Steelcityfan29

I have an 88 Cherokee with the 93 cooling system swap. I changed about everything on the damn thing.. took it hunting and had no ***** at all and overheated evertime it had to use ANY effort. My auto hubs wouldnt lock in so I was stuck in 2wd in the mud.. it was miserable.

Story aside.

Should I rebuild and stroke this block? Using a stroker kit.

Or I have access to a 4 bolt chevy 350 out of a 90 police interceptor for very cheap with a blown head gasket.


I have an 88 with the Renix stuff on it. Which means.. I have no idea how the computer stuff would work on either setup or how much of a pain it is. I basically have a year to do the work and not a ton of cash, although I want some power and I want it reliable.

I could get a 350 without Fuel injection as well but I go WAY up in the mountains and I hear altitude can really mess with a carb, which I dont want to deal with.

Thanks for the advise in advance everyone, its appreciated.

Steelcityfan29

anyone? c'mon im at work.. I need something non work to research here LOL.

mr.auto

i would suggest the stroker, and a chevy is ok, but they are heavy beasts and ud have to swap out alot more then just the engine. the stoker is your best bet IMO

Steelcityfan29

I was kinda thinking the same thing. the 350 only weighs 22 more lbs actually as far as weight goes but on the renix system I dont know how complex putting a fuel injected 350 would be which I want. A carburated 350 wouldnt be bad at all i cant imagine.

I just like the 350 for the cost of upgrades and the ability to customize it so much, I have a hard time finding any performance parts for the 4.0 liter especially the AMC block that I have. So its frusterating. The stroker kit seemed the easiest and cheapest way to go. Other than just rebuilding this POS.
I wasnt too impressed with it. Although its OLD... not too many miles for a jeep.. 203k but its donesauce, the PO didnt take care of the engine AT ALL and took exceptional care of the body and interior. She was a college chick... so.. you know how it is.

Ive heard of heat issues with both the strokers and a 350 so I dunno what is worse. I have a new 93 cherokee radiator and open cooling system in the jeep now. It never overheats... unless I go up a hill LMAO! So I dont know if thats because of the engine being crappy or if I screwed up the cooling system swap. It runs fine and idles higher then crap. SO anyways.

I was going to get an engine stand and tear it out and work on it all winter, or get a 350 and build it up all winter. Some people act like its so easy others act like its insane.. Im just lost.

So bacially Im begging for suggestions, especially from people with a stroker or a 350. Thanks for your time once again.

Steelcityfan29

anyone else with maybe some experience please? Thanks...

Steelcityfan29

So I can get a stroker kit for like 1k, I have access to this complete.. with a blown head gasket police interceptor 350V8 with a 4 bolt main and the computer and everything else with it for 250 bucks. I just dont know how many more 250 bucks I have to put into it, to get it reliable.

On the other hand I can get the stroker kit. Then I dont know what I will have to have done to my block and work that way. It seems a lot of money either way. Although parts for a 350 are everywhere and cheap. On the same token, what else do I have to do with the 350...

Replace engine, get adapters? So I can use my current transmission? Its the automatic in an 88 pioneer with a 4.0 liter .. I dont know what the number is. I need new guages? With the 350 I assume? Anything else I am not thinkin of?

Thanks guys for all the help. I just need to get it together on what route to go so I can tear this engine out or apart..

Jamie57

not a lot of answers here for you.
I used to do engine swaps for a living. especially putting big motors in small cars. Think Chev 454 in a Vega.
Point is, unless you like surprises and searching for non existent parts and long nights trying to figure out why what you want to do isn't working, I suggest the stroker.
Yes indeed there are a bazillion parts out there for the SBC BUT you still have to get it in there and working, right?
However you already have a working engine Right.
Anything you can do to increase power in it without tearing your hair out should be Bonus.
I'm going to do this myself and this is how I plan to tackle it.
First I'm looking for a 99 and up short block. Should be able to get one from wreckers cheap. I understand they used the I6 in ZJs till 06. They beefed up the casting after 98.
From my reading head casting threads my 0773 is a good one. Just rebuilt too.
Will also be on lookout for a 99 up intake throttle body, injectors and rail and powers steering pump with brackets. good for a few HP
and of course the 4.2L crank and rods.
Leave your current engine in and use it. that way your not out a DD.
with these parts I can build a mild stroker thats good for over 225 hp, BUT more important is the torque gains. Torque is what does the work on a 4X4.
Now here is the really cool part. After the rebuild, (which you'll end up doing to the SBC anyways, Wanna bet?) all you have to do is pull your old engine and drop in the new one.
No making up new brackets, no looking for a different throttle cable or tranny kick down cable. no messing with a computer no custom wiring no rerouting of fuel lines no body work to firewall no relocating of battery no no no.
Just a simple remove and replace job.
And lots of power at much less headache and miles in junkyards and time spent looking for oddball parts.
As a bonus lets say your out on a trail (or on the way there) and you bust a belt. No trying to explain to the kid behind the counter why there is a SBC in there and they didn't come with one and I don't know which belt will fit and these are the only one's we have and sorry can't help you.
Now ask me how I know all this?
So unless you do wrenching all the time and are prepared for the all the above I would say,stay with the same family of engine.

Steelcityfan29

I agree with most of what you said for sure and I have thought about that. The jeep however is NOT my DD. So thats one bonus. Also is there anything wrong with the Renex generation of engines? Like I know they have less power. But when trying to stroke one are there more issues as well? Different injector sizes and whatnot or does it not matter at the point when I put the new guts in it?
Thanks for the responses. You are all helping me make this easier on myself one step at a time LOL.

