4.0L HO Jeep Engine Build

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Hi ramcharger. I just joined the forum. I wanted to ask you a few questions. I have a jeep just like yours and would like to rebuild it as well. The difference is I would like to turn it in to more of a performance machine. I have read your entire thread so far and find it very interesting.
Are the stroker kits the only way to get major performance out of this engine, or could I have the cylinders bored over and put in new forged pistons. I am not oppossed to supercharging the motor down the road, but not until I have completely "built" the motor.
I am a noob to building an engine but I have replaced engines in two different vehicles though. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. I currently live in South Florida so I doubt I will have a problem finding someone to do the machine work on the motor.
 
Street or Off-Road Performance? Do you have emission tests you have to deal with? BTW, I know that there are more than a few guys who have gone the pure street route with these things and have been quite succesful.

Welcome to our community!
 
I would go the pure street route and I am not really worried about the emissions. I don't think I have to test the car before it can be registered. Really I have no problems taking the Cat completely out, unless is actually needed.
Where would I go to read about some of these other guys who have done this type of build? Thanks for the reply!
 
I understand man. Thanks for the link to the website. I will check it out. At the moment I am looking at your 360quadzilla. Looks amazing so far.
 
Wow that sucks about the cam, but is it really connected to ignition advance in such a 'direct' way? I haven't opened up one of these engines yet but would it be possible to perhaps just advance the cam without touching the distributor drive shaft, as in leaving the dizzy drive in one position but advancing the cam on its own? Also doesn't the phasing of the distributor on Chrysler MPFI engines like this one only control fuel injection timing? I know that's how it is on the Magnum engines from the '90s.
 
I understand man. Thanks for the link to the website. I will check it out. At the moment I am looking at your 360quadzilla. Looks amazing so far.

Thanks, the truck has come along quite a bit further than the website shows.

I got totally slammed at work today and just got home.... Very long day.

Wow that sucks about the cam, but is it really connected to ignition advance in such a 'direct' way? I haven't opened up one of these engines yet but would it be possible to perhaps just advance the cam without touching the distributor drive shaft, as in leaving the dizzy drive in one position but advancing the cam on its own? Also doesn't the phasing of the distributor on Chrysler MPFI engines like this one only control fuel injection timing? I know that's how it is on the Magnum engines from the '90s.

In retrospect it may not control ignition advance at all but the phasing would be directly impacted as the distributor drives right off the cam. If the cam is advanced, so is the rotor in respect to the cap and the distributor is not moveable and cannot be twisted to change this relationship..... Yet, lol. I'll know more this weekend when I can find time to dig a bit deeper into the distrib and sensor operation/mounting. I'm beat...

this is really cool, can't wait to see it done!! That jeep won't know what hit it lol

I'd like to see some rear tire smoke..... :cheers:
 
Joe the more I think of it it can't affect ignition timing cause the ign. timing is controlled by the crank position sensor. But like you said it most likely will affect the dist. phasing if the dist. is driven off the cam. I think that's the only thing you'd have to worry about. After looking at the cam specs the cam your using is quite a bit bigger so I bet it won't make nearly as much low end cyl. pressure as the other cam so advancing it would help the low end torque. If you can only figure out a way to adjust the dist. phasing I think you'll be fine.

I wish I knew more how these new computer things worked. The thing I don't know is how the cam position sensor in the dist. works. How does the information it sends to the computer affect things??? Would it sense the cam being advanced and modify the ignition pulse signal so the phasing would be corrected??? I just don't know.

BTW: The Torino sounds like it was a ton of fun. What intake did you have to use with the 400M block with Cleveland heads? And a Fireball cam!! Man I haven't seen them advertised in yrs. I had a Crane Blazer in my old 72 Pontiac 400. If you remember the Blazer was the milder cam and the Fireball was the big dog. And if you buzzed from Carbondale to Chicago you went within 3 miles of me. I'm just off of I-55 about 3 miles. Them were some crazy days.
 
