Really budget stroker

[Goatman]

Wondering what thoughts you guys with experience have on this situation. My buggy is an '89 Renix automatic, but it has a '98 HO motor with only 60k on the motor. The buggy won't get much mileage put on it, probably the equivalent of a couple thousand miles a year. I'd like to get more power out of it, mostly mid-range, but don't have much money to spend doing it. It already has a good (I think) Gibson header and 2.5" exhaust. The Renix throttle body is adapted to the HO intake. It's not street legal or registered, so no smog.

Since the motor is pretty fresh, only 60k, I'm thinking of just making it a 4.5L. Replace the crank and rods, new rings and bearings, use the same pistons, and put a better cam in it. I'd use the 24lb Ford injectors, I have a couple left over from the XJ stroker so only need 4 more, and probably a larger throttle body. I like the higher compression ratio, and don't mind running premium for as little as it will get used.

What thoughts and recommendations do you guys have? I haven't looked into this for awhile, my XJ stoker is a few years old now. What's the latest cam that everyone likes?

 

[Jes]

Ask yourself one question...





























Will that be enough? :firedevil

 

[Goatman]

When I have my foot to the floor in 3rd gear going across the flat lake bed, nothing will be enough.

 

[Jes]

You gotta drive mine next time we're out, I think you'll like it.

 

[Dr. Dyno]

Wondering what thoughts you guys with experience have on this situation. My buggy is an '89 Renix automatic, but it has a '98 HO motor with only 60k on the motor. The buggy won't get much mileage put on it, probably the equivalent of a couple thousand miles a year. I'd like to get more power out of it, mostly mid-range, but don't have much money to spend doing it. It already has a good (I think) Gibson header and 2.5" exhaust. The Renix throttle body is adapted to the HO intake. It's not street legal or registered, so no smog.

Since the motor is pretty fresh, only 60k, I'm thinking of just making it a 4.5L. Replace the crank and rods, new rings and bearings, use the same pistons, and put a better cam in it. I'd use the 24lb Ford injectors, I have a couple left over from the XJ stroker so only need 4 more, and probably a larger throttle body. I like the higher compression ratio, and don't mind running premium for as little as it will get used.

What thoughts and recommendations do you guys have? I haven't looked into this for awhile, my XJ stoker is a few years old now. What's the latest cam that everyone likes?

Sounds like a good plan but you'll definitely need a longer duration cam since the compression ratio's going to be about 9.7:1.
If you weren't on a budget I would have suggested Hesco's H264 cam (everything Hesco is expensive but top quality). An alternative is the CompCams 68-231-4 cam.

 

[lancey3]

Supercharge it.

 

[Goatman]

Supercharge it.

I said budget......

 

[lancey3]

I said budget......

.....Nitrous.....cheap turbo?













Viper V10?










Hasta

 

[Goatman]

Sounds like a good plan but you'll definitely need a longer duration cam since the compression ratio's going to be about 9.7:1.
If you weren't on a budget I would have suggested Hesco's H264 cam (everything Hesco is expensive but top quality). An alternative is the CompCams 68-231-4 cam.

Does that cam require anything special on the valve springs?

I remember on the XJ I used the popular Crane cam and had to get different valve springs. I used the Mopar Performance springs and they were more than twice what the cam was.

Anyone know what the stock '98 cam is like? I'm pretty sure I'd get a cam, but wondering.....

Since this is still a Renix system, even though it's an HO motor, it still has the knock sensor.

 

[Talyn]

I think Jeg or Summit has a sale on the MP springs and retainers

 

[Dr. Dyno]

Anyone know what the stock '98 cam is like?

It has too short a duration and will cause the engine to ping with a 9.7:1 CR. Even if you do have a knock sensor, the computer will need to retard the timing so much that it'll have a negative effect on performance.
The MP springs will do fine. Get them while the sale lasts.

 

[JJacobs]

My only concern would be the piston travel changes so a fresh bore would be ideal. You could always have a machine shop hone the bores a thou or two as long as it'd still be in spec for piston-wall clearance.

 

[old_man]

You're right on John. I would hate to have the rings hitting the ring land. I guess a ridge reamer and a hone could clean most of it up but a fresh bore would definately be best. As for the ping, adjusting the squish height can take care of that. I am running 10.2 with no ping. Hey, it even runs on E85 great.

 

[Goatman]

Hmmm.....that's a good point. It's the cost of new pistons more than the boring that's the issue. However, I wouldn't mind having more displacement.

More to think about. What's the latest on good pistons, if you don't mind high CR?

I want more power, but something makes me hate the idea of tearing apart a perfectly good 60k HO motor.

 

[BlueCuda]

If you still have your renix shortblock you could built it, then just swap the HO head onto it.

I think your budget idea could still work. At 190K my 4.0 didn't need to be bored, I did it anyways just because I needed new pistons as it was. So I imagine at 60K you could easily get away with just a hone and reuse your stock 4.0 pistons.

IIRC the pistons in mine are speed-pro hyperutectics I don't recall for sure its been awhile. I am using the crane cam everyone used to love but now is scared of. I have about 25K miles on it, it likes premium but does OK on 89, or 87 as long as you don't flog on it. I am using the stock valve springs that have 216K on them as well.

 

[Flash]

I Know that you are looking for the stroker on the cheep, but KB just released there stroker piston based off from the 258/4.0 stroker in a 9.1 or a 10.1 NOT CHEAP but improve the quench as well as lowering the compression ratio (9.1 of course)

Been a lot of discussion on it over at Jeepstroker.

O and by the way Standard piston are getting harder and harder to find (availability) these days.

If you go with the stock piston, hone job and 258 crank.......go with the Stock Renix cam. WIll Lower the DCR a lot as it has a late IVC(Intake Valve Close) that help waste a way the hi compression ratio. like the crane cam does...........with out the fear of cam failure, changing springs, push rod ext..........

Flash

 

[BlueCuda]

Does KB have an option to use the longer 4.0 rod? I would love to build another one that I wasn't rushed on. My engine build was a surprise lol so I didn't have time to do alot of the little things that are time consuming.

 

[Flash]

Yes, the KB stoker pistons are Forged Piston designed around the 4.0L rod(6.124)
And if you have a set of the Eagle rod rods, the Quench number is allmost perfect!!!!!!! with 0 decking of the block

And they are NOW avalible as we speak, as one of the guys on "Jeepstrokers" just received what is probably one of the vary first piston set of the line :thumbup: :thumbup:
http://www.jeepstrokers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=225
http://www.jeepstrokers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=55

You can get the piston with rings as well, if you like!

Flash.

 

[BlueCuda]

6.124 damn thats .001 longer than a stock small block mopar. I bet the journal and pin size is different though . I have a set of shot peened and polished rods from one of my 340s that need a home.

 

[gradon]

I was using 6.123" as the stock 4.0 rod length in my calculations. KB was a week too late to be apart of my stroker build. It would be nice to see if they can work with the 6.150" eagle rods, though, which would help explain their decision on the 1.353" pin height.