Jeep Strokers

I've got an 82 CJ7 running a 4.2 that is starting to show signs of...well... being a 258! I have acquired the following so far:
I started off dreaming of building a fire breathing 4.7 supercharged with all the goodies, and then realized my talent ran out about half way through the dream and if my wallet could laugh it would have.

- '99 4.0 (242 cu. in), stock w/ ~92k miles, NVH stamping (complete engine)
- '81-'86 4.2 (258 cu. in) crankshaft - casting no. 3235477
- '71-'81 4.2 (258 cu. in) rods - casting no. 707
- OE '99 4.0 exhaust manifold, complete intake manifold (the equal volume runner version)

I'm looking to go the budget build 4.5 method for now in an effort to make my daily driver more reliable and a little more fun to drive. I'm wondering if I can hone and put new rings on the pistons and just use the crank and rods from the 258, upgrade the cam, lap the valves, upgrade the springs, new bearings, new gaskets and be on my way? I'm pretty sure the crank will need to be polished and balanced.

I have a header on my current motor with 2" exhaust. Should I upgrade to 2.25 or 2.5 or can I get away with 2 for now? I'm guessing I will need an O2 Sensor as well.
Push rods and lifter replacement a wise move or can I get by with stock?
Do I need to or should I upgrade the injectors to soemthing larger?
What do I do about the fuel pump situation?
What is a reasonable cam (or kit) to go with for the aforementioned combo?
Should I go through the trouble of porting and polishing the head / intake myself using the gasket or is there a better way or not worth it for my scenario?

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I have waded through a several posts and it seems like I could probably piece together some of my questions. But some of the advice is contradicting. Just looking for someone who has been there done that with a no nonsense approach building off what I have.

singletrackmind wrote:I'm wondering if I can hone and put new rings on the pistons and just use the crank and rods from the 258,

Not a good idea. It might work, it might not. The bores are already worn, and getting the pistons off the 4.0l rods is risky as the pistons may break. If you get the pistons of the rods without breaking them you may run into issues down the line with just a hone and new rings.

lap the valves,

Thats another thing not to do. Lapping the valve can hurt more than help. Its more of a band-aid fix for a head that needs a valve job. If you can't afford a 3 angle valve job then just clean the head up as best as possible, keeping all the parts in the same place and putting it back together. For one a valve lapping is done at room temperature, however the engine doe not run at room temperature and lapping is a very imprecise method.

I'm pretty sure the crank will need to be polished and balanced.

Possibly even turned and balanced, depending on how much wear it has on it.

I have a header on my current motor with 2" exhaust. Should I upgrade to 2.25 or 2.5 or can I get away with 2 for now?

2.5" would be idea. If you are changing your exhaust go with 2.5" over 2 or 2.25". However if you are strapped for cash put the money into the engine now and the exhaust can wait until later.

Push rods and lifter replacement a wise move or can I get by with stock?

You can use stock as long as they aren't too worn. Although not as critical as the valve items, you will want to try to keep them in the same position as they were originally.

Do I need to or should I upgrade the injectors to something larger?

you will need to modify the fuel system in some way to get more fuel to the engine. Larger injectors, map sensor, fuel pressure regulator, or any combination.

What do I do about the fuel pump situation?

stock fuel pump is more than adequate for a basic stroker.

What is a reasonable cam (or kit) to go with for the aforementioned combo?

That is a major opinion. The comp cam 68-231-4 is a decent cam, but a bit noisy with its fast ramp rates.

Should I go through the trouble of porting and polishing the head / intake myself using the gasket or is there a better way or not worth it for my scenario?

Don't do a full on gasket match, especially on the exhaust ports. Do a simple clean up on the intake and exhaust. Search on here and you will find my port and polish plus other ideas. Dino has some good info on his sight.

I am sure you will find a decent ridge on the cylinder walls. I would bore it and use new pistons. You can get oversided pistons on ebay cheap.

How much should I expect to pay to get it bored over, and since i'm going to have it done should I go 40 over then?
What should I be looking for in the line of piston?

I don't think my standard fuel pump from my CJ7 is going to provide enough pressure. Freakin fuel pump is much as a cylinder head!

New fuel pump is needed. going from carb'd to injected.

We charge $100 for a bore and hone on a I-6. That includes cleaning.

Take the block to the machine shop and have them inspect the bores. They will tell you what will be needed to clean them up and you can get pistons to match.