Joe the more I think of it it can't affect ignition timing cause the ign. timing is controlled by the crank position sensor. But like you said it most likely will affect the dist. phasing if the dist. is driven off the cam. I think that's the only thing you'd have to worry about. After looking at the cam specs the cam your using is quite a bit bigger so I bet it won't make nearly as much low end cyl. pressure as the other cam so advancing it would help the low end torque. If you can only figure out a way to adjust the dist. phasing I think you'll be fine.

Thanks Fishy. I think I'll order that offset bushing kit today.

I wish I knew more how these new computer things worked. The thing I don't know is how the cam position sensor in the dist. works. How does the information it sends to the computer affect things??? Would it sense the cam being advanced and modify the ignition pulse signal so the phasing would be corrected??? I just don't know.

Me either, I've got some research to do. This is new ground for me too but it should be something we should all know anyway so I'll figure it out. I love a mystery anyway. :-D

BTW: The Torino sounds like it was a ton of fun. What intake did you have to use with the 400M block with Cleveland heads? And a Fireball cam!! Man I haven't seen them advertised in yrs. I had a Crane Blazer in my old 72 Pontiac 400. If you remember the Blazer was the milder cam and the Fireball was the big dog. And if you buzzed from Carbondale to Chicago you went within 3 miles of me. I'm just off of I-55 about 3 miles. Them were some crazy days.

Holley made a Street Dominator for the 400M and it bolted right up. The only issue would have been if I had used the 4V Cleveland head as no one made a manifold for that due to the port size but spacers were availible to mount 351C manifolds on the 400M that I assume could have been machined to the correct port size. As you already know, this was back in the pre-internet days and research had to be done via the library, lol. That Fireball was a bad *** cam. I also used a Crane roller rocker stud mount retro-fit kit that went 40-45K miles with zero problems. I bet I still have pics of that engine and Torino somewhere.... I'll post a pic if I can find them. That Torino really did handle well at speed. Better than any car I ever owned. I can understand why they were used in NASCAR racing.

I must've blasted right by your place! :-D Things were quite a bit cooler then compared to now. 8) That highway was empty at the time and I was behind a guy in a mid-70's Riviera who was cruising at about 110. After about 20 miles I thought I'd see if he wanted to go, but he was just making time and waved me ahead. :) It was my own short version of "Vanishing Point" without the drugs, lol. I don't know if it was the Grace of God, but I never saw a single cop until I got close to Chi town. 8) BTW I would never, ever do that again and please all, don't try this at home or you'll end up on the news. :toothy10:
 
Holley made a Street Dominator for the 400M and it bolted right up. The only issue would have been if I had used the 4V Cleveland head as no one made a manifold for that due to the port size but spacers were availible to mount 351C manifolds on the 400M that I assume could have been machined to the correct port size.

Ok. I know Cleveland's and modified's look a lot alike but I never had any parts side by side so I didn't know what would interchange and what wouldn't.

As you already know, this was back in the pre-internet days and research had to be done via the library, lol.

Yep things were much harder back then. If you didn't know someone you could trust to get the information you learned the hard way. LOL


That Fireball was a bad *** cam. I also used a Crane roller rocker stud mount retro-fit kit that went 40-45K miles with zero problems. I bet I still have pics of that engine and Torino somewhere.... I'll post a pic if I can find them. That Torino really did handle well at speed. Better than any car I ever owned. I can understand why they were used in NASCAR racing.

