teamsmith

If it were me- Pull all the plugs out. Remove valve cover. Turn crank by hand to TDC. Remove distributor cap. Confirm TDC on compression stroke by position of rotor. If on #1, you're good, if 180 degrees off, turn crank one more revolution to TDC. Confirm #1 position with rotor. Confirm that both valves on #1 are CLOSED. You are now #1 TDC on compression. Remove distributor. Cut window of distributor you are going to use at #1. Install distributor. Confirm index by installing dist cap. Rotate crank 2 revolutions, confirm that rotor is just leaving #1 on cap at window at TDC. You are now indexed and ready to run. Yeah, I know, you can do the old finger over the plug hole trick....but I want to see with my own eyes, also, I want to see the valve train and condition before I install the engine. OK, thanks. I was planning to swap the valve cover with my renix engine anyway (to re-use proper CCV routing) so I'll check it using your method. To clarify one final point, I definitely need to reuse my renix distributor and cannot use the Chrysler, correct? I always assumed so but I got confused by your earlier comment. Thanks

ok, so the consensus is that I will need to swap in my renix distributor and I will need to re-index due to swapping of flywheel, etc. that can cause it being knocked out of time? FWIW, I'm re-using the renix intake, fuel rail and injectors.

I've read the threads on how to index the distributor, but my question is whether I need to. I picked up an HO engine yesterday with the distributor in it. I know that I have to reuse the renix distributor but, assuming the one installed is timed correctly, can I just take both caps off and put the arm on the renix in the same position as the ho that I'm replacing. It seems logical to me but that doesn't mean it's correct Thanks

Call me impetuous but I bought the engine off the Craigslist guy today. I had to make a stop at HF to pickup a shop crane, luckily they were having a big presidents day sale. The fact that it's basically ready to go in with little work sold me. Even if it starts knocking and needs a rebuild, at least I'll have something that can be rebuilt (unless it has a hole blown in it as well). I still need to dig into the various posts on adapting the renix harness, etc.and I'm sure I'll have questions before I get started. I swear it feels like I'm building a truck from parts. It is fun though.

I talked for a while with this guy. He bought it from a friend (who had recently had the heads rebuilt) with the intent of putting into a carb'd Wrangler. He didn't realize all the components he'd need to swap out to make it work. It had 204k miles when pulled, was in a RHD mail Cherokee. No compression test was performed, only said that it 'sounded good and strong' before it was pulled. He's since replaced all seals and gaskets, added oil and plugs. He says I need to bring him a harmonic balancer to install before it can be put in a truck. I'm planning to go check it out today, and picking up an engine hoist at harbour freight on my way. I realize there is a risk with the wear on the bearings, etc. but I look at it this way: My blown engine with a hole in the casting will not be accepted as a core, so essentially $350 of the $600 could be viewed as going towards the core charge of a rebuild. Now I need to dig into the write ups on here for putting an HO in my renix machine. Cruiser's tips makes it sound fairly straightforward.

Thanks. I saw that last night and left a message this morning. That might be the ticket

Nash, I got a little lost in your post. Are you saying your brother has an S-10 4.3 stroker from Titan that has lasted 100k miles?

We got a better look at the engine in the light of day. It's got a crack all along the back of the casing in addiiton to that nice hole on the side. The bell housing also has a hole in it, as if the clutch plate went. Surprisingly, the truck still started and we were able to drive it onto the trailer today, drive it off, and drive it into the garage. It was making some nice percussion but still drove strong (for the 10 feet to get it inside). Thank you all for your advice on engine swaps, etc. . I have some feelers out at the local yards and some local guys who do a lot of work with jeeps who may be able to help me with a donor for a swap. The ideal solution would be finding a low mileage '94-'98 5sp so I can rob the AX-15 and bell housing as well as the engine and HO harness. I do not want to spend $4k on an engine, my question would have been better phrased as "Do I need to spend $4k (such as a Jasper) to get a good, reliable rebuild?" Since I'm considering a used engine with questionable history, my quality expectations should be low but it's really that I'm just trying to be cheap. The question is, "how cheap can I be?" I will checkout the jeepstrokers.With Titan's low rep on the strokers, I wonder what the word is on their regular, non stroker, rebuilds? A stroker would be nice but I think the stock motor makes plenty of power for my needs.

