Hey all,

I did a search and I can't find any info on this...

I've got a stock 78 CJ with an AMC 304 and I'm wondering what I should do to it. I'm trying to build a rock crawler so I'm not really concerned about the speed aspect.

What's the opinions of the experts? Headers, exhaust, EFI?

The other question would be, where's the best place to go to get the stuff?

I've never owned a 304 but on my 360 and 401 the TFI upgrade (search for it), and a decent exhaust made all the difference. I think the exhaust manifolds for all three amc v8s are the same.. if so don't bother going to headers as the stock manifolds flow well enough. Besides I hate headers...never have any luck with them:flipoff2:, also use a decent air filter like a KnN...

1st off make the enigine breathe, then try to mess with the internals...

stock carb and upgraded ignition is all you need

do not piss money away on headers, I think everyone I know with an amc v8 who has done headers has gone back to manifolds.

The stock carb is probably the best off road carb ever made so if you get rid of it make sure fuel injection is replacing it.

I agree with Flem.. the Motorcraft 2100/2150 is awesome. "fuel injected type response" is something I read in JP recently that is very accurate. I love mine..

Very easy to rebuild, very easy to tune with no special tuning other than setting idle mixture.. it can be found on many donors in yards.. what more do ya want?

I have an MSD ignition, clean carb, micron filter on the fuel line (before the stock filter) and I'm good. About the only thing I think I may want is an electric fuel pump, but I prefer keeping it simple and easy to replace.

i'm in the same boat with everyone else...

do the TFI upgrade, stock carb, stock manifolds.

i did the "rock-crawlers exhaust on my scrambler and really like it.

http://www.4x4wire.com/tech/josh4x4/exhaust/

I second that, I like my stock exhaust. I would just do the TFI ignition upgrade or got a hei..

other then that theres nothign todo but wait till that motor dies and go a 360.

Do you think it would be worth it to save my money and just go to a 360 or a 401?

I apparently can pick up a 360 for 100 bucks if I take the whole car off his hands.

Thoughts?

My friend had a 360 in a 70-somethin J-10 and my Dad also used to have a 360 in an old 74 cherokee. They are peices of shit. My dad only had that jeep for 110k miles and the motor had to be rebuilt 2 times. Kept shittin out valves... and my dad has driven like an old man since high school. Wasn't like he was piss-roddin it.

Hope that is some help. I don't know anything about the late EFI models that were in the ZJ.

If your 304 runs good then why bother..

I only replaced mine because it skipped 3 teeth on the timing chain.

mine does good with a small cam,performer intake,headers, air filter and a holley 4brl..(thinking of replacing hte carb).never had any problems but if your rockcrawling might be a good idea to go to Fuel Injection or atleast a Holley Truck avenger

Again.. if you're rockcrawling, stick with the stock carb, unless you're going with EFI. If you're going with EFI, same some bucks and go with a newer engine that has all that crap on it already.

Since the motorcraft 2100 works *so* well, I personally would probably stick with my computer-less and easy to diagnose engine that I can find readily in the yards and bolt up.. That is why i went with an AMC 360 when my 304 died and probably why'd I'd opt for that again.

unlike WhiteKnight87544's "slightly" biased opinion i happen to realy like AMC v8s (not so much 290/304 but they are no effort to swap a 360/390/401 in place of them) :flipoff2:
they handle low rpm high torque situations with ease and will bolt up to any transmission that jeep offered.

headers are 50/50 mixed as to great they work fine/suck and leak like a b!tch

keep that carb for now and if you replace it go FI or propane (the 360 going in my cj-5 will be FI and we are setting up an other 360 for a 7 to go propane)
run it till it dies and then drop in a 360 from a waggy:D if you cant find a good running waggy with a rusted out body for near nothing in your area you are not looking
edit: oh ya get rid of that fawking 70lb intake and replace it with a nice edelbrock, put a simple "rv" cam in it and rebuild the oil pump while you are at it.

I don't know what these guys are talking about that are bitching about the amc. I have a 304 now, and had a 401 before. I would still have the 401, but it spun a bearing finally after running with no oil pressure for a year. The 304 has roller rockers, an better cam, AL intake (SP2P, not very good, but light), and headers. Headers are only as good as the installation. I used Ultra Copper on mine and haven't had a problem. They are a great motor. Just watch for when you start wasting distributor gears. Your cam has gone flat. Took me 3 gears to find this out. Now no problems. I agree to rebuild the oil pump. If you can scam someone out of a R4B intake, do it. It is one of the best. Other than that, run it till it dies and swap all the good shit over to a 360 or 401.

By the way, My friend and I are running a total of 4 amc's, with mine being the smallest. He has a 360 and 2 401's that run like raped apes.

the larger 360/401 heads bolt right on to the 304 and make a huge power difference.

Originally posted by elusiv
the larger 360/401 heads bolt right on to the 304 and make a huge power difference.

Only with the correct casting number heads.:D

all of the heads from the amc v-8's from 1976 on will bolt on to any of the blocks from 76 on, but you have to be carefull.. not all of the 360 heads have the larger valves.....some are the same as the 304 heads. Most do though. all of the 401's came with the larger heads

Originally posted by usmcdoc14
edit: oh ya get rid of that fawking 70lb intake and replace it with a nice edelbrock, put a simple "rv" cam in it and rebuild the oil pump while you are at it.

I run a 360 with a rv cam and the stock carb, I have less problems then some of the guys with FI, I've been looking to get rid of that 70lb intake but I can't find one made for the stock 2 barrel, can I get the 4 barrel one and use a MR.Gasket adapter upside down? Or do you guys know of one.Thanks

Originally posted by SCRAMBLR


for the stock 2 barrel, can I get the 4 barrel one and use a MR.Gasket adapter upside down? Or do you guys know of one.Thanks

Thats the question I have also? Does anyone have a good 4barrel to two barrel adapter out there? And for the Headers, I love mine and have never had a single leak from my Doug Thorleys! They flow very nice and are built strong.

I have a good friend up here in Canada,
that has built an AMC 304 to produce well over
300+ horsepower. I have seen it in action and man does it scream.

I know that some head work and a cam/rockers as well as intake work was done.

His name is Savage, and he can be emailed at:
"Taylor, Ken (Grande Prairie)" <ken.taylor@weyerhaeuser.com>

In fact, until I built a LT1 powered Jeep, he ruled the roost up here in terms of power.