engine swap help

[70barracuda]

So unfortunately my cherokee has developed a pretty bad knock.  Tried new exhaust manifold, seafoam thinking lifters, and tightened converter to flex plate bolts. Nothing helped. changed the oil and its nice and sparkly. sigh.  Of course once it snows and drops to the 30s. I think it got jealous the comanche got a nice ls swap.  

Anyway, I would like to rebuild this motor myself and build it for boost but I don't have the time or money to do it right this second. Picking up a 1997 4.0 with only 112k on it tomorrow to quickly swap in.  Not trying to go high buck on this at all but while I have the engine out I want to fix it up. so far I have:

New exhaust because mine is a 2000 with a 0331, this has a 0630 head (now I won't have to worry about the 0331 crack)

freeze plugs

gaskets (oil pan, intake, valve cover, oil adapter)

accessories are all new on my current motor so will be swapped over

basic tune up

anything else I'm missing? don't want to go crazy but anything that will be easier with the engine out

[MiNi Beast]

so have you considered just swapping out the lifters or the collapsed one at that.? be quicker then swapping a engine. 

[Renoenvy08]

Rear main, if you don't do it (if you have my luck) it will start leaking after you drop the motor in

[Dzimm]

That's a rabbit hole...  I'd say since you plan on doing a rebuild to your other one and assuming this motor is fine as is, stick to the basic stuff.  I'd honestly just do a tune up and maybe the freeze plugs.  If there is sign of leaks, then I'd do the oil filter o-ring, and valve cover gasket otherwise I'd leave them alone for a temporary install.  I also wouldn't take the manifolds off unless the exhaust is cracked.

 

Now the rabbit hole of course is that if you take oil pan off, you might as well do the rear main.  If you take the valve cover and manifolds off, you might as well do the head gasket.  If you do that much you might as well be doing a full rebuild of the new motor.  I have been and continue to go down the rabbit hole with my rusted out POS XJ and I just can't stop... 

[70barracuda]

37 minutes ago, Dzimm said:

That's a rabbit hole...  I'd say since you plan on doing a rebuild to your other one and assuming this motor is fine as is, stick to the basic stuff.  I'd honestly just do a tune up and maybe the freeze plugs.  If there is sign of leaks, then I'd do the oil filter o-ring, and valve cover gasket otherwise I'd leave them alone for a temporary install.  I also wouldn't take the manifolds off unless the exhaust is cracked.

 

Now the rabbit hole of course is that if you take oil pan off, you might as well do the rear main.  If you take the valve cover and manifolds off, you might as well do the head gasket.  If you do that much you might as well be doing a full rebuild of the new motor.  I have been and continue to go down the rabbit hole with my rusted out POS XJ and I just can't stop... 

I have to do the exhaust because of the port difference in the head. And yeah it's going against everything I got to not basically redo everything lol I'm the type of a person that if I'm working on something I'd rather get everything possible done if its within reach. 

[89 MJ]

2 hours ago, Renoenvy08 said:

Rear main, if you don't do it (if you have my luck) it will start leaking after you drop the motor in

I put a brand new rear main in my engine. The f***er already leaks. The engine hasn’t even ran for 10 minutes yet. NOT IMPRESSED. Rant over. 

[Pete M]

6 minutes ago, 89 MJ said:

I put a brand new rear main in my engine. The f***er already leaks. The engine hasn’t even ran for 10 minutes yet. NOT IMPRESSED. Rant over. 

 

took me 4 or 5 tries to get it right