So what you're saying is that I can't just buy a rebuilt titan because I won't have the wiring harnesses, etc. needed to plug into the renix system. Edit: ok so your saying get the donor for the wiring etc. that will allow me to swap in a rebuilt ho.

Thanks. Yes, I will plan to contact Titan over the weekend. If I decide to get a used motor, it looks like I can get one out of any XJ. Can I use one out of a TJ or a WJ? i assume the intake manifolds would be different but the engines themselves are the same, right?

Thanks. I am proud of how it turned out. My uncle is a painter so we did well to leverage his ability. It looks better after it's been washed and with better light. So, if I go the route of a used engine, can I use any Jeep 4.0? does it have to be from an MJ/XJ, does anything change with the '97+ that would make the engine incompatible? I would also be open to a stroker. I see that Titan has the 4.6 for $2800 but doesn't appear to be turnkey. I'd rather it have the manifold, oil pump/pan, etc. ready to go in.

My dad and I both agree that we've sunk too much time and money into this truck to give up on it. After 9 months of steady progress, I finally let my dad take it work today to show his friends. On his way home, a minor explosion occured under the hood, resulting in this sizeable hole in the block. Oil and coolant leaked all over the road. Funny thing is that the engine never died, never ticked, knocked, or even showed a high temperature. We towed it back to my house tonight. The question is, do we spend $4k on a Jasper reman, troll some junkyards, maybe get something that's been rebuilt? Should we go HO since we're replacing it anyway? What has been your experiences? If I decide doing the HO swap makes sense, can I take an engine out of a wrangler as well as a Cherokee? Are later years swappable? Here's some pics of the truck; It had been wrecked, 184k miles, sat in a field for 11 years but we got the frame straightened, replaced panels, painted it and breathed life back into it. I was about to put a mild 1" lift on it but that has been put on hold, perhaps indefinitely. I do hate putting good money after bad, but we're too sentimnetal (it was my grandad's truck before he passed) to let it go. I realize this might need to be in Project MJ's but I am seeking techincal advice on an engine replacement and wanting to add context.

Thanks for all the great comments. While driving home tonight, I had a catastrophic failure with the engine which resulted in a sizeable hole in the block, shown below just behind the ground cable. You could say that my priorities just shifted. Now to start a new thread about opinions on reman/rebuilt engines.

Does anyone have any experience with Rubicon Express RXJ703? They are the 3-3.5" shocks for the TJ, which should be about 2-2.5" on an XJ/MJ and should work nicely with the CC784 ZJ Upcountry springs I've ordered. Front: (TJ 3.5") RXJ703B Collapsed: 14.9 - Extended: 23.5: 19.2 center Rear: (ZJ 3.5") RXJ802B Collapsed: 16.1 - Extended: 26.1 21.1 center I think these compare pretty closely with Don's top recommendations from OME OME Nitrocharger N35 (13.70"-22.36") Collapsed 13.7 - Extended 22.36: 18.03 center OME Nitrocharger N40L (15.6"-25.8") (ZJ shock, hard to find) 20.7 center I just got off the phone with TR from OME. For the rear: The standard duty spring height MJ calls for a N65, the longer of which is the N95, which has been replaced by Sportshock # 60032, Collapsed: 14.13 - Extended: 23.58 18.85 center For the front he recommends the 60052 which replaced the N35, similar dimensions: Collapsed 13.54 - Extended 22.24. 17.89 Using these numbers as new recommendations, I'm beginning to shy away from the Rubicon Express choices for being too long.

