Woodrow's 97 Green TJ Moderate Build

[Woodrow]

Backing up a little,
Here’s some before and after...
engine compartment:

clutch housing:

A lot of cleaning.

 

[Woodrow]

Also before setting the motor,
A new OEM style LUK clutch kit and flywheel with national throw out bearing:

New high output Flow Kooler water pump with stock T-stat housing and new 180 deg (stock temp) thermostat using Fel-pro gaskets and a very light smear of blue RTV. Here you also see the new distributor in. It’s clocked exactly backwards (so spark comes at TDC on exhaust stroke-Duh....). No big deal to change but absolutely won’t run like that.

I also had to fab some mounting brackets for the plastic electrical rail next to the injectors. The stock motor head bolts had extended studs for this. The Golen head bolts don’t have that. My brackets attach via the valve cover bolts.

Things start moving once the new stroker is bolted in (I originally planned Brown Dog motor mounts but went with new OEM style mounts for better NVH. I did use the new thru bolts I got from Brown Dog). Once the motor was in, started working on the distributor side. New distributor, cam sensor, rotor and cap. Live Wire plug wires and Screamin ’ Demon coil. I'm using the old alternator mounted to cleaned brackets. All 5 block grounds were cleaned and connected. Heater core hoses were reattached. I also installed a new Mopar crank position sensor and a new Mopar oil pressure sensor.

This is a new starter from NAPA (I couldn’t find an OEM Mitsubishi unit).

 

[Woodrow]

Now for the manifold side:
I put heat wrap on the new stainless JBA header (part of my multi-pronged attack on cooling which includes a hi output water pump, fuel rail/injector heat shielding and exhaust heat wrap near the motor). It seems more than a few people have under hood heat issues with TJs. I figured increasing the power output 50% can only make that worse.

Heres the intake manifold when it came off:

and after a trip to the parts cleaning tank and reassembly with a new BBK 62mm throttle body (stock size is 55mm. 62 matches the stock manifold opening):

Intake mounted with test install of fuel rail, and new 24# injectors:

Here’s the stock 18# injectors vs the 24# units supplied by Golden to run the stroker:

And now the heat shielding added to the intake, fuel rail and injectors with all the intake manifold connections hooked up (Throttle, fuel, electric and vacuum).

 

[Woodrow]

Time to finish:
Airbox hooked back up, power steering re-mounted and belt on:

Next hook the exhaust back up. The system is full stainless 2.5” with a Magnaflow muffler and custom tail pipe. Stock is 2.5” to the Cat and 2.25” after that. Also more heat wrap as the header pipe runs around the oil pan on 3 sides and is fairly close.

Finally, I re-installed the grille, fan, a new fan shroud to replaced the cracked original, and radiator with new coolant. I use Peak Sierra (propylene glycol) and distilled water (50:50). Its almost as good as the more usual ethylene glycol and won’t kill my dogs if they lick some up after the Jeep leaks it on the garage floor which it has been known to do).

So.. will it start?

Yeah baby! Time to go for a test drive:

 

[Wildman]

That has to be a GREAT feeling.

 

[Woodrow]

That has to be a GREAT feeling.

I think you know it is first hand. My first motor swap and almost with out a hitch. A good day (month).

 

[Robert Sullenger]

You did a great job! I can’t wait for the reports on how it runs.

 

[Woodrow]

Thank you. It’s so cool to get kudos from people with whom you share interests. I’m looking forward to letting you all know how this big mod works out.

 

[Vasq]

Damn you made that seem easy. And now I find myself on Golen's website way too often...

 

[Woodrow]

Damn you made that seem easy. And now I find myself on Golen's website way too often...

Well, I'm not going to say easy. As advertised by Golen, the stoker is a direct bolt in. Compared to other new crate motor options (LS or R2.8 for example) this has to be both cheaper and much less difficult. As I hadn't done anything like this before, there was way more time staring and thinking than actual wrenching. But it was surprisingly smooth. And if I were to do it again, it probably would actually be quick and easy.

 

[Robert Sullenger]

Damn you made that seem easy. And now I find myself on Golen's website way too often...

Me too!

 

[Woodrow]

Another detail taken care of (almost). While I was working on the stroker swap, I pulled the seats and took them to an upholstery shop. The place is a one man show and so turn around is not quick. But he has a good rep with the local hot rod crowd and I was happy with the work. He repaired some crushed foam and built up the side bolsters a bit. Then he made new skins in black simulated leather and suede w/ tan stitching to tie into the stock interior. I like nice leather, but this material is said to be lower maintenance (especially if it occasionally gets wet) and also cheaper. He also installed seat heaters (which I still need to hook up). It was tough to wait an extra week after the motor was in for the seats, but now I’ve got them in and can start driving the TJ w/ the new motor. I did take it out a little around the house, but it’s hard driving sitting on a bucket

While the seats were out I pulled up the carpet underneath and was once again happy with how solid everything continues to look on this Jeep.

