Engine Replacement

[eaglefreek]

I've seen rusted 258 crankshafts go for about $150. People use them to make strokers  out of the 4.0L and they are getting harder to find.

[AMCLOVER258]

So i found a reman site my budget is about 3k so if i can get areman for roughly 1-2k what all will have to go into the swap completely?? & will the 998 and 2.35 gears handle a 360?

[AMCLOVER258]

Or 4.0 stroker bolt up to the 998 and transfer case? or am i better off getting a hp kit for the 4.2 and rebuilding her...

[DaemonForce]

I am currently in the middle of a similar fiasco. I live in a hick town where there are NO parts available except the city, which in my case means Tacoma or Portland. Recently Olympia is finally added into the mix for suspension pieces but lets focus on the engine for now. Here's what my current billing looks like:

BILLING - $2094.28
------------
Jul 21 - Used Renix engine = $150 - Craigslist (Kirkland)
Oct 17 - Pipe plug extraction 4.0L AMC = $40.50 - BRITCO
Nov 1 - Block + Head cleaning = $60.00 - Barry's Quality Machine
-------- Magnaflux Head = $20.00
-------- Magnaflux block = $40.00
-------- Tax = $12.84
Nov 8-Feb 21 - Rebore block +0.060" = $130.00 - Barry's Quality Machine
Nov13 - Omix-Ada Gasket Set (17440.06) = $61.35 - CSE Offroad
Nov30 - Hydraulic Lifters (66031-12) = $65.68 - Crower
--------- AMC Flat Tappet Camshaft (44243) = $157.67
--------- Camshaft Assembly Lubricant (86096) = $3.08
--------- Discount ($10 OFF, Thanksgiving sale, Free shipping) = -$42.46
Dec 16 - Crown Exhaust Valves x5 = $37.55 - JC Whitney (NULL)
Dec 17 - Standard Exhaust Valves x5 = $39.95 - Morris 4x4
Jan 15 - Premium Stem Seals x12 = $12 - Barry's Quality Machine
Feb 21 - '92 Cherokee Manifold Gasket Set = $13.85 - NAPA
Mar 11 - '96 Cherokee throttle body = $53.15 - Pick n Pull Vancouver
Mar 12 - '99 Grand Cherokee intake manifold = $51.26 - Pick n Pull Lakewood
Mar 17 - Engine paint = $6.59 - O'Reilly
--------- 6x Freeze Plugs = $5.78
--------- Camshaft Plug = $0.79
--------- Cylinder head Plug = $0.79
--------- Sealed Power Cam bearing set = $32
Mar 31 - Speed Pro Hyper Pistons = $98 - Summit Racing (NULL)
--------- Sealed Power Piston Rings = $78
--------- Fel-Pro Head Bolts = $40
--------- Omix-Ada Timing Chain Guide - $6
Apr 28 - Keith Black Piston Set 3241HC-060 = $179 - Summit Racing
May 12-Jun 27 - Crankshaft Reconditioning x2 = $463.32 - Barry's Quality Machine
--------- Grind crankshaft 0.010" = $240
--------- Grind 2nd crank 0.010" = $0
--------- Heat-press rods with new pistons = $36
--------- Balance/Fill crankshaft = $150
--------- Tax = $37.32
May 16 - Clean Intake Manifold = $0
May 22 - '93 Injector Rail = $14.88
May 24 - NP229 Transfer Case core = $109.30
Jun 7 - Headlight bucket set = $20 - Pick N Pull North
--------- Thermostat Housing = $4
Jun 20 - '96 XJ 4.0L Wiring Harness = $100 - 205 Auto Wrecking
Jun 28 - Sealed Power Rod Bearings 0.010" = $40 - O'Reilly
Jul 15 - Lunati Valve Locks 7º 1 groove = $11 - Summit Racing
--------- Sealed Power Main Bearing Set 0.010" 7211M10 = $62
Jul 31 - Harmonic Balancer = $80 - Summit Racing

