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v8 cherokee
- Thread starter jeepler
- Start date
Although it has been done several times( just search the forum). There is really no benefit (IMHO) to it. The 4.0 is more than powerful and not to mention made for the xj. A good sense of mechanics and fabrication can put any engine in almost anything, but you have to weigh the benefits and options before hacking away at it. Just my 2 cents
Example: A local guy has a Dodge 360 ci in an XJ with lift and 35's. 750 CFM carb and Weiand intake, custom tube headers, and almost no firewall left. My 99 XJ still has the 4.0 and most of the common upgrades, same lift and tires (as his)and 4.10's.
I can wheel just as hard as him, mine runs cooler, mine is street legal(his can't even be insured due to firewall) and I have a FASTER acceleration, and loads more MPG. While its a great idea I tend to disagree and turn up my nose.
I can wheel just as hard as him, mine runs cooler, mine is street legal(his can't even be insured due to firewall) and I have a FASTER acceleration, and loads more MPG. While its a great idea I tend to disagree and turn up my nose.
troy6187
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- millersburg , pennsylvania
i put a 350 sbc in my xj and simply love it. mine is an 86 though and putting in a 4.0 would have been just as hard and more expensive. i did not have to cut anything to make it fit either. i even managed to use stock driveshafts and tranny mount. cooling was the only issue and a good aluminum rad and twin electric fans solved that. but i agree you should search.
xjbubba
NAXJA Member # 1524
- Location
- santa barbara, ca
If you're good at fabbing, go for it. I doubt there's a stock 4.0 out there that will match my acceleration, and, accept for the Edelbrock MPI set-up, my 350 is stock (and Calif SMOG legal). My highway performance is significantly better than my old 4.0, especially when I'm loaded down for camping, and my gas mileage increased significantly. Off-road, the high-torque 4.0 is more than adequate--but loaded down, it sucked, especially climbing those long Calif mountain passes. You need to search for Chevy conversions in general--doesn't matter into what--this will inform you on the general issues applicable to any conversion. Then, with a general understanding of what issues need to be dealt with, bring forth your XJ specific questiones. Advance Adapters (AA) and Novak Conversions both have "how to" manuals that are available. I used the AA "manual" as a guide; it's a place to get started
90Blue_XJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- In yer postz fixin yer spellinz.
I have seen several CJs and a YJ or 2 with the SBC thing but have never seen one in an XJ.
xjbubba
NAXJA Member # 1524
- Location
- santa barbara, ca
Here's my SBC 350 equiped '88 XJ:
Im helping a buddy do the same thing to his cherokee, his motor is from a 94 2500, so it should be 4 bolt main. He also has edelbrock alum heads, a hot cam and a 150 shot. Sadly it will never see the dirt, its main purpose is to whoop camaros and mustangs
xjbubba
NAXJA Member # 1524
- Location
- santa barbara, ca
It's out of an '94 Blazer 1500. The manifolds are stock '94. I had to use them to meet Calif SMOG laws, but if at all possible, don't use them. You will half to do a huge amount of frame cutting and reinforcing to get them in there. Early truck manifolds ('84-86) work quite well, and I hear the old Ram's horn manifolds work well too. If you're going to put the "pedal to the metal" often, with serious ponies, I'd spend time reinforcing the frame, from the front cross-member back to the rear spring hangers.
JJacobs
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Fort Collins CO
mgreen84 said:
The difference is you can't do much more to your 4.0 while the V-8 hasn't even scratched the surface. Mileage- point taken. There's no reason for the firewall to be out of it, what happened there?
