Jeep Strokers

It seams that there are a lot of problems after building a stroker. I am getting concerned (scared) about installing one in my 2003 TJ, although I may need to replace my engine sooner than I was planning. I just got over 100,000 miles and now I have some valve ticking. I have ran Mobile 1 since the engine had 18,000 miles, and wondering if my cam may be going bad.

I have most of the parts I need for the stroker, but now have to start forking over money for machine work. The parts I will be using...12wt crank(.010 mains and rods), engle cam([email protected]/.501 lift) , 7120 head(61cc combustion chamber, ported), 1.94 1.50 undercut sbc stainless valves, mp springs, comp 10 degree retainers and keepers, comp guide plates and studs, MP .043 head gasket, JP timing chain, ford 24# injectors, .040 clevite hyper pistons(21.6cc head, thanks oletshot), 258 rods(beams polished and shot peened, arp bolts). I still have to buy Harland Sharp roller rockers, oil pump and lifters. I should be around 9.5 Static compression with .043 quench. Don't know dcr yet.

Has anyone NOT ran into problems with thier stroker? This will be my first fuel injected, computer controlled performance rebuild(I have built plenty carbed engines). So all this piggy back and computer flashing is all new to me. I am watching and learning from all you guys on this forum .

My TJ is my daily driver, so when I do swap out the engine I am hoping for minimal down time. Driving my 1979 CJ5 (401,
12 inch lift, 36 tires, 10 MPG) for any lenght of time is not practical.

Also, what are my header/manifold options using a 7120 head instead of a 0331. I know the exhaust ports are different, and don't know if a header designed for the 2003 TJ 0331 head will work on a 7120 head.

Lee at Hesco said that the aftermarket headers for the 0331 head have large enough exhaust ports to accommodate the earlier heads.

my tj started ticking after 100k to, i started running 15-40 diesel oil and it stopped right away

my xj ran quiet and great even at 205xxx miles. still had enough poop to outrun my buddys brand new 08 ranger 4.0 v6. well, until it broke in and even then he could only JUST crawl away from me. both on stock size tires, etc.

i ran a goopy oil like that on my old 258 in my car, but it had MANY more miles than my xj.

[quote="dwg86"]It seams that there are a lot of problems after building a stroker. I am getting concerned (scared) about installing one in my 2003 TJ, although I may need to replace my engine sooner than I was planning. I just got over 100,000 miles and now I have some valve ticking. I have ran Mobile 1 since the engine had 18,000 miles, and wondering if my cam may be going bad.

I have most of the parts I need for the stroker, but now have to start forking over money for machine work. The parts I will be using...12wt crank(.010 mains and rods), engle cam([email protected]/.501 lift) , 7120 head(61cc combustion chamber, ported), 1.94 1.50 undercut sbc stainless valves, mp springs, comp 10 degree retainers and keepers, comp guide plates and studs, MP .043 head gasket, JP timing chain, ford 24# injectors, .040 clevite hyper pistons(21.6cc head, thanks oletshot), 258 rods(beams polished and shot peened, arp bolts). I still have to buy Harland Sharp roller rockers, oil pump and lifters. I should be around 9.5 Static compression with .043 quench. Don't know dcr yet.

Has anyone NOT ran into problems with thier stroker? This will be my first fuel injected, computer controlled performance rebuild(I have built plenty carbed engines). So all this piggy back and computer flashing is all new to me. I am watching and learning from all you guys on this forum :worship: .

My TJ is my daily driver, so when I do swap out the engine I am hoping for minimal down time. Driving my 1979 CJ5 (401,
12 inch lift, 36 tires, 10 MPG) for any lenght of time is not practical.

Also, what are my header/manifold options using a 7120 head instead of a 0331. I know the exhaust ports are different, and don't know if a header designed for the 2003 TJ 0331 head will work on a 7120 head.[/quote]


Have not had any problems with my stroker. Except I did stripped the teeth off a brozne dist. gear. Not a failure that can be blamed on the stroker itself. A fault I sugguest was from running a HV pump. Now that I have switched back to a standard pump there has not been any issues.

Your combo sounds pretty good but the cam lift is a bit much. The heads don`t really flow that much more. Plus the amount of spring required is not worth having the extra lift.

Your part list looks fine to me. The same mopar P5249464 springs that hold my .45" lift 30ab cam will be able to work on your .50 lift engle, so I don't see any issues with them. All of us who are tweeking piggybacks or having one tuned are just trying to get that last bit out of the stroker. The right injectors will get you close; adjustable fuel pressure and an adjustable map can get you closer. The piggyback a lot of us are using, the psc1, is basically an adjustable map that can be adjusted at different rpms and loads.

Only problem I had was after 34k miles when the no.6 intake lobe flattened on my Crane 753905 cam with the corresponding lifter worn concave, and the no.6 exhaust lifter (the one right at the back) collapsed with no wear whatsoever. Replaced Crane cam & lifters with my old stock cam, new lifters, reused old valve springs/retainers, and added Yella Terra roller rockers. Nice, quiet valve train and so far so good after 51500 miles on my stroker.