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TJ Engine Replacement Project

wct097

Director of the JUOT Center for Excellence
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Pretty much what you said. They are helpers to hold the gasket to help getting a good seal on the pan. Might as well do the rear main while you're in there. :rotflmao:
Ordered rear main, valve cover, oil pan, timing cover, and t-stat gasket. Also putting in a new t-stat, fresh plugs, new water pump, and giving it a good cleaning while I'm at it.

Might do an oil pump as well, but that's border-line on going overboard on an engine that I don't intend to run more than 20-30k before replacing it. I'll probably hold on to it afterwards since we have another 250k+ 97 4.0 in the family.
 

wct097

Director of the JUOT Center for Excellence
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How naive . . .EVERY hobby is limited to age and income.
When I was younger, I didn't have the means to tackle such a project. These days I have the means, the garage, the tools, and a shop I can leverage as well.
 

wct097

Director of the JUOT Center for Excellence
Staff member
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Wtf? Change the fluids and rear seal and be done with it
We didn't have a single bolt or nut that was seized up, mostly because the damn thing is covered in it's own oil. It was like the entire engine had soaked in PB Blaster for a month. I'd prefer it not piss oil all over the place and smell like a West Virginia Chevrolet.
 

Count DaMoney

Piss boy
When I was younger, I didn't have the means to tackle such a project. These days I have the means, the garage, the tools, and a shop I can leverage as well.
Yea, and when you are 42 and have more funds and less time, you will realize that this "hobby" was limited to your age and if you want to keep the POS running, you'll stroke a check to keep it running.
 

Noise

S7Fuz = SerI0US8UIsNEEZ
32 next Tuesday. I was unaware that enjoying swinging wrenches as a hobby was limited to age & income, but that would appear to be the case based off of the commentary here.
Age, yeah that matters if your being young and stupid. Income, sure as fawk that matters when you start doing motor swaps even if its a direct swap.

Don't get me wrong, I admire your desire to keep your jeep running. Reading the other thread though I thought it was a DD.

I've done everything from smallblock swaps into yj's to rewiring brainboxes into demoderby cars. Differance is none of those were vehicles I needed to depend on.

I wish ya luck if its your dd but projects like this are no different than DIY home projects. Might as well figure twice the cost and time..... .02
 

wct097

Director of the JUOT Center for Excellence
Staff member
Super Moderator
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Yea, and when you are 42 and have more funds and less time, you will realize that this "hobby" was limited to your age and if you want to keep the POS running, you'll stroke a check to keep it running.
That's where the "as long as I'm able" comes in.

Don't get me wrong, I admire your desire to keep your jeep running. Reading the other thread though I thought it was a DD.

I wish ya luck if its your dd but projects like this are no different than DIY home projects. Might as well figure twice the cost and time..... .02
It is my current DD. Was hoping it would last until Spring, but it didn't. I'm in the market for a new vehicle, but haven't found one that I want yet. When I find it, the TJ will no longer be the DD.
 

wct097

Director of the JUOT Center for Excellence
Staff member
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Buying a reman or crate engine misses the entire point of wanting to do a rebuild...

But you were "unaware" that age would get in the way just a few posts ago.:banghead:
Pretty sure I covered that in an earlier post with the part about "being able to", which was inferring "physically able". My old man, for example, can't do that stuff himself anymore.

I like the TJ and intend to keep it running as long as I'm able to wrench on it.
 
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Noise

S7Fuz = SerI0US8UIsNEEZ
That's where the "as long as I'm able" comes in.



It is my current DD. Was hoping it would last until Spring, but it didn't. I'm in the market for a new vehicle, but haven't found one that I want yet. When I find it, the TJ will no longer be the DD.
Your old enough to not be stupid about it.(I'd hope)

Your buisness

I however think you would be $ ahead to put the TJ project on the back burner and spend the coin and time to FIND the DD you want. Even if you have to take time off to go get it IMO you may be money ahead.

The TJ isn't gonna go anywhere which is is exactly what a "project" is supposed to be.

More or less a DD can't be a "project"

:beerchug:
 

wct097

Director of the JUOT Center for Excellence
Staff member
Super Moderator
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I'm into the project $400 & 2 hours, after purchasing the ZJ, pulling the engine, and buying all of the gaskets. I figure I can recoup most of that parting out the ZJ. I don't see the TJ engine replacement as having any bearing on the M3 purchase. I have the week after Christmas off, so I'm hoping I can come across one then, as I could probably fly just about anywhere to pick one up.
 

Noise

S7Fuz = SerI0US8UIsNEEZ
I don't see the TJ engine replacement as having any bearing on the M3 purchase. I have the week after Christmas off, so I'm hoping I can come across one then, as I could probably fly just about anywhere to pick one up.
Make that your priority and the TJ a project and your golden. Best of luck either way.
 

wct097

Director of the JUOT Center for Excellence
Staff member
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Make that your priority and the TJ a project and your golden. Best of luck either way.
I'm a bit OCD about something like a car purchase. Gotta find the exact one I want, and I'm willing to hold out for it.

It sucks being down a DD, but the :wifey: works the same hours and goes right by my office every day. We probably should car pool anyway. My commute is only 8 miles each way. I've done it on my MTB just to see if it was do-able. I wouldn't want to have only one vehicle for an extended period of time, but it's not the end of the world either.

If the :wifey:'s car was down for the count, we'd be at the dealership picking out a new vehicle tomorrow.
 

Jays89YJ

Udaho
VIP
Please tell me you're checking the compression.

The 4.0L project sounds fun. I'd like to do something similar with a 6.9L motor in my POS red truck. Maybe find one that burns just a little less oil. :D
 

wct097

Director of the JUOT Center for Excellence
Staff member
Super Moderator
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Please tell me you're checking the compression.

The 4.0L project sounds fun. I'd like to do something similar with a 6.9L motor in my POS red truck. Maybe find one that burns just a little less oil. :D
Checking the compression on which engine? The knocking one that I want to rebuild, or the ZJ engine that's already pulled? Neither really. The ZJ's engine was running and sounded good. Not really worried about longevity with it.
 

Jays89YJ

Udaho
VIP
Checking the compression on which engine? The knocking one that I want to rebuild, or the ZJ engine that's already pulled? Neither really. The ZJ's engine was running and sounded good. Not really worried about longevity with it.
I thought you were going to toss a set of seals in the ZJ engine and run it until it dies. It's just an interim until you do a long block overhaul on the puked TJ engine. Any upgrades, or going back to stock?
 

wct097

Director of the JUOT Center for Excellence
Staff member
Super Moderator
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I thought you were going to toss a set of seals in the ZJ engine and run it until it dies. It's just an interim until you do a long block overhaul on the puked TJ engine. Any upgrades, or going back to stock?
That's the plan. Going to clean it up, re-seal it, replace the water pump (because it's cheap and annoying), and replace the spark plugs.

With the TJ's original engine, I haven't decided for sure. I'd really like to do a budget stroker for it, but I'm not going to make a decision on that until I get it disassembled and determine if it can be rebuilt.

If I do a budget stroker, it'll probably take longer for me to source the 4.2 crank and put the kit together. I also need to talk to some machine shops about the machine work. I'm thinking it'll need to be bored & honed, aligned, and checked for cracks.
 
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