I must've blasted right by your place! :-D Things were quite a bit cooler then compared to now. 8) That highway was empty at the time and I was behind a guy in a mid-70's Riviera who was cruising at about 110. After about 20 miles I thought I'd see if he wanted to go, but he was just making time and waved me ahead. :) It was my own short version of "Vanishing Point" without the drugs, lol. I don't know if it was the Grace of God, but I never saw a single cop until I got close to Chi town. 8) BTW I would never, ever do that again and please all, don't try this at home or you'll end up on the news. :toothy10:

Your exactly right. There weren't nearly as many cars on the road back then. That's a big factor now. Just too much traffic to even think about doing something like that now. I'm lucky enough to be out in the country that has some real good smooth back roads that are straight and flat for a couple miles so I have a place to test stuff that's fairly safe. I, like you, don't recommend this to anyone though. I know I shouldn't be doing it but I have no other way to test things. Just have to be real careful. If anybody's on the road I don't run it. Just let the traffic completely clear first. People are so sue happy it's not worth the risk. Torino's were sleek cars. Them old Riviera's ran pretty good too for big boats. I had a 73 that didn't run bad. Only problem with Buick's was they cracked the heads so easy if you overheated it.
 
this is really cool, can't wait to see it done!! That jeep won't know what hit it lol
My thought exactly 74scamp360 8) I have drove some of these 4.0 in some mud bugs and they sure have allot of life and power in then from a stock build
Ramcharger knows his stuff and this 4.? should scream I am thinking :-D
 
My thought exactly 74scamp360 8) I have drove some of these 4.0 in some mud bugs and they sure have allot of life and power in then from a stock build
Ramcharger knows his stuff and this 4.? should scream I am thinking :-D

agreed memike!! she'll be a fun ride for sure
 
Your exactly right. There weren't nearly as many cars on the road back then. That's a big factor now. Just too much traffic to even think about doing something like that now. I'm lucky enough to be out in the country that has some real good smooth back roads that are straight and flat for a couple miles so I have a place to test stuff that's fairly safe. I, like you, don't recommend this to anyone though. I know I shouldn't be doing it but I have no other way to test things. Just have to be real careful. If anybody's on the road I don't run it. Just let the traffic completely clear first. People are so sue happy it's not worth the risk. Torino's were sleek cars. Them old Riviera's ran pretty good too for big boats. I had a 73 that didn't run bad. Only problem with Buick's was they cracked the heads so easy if you overheated it.

I have a few carefully selected very long on ramps I like to use now..... 8)

...should scream I am thinking :-D

It better.... :-D

agreed memike!! she'll be a fun ride for sure

Thanks 74scamp, we'll see how she does.
 
With regard to the fixed-position distributor: you may be able to fudge it by buzzing away a calculated amount of material at the base. I believe that the timing is controlled by the magic box, so it's just an issue of phasing. Should be a snap to verify while it's still on the stand.

I'll have to stop by soon. I've got to see this thing in-person at the current stage.
 
With regard to the fixed-position distributor: you may be able to fudge it by buzzing away a calculated amount of material at the base. I believe that the timing is controlled by the magic box, so it's just an issue of phasing. Should be a snap to verify while it's still on the stand.

I'll have to stop by soon. I've got to see this thing in-person at the current stage.

Sounds good Dok. I'll be in the garage tonight and most likely all weekend. I got all the springs and shocks and just received the valve spring shims today.
 
I'm looking at a 74 j-10 jeep pickup right now.

I might have to build one of these suckers to go in it as this thread is inspriring my sickness.

I know nothing about jeeps just like I knew nothing about barracudas ten years ago, time for a new game????? Insert evil laugh..........
 
I'm looking at a 74 j-10 jeep pickup right now.

I might have to build one of these suckers to go in it as this thread is inspriring my sickness.

I know nothing about jeeps just like I knew nothing about barracudas ten years ago, time for a new game????? Insert evil laugh..........

cudaspaz,

I was never a Jeep guy either until I got one for a loaner when my Dakota was back at the dealer for repairs. I thought it would suck as I was going camping up here in the Routt National Forest around Rabbit Ears Pass and I wanted my dang 4WD pickup dag nabit, lol.

