First Restoration Project

[Backdraft]

Really stellar work. Congratulations bud. Take a bow.

[knever3]

Ok, slow progress but here goes.

 

Managed to get the JKS control arms installed.

 

 

 

Bolted the engine and drivetrain together to go in. Added other accessories to the motor.

 

 

 

 

 

That's all for today.

[knever3]

Engine's in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had a lot of help, my parents came over to help me get the engine put in. Quality time working with Dad, priceless.

[knever3]

The progress this week has been slow since I work 12 hour shifts the next 16 days! I have been putting about 2 hours into the truck every day I wake up. I got the distributor in, throttle body on, and the newer throttle kickdown cable swapped out.

 

I took another distributor I had and heated up the cam drive gear. I used a punch to knock it off the shaft so I could use it to prime the oil system just to make sure there was oil up in the top end of the motor. I have a temporary oil pressure gauge installed and I got a constant 55psi oil pressure when I used my 1/2" cordless drill. Now I have a good feeling everything is oiled up so on the first start I know I will get good oil pressure.

 

On a side note I noticed I needed to replace the O-rings from the filter mount. I tried three auto parts stores and after getting what I thought were the proper ones the one is too thick and it won't go back together. :mad:

 

I guess I will have to wait till Monday to do that.

 

 

 

 

 

The Hesco TPS adapter worked like a charm.

[knever3]

Great News!!

 

The stroker motor is alive!!

 

I tried to start it before I left for work last night and I knew it was not timed correctly. This bothered me all night so this morning after I got out I pulled the distributor and rechecked. Sure enough WAY off. I reset the timing and it fired right up instantly!!

 

 

 

 

And the LONG awaited video of startup:

 

 

I need to buy the correct belt size today and then get the front end put back together to test drive it. I will throw on my old exhaust for now until I can get a custom one made with the appropriate O2 sensor bungs.

 

What 'cha think?

[knever3]

The truck is off to the Exhaust shop today. I forgot to run through the gears before moving the truck so the trans fluid is low so I had to throttle it to get it on the trailer. This morning I filled it up. Hopefully the shop will do a good job since I need 2 O2 sensors put in. I am getting a single 2-1/2" exhaust with a flowmaster series 40 muffler. Hopefully if all goes right today I can actually DRIVE it to get the new alignment since I installed the new control arms.

 

 

 

 

[knever3]

Replaced the cracked flywheel today. I have some small things to do to take it on a longer ride to make sure the air/fuel ratio is correct. Getting closer. I also picked up a topper for camping.

[knever3]

Well after driving it i have some type of tick. My pushrods are too long but there might be something more. Praying for something simple so i don't have to pull the motor again.

[knever3]

Looks like the verdict is in. Valvetrain isn't the noise, going to park it for a while and then pull the engine and investigate. The plot thickens...

[knever3]

Well the kitchen remodel is almost complete, time to get the Comanche back out of storage to pull the engine and take it off to the machine shop to find the mystery ticking.  So if you browsed the pictures of the crooked rockers has anyone had any luck with the roller rockers?  I don't know if they will fit under the cast aluminum valve cover.  I have also read a horror story where someone didn't notice they were hitting the top of the valve cover and destroyed their engine.  I am going to have them go through the whole thing to tell me exactly what parts are in the engine.

 

Pricy I expect but the piece of mind is priceless.

[knever3]

Two things:

 

First we had our first baby back in January!!  I thought I'd take a few moments to show him what we will be working on and driving in the near future. 

 

 

 

Second, I have most of everything pulled apart to take the stroker motor to the shop to do a full tear down and inspection.  I plan on doing some upgrades to the parts I have already installed on the exterior.  Maybe a double roller timing set, a hotter cam, roller rockers...  Who knows we'll see how far I want to go.

 

 

Check back soon, I'll try to document everything that I decide on and maybe ask some questions in the meantime.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[knever3]

Motor is at the machine shop, probably find out what I am going to put into it later this week.  So far number 1 and 6 rod bearings are worn badly as well as the crank journals.  Something in the OE build ran through the oil pump and pitted the gears.  The valvetrain is fine and straight.  The first machine shop said the rockers were all bent again and crooked.  Not so when the valve cover was pulled.  Seems to think they were just trying to pull my chain!  There goes the budget...

