Jeep Strokers

Been a long time lurker and finally started my build. Been collecting parts for a while, and finally took everything to the machine shop last week, so thought I would make a build thread. I'm calling this a mid-buck build since I've already spent too much money to call this a 'low-buck' variant, lol. But other than using the longer rods, and IC944 pistons, it's basically a stockish type build. Looking to get in the 250-260 HP range, but even the low end of that is better than what I currently have...which is probably LOW 100's, if that!!

Its going in an 88 YJ, currently 4.2L with a BA10 craptastic tranny. Sticking with a carb for simplicity...my wiring harness is a rat's nest (previous owner hacked it up) and I cant imagine trying to splice the computer into this mess. Once the engine is in and drivable, I am planning to rewire the whole thing. One major project at time!



The build:
(will add parts as they are purchased)

complete 4.0l - $500 (Craigslist)
Scat 4.2 crank, 9-4.2L-3898 - $560 (Hesco)
Aluminum pistons, IC944-030 - $511 (Summit)
Holley 470 Truck Avenger, 0-90470 - $410 (Summit)
Clifford 4bl intake, 08-1014 - $320 (Clifford)
Chrysler 229 'Purple' cam, 4529229AC - $173 (Monicatti)
SS intake/exhaust valves, P5249875 int/P5249880 exh - $112/$97 (Monicatti)
Stock springs/retainers/locks, P4529215/P4529217/P4529218 - $82/$82/$24 (Monicatti)
Rocker arm kit, HES7699RA - $150 (Hesco)
ARP main/head/rod bolts, 146-5001/146-3601/146-6001 - $50/$62/$90 (Summit)
HEI dizzy, SUM-850047 - $150 (Summit)
exhaust - cant decide yet, but leaning towards JBA

Other sorta-kinda-related items to the build (trans and TC):
AX15 (swap from BA10) - Craigslist ($400)
AX15 master rebuild kit - Southwest Gear
NP231 master rebuild kit - Southwest Gear
NP231 big chain kit - JB conversions
NP231 6 gear planetary set - JB conversions


Everything else is basically stock parts...mostly from O'Reilly Auto Parts. I'm doing most of the work myself, including porting/polishing the head and polishing the rods. On the head, I'm really just cleaning it up...smoothing out the intake, polishing the exhaust ports, and matching the intake manifold runners to the intake ports (port matching, not gasket matching).

Machine work is being done by a local machine shop, Mark G's Machine, in central Texas. First time using this shop, but he comes highly recommended...and Mark, so far, has really impressed me.



Picture Time!
(sorry for the quality on some of these)


'Complete' 4.0












The big man (my son) taking it apart





Crank


Pistons


Hesco Rockers (profiled and shot peened...these look really nice in person)


Holley



Clifford Intake



DUI Dizzy


Polished Rods



AX15 with cases removed


AX15 major components

While the block and lower end are at the machine shop, and I'm waiting for valve train components, I've been working on the head and manifold. Doing most of the work with abrasive rolls since I'm really only trying to clean and polish the head, but had to get a set of carbine burrs to get the bowl area. Also needed the burrs for the intake as that is so much faster than using rolls and I had a larger amount of metal I needed to remove to get the ports to match.

Nicked a couple of valve seats with the abrasive roll while I was working on the bowls, but Mark (machine shop) said they were okay, so I'm back at it. Getting close to done...dont want to go to far and either end up hogging them out or jacking something up. This is the first head I've done by myself so I'm going fairly slow and being cautious.

Chambers





Couple of valves I ground down with a grinder (chucked the valves in a drill to get the faces nice and even) so I could get down in the cambers without nicking the seats.


Ports







Intake port template (used a dremel and a thin piece of luana)



Intake ports...more work to be done, but you get the idea





Valve train components have finally shipped, so might be ready to take to the machine shop later this week. Should also be hearing back from the machine shop about the lower end...so pics of that soon!!

Looking good so far. Don't rush and take your time.

