What engine would you choose, and why?

[Ol'Customcj7]

I am building a restored CJ7 for the street. I've got a rockcralwing CJ now. It was street and trail friendly. Well after all the work, it's no longer street friendly. I love the old clean CJs.

I am building a stock looking CJ, but upgrading the weak links and making it very comfortable. With that knowledge, what engine should I put in it? I will be running an automatic. I am not looking for a drag racer, but something that can get up the highway hills, my old 258ci could barely make it.

4.2L Factory original, doesn't really offer much in power. But cheap

4.0L YJ engine, pull it out, mate it to a YJ auto tranny, and I'm good to go.
Somewhat cheap to do and rebuild. But again, nothing powerful about it

4.6L Golen rebuild, nice power, warranty, but pricey.

304/360 rebuild. Finding one, then rebuilding them to have power gets up in the price range. (from what I know)

Out of these four choices what would you choose, and why? Using these four allows for stock mounting choices and transmissions.

[treehugcj]

4.0 for fuel injection or go with a Chevy drivetrain, 4.3 and th400 or th350. Bulletproof and rather easy swap from what I've seen and read. We are swapping a 4.3 into my buddies CJ sometime next year. Frame off right now and going with original driveline to get back on the trail.

[matts88yj]

Whatever you do, DO NOT chose any product by Golen Engine Service. I had to send my engine back after 8 months since it went through 3 oil pumps and 3 distributors in that frame of time. Chad Golen fawked me over big time and screwed me out of more cashola. That warranty doesn't mean shit as soon as you sign it over from the freight company and yes, he even dyno tuned the engine before it got to my place.

When you say stock, are you still keeping the original sized tires or say around a 30" tire? A later injected 4.0 from a YJ will have plenty of balls as long as you gear it properly. I would play around on the Grim Jeeper gear ratio calculator a bit to see what RPM's you would be spinning at what MPH. You can't go wrong with a 304 or 360 either in a CJ. Those you can also swap to fuel injection if you want. Plus some CJ's came factory with V-8's if you were going for the ultimate restored look and fit.

Just throwing some ideas out there for you. There are a lot more options other than the ones you listed but I'm in the same boat in trying to keep my rig AMC powered.

Good luck!

[95steel]

91-95 4.0 head on stock 4.2 block. Decent power, stupid simple and very reliable.

What's your budget? Waggy 360/727?? Bolt in mod but might need a rebuild...

[The Black Sheep]

None of them. I think they are all lack luster and some are gonna be over priced.

I say 5.3 Vortec. Reason Being......

-Aluminum Block and Heads
-300 HP stock
-They burn efficient and you shouldn't have any emissions troubles
-They make bolt in mounts for CJs
-Its a chevy, I know you've been around enough to know what that means
-Swapping a chevy ENgine, Tranny and Dana 300 into a CJ is just as easy as any other swap.
-Cheap and plentiful in junk yards, I was looking at (2) the other day that came out of wrecks, each had 40k or just under, full wiring harnesses and ECMs, 700 bucks each. You can't beat that.

[Ol'Customcj7]

Originally Posted by matts88yj

Whatever you do, DO NOT chose any product by Golen Engine Service. I had to send my engine back after 8 months since it went through 3 oil pumps and 3 distributors in that frame of time. Chad Golen fawked me over big time and screwed me out of more cashola. That warranty doesn't mean shit as soon as you sign it over from the freight company and yes, he even dyno tuned the engine before it got to my place.

When you say stock, are you still keeping the original sized tires or say around a 30" tire? A later injected 4.0 from a YJ will have plenty of balls as long as you gear it properly. I would play around on the Grim Jeeper gear ratio calculator a bit to see what RPM's you would be spinning at what MPH. You can't go wrong with a 304 or 360 either in a CJ. Those you can also swap to fuel injection if you want. Plus some CJ's came factory with V-8's if you were going for the ultimate restored look and fit.

Thanks for the info on Golen. And yes, the largest tire I will be running is 31's. Gears will probably 3.73, 3.54 being the highest.

Originally Posted by The Black Sheep

None of them. I think they are all lack luster and some are gonna be over priced.
I say 5.3 Vortec. Reason Being......
-Aluminum Block and Heads
-300 HP stock
-They burn efficient and you shouldn't have any emissions troubles
-They make bolt in mounts for CJs
-Its a chevy, I know you've been around enough to know what that means
-Swapping a chevy ENgine, Tranny and Dana 300 into a CJ is just as easy as any other swap.
-Cheap and plentiful in junk yards, I was looking at (2) the other day that came out of wrecks, each had 40k or just under, full wiring harnesses and ECMs, 700 bucks each. You can't beat that.

