rebuilding the 4.0, what would you do??
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 34
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Model: Cherokee
Based on your needs, I would haul the parts to the junkyard and scrap them and buy a used motor on craigslist.
That's my solution to ALL blown engine problems...just buy a motor on craigslist. Rebuilding these 4.0 motors, unless you spend $3500 and do it right and a little more to build a stroker, is a waste of money. These motors are bombproof and will last 200k or 300k even if abused. You can pick up an engine for $500 that will last ten years at your level of useage. And unless you stroke, you'll never make any more power with a rebuild than you have in a used motor - at least not so the butt dyno would notice.
And, if you've ever built a motor from the crank out, you know tha swapping is ten times easier.
That's my solution to ALL blown engine problems...just buy a motor on craigslist. Rebuilding these 4.0 motors, unless you spend $3500 and do it right and a little more to build a stroker, is a waste of money. These motors are bombproof and will last 200k or 300k even if abused. You can pick up an engine for $500 that will last ten years at your level of useage. And unless you stroke, you'll never make any more power with a rebuild than you have in a used motor - at least not so the butt dyno would notice.
And, if you've ever built a motor from the crank out, you know tha swapping is ten times easier.
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 182
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Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4
Seasoned Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 360
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From: Central Washington
Year: 91 xj, 93 xj, 93 zj, 94 zj
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 2x I6, 2x v8
This is kind of an oddball question that I don't know if anyone has an answer for: Is there any place here in the US you can get ahold of mexican engines, say a VAM 282? I probibly will just end up doing some head work on my 4.0HO when I rebuild if I can't find the rest of the parts cheap, but sometime down the road it seems like it might be fun to start with the 282 and build up from there, but I can't figure out if it's even legal to bring mexican engines into the US without paying some huge tariff or something. Anyone hear of anyone that may have a block or two laying around?
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,254
Likes: 11
From: London Ontario Canada
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
This is kind of an oddball question that I don't know if anyone has an answer for: Is there any place here in the US you can get ahold of mexican engines, say a VAM 282? I probibly will just end up doing some head work on my 4.0HO when I rebuild if I can't find the rest of the parts cheap, but sometime down the road it seems like it might be fun to start with the 282 and build up from there, but I can't figure out if it's even legal to bring mexican engines into the US without paying some huge tariff or something. Anyone hear of anyone that may have a block or two laying around?
What the h e double toothpicks is a VAM282?
Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 192
Likes: 0
From: blanchard, ok
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Just get it going for now, dont spend lots of money. I'm assuming you still need to get it legal to drive it on the road. Just being able to drive an have fun with it, will give all the ideas youll need later on. GOOD LUCK!
Seasoned Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 360
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From: Central Washington
Year: 91 xj, 93 xj, 93 zj, 94 zj
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 2x I6, 2x v8
Sorry, didn't see this pop up in the subscription thing.
The VAM282 was the biggest production version of the AMC inline 6 I've heard of, and I'm figuring that if a person could get ahold of one it would be an excelent start for a stroker. It's been a while since I read about it, but a 4.0 HO head on that sucker and a few other tweaks seems to me that it would be an easy fit. Only problem is they only made them in mexico and I'd not have more than a dream of finding one.
The VAM282 was the biggest production version of the AMC inline 6 I've heard of, and I'm figuring that if a person could get ahold of one it would be an excelent start for a stroker. It's been a while since I read about it, but a 4.0 HO head on that sucker and a few other tweaks seems to me that it would be an easy fit. Only problem is they only made them in mexico and I'd not have more than a dream of finding one.
Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: Millbury,MA
Year: 1993
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Based on your needs, I would haul the parts to the junkyard and scrap them and buy a used motor on craigslist.
That's my solution to ALL blown engine problems...just buy a motor on craigslist. Rebuilding these 4.0 motors, unless you spend $3500 and do it right and a little more to build a stroker, is a waste of money. These motors are bombproof and will last 200k or 300k even if abused. You can pick up an engine for $500 that will last ten years at your level of useage. And unless you stroke, you'll never make any more power with a rebuild than you have in a used motor - at least not so the butt dyno would notice.
And, if you've ever built a motor from the crank out, you know tha swapping is ten times easier.
That's my solution to ALL blown engine problems...just buy a motor on craigslist. Rebuilding these 4.0 motors, unless you spend $3500 and do it right and a little more to build a stroker, is a waste of money. These motors are bombproof and will last 200k or 300k even if abused. You can pick up an engine for $500 that will last ten years at your level of useage. And unless you stroke, you'll never make any more power with a rebuild than you have in a used motor - at least not so the butt dyno would notice.
And, if you've ever built a motor from the crank out, you know tha swapping is ten times easier.
my friend took out his 2v ( 01 mustang gt ) it had no problems but he swapped in the 4v out of a 97 Lincoln markV.
anyways did the basic bolt ons exhaust/intake tuned and on motor hes running 11's with no spray. only paid 300 for the engine.
Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 245
Likes: 1
From: Virginia
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Built a stroker been there done that, expensive (did it right, did it for a friend) cost him about $1500 parts and machine shop, plus my labor about 14 hours.
though you get an improvement, its not worth it.
You can get almost equal improvement by simply:
porting and polishing.
boring over .030 (the block will go .080 max)
only grinding the crank what you have to to get the journals true again.
balancing the crank and lightning it up like drop 5 lbs (machine shop will do this. results in faster reving smoother engine)
Roller/hydraulic lifters
removing all emissions including EGR (if legal in your area)
Shaving the head about .040.
Total cost to do something like this would be around $700 parts and machine shop work, assuming you do the P&P/valve job yourself.
My 2 cents
though you get an improvement, its not worth it.
You can get almost equal improvement by simply:
porting and polishing.
boring over .030 (the block will go .080 max)
only grinding the crank what you have to to get the journals true again.
balancing the crank and lightning it up like drop 5 lbs (machine shop will do this. results in faster reving smoother engine)
Roller/hydraulic lifters
removing all emissions including EGR (if legal in your area)
Shaving the head about .040.
Total cost to do something like this would be around $700 parts and machine shop work, assuming you do the P&P/valve job yourself.
My 2 cents
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