Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ radiator

Who on here is the go-to for discussing a stroker build?

OK getting back on topic, What's a good tool to measure piston deck height?

Then, what's a good online calculator to input values and spit out the CR? I want to confirm what my current CR is before making any rash decisions.

thanks..

Jeep strokers has a compression calculator. There are different methods for measuring deck height if you Google them.

Did the engine builder record that info?
 
I got my stroker kit from Russ. It's been sitting on the shelf in the garage for the past year. No time to do it.

Newcomer racing does a hydraulic roller cam kit. I had it priced out at $2500.00 for the kit. That is complete with all the necessary components.

Damn,I was hoping 1000$ was cam and lifters. What was your 2500$ parts list?
 
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For just the billet cam and hydraulic roller lifters about $1550, but you also need a mellonized gear for the cam sensor/distributor, new pushrods, cam bearings that aren't made of jello and a few other things and quickly it's over 2k.

Did newcomer help you with the parts list?
 
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For just the billet cam and hydraulic roller lifters about $1550, but you also need a mellonized gear for the cam sensor/distributor, new pushrods, cam bearings that aren't made of jello and a few other things and quickly it's over 2k.

OK you're not getting what I was adding $$$ for parts... You're already replacing your cam (I'd Hope) and hardened push rods and mellonized gear and quality cam bears... Or at least I would have if doing all this other work to build a stroker... Again I'm not well versed on what is needed when building a stroker 4.0 so I'd of guessed most of these other parts would have been addressed at least partly.

So my dollar amount was for the roller rockers...
 
@Rickyd
Yes I had a good discussion with him about my goals. In the end, he suggested the HO cam profile with 1.7 roller rockers will do a good job balancing crawling/idle and highway performance with a stroker built around either crankshaft option. You can definitely go alot bigger if you want more top end power at the expense of the low end torque and idle smoothness. The old H.O. cam profile has a little more lift than the later TJ cams.


OK you're not getting what I was adding $$$ for parts... You're already replacing your cam (I'd Hope) and hardened push rods and mellonized gear and quality cam bears... Or at least I would have if doing all this other work to build a stroker... Again I'm not well versed on what is needed when building a stroker 4.0 so I'd of guessed most of these other parts would have been addressed at least partly.

So my dollar amount was for the roller rockers...

I'm following . You don't necessarily need to change the cam for a stroker build. IF your factory cam is in good condition, there are some good reasons to stick with it depending on what the goals are and you'll still get a massive bump in performance from the bottom end. Most people built from VERY worn or slightly damaged motors, so this isn't usually an option.

Roller Cam/Roller Lifter only - That's about $1,150 more than going with say a new Comp Cams 163-301-5 and the best available flat tappet lifters right now. You don't normally need a melonized gear on the standard cast cams but should do the higher end ACL cam bearings either way. Reaons to go with say an adjustable timing set are the same either way. The pushrod set for a roller lifter might be a bit cheaper as they'll be shorter.

Roller rockers - at least quality US made ones are around $550 for the 4.0 these days. If you like needle bearings shredding your engine internals, good luck with the Chinese knock offs. For whatever reason, they seem to be much more expensive than the V-8 sets despite 4 fewer rockers, even from the same manufacturers.
 
Damn,I was hoping 1000$ was cam and lifters. What was your 2500$ parts list?

camshaft $915.00
Hydraulic roller lifters $650.00
Distributor gear $135.00
Timing chain $175.00
Push rods $161.00
Valve spring kit $309.00
Adjustable rocker arms $670.00

Then add another $900.00 for the valve cover spacer, billet thermostat housing and perimeter retainers.

As much as I would love to have a hydraulic roller cam, It's a little too pricey for a DD. I am just going to use the cam and lifters that Russ sent with my stroker kit.
 
@Rickyd
Yes I had a good discussion with him about my goals. In the end, he suggested the HO cam profile with 1.7 roller rockers will do a good job balancing crawling/idle and highway performance with a stroker built around either crankshaft option. You can definitely go alot bigger if you want more top end power at the expense of the low end torque and idle smoothness. The old H.O. cam profile has a little more lift than the later TJ cams.