 

[Woodrow]

Yesterday morning, I noticed the heater wasn’t really getting warm and the temp gauge wouldn’t go above 150. Turns out my brand new NAPA 180 deg thermostat was stuck open. Here’s that t-stat next to a new Mopar 195deg. t-stat (which I put in last night and all seems good this morning):

Also notice the Mopar unit has a little burp valve so air can escape the head even if closed. The NAPA guy said 180 was the stock temp (wrong, Mopar says 195 and 195 is what Chad Golen recommends for the Stroker as well). The other thing is multiple people on this forum like @Jerry Bransford are always going on about sticking with Mopar parts for a lot of things. In the past, I really haven’t done that as I’ve had good luck with parts store stuff which are also cheaper and easier to get (the Mopar t-stat was $38 vs $13 at NAPA). But, with this Jeep at least, I’m starting to be a convert. A Mopar oil pressure sensor was the only one that worked right-I tried 2 others-and now this. Sigh…

 

[Woodrow]

After a month long swap, I’ve been daily driving the new Golen 4.6L stroker for the last several weeks.

I‘ve put about 500 miles on it so per Golen’s recs, this past weekend I changed the break in oil and filter. Golen recommends conventional 10W40 plus a zinc additive at 500 miles and then every 3000 miles. I think the zinc is to protect the bigger comp cam with stiffer valve springs. I understand this combined with the flat tappet lifter design (not rollers) has been known to eat cams in stroked 4.0s. Golen says with 24# injectors (instead of stock 18#) the stock tune is all it will ever need. It does require 89+ octane gas (compression ratio is 9.5:1).

So, initial impressions:
1. The basic essence of the rig remains, but it’s enhanced. It’s not the total transformation of a gas V8 or diesel swap.
2. The Jeep is so much easier to drive on the road. It darts into holes in traffic around town, whooshes onto the freeway and I can pass on 2 lane roads without drama.
2. The low end torque is much better. Less downshifting is required.
3. Beyond 3000 RPM, the increased horsepower really seems to come on. It revs much more willingly.
4. I need better brakes.
5. I love the sound of a straight 6. The magna flow exhaust is a little louder, perhaps because of the header.
6. There is also a little more mechanical noise form the engine. Nothing irregular or ominous, just more machinery. I’ve read other similar comments about stroked 4.0s. Maybe because of the bigger cam and stiffer valve springs? Also, this block is a few years older and doesn’t carry the NVH designation the ‘97 block did.
7. Fuel consumption is similar. I’m getting about 13 MPG with 33s, 4.10 gears and an AX-15. With the 4.0, it was about 14. When I had 31s and 3.07 gears it was 15.
8. On the topic of gears, many on this forum would recommend 4.56 or even 4.88 with 33s and an AX-15. When I went from 3.07 to 4.10 with the 4.0, it was a big improvement but I wondered if I should’ve gone higher (numerically). However, for road driving, 4.10 feels just right with the stroker.

On Golen’s engine dyno, this motor made over 280 HP and 320 ft/lbs. So what’s it really getting to the wheels? I will return to the chassis dyno next week and let you know…

 

[Robert Sullenger]

Thank you for the update, please keep them coming.

 

[Woodrow]

Here are a few smaller items while waiting for the dyno next week:
1. I finally got the heater blower replaced per the rec of @Jerry Bransford. It was an ordeal. Rather than repeat it here, I’ll put in the link (https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/quirks-of-the-97-model.49999/page-4#post-967353) to the “Quirks of the 97 model” thread if anyone is interested.

2. Got my seat heaters wired up. Possibly the best upgrade yet

3. Replaced Bosh O2 sensors with Mopar OEM. That solved inconsistent high idle with the stroker. Interestingly, they seemed fine with stock 4.0 and both used the same PCM and tune Many others on this site have detailed the specifics of OEM or OEM manufacturer O2 sensors being a TJ requirement. I put the Bosch sensors in when I replaced the exhaust before I had learned this.

4. I had to remove the header pipe to have the bung tapped prior to the new upstream sensor going in. I didn’t want force it and wreck the super spendy OEM part! So I took advantage of the opportunity and asked the shop to weld in a stainless flex coupler to protect the header from cracking.

The previous manifold on the 4.0 had bellows between 1&2 and 5&6:

The new JBA stainless header does not:

View attachment 278980
5. Finally, since the T-case skid was off, I took the chance to replaced the transmission mount

and spray a little rustoleum on the frame rails in that area until I can do a better clean up.

View attachment 278974

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Late to the party, but in for the ride. Great build so far, Woodrow. Great work on the stroker swap, and the seats are beautiful (and apparently warm!).

My wife is from Gresham, and we have lots of family in the area.

Looking forward to the rest of the build.

 

[Woodrow]

Late to the party, but in for the ride. Great build so far, Woodrow. Great work on the stroker swap, and the seats are beautiful (and apparently warm!).

My wife is from Gresham, and we have lots of family in the area.

Looking forward to the rest of the build.

Thx. Nice compliment from an accomplished builder like yourself. Your rig is next level for sure. Definitely more to come on my TJ.

 

[firefly]

Beautiful job, have a 98 TJ (Sierra) same color, could use some TLC.

 

[Woodrow]

Beautiful job, have a 98 TJ (Sierra) same color, could use some TLC.

Yep. Nice Jeep. Reminds me of mine when I got it. Lots of potential for fun.