Gaging Interest...

Having been at loose ends for a bit, I started a "pet project" I've had kicking around for a bit, and I wanted to see what you all might think...

Remember all the "How to Hotrod Your XXX Engine" books out there? It's high time we had one for the 4.0/4.2 - and, by extension, pretty much all AMC/Jeep I6 engines. Thus, I'm writing one.

I know about MOPAR Jeep Engines (I have a copy - hardcopy and .pdf,) but I thought it was a bit overfocussed on MOPAR parts, while there's so much more out there. There are quite a few who might also find it overly technical as well.

Therefore, I started writing my book as an adjunct (NOT a replacement! I'm unpleasant, I'm not stupid...) to the FSM/Shop Manual that can be had easily, but I wanted to show all the things that can be done either by the home mechanic, the "real" shop, and/or the dedicated engine machine shop to help people decide how to do their rebuilds. While most of the book is dedicated to working on the basic 4.0/4.2 engine, there will (naturally) be chapters on Strokers, Superchargers, Turbochargers, and probably a touch on Nitrous - as well as some information on header and inlet manifold design, once I have sources for all of that.

If there's enough interest here, I may self-publish (I may finally have found a tame print & bindery) and start selling it here. Anyone care to weight in? Here's the sort of things I need to know...

1) Do you think something like this would be useful, and has just been overlooked (like the rest of the I6 world...)
2) How likely are you to look for/buy a book like that?
3) What, specifically, would you like to see in such a volume?

I'm sure I"ll have more questions later, but that's all I've got right off the top of the greys. Of course, I'll field anything else that comes in, and I'd be pleased to answer your questions in addition to getting answers to mine...

5-90

i'd be very interested! I have never rebuilt an engine, and I think my I6 will need it in the next year or two. You should make it available in .PDF as well as a cheaper option.

Hell I'm interested......

I´ve got a 4.0 in the garage for my winter project.
I´d like to figure out, what I can do, without a bunch of expensive machine work. Kind of a down to earth approach, not so exotic I couldn´t do most of it myself.
Home porting would be a good topic.

I'm looking for a garage so I can put a 4.0L in it as a winter project...have 175,000 on my current 4.0L and think it needs to get a 4.7L upgrade one of these days soon. Bring on the book!

the book sounds like an excellent idea.. the 4.0L is known for 200K miles of service and there is a large quantity of rigs on this site alone that are nearing that.. everyone thinks about it, but it runs so good its never a priority to replace/rebuild.... by sharing your knowledge it may help those who are apprehensive about the I6... i know all about V8s.. I6s as a whole new world to me... bring on the info!!!!!

I like the idea!

8Mud said:

Home porting would be a good topic.

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Unless you're building a high rpm screamer this wont get ya much. You could match the ports using the gasket for some small gains in smoother flow but the porting itself doesn't do too much until higher rpms than most XJ's will hit on a steady basis.

Sarge

Yep - porting a low-rpm engine head is not something you do as a "standalone" mod (although some have reported good results) - but it is something you can do to enhance other mods that increase airflow. I discuss that as well.

Given the design of the 4.0 intake and the runner length, it would almost be better to fabricate a new intake than to try to improve the one already there, as I recall. I'd have to work the numbers again...

5-90

I assume you'll cover the standard hot-rod stuff, from mild to wild. What seems to always raise questions is interchange between/among years. "Can I put a '93 head on my '89 4.0L block?" for example. What needs to be changed to do it, how difficult is it to do it?

Also, a cheap torque upgrade rather than building a stroker is to swap in a 4.2L AMC block with a 4.0L head and fuel injection. This is easier with later 4.2L engines because the early ones had a narrower block. You might devote a chapter to this topic, because it avoids all the compression ratio and quench problems that a stroker engine has to deal with.

5-90 said:

Given the design of the 4.0 intake and the runner length, it would almost be better to fabricate a new intake than to try to improve the one already there, as I recall. I'd have to work the numbers again...

Click to expand...

I believe that was the driving force behind GoJeep's use of a much larger 99 intake on his website.

Eagle said:

I assume you'll cover the standard hot-rod stuff, from mild to wild. What seems to always raise questions is interchange between/among years. "Can I put a '93 head on my '89 4.0L block?" for example. What needs to be changed to do it, how difficult is it to do it?

Also, a cheap torque upgrade rather than building a stroker is to swap in a 4.2L AMC block with a 4.0L head and fuel injection. This is easier with later 4.2L engines because the early ones had a narrower block. You might devote a chapter to this topic, because it avoids all the compression ratio and quench problems that a stroker engine has to deal with.

Click to expand...

so if I were to order a rebuilt short-block, you're saying it would be better to order one for a late 258 and all my (renix) 4.0 stuff will bolt right up?

Yeah all of the AMC 6cyl junk is interchangeable with minor mods. An HO read is what most of the 258 guys use along with the fuel injection. I agree a list of interchangeable parts and what needs to be done to wse them would be awsomome. I ported and polished my head on my stroker and it puts you in you seet from idle and it just picks up power all the way to 5K. Low buck mods like home made fipk or insulating the air box, or removing the silencing ventury in the airbox, moving the IAT to the air tube, adjustable MAP, etc... would be good things to cover that haven't been covered in any other book. Covering cam selection would be important as well. It would be cool if you spent a little time on the 2.5L also.

I'm definitely interested in a book like that, especially if you can do it and make it a cheaper purchase than the $90 for a new FSM or even the $35-40 used ones. I've already learned a bit from this thread, so the book would definitely benefit me. Try and put in a good long chapter on cheapo things you can do with just a little work. I'm poor and can't afford much, but would love more power...