On the SBC I will have to at least re gasket the block and most likely rebuild, although it was a city police department engine so I know the maintnance was done. Which it wasnt on my current 4 liter block. Which is why it feels like a metro engine in a jeep right now.

So on that note, I think the cost will be similar on both projects maybe cheaper on the total 350 setup if I have the parts costs correct, as the guy selling the SBC has everything, including the computer alternator AC stuff... 2 catalytic converters for for the exhaust.. so its quite a lot of stuff for nearly nothing. On that end. I do know there is a lot of work.

What about mounting? I know they make an adapter for my transmission and motor mounts for the 4 bolt block. Is there anything else I am not expecting?

Besides the fuel lines and the throttle cable? That I wasnt expecting?

What about guages? Will mine work? Someone on another thread said of you go to a SBC you need new guages? Is that true? Thanks

Steelcityfan29

Any more advice? Anyone with actual 350 conversion or Stroker kit experience?

Really love the comments opinions and ideas .. and help.

Thanks guys!

Please keep it coming before I go drop a couple K on this thing, this is an awesome forum and has been great to me in helping a n00b get a jeep going.. and going again I hope LOL.

Jamie57

Also is there anything wrong with the Renex generation of engines? Like I know they have less power. But when trying to stroke one are there more issues as well? Different injector sizes and whatnot or does it not matter at the point when I put the new guts in it?

Nothing really wrong with them just that the newer blocks are stronger. You will need a newer head. Don't cheap out on this. there are just too many benifits not to do this. Watch out for the 99,00 years casting number 0331. they had some problems with cracking.
These are flat top piston engines. All the horsepower gains will be made from head, and fuel, intake, and exhaust choices. And of course the larger piston, longer stroke.
From all the research I've done, just changing the crank and rods will net at least a 10% HP increase. You can even reuse the pistons if the bore is within specs. Deck the block and increase compression will add more HP. change to the newer intake and get another 15 to 25 HP depending on who you listen too. 15 still not too shabby. Bore out the throttle body to 62mm and add again. Change your fuel pressure reg and injectors to the 4 pintle from a mustang or neon, add again.
The really cool part of all this is it's really cheap! Almost all of this stuff can be got from the bone yard. Even the injectors!
Bolt it all together and drop it in! Fast and easy and a real sleeper as it LOOKS stock.
No need to look for adapterplates no need for custom exhaust.
I know the SBC sounds like a neat swap but I'd rather be wheeling than fixing. I would try to get ahold of those who have done this swap and ask them truthfully if it was as easy as it sounds.
Every swap I've done took longer than I planned. And I had a full shop with access to all the tools and parts I would need. Nothing ever worked perfectly at first key turn.
Having said all that it's just my opinion. It's your ride. You must decide.

Steelcityfan29

Thank you! That was extremely well written and what I am looking for. I apprecaite it!

keep the opinions coming people if you have some.. or experience.. thanks again!

this is a toy.. im not rich nor am I a mechanic.. I have mechanic.ish .. friends who help me as well.

The only reason im thinking about the 350 REALLY hard is the price I can get one for right now with everything .. including the computer... BUT if its that bad.. the stroker option isnt sounding expensive.

The head stuff and metal work.. I know nothing at all about but, Im sure i can have someone local do it.. what does that stuff usually cost?

Also whats the advantage of new pistions? I know nothing about the customization of them.. like cast/forged or flat or curved concave.. whatever... I get the ideas between power band ranges on cams and crank shafts.. I just dont get the Piston.. benefits yet. Thanks again.


Oh also on the stroker, I read a lot of people using linger rods for longer stroke.. for whatever... am I going to need new rods as well? Are they specific to like AMC engines? or are there just rods .. 1.576 CM length.. bad example.. but you know what I mean.

Thanks again.

Camrynz

i would just rebuild the 4.0 and leave it alone

Steelcityfan29

Oh and I get the head off of a like 96 or so 4.0 liter jeep in a JY as well? how do I know if its good? or is there some work that will have to be done to it to make it reliable? Thanks!

Steelcityfan29

Well like I say the 4.0 isn't enough.. I want something to tear **** up with and have fun.. this is a total toy project. Although I want it to run as well LOL. I want something to show off and sound meaty and impress myself with when I go to climb a mountain or crawl over rocks...or just peel out for no apparent reason...

Jamie57

[quote=Steelcityfan29;314360]
Also whats the advantage of new pistions? I know nothing about the customization of them.. like cast/forged or flat or curved concave.. whatever... I get the ideas between power band ranges on cams and crank shafts.. I just dont get the Piston.. benefits yet. Thanks again.[quote]

This is starting to sound like school! LOL
Pistons are a science unto themselves.
Cheapest are cast pistons. just like it sounds molton metal is pouredinto a cast and allowed to cool. break away casting and machine slug.
Also the weakest and heaviest. Mostly used by OEMs
Forged is where metal is squeezed or pushed into shape. then machined.
More expensive, stronger and lighter. Mostly used by aftermarket.
Cast being heavier take more energy to get them flinging back and forth in the bore.
Forged take less energy to achieve the same results.
Flat, Dish or concave are used to change the compression ratio or flame propagation. Way too complicated to get into here.
Notched are for valve clearance usually found in High lift camed engines.
Unles ou plan on building a 300HP+ stroker (about 4500 bucks US) you won't need this.

The rod length is what give you the term Stroker. The older 4.2L engine had smaller pistons but a longer sroke using a combination of crank and rod length. There are math formulas I haven't used for awhile that will tell you how to work it out. Using them in the smaller displacemnt 4.0L block results in a 4.3L to a whopping 5.0L if you have the money.