JJacobs said:
As for the firewall the original attempt on the modification was a wrecked ram 3500 v-10, engine swap which failed horribly (tried to tell him). As for the 4.0, I again disagree you can stroke, supercharge it, turbo it etc. and make similar numbers to a V8. Stroking a 4.0 of course is the least expensive when compared to the others, I tend to be a purist and could get similar performance from an engine that was designed for the unibody construction in an XJ. Less modification and less hassle than trying to stuff an engine that was never designed to fit between the fenders of an xj. You can find several posts on 4.0's with upwards of 300 horses all the way to 500 something. I say take the money you would spend in fabrication, motor, parts, adapters etc. and put into stroking the original theory behind the Cherokees design and come out with the best of both worlds... All from a purist point of view of course, just my 2 cents
xjbubba
NAXJA Member # 1524
- Location
- santa barbara, ca
In my opinion, a "purist" would never mutilate the 4.0 by boring and stroking; they'd polish that "turd" until it gleamed, by blue-printing and balancing. The XJ came with a GM V6 at one time; the V8 is just a little longer. The problem with the V8, is the torque stresses the uni-body. If the bored & stroked 4.0 has any where near the torque of the V8, you'll have the same issues. The V8 (Chevy sb) is shorter than the straight 6, and the Vette V8's (aluminum) are lighter as well! The only real hassle is a proper radiator to cool the V8 (solvable), and you'd have the same issue with a heavily warmed over 4.0L--maybe worse, since boring an engine usually results in warmer running, and the XJ already runs hot in stock form. The only advantage I can see to "B&S'ing" a 4.0, is, you already have the engine and all the necessary goodies to make it run. But what about the puny clutch of the six? The starter motor? And the stock trannys will be hard pressed to live with the "500" HP your monster-six is going to make. You say the XJ wasn't "engineered" for a V8, well, the 4.0L wasn't "engineered" to put out 500HP. And, by the way, I'd like to see a normally aspirated, non-oxcided 4.0L+ that puts out that much horse power. Having built my share of "B&S'd" engines growing up, unreliability goes up by the square of the over-bore. That's the beauty of sliding in the Chevy SB, you get cubic inches with reliability. And if you really want to turn your XJ into a pretzel, there's tons of inexpensive after-market goodies for the Chevy; sky's the limit.
xjbubba said:
I didn't say that I was a die hard purist, Basically sticking with the original setup is a purist mind-set. Jeeps defining image is of a "torquy" off road machine not of drag racing or rumbling with a SBC. Yes, just as every auto giant.. Jeeps did come with a GM v6 at one time, just as Chevy bought engines from mitsubishi and isuzu, Chrysler buys mistu engines, Honda buys Isuzu and subaru products. As for being so offensive about my opinion if you wanted a SBC why not buy a vehicle with a SBC (now theres an idea) for instance a full size blazer, or a pick up. You're trying to make an xj something that it was never intended to be. I never said that the I6 was engineered to put out 500 hp, I simply implied that you could do just as much with an I6 as the V8. An I6 can be modified to make similar torque numbers as the v8, and I assure you that just as the tranny in a jeep could not handle 500hp neither could a 700r4, TH3500, TH400 (or any electronic equivelant) without some modification. A mid size SUV with an OE designed mid size engine, thats the purist idea behind my post. As for reliability, the I6 whether in the 258 version or 242 is one of the longest production runs in automotive history, much as the SBC. So with a "purist mind-set" I say compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges, if you want a SBC go for it, but the I6 is and can be the same Horsepower and torque monster that the V8 can (figuratively speaking) like it or not.
ren
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- frenchburg, ky
Ah, the old whizz contest- mine is better because....
Bah.
Bah.
well i myself, will be starting my v8 swap in the next month or two.
ive had my 96 4.0 ho for almost three years. and i do agree that the 4.0 has decent low end power stock, although there were many reasons for me to not stroke it.
1. it is not a crossflow cylinder head, = not effecient. and will never be. but i would say it is adequate for our general use.
2. it is a heavy motor. considerably heavier, then most small block v8 actually.
a 500 horse 4.0, stroked or not, turbo or supercharged, could not be reliable, affordable, or efficient, you would end up with maybe a 15000 mile rebuild interval if your lucky, really lucky. and due to the non crossflow head, and intake air temps, it would require a much higher octane in order to keep from detonating. As far as gas milage, well that will depend on where you put your power band.
anyone here regret swaping to a v8?
fwiw all this comes from some one that used to build turbo rice burners, go figure....
if you are up for the fab, go for it i doubt you will regret it, if not, dont bother.
ive had my 96 4.0 ho for almost three years. and i do agree that the 4.0 has decent low end power stock, although there were many reasons for me to not stroke it.
1. it is not a crossflow cylinder head, = not effecient. and will never be. but i would say it is adequate for our general use.
2. it is a heavy motor. considerably heavier, then most small block v8 actually.
a 500 horse 4.0, stroked or not, turbo or supercharged, could not be reliable, affordable, or efficient, you would end up with maybe a 15000 mile rebuild interval if your lucky, really lucky. and due to the non crossflow head, and intake air temps, it would require a much higher octane in order to keep from detonating. As far as gas milage, well that will depend on where you put your power band.
anyone here regret swaping to a v8?
fwiw all this comes from some one that used to build turbo rice burners, go figure....
if you are up for the fab, go for it i doubt you will regret it, if not, dont bother.
Gaius
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Beaverton, OR
I'm in the middle of swapping in a 5.9 Magnum in my TJ.
If it works out well I'll attempt a 5.2 in the XJ. Same/Better gas mileage than the 4.0 and 100 more lb/ft of tourque.
If it works out well I'll attempt a 5.2 in the XJ. Same/Better gas mileage than the 4.0 and 100 more lb/ft of tourque.