I´ve been looking and haven´t found a max-min spec sheet for the 4.0 motor. Would be really nice to be able to know what you have, before you decide what your gonna do with it. Some of the information is here and there scattered all over the place, my FSM is next to usless, unless there is a section I haven´t discovered yet.
Numbers like piston clearance, main bearings, cam lash, oil pump clearance etc. I imagine the information is out there someplace, just not where I´m looking.
The last time I had my intake off, there were a lot of burrs and casting ridges in the ports. Was just thinking of cleaning it up a bit and maybe matching the gasket, manifold and port in size. Can´t hurt much unless I go too deep, might be the easiest way to clean out the baked on junk anyway.

I already have one of those in the works as well - as well as a "builder's checksheet" that I plan on putting in the book anyhow (for taking all the myriad measurements you need when you build and engine, or tear it down to figure out what to do with it...)

I also had a request going in Sierra/NorCal chapter for a "sacrificial" cylinder head - actually, if I can get one of each casting from somewhere, I'd like to run them thru a bandsaw to see what they look like on the inside and to do some experimenting with. Sections of cylinders, sections between cylinders, and probably one cylinder cut into "layers" to get a good viw of things is pretty much what I have in mind. I'd also not mind chopping up one of each intake as well - just for research. Know where there are any throwaway parts that could start making a slow journey west?

Honestly, I've probably got close to every book written about the 4.0, which is why I think this one is a pretty good idea. Most people won't need all the information I have, but might have a use for a synthesis of it all and/or anything else I can find out by running parts thru a saw (since no-one else seems to have been willing to do all of this...)

5-90

Oh yeah, a good writeup on fuel injection options for the 258 and performance mods would help a ton of people, at least 10 that I wheel with.

BOUNCE TO TOP...

This is primarily going to be aimed at the 242/258 engines (with a nod toward the old 199 and 232 for REALLY vintage Jeeps!) and options for them. I'm also going to list available performance parts and such, stroker options, and I've got a section on Supercharging and Nitrous Injection in the works (Nitrous has its uses. I don't like it, but I've done systems before and it might as well be done right...)

I am also working on a parts crossover guide, a section on specification charts, a batch of dyno charts for the curious, and I'll probably include a "parts disk" for Desktop Dyno 2000 users (kinda like the "cam disk" they offer - but for REAL engines like we use!) Future editions may include reviews of parts and kits - I want to get this thing off the ground, but I've already got a guildeline for a second (and possibly third!) edition in my working binder...

Of course, fuel injection systems and cylinder head switching options are also going to be discussed, and I am even going to recap discussions I have had elsewhere on a possible aftermarket performance head to help keep that going. I know that HESCO is working on an aluminum CNC-machined head, but I wonder if we can convince them to do an iron option as well...?

Porting as an adjunct to other mods will be covered, and I'm hoping I can get my grubby little paws on one of each cylinder head, one of each intake manifold, and maybe a block or two to saw to bits for research purposes.

By the by, I've also got about a dozen more letters to write to manufacturers and such for information and permissions, so I don't plan on this being out in the really near future - I'm targeting about six months to a year (sectioning parts, lots of pictures are planned, and I've got to get dialogues going with quite a few people to finish out data collection...)

Now you see why I want to know what YOU are looking for - that will allow me to see what I'm missing, and make a book YOU are all willing to use. The limit of planned specificity for this is application to the inline six (many principles will cross over to the inline four, and the V6-60 has been done to death by GM Motorsports. I probably have that book somewhere as well - it's wherever my GM Power Catalogue has got to...) I also won't cover V8 conversions - you can go to Advance Adapters for that, and I'm trying to preserve the inline six since it's better for our purposes anyhow.

BTW - for anyone doing, or having recently done, a V8 conversion; and anywhere near the SF Bay Area (or making trips, or who can link trips...) I'm interested in your parts for sectioning! As much as I would hate to do it, it must be done for the needs of research. Let me know. This also applies to anyone changing an engine out because they think it's too tired, and aren't going to be assessed a core charge on the replacement...)

Once I get everything reorganised, I'll post a more detailed outline of what I'm working on so YOU can see what I should add. I'm writing this, but in the end it's going to be YOUR book!

5-90

While most of it would be for 4 wheelers, don't forget there is a segment of us who run 2wd and like speed.

Sarge

Not to worry - I haven't! Isn't that why we have a "Street & Performance" forum here?

Seriously, the I6 is a good engine all around - that's why it also appeared as an option in the Chevvy Camaro (in 250ci trim, my mum had several) and in the Mustang (in 200ci trim - I had one that made me happy...) And, since torque is torque and power is power, you simply build for what you want and drop in the powerplant!

So, what else would you like to see? That's why I ask these questions - like I said, I'm writing this book for YOU (in a general sense...) and I want it to be good for as many of YOU as possible!

Of course, this is an engine book, so driveline information (transmission, tcase, axles, &c.) will be minimised. One of the next books I'm planning is an "XJ Technical Manual" - that's where I'll get into driveline issues & mods, building for on & off road, and suchlike.

Why am I doing this? Look at the availability of various performance books, and see how many are geared toward the XJ/MJ. Of course, what applies to them will also apply (in a general way) toward other vehicles and vice versa, but it's an unexplored territory. I think the popularity of the XJ/MJ is sorely underestimated by automotive writers, which makes it a niche that needs filling. Here I are...

5-90

All I can say is that this is a great idea and sorely needed as well as the "XJ Technical Manual". Thanks and hurry up already!