I'm following . You don't necessarily need to change the cam for a stroker build. IF your factory cam is in good condition, there are some good reasons to stick with it depending on what the goals are and you'll still get a massive bump in performance from the bottom end. Most people built from VERY worn or slightly damaged motors, so this isn't usually an option.

Roller Cam/Roller Lifter only - That's about $1,150 more than going with say a new Comp Cams 163-301-5 and the best available flat tappet lifters right now. You don't normally need a melonized gear on the standard cast cams but should do the higher end ACL cam bearings either way. Reaons to go with say an adjustable timing set are the same either way. The pushrod set for a roller lifter might be a bit cheaper as they'll be shorter.

Roller rockers - at least quality US made ones are around $550 for the 4.0 these days. If you like needle bearings shredding your engine internals, good luck with the Chinese knock offs. For whatever reason, they seem to be much more expensive than the V-8 sets despite 4 fewer rockers, even from the same manufacturers.

Yes it does seem like going with anything other than a stock top end on the 4.0 costs more. And a LOT more than with a V-8. Not that quality roller rockers and hardened push rods plus roller lifters are cheap on a V-8. But then I am also old enough to remember when a roller cam was an expensive upgrade in a V-8.
And no I'd never suggest the idea of running any knock off valvetrain parts in any engine. There are some parts I might but not internal stuff that could wipe out a complete engine.
I don't even want to think about how much I have sitting in storage right now in stroker parts.
 
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camshaft $915.00
Hydraulic roller lifters $650.00
Distributor gear $135.00
Timing chain $175.00
Push rods $161.00
Valve spring kit $309.00
Adjustable rocker arms $670.00

Then add another $900.00 for the valve cover spacer, billet thermostat housing and perimeter retainers.

As much as I would love to have a hydraulic roller cam, It's a little too pricey for a DD. I am just going to use the cam and lifters that Russ sent with my stroker kit.

You can get all the billet spacer parts at Clegg engines for way cheaper.
 
Anyone identified any V-8 rockers that would work?

-Mac

There probably are some, but the 4.0's pedestal mount isn't that common. If you can go with the non-adjustable 1.7 roller rockers from HS you don't need the valve cover spacer and thus don't need the thermostat housing. It's a fairly cost effective route to 10-ish hp on the 4.0L. I've stuck my boroscope in there and there is maybe 4-5mm or so of clearance on the pushrod side.

The adjustable roller rockers require some clearance. The steel valve cover has a baffle inside it that helps control the oil flowing through the CCV, It's better to keep it, but some resolve this by going to the older aluminum style valve cover or cutting out the baffles.

Hesco also has a solution for the thermostat housing/TJ belt routing that is cheaper.
 
camshaft $915.00
Hydraulic roller lifters $650.00
Distributor gear $135.00
Timing chain $175.00
Push rods $161.00
Valve spring kit $309.00
Adjustable rocker arms $670.00

Then add another $900.00 for the valve cover spacer, billet thermostat housing and perimeter retainers.

As much as I would love to have a hydraulic roller cam, It's a little too pricey for a DD. I am just going to use the cam and lifters that Russ sent with my stroker kit.
Correct me if I’m wrong but if you are doing a fresh build you are going to have to buy springs, rods and rocker arms regardless. I see no reason to have to buy his parts exclusively. Unless you are going with an aggressive cam you can still use a stock spring and a different set of rocker arms if you choose. No?

Russ quoted me at $135 for chain & gears and $125 for Manley push rods. You are spending the money regardless.
 
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So, I've been in communication with Russ after I relayed piston deck height and he confirmed the compression ratio is too low for a naturally aspirated stroker. He also mentioned that with an aluminum head, one should try to shoot for .5 to 1 point higher.

Piston Skirt Measurement.jpg
 
So, I've been in communication with Russ after I relayed piston deck height and he confirmed the compression ratio is too low for a naturally aspirated stroker. He also mentioned that with an aluminum head, one should try to shoot for .5 to 1 point higher.

View attachment 634810

0.020 in the hole is a little low , but what in the world is the negative sump piston displacement ? !!!
 
Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ radiator