First Engine Rebuild, Where to start

So I'm looking to do my first engine rebuild on my 88 XJ with an old and tired 4.0. I've thought of doing engine swaps to a V6, V8 and such, but decided that it would be easier just to build what I've got.

Question is, where to start?

I've been looking at Engine Rebuild Kits and there are lots out there and prices vary widely. Anywhere from $400 to $1000? Big differences.

Might be cool to build it as a stroker if the price isn't too different. Time to get off the pot and do something however. Help me out guys.

Thanks.

I would get in touch with a company called falcon. I've ordered from them a few times - good service and reasonable prices. They operate on ebay, but I just call them and piece what i'm looking for together a la carte. Don't forget machine shop work.

If you can score inexpensive stroker parts it may be worth it for you. The main difference between a stroker and stock is that with a stroker you are replacing parts that you would reuse if you were going stock (crank, rods, pistons, likely cam).

Link to falcon: http://myworld.ebay.com/ebaymotors/falconglobal

Falcon is a good company to deal with. I have ordered from them several times.

IMO, the first thing you need to do is establish just what you want out of the rebuild. Do the research of what it takes to do the task and then look to your finacial situation to see if the task is even possible.

You can spend an enormous amount of money on an engine. How much are you going to do/ How much is going to be farmed out to a shop?

Example:
In 2000, I built a 4.7L. I was a Process Engineer at the time and to be perfectly honest, money was not an option. So the aluminium head went on (at the time there were two versions from Patriot Performance, now there is only one from Hesco) I chose the big valve version and roller rockers. Clifford Performance Camshaft and an adapted 68mm Throttle Body from the 4.7L V-8 and a set of custom built headers feeding the 2.5" exhaust.

Total cost of the project? $5,430.00. A ton of money. Could not do it today as I have retired and that sort of disposable income is out of my reach.

A simple stroker can be built by using a crank kit from a 93 to 95 YJ. Those years have the proper length nose on the crank for a serpentine belt as they came with one. Plenty of information out there including http://www.jeepstrokers.com/forum/ which is about the best place to look there is. For the head, yours will need to be rebuilt. How far you go with valve angles and porting will be driven by the budget. Shop time is expensive.

Research is the key. I spent a year getting ready for my Ford Stroker project in 1976/77. 347cuin out of what shipped as a 289. Then stuffed it with a Borg-Warner T-4 behind it into a Pinto... Save the sarcasm, the Pinto only weighed 2,000lbs. Went from 75 hp to 350hp.

4 years ago, I did a budget stroker and came out at about $1200.00 all total. It took about 3 weeks of research and the only things I had a machine shop do, was hone the cylinders to match the pistons, deck the head, and source brass freeze plugs. Rods came from Crown, bearings, gaskets, and fluids/shop towels/spray paint from Advance, and the crankshaft from Oreily's.

If you have the space/time you can buy a block from the junkyard for $150.00 and spread the cost of the build out over a month or two. Then it doesn't hit the wallet all at once.

Correction: The small snout stroker crank(p/n 3727) comes from the 87-90 Wranglers w/ the 4.2l/258. The 93-95 Wranglers have 4.0s. I've also used falcon and was happy with what I got, the time I got it, and the price I paid. I wish I had that big valve patriot head(at their price too).

^^Quite right, my bad... I have the 93 on my mind as I am tweeking a Supercharger installation on one...