I have a similar ongoing discussion with Don. Here's his list of choices. I'm planning to pick up the 60046 fronts and N30 rears. My outstanding question is whether I should get the light load 60046 shocks or heavy load since I'm adding a winch mount and winch which will add about 100 pounds to the front end. I haven't decided on rear leafs between HC or GS. From Don: GS MT springs on the rear, OME 930 coils up front (~2"-3" lift) Front Shocks: (In order of my preference) OME Nitrocharger Sport 60046 Light Load (13.15"- 22.24") OME Nitrocharger N35 (13.70"-22.36") OME Nitrocharger N39, (13.46 - 22.13) Rear Shocks: (In order of my preference) OME Nitrocharger N40L (15.6"-25.8") (ZJ shock, hard to find) OME Nitrocharger N30 (14.4"-24.3")* (96-05 Nissan Terrano R20) OME Nitrocharger N95 (14.13" - 23.58") (Toyota Land Cruiser) I don't think any other coil spring or shock compares to ARB / OME products. Of course, I haven't tried them all, but tried quite a few.

Don, One more question and I'll try my best to leave you alone; since you would recommend going with the heavier ZJ front coils to compensate for droop caused by winch and accessories, would you recommend that I get the heavy duty 60046 shocks vs. the light duty? I don't want to have too stiff of a ride or end up with too much lift(more than 2.5"), but I don't want to sag too much either. I am going to get the Moog 784 springs vs. the OME; I have to save money somewhere. Thanks again

I'm now looking at a smittybuilt 9500 for about the same price at the Engo. They seem to be about the same specs. I don't think the bracket style has a big effect on approach angle considering I'm not cutting any sheet metal like I would need to do on a bumper. New question: How strict are these minimum CCA battery ratings? It says minimum 660 CCA for the Smitty and 650 for the Engo. I recently replaced my battery with a new 550 CCA.

thanks. Your pictures help. Yours does look a lot more heavy duty than the one I'm looking at. solid steel vs. cut-outs, and possibly bigger, though it may just be perspective. It was made for and taken off a Cherokee so maybe it's just an older design. Now I'm a little less excited. My local CL has a winch bumper bracket that looks similar to the base trans4mer for $100 (or less). Maybe I'd be better served picking this up along with a higher rated winch. I see that I can get a smitty built xrc9 for $299 on ebay new. That's probably the better route. This guy's bumper bracket will look pretty good with a coat of paint

Thanks, Don. So if I were to try to save a penny and go cheap with the Moogs, would I go with the CC784's or would the progressive nature of the spring give me more lift than I want? In that case, I would stick with the CC782 It looks like I'm actually going with a Warn Trans4mer and a light utility winch (possibly upgrade to a real winch down the road).

Jeff, I am not seeing your pics. It could be because your linking to a site my corporate firewall is blocking (FB, etc.). I was wanting to get a look at your jeep with the trans4mer. I'm trying to tell if this has a place to mount lights or if that is an extra piece.

great. thank you all for your comments. I agree that $650 is a pretty good deal for just the transformer without the winch. I will not be using this to climb rocks, only to get myself out of a jam or maybe pull stumps out of the ground. Looks like I may be making a drive tonight to pick it up.

Hello, I've been through several 'winch related' threads and cannot find a discussion on this topic. I've come upon a decent deal for a new looking Warn Transfomer brush guard/winch bracket + M5000 winch for $650. The winch has never been unspooled. I do not intend to 'wheel', but would like to go off road a bit and would like to be able to pull myself out of a ditch. I know that I can't just use our jeeps weight of 3000 lbs because of some multiplication by inertia and off-axis torque moments, etc. but basically, if I use a snatch block, can I pull my truck out of a ditch or mud with a 5000lb winch? Thanks for your thoughts.

Don, I plan to add a small winch bracket (pictured below) and a winch, possibly lights. Should I consider a heavier spring to compensate for the added weight of winch+bracket?

Hornbrod, I thought I would move my coil spring questioning to a more relevant thread; I'm putting together my shopping list and am, as always, trying to stretch my dollar. I'm sold on your OME shock recommendation. Can you describe the difference I'd experience between the OME 2930 coils and the Moog Upcountry progressive coils? It seems they might net me about the same ride height. There's a $100 difference between the OME and Moog's so I'm just trying to figure out where I need to spend. Thanks in advance