[buffalob]

Congratulations on the new Jeeper in the family. I have been having a hoot teaching my kids how to work on their own jeeps over the past several years. (and where my tools are supposed to be put back) Glad to see you posting again hope your engine build goes well.

Two things:

 

First we had our first baby back in January!!  I thought I'd take a few moments to show him what we will be working on and driving in the near future. 

 

 

 

Second, I have most of everything pulled apart to take the stroker motor to the shop to do a full tear down and inspection.  I plan on doing some upgrades to the parts I have already installed on the exterior.  Maybe a double roller timing set, a hotter cam, roller rockers...  Who knows we'll see how far I want to go.

 

 

Check back soon, I'll try to document everything that I decide on and maybe ask some questions in the meantime.

[knever3]

Thanks!  Hopefully I'll get the rundown later this week and then it's decision time on how far I want to go with it.  Priority one is going to be reliability so no crazy stuff.  Every build I read has some change to the valvetrain that causes them to rebuild it after a short time and noise to go along with it.  I have to tell you I'm a little nervous about the whole situation. 

[HOrnbrod]

I really feel for you going through this. I've been through the same, although not with a Jeep stroker engine. Lesson learned. It's tough, and it ain't no fun at all. That's the reason I went with the Hesco crate stroker years ago. Hoping you get everything sorted out w/o breaking the bank. Hang in there.   :thumbsup:

[Alexia]

I dropped a washer into my fully built engine when it was missing the valve cover. Maybe you had something like that happen.

 

The valves only need to bend over so slightly to make them useless at sealing.

 

For roller rockers that will not fit under the stock valve cover Hesco makes a valve cover spacer to raise it up.

http://hesco.us/products/7735/cylinder-heads/181404/xj-valve-cover-spacer-kit-ph-hes40xjvcs

[knever3]

Small update while my engine is out for a refresh.

I decided to install the wideband O2 monitor.

Looks like a good unused spot...




Some materials,





A little trimming...



Presto!

 

 

[knever3]

A good day, replaced the "new" headliner with another headliner. It fits much better except the back covers the window an inch. Good for now but it will probably get in the way of the limited rear view. Also put up the recovered sun shades. While i was at it i stuffed as much high density foam into the front and side recesses to cut down on noise. I had already rolled on dynamat previously.

 

 

 

 

[knever3]

Update time

 

Engine is safe and sound at home in front of the Comanche.  I got all the parts back that were replaced, the first thing I noticed was the piston I picked up.  It was severely scored on the one side with a 1" crack in the skirt!!  I will go through everything in time, I am on a two week stretch at work so it will be a while before I'm back at it. 

 

The new parts:

 

New Icon forged pistons

Rings

Newer 4.0L rods

Comp Cams cam, lifters, springs, keepers

Double roller timing set

Oil pump

Cam bearings, main bearings

 

Some maintenance items:

 

Hot tanked

Magnafluxed

Balanced

Line bored

Bored .060 over, it was only .015 over when I bought it it turns out! :rant:

Crank turned, polished

Valve job

Intake and exhaust ported

Intake port matched

 

That is all I can think of off the top of my head, it was a long day.

[knever3]

Here are some pics

 

 

 

[knever3]

Update, \\

 

Engine is back from the machine shop, all put back together first start video.  The battery was low so it starts kinda rough.  After I charged the battery it rolls over much better.  My oil pressure is lower than I would like at 40psi cold start and 19psi at warm idle.  We'll see how it goes, the first 500 miles are coming.

 

[knever3]

Empty Post

[knever3]

Not much of an update but the cruise works now, had to clean all the contacts and hook up some wires.

[COFFMAN]

Love the battery mod, where ya get the tray from :thumbsup:

[knever3]

Love the battery mod, where ya get the tray from :thumbsup:

 

http://www.dirtboundoffroad.com/optima-34-78-bolt-in-battery-tray-jeep-cherokee-xj.html