I'll take a look at them. But I think the 5.3L is going to be more ooomph than I need, and more challenging to get in there. I'll have to do some more research on them.

Like someone said, could I take a 4.2L and put a 4.0 head on it? TBI it and go?

[matts88yj]

Originally Posted by The Black Sheep

None of them. I think they are all lack luster and some are gonna be over priced.

I say 5.3 Vortec. Reason Being......

-Aluminum Block and Heads
-300 HP stock
-They burn efficient and you shouldn't have any emissions troubles
-They make bolt in mounts for CJs
-Its a chevy, I know you've been around enough to know what that means
-Swapping a chevy ENgine, Tranny and Dana 300 into a CJ is just as easy as any other swap.
-Cheap and plentiful in junk yards, I was looking at (2) the other day that came out of wrecks, each had 40k or just under, full wiring harnesses and ECMs, 700 bucks each. You can't beat that.

This was one of the other swaps I would have suggested if you kept it wide open. Not all 5.3's are all aluminum tho but I'm sure everyone knows that but just a heads up in case someone didn't know. 5.3's are the new hot swap. The do build a lot of power out of a small engine and can be found just about anywhere. Then again like the OP said, it may be a little too much for what he would like to do with it.

[matts88yj]

Originally Posted by Ol'Customcj7

Like someone said, could I take a 4.2L and put a 4.0 head on it? TBI it and go?

You very well could do this. I ran this setup for a few years until magically my cam lobes disappeared. Had some nice bottom end and made good power. If I had to do it all over again in all honesty, I would go with a V-8 and be done with it. Then again, my build is more of a sleeper trail rig than a more restored project.

[Ol'Customcj7]

I think I'm going to scrap the 5.3L idea. While it's obviously a good choice, it's not going to give me what I'm looking for when I open the hood. And not to mention, I'm not good with all the modern ECM and FI stuff.

[andrew383]

Originally Posted by Ol'Customcj7

I think I'm going to scrap the 5.3L idea. While it's obviously a good choice, it's not going to give me what I'm looking for when I open the hood. And not to mention, I'm not good with all the modern ECM and FI stuff.

you can get a carb intake for a 5.3...shoot if the 5.3 is to much get a 4.8,the older 4.8's (early 2000's) only made a bit more than 250hp

[95steel]

Hell the simple stroker's 4.5-4.7 engines are fantastic. They now have the correct pistons to set the quench height correctly....

once again, it all depends on your budget.

A nice 401 with the edlebrock heads and MPFI would be very nice, quite simple, but mega bucks.

[Ol'Customcj7]

Originally Posted by andrew383

you can get a carb intake for a 5.3...shoot if the 5.3 is to much get a 4.8,the older 4.8's (early 2000's) only made a bit more than 250hp

Why yes, yes you can. Thanks for the tip, after a quick google search this has been done, alot! That's a great looking setup, and a good engine to boot. Sounds like we might have a winner. Now I just gotta figure out what tranny and t-case to run.

Pic of a carb'd 5.3L NICE.

[andrew383]

check performancetrucks.net forsale section for some good deals on 5.3/6.0's


here's one for $400 5.3

[Devil Dog]

buy cj with 258, put new rings in it and have the head cleaned and new valve springs and guides.. put an aftermarket intake/header on it.. put cheap 2 barrel carb on it.. pull off all emissions..

then bolt a 727 behind it.. nuff said..

or put a 4L head and fuel injection on said 258 with new rings..

either one will last you forever and have plenty of power..

[The Black Sheep]

You can run any Chevy tranny with the 5.3 provided you have the small block bellhousing. I always like the Dana 300 t-case but if its just gonna be a road jeep, you might as well just pick up a 205 and call it a day. 205s are cheap out here, of coarse theres more parts then vehicles out here due to rust.

[ddestruel]

amc 360 with a stock build is cheap, i wouldnt even bore it unless it needed it id just do heads, re-ring, stuff a summit 8600 cam in there and run it with a performer intake. do HEI and TBI there is something about a big valves and lots of air flow idling at 400 rpm............. but to do it you'd be 600-800 into the TBI with a new harness, and 600 into the heads and another 300-500 into the rebuild kit. another 200 on the intake


to go even further id suggest marry it to a T176 or preferably a T18 or NP 435and a D300 don't clock the 300. 1 wire alternator swap, set of one piece shafts in the rear, alloys in the front to alloy you to use spicer 297x joints and a set of internal hub's / spindles and stock jeep/chevy d44 outters use a set of bomb proof motor mounts and you're done.



More affordable would be a 4.0 swap. which would be #2 on that list. for probably about the same money

[ogreshooter]

Uhm....please explain the fuel filter on the passenger bank of the engine....

Originally Posted by Ol'Customcj7