Jeep Strokers

Greetings everyone, I'm having a bit of an issue and really could use some help.. Last year I bought a kit from Russ and assembled my stroker. Could not be more excited to install it , but winter came around and other things got in the way. This warm weather finally came here and I get the engine installed in my 02 WJ. (I did inspect the bores to make sure no rust built up on them. They're as shinny as the day I put the engine together).

I connect fuel, add coolant, fill the oil, charge the battery, prime to oil systems for a few minutes, drop the cam sensor in, Turn the key.... Nothing. Sorta.

It WANTS to start, it wants to start really bad! It's acting like I have a tooth of a distributor, if i had one. I double check everything, good battery, everything is connected, reprimed the oil system and tried the cam sensor again. No difference. I pull the plugs to take a look. Fine layer of carbon is on them. Plugs 4 & 5 almost look wet, but are not, hard to describe.

As much as I did not want to, I pulled the timing cover and checked my timing. With the Roller Master set that Russ gave me. I have the crank at 0 degrees and my marks on cam and crank sprockets line right up. Just like the way I installed them... Was kinda hoping that was the issue...

So I installed the cover and balancer back on. Now thinking what else It could be. Tried checking the codes to see if anything was there. Nope, nothing. Last resort I tried different parts that I have laying around. (I have a few WJs...) Tried different coil pack, fuel injectors, crank position sensor, fresh battery, fresh fuel (89 octane), and cam position sensor (even installed 180 out just to see if I initially installed 180 out). All known good parts. It will kinda starts now, but not right. It putz, it chugs,it won't idle, I immediately turn it off. When it fails to start or attempts to start. It pops through the intake.

It's got to be the timing for the cam right?

HELP!!!

If you installed an aftermarket cam, your cam position sensor might be off a few degrees.

Think just turning it a few degrees or maybe off a whole tooth?

Could be a whole tooth. There's only one way to find out.

I've tried moving the sensor two teeth forward and back at one tooth at a time. Tried just rotating it both directions in small increments until I had the sensor pointing at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions. Plus every combination of the two. Only made it worse. Where I had it originally, it'll start when it's cold, but only for a few seconds before stalling. I know the engine is TDC on compression stroke when setting this thing. This is not that hard!

I do know that it is WAY to rich. Plus I have a white powder around the plugs where the ceramic goes into the metal section of the plug.

3rdWJ wrote: ↑May 25th, 2019, 1:10 pm I've tried moving the sensor two teeth forward and back at one tooth at a time.
I do know that it is WAY to rich. Plus I have a white powder around the plugs where the ceramic goes into the metal section of the plug.

How can you read the spark plugs when they have not been run yet?

The 2000+ 4.0 engines are very sensitive to having the cam synchronizer set right. Aftermarket synchronizers do not have the "toothpick' hole, used for aligning, so they usually come with a plastic tool, used for set the synchronizer when the engine is at TDC on number 1 cylinder.
The tool looks like the piece with the arrow.

lazyxj wrote: ↑May 25th, 2019, 2:55 pm can you read the spark plugs when they have not been run yet?

It will start, just not run very well at all. Touch the key and it'll start. It's just missing on all cylinders,then die after 20 some seconds. When pulling the plug on cyl 1 to find TDC, It's pure black and soaked in gas. If I give it more air, it will con't to run, barely.

This is the closest I can get the sensor pointing strait back parallel with the engine. From what my other WJ's look like, it looks close. I know that it's the compression stroke as I'm using a gauge to look for pressure as I rotate the engine. Trying to move it a tooth closer to the engine has the sensor pointing almost the same angle directly towards the engine as the angle in the pic. The engine will not start in that position.

I've spent the past three days now just tweaking the cam sensor. I'd think I would make some progress if it was that. Move it from anything from the pick and it'll simply won't start. Everything says it's the sensor, I just can't see how!

The good news. I got it running! It was not a timing issue, was not the cam sensor. It was the valve cover...

Remove the valve cover and it runs! Was able to space the valve cover up a little bit to not interfere with the valve spring retainers. Was able to do the break in procedure just fine. Man this thing is a monster!

Did end up loosing a little oil since the valve cover was not all the way on. I need to figure out if I need to get a valve cover spacer, or persuade the valve cover with a 5lb mallet...

3rdWJ wrote: ↑June 1st, 2019, 7:37 pm The good news. I got it running! It was not a timing issue, was not the cam sensor. It was the valve cover...

Remove the valve cover and it runs!

LOL, didn't see that coming. Glad you resolved it.

Find an old '87-'95 valve cover and just cut away the bottom portion where the bolt holes are to make your own spacer.

Shoot me a email or call and will be happy to Brainstorm with you on resolving your valve cover clearance issues.

-Russ

Is there a year of valve cover that doesn't have the baffle. I'm having the EXACT same issue. It seems I might destroy my cover in an attempt to remove it.

It's not hard to remove the baffle. Just a couple of spot welds holding it in IIRC.

3rdwj are you using the Harland sharp roller rockers? I pulled my valve cover and looked and there is the very slightest mark on the baffle, it is more so on the lifter side.

Just give it some love taps in the areas of the baffle where the rockers are hitting to get the proper clearance.

Removing the baffle will result in the intake manifold filling up with oil.