Oh and I'm constantly in hangup because Summit and O'Reilly keep derping and sending me the wrong items. Typical consistent GMC/AMC hearing failure when going back and forth with makes and models. I need the time gear and oil pump before I can start building but because I'm insane and like doing all the work myself, I'm in the market for special tools like a Piston Ring Filer and possibly an Oil Pump Primer. I originally decided to rebuild the 258 but when I tore the last one open and saw what all went wrong with it, I arrived at the conclusion that rebuilding would result in the same anemic behavior with very little improvement besides not having to worry about constant excessive blowby. This is why I scrapped everything but the crank and decided to go with a bored, stroked, cammed, injected, shielded 285 that has become a valiant uphill battle against my sanity. Is it worth it? Probably not but it will be a LOT of fun when it's finished. I know this.

There's one more thing. My Eagle has been seemingly incomplete ever since I first bought it. This has put me in the habit of looking around junkyards to fill in the missing pieces and that's opened me up to a world of what this car was "supposed" to be. I recently hit the grand jackpot for restoring the suspension and possibly the entire interior minus headliner. So that's been a fun distraction too. I'm going to indulge on these labors in the morning now that I have some time off.

[AMCLOVER258]

So what about this. would the 998/904 bolt directly to the 4.0? maybe i can by it and strip it before it gets ran and drop my 258 crank from the current engine? core is only 285 so i could just keep my old engine for parts..

[DaemonForce]

I see no reason why it won't bolt up. I see plenty of reasons why it won't work. If you're modifying a 4.0 with a bigger crank, you're going to have problems if it isn't a full rebuild. Keep that in mind. If you intend to do fuel injection on the 4.0 with the Torqueflite behind it, expect poor reliability with the expensive crank sensor up front or drilling a hole to mount one in the Torqueflite bell, getting the appropriate wiring harness and ultra rare computer, flexplate and modifying the original wire block assembly.

[dleberfinger]

If you decide to go with the 4.0 L route, I have one that already has the oil pan switched over as well as the different style exhaust that clears the front diff. The engine has sat in my garage since earlier this year when I bought it from a 1993 Jeep Cherokee with 140k, it ran when it was in the Cherokee. I live near Bloomsburg, PA. If you are interested feel free to message me.

[DaemonForce]

If you decide to go with the 4.0 L route, I have one that already has the oil pan switched over as well as the different style exhaust that clears the front diff.

This is an area that I wondered about when I first started the teardown. The oil pump can be either or. The pump pickup and pan HAVE to be the older 258 model. The newer 4.0L pan does NOT clear the engine cross member and the 4.0L oil pump pickup isn't compatible with the 258 pan.

[AMCLOVER258]

SOOOOO all in all from yals experience everything other than rebuilding my 258 is gonna be a head ache... Im totally okay with buying an omnix head and getting a rebuild kit for my pistons rods ect and Going that route. heck i'd probably hae money left over for a shift kit in the 998

[AMCLOVER258]

Cause i should be able to do a rebuild kit and throw an aggressive cam and make a fun mobile.

[carnuck]

If you rewind the 998, you can go with a 999 case and flexplate from a YJ with 4.0L to go EFI (or TJ) so it's an easy swap afterwards.

Oh, and when you order most motor parts, tell them is a Jeep Wrangler @ '87 for motor parts and it'll almost always cure the Derp Squad screwups!

[AMCLOVER258]

Been thinking a bit.... If i buy a brand spanking new 4.0H.O head and bolt her on can i use my stock Intake/Exhaust manifolds and go with the Motorcraft Conversion kit and keep her that route?

[Draekon]

The 4.0 head uses a different exhaust port design and you have to use a 4.0 exhaust manifold.  It requires some custom exhaust fab.

[AMCLOVER258]

Explain Fab.. Like easy fab or i may need a whole case of budlight to keep from smashing my new head with a hammer fab??

[AMCLOVER258]

http://www.hescosc.com/products/7735/cylinder-heads/42907/cylinder-head-conversion-kit-hes4240chc#.U-pZbBqkp3I is this a good deal or is there another retailer out there with better parts for the price?