Thanks Silver...I'm at the point now that I think I've done all I can do with my abilities. I've spent the last 2 days one the intake and head and I'm at the point where I dont even want to go in the garage and look at this thing anymore, LOL.

Okay, I thought the template thing was going to be kind of shade-tree, but I have to tell you guys it worked out great! It made things SO much quicker. I painted the template so I could tell if I was hitting it with the burrs, in case anyone is wondering why, and just bolted it to the intake using the dowel pin locators. I left the intake runners a little rough on the manifold, and just knocked the rough edges off of the tool marks the carbide burr left. On the head, again, I left the intakes a little rough...except for the floor of the port, which I put some extra time in polishing up slightly. I spent most of the 'polishing' time on the exhaust ports, and tried my best to get those baby-but smooth. The area around the valve guides was hard to access so I did the best I could there.

As soon as valve train components get here, I'm taking all this to the machine shop. I'll need to get the intake manifold resurfaced to knock down a little edge that the porting created, and then whatever head work still needs to be done.

Template in use


Done intake









Done Head (as far as I'm concerned)

Got the block and lower end from the machine shop, and dropped off the head and intake, this weekend. Everything look really clean and shiny. Block was 0 decked, all holes chamfered, and bored .030 over. Rods were weight matched, shot-peened, balancing pads on the small end ground down, and pistons installed. Crank and other reciprocating parts balanced and tolerances verified.

Also got a great deal on a 20-ton shop press, so I was able to get back on the transmission rebuild. Got everything pressed off and pressed the new parts back on. Then spent last night on the reassembly and bolting it back together. Was definitely a learning process...had to take it all apart multiple times because I forgot a synchro and then again when I got the assembly order wrong and couldnt get the input shaft on, DOH!! Anyway, its together now and passed the function checks.

Parts from the machine shop...

Build has hit a big delay. I'm using stock spring, locks, and retainers...but stock retainers are on some sort of national back order. I ordered a set back in September, but they only shipped 7, saying they would ship the rest when they got them. I've gone to a couple of other places and those are back ordered as well. Machine shop said they would look to see if they could get some from their sources and, so far, nothing.

Whats wrong with the stock retainers?

SilverXJ wrote:Whats wrong with the stock retainers?

Nothing really is wrong with the originals, just wanted to go new with everything.

But it looks like I will be using the original retainers, at least for set up, while I wait for if/when I get the new ones.

Machine shop called me yesterday and said they hit a 'sand pocket' in the head when they were putting in the new hardened seats. They have had the head for 2 months and now this

They did say they got another head and will be porting it for me, which is good, but I'm starting to get impatient with all the delays I've had.

Ugh, that sucks man. Good news is they will be doing the port work and purchasing the new one to do it (sounds like). I got a quote for about a 2 month turn around for one of the heads I dropped off for reseating.

Dude that bites...

beiwulf wrote:Dude that bites...

Tell me about it!!

In the time I've been waiting for the head to come back, the tranny finally gave up the ghost...so we are down to one car. I've been planning all along to replace the trans with an AX15, its all built and sitting on the bench, but it doesn't do me any good if I can't finish the engine.

So have they given you a turn around time on when they will get another head and finish the job… considering it's a little over due? or did they even give a turn around time to begin with?

car-part.com is our friend - but do they know about it?

Machine shop is still dragging its feet. I called again today, and the owner told me he would have a head in tomorrow....but since he is so busy, he wants to give it to me to port and polish, and then he will install the seats, do the valve job, and assemble the head. This is after he already jacked up the head I had done previously, and he has promised multiple times he would do the porting for free (including last week when I talked to him).

Well, my patients is at an end. I told the shop owner I would be picking up all of my parts Friday, including the head that is supposed to come in tomorrow (if it exists), and be done with it. He seemed more than happy with that arrangement....probably because he knows he is loosing money fixing his mess-up. I know I'm really the looser in this little exchange, but I cant keep waiting for him to slow walk my project.