Hello all, I am starting on a stroker build. I have a block from an 89 Cherokee that is now bored .60 over. The 89s did not have the main bearing girdle and I was wondering if it would be worth it to add one? I believe there is a little work involved with fitmit issues but I'd be willing to do it, if the girdle improved anything. Thanks

 

Do the bearing cap bolts have the stud to accept a girdle if you can get one? .060 over is a pretty big bore. Did you confirm that you can get a headgasket with a big enough hole to accept that and still have enough overlap. What about the head...will you open up the CC to match that .060 hole

 

The cap bolts do not. I have a 96 xj that I'm currently driving and is the xj I will be putting the stoker in. From what I've read the 96 does have the girdle and correct cap bolts. So I'd swap them. The block was bored at the direction of a machine shop. The #6 piston was rusted stuck so they bored to get the rust out. They also did head work on a 7120 head, rebuilt the connecting rods, balanced the rotating assembly and ordered the correct cometic head gasket.

 

Arp make a stud kit. You'll need spacers too. I think the girdles were on the NVH blocks from the ZJs and later XJs. Not sure if you need different bearing main caps for it.

 

I'm just trying to figure out if I should worry about using them or not. Why did Jeep start using them? I assume they strengthen the lower end.

 

If you have the parts to instal, i dont see why not. You need to put a grade 8 washer under the girdle to clear the connecting rod...rotate the crank, if you clear then all is good. Are you using a 258 crank and rods with 4.0 pistons or do have custom pistons..you need to match the main bearings for the year of the block but rod bearings with the year of the rods to get all the anti rotation keyways to match

 

It was to reduce noise vibration and harshness. The 4.0s that came this way have NVH cast into the block. Not sure of all the differences but the brace is one. Gonna have to do some oil pan clearance modification too. Pan and brace.

 

It fits on the later models with no issues, if its the same pan it should clear. I put a couple of pieces of play- do on my girdle then test fit the pan and gasket to check for clearences, dont remember having to modify pan but they were later year blocks...all after 96

 

The girdle needs to be spaced away from the main caps on a stroker. Never swap main caps from one block to another.

It's only for NVH. Not strength. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

Yes, I'm using a 258 crank (a new one from quadratec) 3.895 stroke. I have the 89 jeep the block came out of. Got screwed on a trade, the jeep was supposed to of been a 99 that ran. The rods are the original 89 rods that came with the block. I think I'll leave the girdle out. Thanks for the help.

 

I'm with you on this.