so that noise ive been brushing off wasnt valve tap, no my friend it was piston slap!
i was driving to work and boom! slap got way worse. i took it straight to my buds house and started tearing it down. found chunks of #6 piston in the pan, took the head off, cylinder walls seem fine (havnt measured them yet) also found some wearing on the bearings. i figured .... well i already got all this going on, might as well pull the motor and find a new one. so 8 hours after the intense tick, i have located a 2003 tj 4.0 with 0 miles! from the line. awesome news, so i throw down the 1000 for the motor ( a steal in my book) i bring it back and get ready to swap some brackets and install , of course i jumped on the new motor without doing my research and my ac/alternator wont bolt up, water pump wont work and oil filter isnt bent toward the rear like our xj motors. after some measurements and bracket ideas, i think we can get it in there. i'll use the xj timing chain cover, xj water pump, and modify the xj brackets to bolt onto this tj motor. if anyone has experience or knows anyone swapping to a 2002+ tj let me know! worst case i'll find a way and show you guys all the details so know one has to measure this crap up again! i'll keep this thread updated!
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

I am going with the stroker! super pumped, i talked them down to 1200 from 1800 brand new, i'll start the install 2moro- i'll keep this thread updated


and i thought today was going to be a 'normal' day !

 

what'd you do to that thing to get it to shatter a piston?

I've only seen that kind of stuff on way over-boosted motors and the like...

 

wow best of luck to you, I dont have an answer to your question though, sorry, I do however feel your pain. my 93 is pushing 200,000 and is making some interesting sounds these days. I cant wait to drop in a new engine, maybe v8 hmmmm... Good luck man.

 

thats a good question! im not sure, it had 160k on it, i stuff its mouth with good quality lubricants, i guess someones got to have bad luck, this month its my turn

 

I just had this happen to my 99 with the #3 Piston, I pulled the head on monday looks like it just came apart no damage to the rod just when the piston got between the crank and the block it pushed the piston out of the block.

 

Dang, my girl has got 160k on her...
Did it mess up the wall too bad? I'm guessing not since it looks like you used the same short block.

Hope you at least got it honed...

 

I havnt looked into the damage it did on my original motor, I I've a brand new original 4.0 from the factory line back in 03 waiting to go in, but today I ran into another brand new but stroked from the same seller, might upgrade to that

 

I feel your pain. I had my #6 piston slam right into the valves and shattered everywhere and cracked the cylinder. ( I bought it that way) I wish I had an answer for you but Ill look around a little and see.

 

Mind sharing where you got the motors?

 

swap all the brackets from the xj motor onto the tj motor, buy a new xj filter screen and pump seal kit, swap that in, and put your xj oil pan on it.

done.


don't waste your tiime retrofitting anything to work with the TJ bracketry.

 

Go for the stroked motor....

 

Stroke it and go.

 

You know what they say...When the time is right, stroke it . Right now is the perfect opportunity, so I would go with the stroker. A couple extra horsies and a perfect sleeper.

 

problem is the motor is 2003 tj, so none of the xj brackets will mount in the tj. but as of a couple hours ago, im going the stroker route so no problems!
thanks for the input tho

 

SOOO i decided not to go with the 03tj, the seller had a stroker , also brand new, so i some how weaseled my way down to 1200 bucks! so i'll start the install 2moro and i'll keep this thread updated with new pics asap




BTW i now have a 03 tj long block .......... $> ?