and fed the top of the rocker.
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gradon
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Re: Gradon's Stroker Project

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SkylinesSuck
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Re: Gradon's Stroker Project

Post by SkylinesSuck »

Sorry man. Been there, done that. Too many times. Plans?
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gradon
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Re: Gradon's Stroker Project

Post by gradon »

I left a message with Russ today. I definitely need a cam, lifters, cam bearings, a crank sprocket key, and maybe the rocker and pushrod for #1 intake. Over the ten years I’ve thrashed it, I’ve had a stock timing set fail that sent metal everywhere and a crank snout snap(so another crank and crank bearings). The mopar 30ab cam was 256* 108lsa and .45” lift. I want to go a tad bigger.
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Re: Gradon's Stroker Project

Post by SkylinesSuck »

So that was one of the vaunted "wide lobe" cams?
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gradon
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Re: Gradon's Stroker Project

Post by gradon »

Yes it was. I think it was not the cam’s fault though, but the cam bearings wearing. The 2nd bearing in right by #1 intake was the worst.
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Re: Gradon's Stroker Project

Post by SkylinesSuck »

Oh, so the lobes aren't worn? I don't recall, were you having oil pressure issues?
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gradon
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Re: Gradon's Stroker Project

Post by gradon »

Just the #1 intake lobe is worn and has a snag on the edge. Oil pressure was down to 10psi hot, but had 30psi@3k. I just ordered the comp cam 68-235-4, so will be bumping up the lift.
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Re: Gradon's Stroker Project

Post by Tolemar »

Any updates ? Sorry to bring back an old thread but I just read the whole thing and like to know the outcome . How do you like that cam?
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