Jeep Strokers

i am looking into building my first stroker. trying to build the cheapest as possible. i have a 96 xj with a 4.0. what is the best year 4.2 to buy? can i use the stock pistons out of the 4.0 or 4.2? if so which is best. like i said this is my very first build and at age 18 the budget is a lil tight. does anyone have a recipe out there that i can build on a lowo budget and run on 87 octane? if thats possible? any help is appreciated. thanks

im on my first stroker as well, the cheapest way ive found was to buy a 4.2 motor(mine was a 84 picked up for 100 bucks) take out the crank and rods from the 4.2, use your stock pistons.
but i will say i was in the same situation, trying to do it cheap..and now im 1000 deep into it and still need to buy a few things.

what all did you have to buy other than the 4.2?

try your local independent auto parts store- I picked up a 88' rebuilt 4.2 crank with bearing for $208.00 ( standard crankshaft co. ) you can't use the main bearings because they are for a 4.2 but the rod bearing work ( king bearings with the oil notch )- standard crankshaft also sell rebuilt 4.2 rods, I don't know the price because I'm using 4.0 rods. When i ordered my crank I told my salesman that I did not want one that was turned down .040- .040 so he called the warehouse before he ordered it to see what they had and got one that was standard- standard. They also took my old 4.0 crank in as a core exchange. I thought I was wasting my time going to the local parts guy but I got lucky, maybe you can to.

If you havn't found it yet, at the top of the FAQ section there is a link to Dino's( aka cheromaniac) web site. there are lots of stroker "recipies" and other info on there.


Busey: cudos on the score. Never thought of the local parts guy.I just tried Autozone and they list,but couldn't get me one.

jeepcreepin wrote:i am looking into building my first stroker. trying to build the cheapest as possible. i have a 96 xj with a 4.0. what is the best year 4.2 to buy? can i use the stock pistons out of the 4.0 or 4.2? if so which is best. like i said this is my very first build and at age 18 the budget is a lil tight. does anyone have a recipe out there that i can build on a lowo budget and run on 87 octane? if thats possible? any help is appreciated. thanks

Yeah, you can copy the 4.6L "poor man's" recipe that I've been running in my XJ for the last 62k miles (236k total on odometer). It's the cheapest stroker combo you can build (hence the poor man's) and mine runs happily on 87 octane as long as it isn't 100+*F outside.

jeepcreepin wrote:what all did you have to buy other than the 4.2?

i went with the 4.5 so i didnt have to bore or buy any pistons. http://www.ajeepthing.com/stroker-motor.html
thats the site i got my recipe off of. with the 4.5 poor mans simple stroker it would keep you pretty cheap and be able to run 87.

i went with the 4.5 low buck simple stroker. so i bought a cam and everything for it witch cost me about 350.
so i bought the motor, main and rod bearings, cam bearings, high volume oil pump, gaskets, head bolts, and the cam lifters springs retainers and double roller timing chain and some machine work.

PAW sells recon'd rods for a reasonable price.

mikey_d_13 wrote:http://www.ajeepthing.com/stroker-motor.html
thats the site i got my recipe off of.

That site was copied directly from mine before I updated it so the info. in ajeepthing is old.

really? whats your site then?
id like to check it out

nvm i clicked the link..thats the site i was looking for, i looked at i and when it cam time for my stroker, i couldnt find it..i read alot of very helpful stuff on there though

mikey_d_13 wrote:really? whats your site then?
id like to check it out

The links are in my sig.

thanks guys i appreciate the info. now i have heard i can use the 4.0 cam is that true?

jeepcreepin wrote:thanks guys i appreciate the info. now i have heard i can use the 4.0 cam is that true?

Well, I've been using it in my stroker for the last 4 years so the answer is yes.