Well.... I was really suprised at the passing performance on the highway plus the mileage....Then I got on the trails...:cheers::cheers: Yee freakin' ha! I was blasting around (plus determined to bring this loaner back with an inch of mud 'cause I was so dam mad that I broke the rear end twice on that dam Dakota that I was going to show them some 4WD Loaner pain) and I could not stop this thing. Even at 11,500'. I banged it through some rocks, tried to sink it in a many mud puddles, blasted through high meadow swamp, slept in the back and to top it all off it was "Moss Green" and when I finally got to the pre-determined camp site, all my buds thought I was a ranger when I pulled up and got out with my old leather cross-draw holstered Ruger Redhawk in .44 mag, lol! Open carry is allowed in Colorado BTW. :)

Anyway, I don't have much experience with the older Jeeps but these 4.0's are a dime a dozen from the bone yard and Clifford offers a carb manifold for these. I'd do it my friend. :-D Game on! :cheers:

Oh yeah, as I was driving back this completley mud and dust covered Jeep through Fort Collins I got nothing but thumbs up from other Jeep drivers. :)
 
OK, made some progress this past week and put in some hard labor on the suspension. I added new front springs from an ZJ (Grand Cherokee), put a full length add-a-leaf in the rear spring pack. This should give me just an inch or so of lift without having a harsh ride and without having to drop the transfer case or other modifications. I also added Bilstien shocks and will be doing the rear wheel cylinders tonight along with new shoes.

I found some very cool wheels and tires on CL but the guy wants too much. I sent him a counter offer this morning so we'll see what happens. I also got the head painted and will be doing the head assembly, degreeing the cam, advancing the cam, and bolting the head on so look for updates this weekend.

ScreenHunter_02 May. 21 06.28.jpg
 
Hay Joe!!! Here in Arkansas all the mud bug's think the 4.0 is the only way to go and they can liv a long hard life...:clock:
Goog luck on the wheels and tires 8)8)8)8)
 
Hay Joe!!! Here in Arkansas all the mud bug's think the 4.0 is the only way to go and they can liv a long hard life...:clock:
Goog luck on the wheels and tires 8)8)8)8)

Thanks Mike! I found another guy on CL with the exact same wheels and 31x10.5" x 15" tires mounted for the price I want to pay. The above tires are 235/75 15"..... I may have to lift the Heap another 1" for them to fit but that's pretty cheap and easy with spacers. :) I'm waiting for a call back....
 
Just trying to keep pace with you ram. LOL

Clean build!

:read2: We're almost there Homecloned! Thanks for the compliment. I must be getting old, I was sore for two days after fighting with the rusty suspension bolts. I didn't break anything though and this stuff is my friend:

ScreenHunter_03 May. 21 09.05.jpg
 
Your choice of stiffer springs for the lift seems like a much better idea than a normal lift kit... My friends keep telling me I should lift my Cherokee but I really don't want to sacrifice handling and performance; adding stiffer springs for only an extra inch sounds like it would actually improve handling a bit, or am I wrong?
 
Your choice of stiffer springs for the lift seems like a much better idea than a normal lift kit... My friends keep telling me I should lift my Cherokee but I really don't want to sacrifice handling and performance; adding stiffer springs for only an extra inch sounds like it would actually improve handling a bit, or am I wrong?

I was thinking along the same lines Mope. For what it is, it really doesn't handle all that bad and I didn't want to ruin it. Raising the center of gravity doesn't help matters, but the stiffer springs with more travel and Bilstiens all around should make up for it. At least that's the plan anyway. I not going hard core wheeling in this, just some easy trails and camping is all. As you already know, these vehicles are darn capable stock off the showroom floor. I just wanted a bit more suspension travel and a bit more height for some slightly more aggressive tires in the future and improved handling on the street. I want it all, lol. Here's a comparison of the stock front springs and the new ZJ progressive springs I installed. The coils are much thicker and the progressive rate should keep it riding nice on the street and reduce body lean as well and add a bit more off-road capability.

IMG_1224.jpg


IMG_1225.jpg
 
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