ZJ stroker build

98zjstroker

98zjstroker

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2009
Location
concord nc
So its time to start back up with the ZJ build and figured I would begin posting up my progress from where I started almost 10 years ago to now.


first pic is how it looked when I bought it with only 120,000miles
 


2.5 BB lift to fit bigger tires and aftermarket wheels.



I heard that the springs like to pop out on the higher BB lifts and saw on another forum someone use exhaust piping to prevent it from happening





worked out pretty well I would say
 


Final product after the BB lift, front upper and lower control arm upgrade by rough country, American racing wheels with 31s (craigslist find for $180).

I think this improved the stance and look dramatically
 
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after many years of DD driving one of the seals either transmission seal or transfer case seal went bad leaving a lake of transmission fluid in my garage. Not bad considering I put another 130,000 miles on it since I bought it. But now that I have another DD I decided to go head and start on this stroker thing.
 

Inlets look terrible

after removing the head the pistons dont look in that bad of shape

not sure why the first pic isn't showing....
 

As you can see I should have planned better. between the garage door and the lifted jeep there just wasn't enough room to get the 4.0 out so I had to improvise.


removing the wheel and tire did the trick
 
bare with me Some of the pics are not showing and I haven't been able to figure out why. I think they work if you click on the link
 

Old 4.0 block torn down and ready for machine shop


4.2 crank from @a_kelley after being cleaned up and ready to be turned and polished


After talking with russ I decided to go with the stock 4.0 rods and some of his custom forged pistons.
 
So I will be taking the block to the machine shop to make sure that the cylinder walls clean up at .030 before ordering the pistons from russ. Also dropping off the crank shaft and will hopefully get the Ok to start ordering parts!
 
Make sure you buy a push rod length checking tool and use it. These engine do not have adjustable length pushrods, if you take anything off the deck or the head you will need a different length pushrod, also account for the head gasket crush.
 
Jeff B said:
Make sure you buy a push rod length checking tool and use it. These engine do not have adjustable length pushrods, if you take anything off the deck or the head you will need a different length pushrod, also account for the head gasket crush.
Click to expand...

was hoping to not take anything off the block or head.....I guess we will see. I am ordering a cam, rods, and lifters from russ at BNBracing as well as the pistons. I will talk with him about holding off on the pushrods until I know how long. Thanks for the advise. Head gasket wise I was going with something between .51 to .43 which was recommended from russ as well.

I assume any parts store would have a push rod length tool?
 
Jeff B said:
Make sure you buy a push rod length checking tool and use it. These engine do not have adjustable length pushrods, if you take anything off the deck or the head you will need a different length pushrod, also account for the head gasket crush.
Click to expand...
Glad you posted that. I have been watching any and all stroker threads for education purposes....
 
update.... got the engine block back last week.

It had to be bored .040 over due to scaring in the cylinder walls which was more then I was initially going for but whatever (no big deal). Aslo had the 258 crank turned and decided to have the machine shop put the pistons, rods, and crank in (only cost extra 150)

The pistons from russ were adjusted prior to ordering due to the larger diameter, they are forged aluminum pistons by race tec at 3.915 bore and an inverted dome at -28.000 cc. Estimated compression ratio I believe we talked about was somewhere near the 9.4-9.6 range.
 
still having issues getting all the pics to show up.

Anyway, russ was out of the comp cam that he normally keeps in stock so I wasn't able to order it. He did have the nitride version but that was an extra 150 that I didn't want to spend nor did I think I needed it. Tried to get some ideas as to what cam to use on another post but didn't really get as much help or opinions that I was looking for.

looking at "Jeep 4.0L Stage 2 Performance Camshaft Kit by Cleggs (CE-J4-CAM2)" but not sure how well they stand up. had trouble finding other ones and this kit comes with everything. here is the link if anyone has experience or better/different ideas and opinions.

Jeep 4.0 Stage 2 Performance Camshaft Kit
 
That looks great!
 
84jimmy said:
still having issues getting all the pics to show up.

Anyway, russ was out of the comp cam that he normally keeps in stock so I wasn't able to order it. He did have the nitride version but that was an extra 150 that I didn't want to spend nor did I think I needed it. Tried to get some ideas as to what cam to use on another post but didn't really get as much help or opinions that I was looking for.

looking at "Jeep 4.0L Stage 2 Performance Camshaft Kit by Cleggs (CE-J4-CAM2)" but not sure how well they stand up. had trouble finding other ones and this kit comes with everything. here is the link if anyone has experience or better/different ideas and opinions.

Jeep 4.0 Stage 2 Performance Camshaft Kit
Click to expand...

Does Summit or Jegs not have one of the Comp Cams too? Those are pretty common cams.
 
Jody Treadway said:
Does Summit or Jegs not have one of the Comp Cams too? Those are pretty common cams.
Click to expand...

So here is the issue I am running into. Mind you in the past I have always just bought a off the shelf upgraded cam for my SBC motors and didn't bother to look nor learn about the specs. But I have had no experience with jeep 4.0 motors until I bought mine and this is the first one I am rebuilding. First I want to make sure I get something that works well with my set up to improve and maximize performance. But I dont know enough about valve lift, durations, and all that jazz.

I have looked up several "Kits" on summit and jegs and this is what I run into;

Jegs will only let you look it up by vehicle and when typing in 1998 jeep grand Cherokee Laredo it does not have a 4.0 I6 option, only the v8 so that's a bust/

For summit I am able to look up the kits but everything I look up says :

"not for fuel injected engines,"
"not for computer controlled,"
"will only work in 1964-1988 models due to different valve stem diameters."

So I am completely lost as to what I am suppose to look for since mine has fuel injection, a computer (ECU) and is newer then an 88.

PLEASE HELP!!
 
I can offer first hand experience and knowledge on this topic (again). @shawn chimed in as well a few of your posts back IIRC.
The Comp 68-235-4 will absolutely work very well for your combo. It will be just fine with fuel injection as it is not radical at all.
Here it is in stock at Summit:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-68-235-4

This cam is in my wife's stroker, my old race MJ, multiple 4.0 rebuilds I have PERSONALLY performed, many strokers I have built, etc. It will work without issue.
Starting in 99, the camshaft retainment technique was changed and they no longer used a spring loaded button. That is the reason most 4.0 based cams are for "up to 98". To get around this, you simply order a bolt, button, spring and timing cover for a 1998 and back 4.0.

Let us know if you have any more questions.
 
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Jody Treadway said:
I can offer first hand experience and knowledge on this topic (again). @shawn chimed in as well a few of your posts back IIRC.
The Comp 68-235-4 will absolutely work very well for your combo.
Click to expand...

@Jody Treadway I dont want you to think I wasn't listening/reading you and @shawn replies to my other post. @shawn mentioned something about a 231 which I asked to elaborate because I had no idea what he was talking about but no one replied back to my question. So after I went looking for drop in comp cams like you had mentioned. the problem with that was that the kits that include (springs, lifters, etc.) keep saying that it wont work.

An example is at https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-k68-235-4/overview/make/jeep

It is the exact cam you mentioned above just with the entire kit yet says that it wont work due to valve stem diameter issues. So what in the kit doesn't make it work if that cam does? I think that is was is confusing me.
 
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