Jeep Strokers

I've been going back and forth between rebuilding the current engine, stroker or V8 swap for my AMC Eagle which currently has a 4.0l head swapped 258. It runs great but uses oil somewhere. I decided to go the stroker route for now, unless I get sidetracked. I purchased a complete 91 longblock for $45 and scored a already machined 10/10 4cw crank for $100. Today was slow at work so I tore into the core engine. The guy I bought it from said he had problems with the number 5 cylinder and removed the pushrods from that cylinder and drove it for 20k more miles delivering pizza. Well I can't believe what I saw on this engine. First when I took the head off, there is NO headgasket. Also the water jackets that get filled for a 4.0l/258 head swap were welded. Apparently he didn't take both pushrods out because one was in there bent around the camshaft. I found one lifter laying in the lifter galley and pieces of another one. So far the block seems to be in ok shape but won't know of course until I get it to a machine shop. I'll be traveling for work on and off for several weeks at a time, so it will be a slooooow build.
Pic of the Eagle it will eventually go in:

Nice Eagle!

I don't know how he could have drove 20k miles with no head gasket and a lifter out, which would cause no oil pressure. When you took it apart did the head bolts seem torqued correctly?

SilverXJ wrote:Nice Eagle!

I don't know how he could have drove 20k miles with no head gasket and a lifter out, which would cause no oil pressure. When you took it apart did the head bolts seem torqued correctly?

I can't say they seemed to be torqued correctly but they were tight and based on the 1/4"+ of grime on the engine it appears the head was on there for quite a while. The caked on oil was consistent on both the head an block with no evidence of it being apart recently. I don't know how long a lifter can stay in it's bore after pushrods are removed, but maybe the lifter coming out of the bore finally did the engine in. It was out of a lifted XJ and he said he took it off road in that condition.

Eaglefreek wrote:

SilverXJ wrote:Nice Eagle!

I don't know how he could have drove 20k miles with no head gasket and a lifter out, which would cause no oil pressure. When you took it apart did the head bolts seem torqued correctly?

I can't say they seemed to be torqued correctly but they were tight and based on the 1/4"+ of grime on the engine it appears the head was on there for quite a while. The caked on oil was consistent on both the head an block with no evidence of it being apart recently. I don't know how long a lifter can stay in it's bore after pushrods are removed, but maybe the lifter coming out of the bore finally did the engine in. It was out of a lifted XJ and he said he took it off road in that condition.

Wow... Well let me tell you, my previous stroker was done in by an exhaust valve that receeded, eventually bending then breaking the pushrod. When I limped it home with the exhaust valve stuck shut in cylinder #3 and a broken pushrod banging around in the lifter galley, it was NOT a happy motor! How on earth someone could go 20k down one cylinder with parts knocking around inside the engine seems unimaginable.... I only had to go 1 mile.

Well based on the other junk cars he had sitting there, I wouldn't put it past him driving it like that. He had two 4.0L's. A buddy of mine got the other one and my buddy lived in Alaska for a few years and told me he did that with an 80's Jeep Cherokee with a 258 and drove it for a year with a couple push rods out also.

SilverXJ wrote:I don't know how he could have drove 20k miles with no head gasket and a lifter out, which would cause no oil pressure. When you took it apart did the head bolts seem torqued correctly

thats what the radio is for, just turn it up till you dont hear the niose anymore. at least thats what i have been told!

If you're interested in doing an AMC V8 swap, I might have some old factory info laying around from when they prototyped an Eagle V8.

cruiser54 wrote:If you're interested in doing an AMC V8 swap, I might have some old factory info laying around from when they prototyped an Eagle V8.

I appreciate it, but if I were to do a V8 swap it would be a more modern engine. I would LOVE to see that info though if you have, it and share it with the AMC Eagle site I frequent.

Well, I went for a ride in a LS1 powered Eagle. It was FAST!! It had a bunch of off idle torque also. He could just crawl right over obstacles without going into 4 lo. I don't see how a stroker, without spending tons of money will have that much power and be reliable. Plus he gets low 20's on the highway.

Well, I'm picking up the LS1 powered Eagle in the pics above, Saturday, so I may still do a stroker on my other Eagle, but it will have to wait.

Eaglefreek wrote:Well, I'm picking up the LS1 powered Eagle in the pics above, Saturday, so I may still do a stroker on my other Eagle, but it will have to wait.

Wow, congrats! That´s a pretty dope ride.