4.6 Stroker build..pics included

[seanyb505]

It definitely is... I overtightened the filter and I started it up with some fresh oil yesterday and sure enough it was leaking from the filter (it leaks when it's tight?) and from the adapter. I dont know if it was tightened to specs or not. I cant work on it today because theyre repaving my complex.

[dwg86]

What is your oil pressure after installing new oil?

[seanyb505]

On the initial drive yesterday it would idle with 12-15 psi. It seems the Brad Penn oil is a little higher, but found the leak by the oil filter faster. Ill be working on it today to at least get the old filter off, and Ill see why the adapter might be leaking. Is there supposed to be a gasket installed for the adapter to the block?

[seanyb505]

Is there supposed to be a gasket installed for the adapter to the block?

To answer my own question, YES! If you're putting a 4.x back together make sure you remember the oil filter adapter O-ring. It fits right on like it's what it was made for. (It was made for it) I warmed it up again and there was no drip anywhere. Not inbetween the engine and transmission, or at the adapter/filter location. Ah, I can breathe easy now

[seanyb505]

Filled it up with gas for the first time after putting it on the street, it got 14.85 mpg. Less than what I was hoping for, but it is a brand new engine, it still has ND oil and Im doing a lot of on off the gas and changing the rpm. I think the virgin condition of the engine coupled with larger injectors the computer isnt used to could cause it to be so low. The first tank was 93 premium and this tank will be mid grade 89. For reference I was getting the average of 16-18 mpg with 5spd 3.55 rear and 225/75/16 tires.

[seanyb505]

Some pics of the engine fresh from the machine shop:

[seanyb505]

Engine in the Jeep:

[RAPTORFAN85]

Looks great man! awsome build. I wish that I could get 15mpg. 35's and 4.88'S killed any hopes of that. I average about 12mpg.

[fishyjeep]

It finally started! I locked the rotor to the distributor and tried it with the ears a quarter inch to the drivers side of the bolt hole and it was close. I had unlock the dist and move it to the hole of course. I reset the engine to TDC and installed the locked distributor a quarter inch toward the passenger side. I unlocked the rotor again and it was pointing toward 6 o'clock. I figured since nothing else had worked might as well try. After 3 seconds of cranking it was running. I brought it right to 2100 RPM, oil pressure was around 45 psi and there was no ticking or knocking to be heard. The only real issue was that I left the radiator cap off and when the thermostat opened antifreeze shot into the air. Turned it off, threw in some hot water and tried it again. It started up again which made me happy that it wasnt a fluke the first time. Same oil pressure, same no ticking or knocking. Exhaust sounded great. It took a minute or two upon the second startup for the RPMs to even out but they did. I wanted to see if it would idle without gas after 20 minutes of fast idle so I let off the gas in slow increments but when it got to idle the oil pressure dropped and the check gauges light came on so I revved it back to 2k and it came back to 45 psi then I shut it off. It did idle, but with around 5 psi. Im kinda concerned, but at least it's running!

From your description it sounds like you don't have the distributor indexed quite right. That may be the reason for the poor mileage.

With the motor at TDC on the COMPRESSION stroke the distributor should have the holes aligned with a pin or whatever when it's tightened down. New factory distributors come with a plastic pin in place from the factory so it's installed correctly. You shouldn't be removing/unlocking the distributor in order to lock it down. You may have to cut off the ears on the distributor if one is blocking the bolt hole. This is very common with aftermarket cams.

The PCM doesn't care how it's installed. All it cares about it that the rotor is in it's correct place in relation to the distributor body. That's how it know the position of the cam so it fires the injectors at the right time. If it's locked down with pin in place, it really doesn't matter which way the rotor tip is pointing when it tightened down as long as the plug wires are going to the correct terminal on the cap.

Hope this helps and doesn't confuse......

Kyung

[seanyb505]

I thought about this the other day. I did have to rotate the dist casing to get it to even seat and start. I think if I cut the ears and made sure the installation holes were lined (they arent now, theyre about 3/16-1/4" off) I would get better power and fuel mileage. Finding TDC is such a chore I havent had time to do it. I also dont want to take any risks by taking the dist out and not getting it right again putting it back in.

[SilverXJ]

The key to getting the dizzy dropped in is to have the oil pump drive lined up correctly with the distributor's shaft prior to dropping it in. Also finding TDC isn't that hard. This is what I do.. remove the #1 spark plug.. hand crank the balancer until you can feel compression then watch the harmonic balancer for it to line up with 0*. TDC. Also, removing the spark plugs or accessory drive belt makes it easier to crank by hand.

[seanyb505]

I dont have a compression gauge, and I cant turn the crank unless im under the vehicle, so I cant stick my finger in the hole. I usually just take the valve cover off, see where the valves are and go from there. I can take the plugs out no problem I just havent wanted to take the extra ten minutes any time Ive needed TDC. The dist wont fully seat unless the oil pump is lined up with it. At least it didnt go in very easily when I first did it.

[SilverXJ]

The easiest way I have found to turn the engine over by hand from the top is to take out the electric fan. One plug, two screws, pull up and then rotate the left side down and pull it out.

[fishyjeep]

I thought about this the other day. I did have to rotate the dist casing to get it to even seat and start. I think if I cut the ears and made sure the installation holes were lined (they arent now, theyre about 3/16-1/4" off) I would get better power and fuel mileage. Finding TDC is such a chore I havent had time to do it. I also dont want to take any risks by taking the dist out and not getting it right again putting it back in.

Didn't you say you put in a new harmonic balancer? If so, then the timing mark on it should be good since it's unlikely that the new balancer has slipped yet. I usually take a marker or some paint and mark a line across the new balancer so it's easy to see if it's spinning.

Just take the cap off the distributor and rotate the motor from above until you see the timing mark line up with the 0 mark on the timing chain cover and the rotor near the #1 terminal. Then see how far you're off by looking to see if the holes are lined up. If you use a chisel you don't have to take the dist out to cut off the tab/s. Just give it a whack with a hammer. Not too hard but enough to cut it off. Then align the holes and tighten down. Done.

[seanyb505]

Reused old balancer. The way I had been finding TDC involved taking off the valve cover, getting underneath the Jeep turning the crank, getting out and looking to see what was going on with the valves, getting back under, and so forth. The starter died last night (hopefully) so I need to take care of that first.