Jeep Strokers

Howdy Gang

Been lurking and picking ya'll brains long enough. It's time to put this motor together.

Parts:

97 XJ Block 53010341 bored .030 over
99 0331 Head
HC 802CP pistons
10/10 258 long snout crank
Lunati 63501 cam
Felpro gaskets

Will edit to include more information. At work right now and I don't have my notes...

The head is off of a 1999 WJ, so it's one of the suspect 0331 castings. I know that I'll be questioned as to why I'm using this head. The short answer is that it was free and I need to get an engine built while I'm driving the Jeep. The head isn't cracked and I don't see a good reason not to use it. I'm planning on running the 0331 head and refurbish the 0630 that's on the in service motor.

Sexy Valve Job:


Spring pads cut to accept small block chevy springs:



Using Hesco's retainers. They are really neat. With them, you can use stock valves but can use SBC springs.

Surfaced:

Whats the deal with the valve guides?

Those guides look like them diamond honed bronze liners?? Are you planning on running 11/32 stem SBC valves?

Indeed, Diamond honed bronze liners. Just stock valves though.

My machinist buddy tells me that they're the only way to go.

Ditto on the stock valves, they are much lighter than 11/32 sbc valves. The LS1's are another good choice and they are quite a bit lighter than the stock 4.0 parts.

Started to assemble the head and didn't like the extra room around the ID of the spring. Was concerned about spring walk. Also, didn't like the idea of the spring with dampener sitting on the head without some kind of armor under it. I've heard stories of the dampener jackhammering a hole in the head that way.
Lee over at Hesco seems to think that it's not a problem, but I'm a worry wart...


So, back to the seat and guide machine! Machined the pads a little more to take a Comp 4777 ID locater. Had to go a little further down to compensate for the locater height. Looks good and it'll let me sleep better tonight.

do you know how many miles were on the head you have pictured? i think the consensus was if it hasnt cracked by so many hundred thousand miles it wasnt going to?

I never saw the WJ the engine was from, but something around 100k pops into my head for some reason.

Spent yesterday honing the lifter bores and doing the final wash and painting. Took almost 3 hours to clean the block until I was happy.

The block was baked and shot blasted. I was concerned with a few of the pieces of shot hanging out in an oil galley. Like I said. I'm a worry wart.

It is sooooooo unlikely a spring of that pressure could work it's way through cast iron....if ur really worried about it put a .030" VSI shim under it....I see I'm too late

Ya, like I said. I'm a worry wart.

The ID locater does double duty. Keeps the spring in place and protects the pad.

Crank is balanced. First I6 on it, ever. I feel honored.



Started assembly of the short block. Everything is going together well. Clearances are awesome. Really happy thus far.

The only thing that had me stumped was the cam. Lunati promised me a cam and I was waiting for 6 weeks. Every time I called it was "oh ya, we just got cores in. Next week"

That got old. Canceled my order and went with the Comp 68-232-4 instead.

Started to degree the cam and was thrown another loop. First, I can't install it at 110 centerline. It just won't go. I can either go 106 or 116. I think I'll go a little advanced. The chain will stretch over time. Maybe I'll get 110 after break in.
The other thing was cam card confusion. Every cam card I've ever seen gives valve timing at .050. The comp cam card even says .050.
I didn't even end up close to the card @ .050, but I did at .006. Turns out that it's a typo. On the card and the website. It should be .006. If it can be stupid, it'll happen to me.

How much balance work did the crankshaft need? they tell you how much they changed?

not much at all really. Maybe 5-7 grams?