Well after I have tried to sell my 87 4.0L auto, no one seems interested. So I am thinking it is time to take it to the next level and keep it. I am considering swapping in a V8, like a 305 maybe a 350. Anyone have suggestions on which one, or anything else that would be better?? I want more power and I plan on starting building my engine this summer and swap it in next summer!!! I know it can be done , so I am just looking for anyones input on this. (Oh and I will lift it from 3'' to about 5 or so when I am done with the swap.) I know I will have to beef up the drivetrain, I know that, but need to know which engine would be easier and cheaper if there is a combination of those two!!! thanks

 

You are looking at a lot of work. You can get adapters and motor mounts from Advance Adapters. But beyond that, you had better be able to fabricate. You can't buy custom cross members, tranny mounts etc if you end up going with the GM tranny. I had to because of the smog police. So that is an issue also if you live in CA or AR. The biggest thing you will have to overcome is cooling. You can get a Griffin custom radiator. But you will have to fabricate something for a shroud and electric fans. I am redoing my fans and a number of other things right now on my 4.3L, which is just a chopped 350. As far as expense and complexity, it is all the same thing, just longer. If you get a V8 go for the 350 prior to 95. That is when they went to crank position sensors. But there is a thousand little things that make this swap a lot of work. Throttle cable, power steering lines etc.

But in the end it is lots of fun to drive.

 

I would go the easy route and do a 4.2 crank in the re-bored 4.0, cool Jeep stroker without all the fitment issues of going to a V8. Granted, the V8 swap is cooler but the 4.5-4.7 strokers can get upwards of 300HP on a fairly tight budget. Using stock spec parts (cheap) you can get a mild 4.5 stroker that will put out 260HP. Sounds like fun to me! ;-)

 

i have a 83 cherokee 5.9 i want to swap a 350 or 4.3 tbi engine have 400 tranny for it looking for info or place to get infor before starting