Jeep Strokers

i'm planning a stroker build for my 94 cherokee and id like to build it as cheaply as possible without major negative side effects. so far as i can tell from searching i need to get 87-90 4.2 rods and crank and the .043 head gasket and have my pistons dished to around 18cc and i'm good to go? and can i run this combo on 87 octane? sorry if i just didn't search long enough to find what i was looking for and thanks in advance for any help

I think what you're looking for is my "poor man's" stroker recipe and yes, it'll run on 87 octane. Just make sure you keep it cool (stock 2-row HD radiator, high-flow water pump, 180* t'stat). That's what I'm running and I'm even able to use the stock Champion RC12LYC plugs.

thanks for the help. would it be best to go ahead and go .030 or .060 over since it will already be apart? and will it still make decent power without p&p on the head and intake?

You could go +0.060" but keep in mind that it'll be the last rebore you'll ever be able to do on that block.
The difference between an unported head with a '91-'99 XJ intake, and a ported head with '00+ XJ intake (my combo) is about 15rwhp so it's definitely worth having the latter.
It doesn't make sense to go for a bigger displacement (4.7L) and then choke the engine off with an unported head.

What if you just happen to have a 4.2 crank and rods laying around and it's no big deal to swap it in? Is it just as simple as dished piston and gasket? (I have a 90 yj crank/rods)

I still think you should rebore the cylinders on an old, high mileage engine so that you get good ring sealing. You could use your 4.2 crank/rods, add 677CP pistons (~9.25:1 CR), and keep everything else inside the engine stock (as I did apart from porting the head).