4.6 Golen Engine Swap Preparation

YonderNorthwest

YonderNorthwest

TJ Enthusiast
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Portland Oregon
Been chasing issues round and round on the jeep the last couple of months. I've had enough. Made calls today to Golen and my local mechanic. 4.6 stroker will be delivered to the shop at the end of April and the install will follow that shortly. My goal here is to refresh the jeep as much as possible and ready for another 16 years of ownership.

I'm reaching out to you fine people to get a list put together of other maintenance items to have taken care of when the jeep is in for surgery.

Golen ships a long block with a new oil filter, spark plugs, gaskets and a 24lb fuel injector kit.

I have a new Mopar water pump, thermostat, thermostat housing and fan clutch new in box ready to be installed.

The exhaust was replaced in the last 2 months from the manifold back to the tail pipe.

Jeep is on 31s with 3.73 gears. May move to 33s in the not too distant future. Carriers for my LSD front and rear only good up to 4.11. Thinking of regearing to 4.11 with the new motor. I've read mixed reviews on whether gears can be run taller when moving to a stroker.

The other items I think would make sense to replace are:

Steering pump (other steering components as well?)
Fuel pump - recently starts have been slow. It has nearly died after crank on 2 occasions. Intermittent engine hesitation/stuttering under load.
Engine mounts - recently installed T-case drop to eliminate vibes. Would a MML with the fan shroud trimming business allow me to remove the T-case drop?
Heater core - heater is underperforming. I bet a flush would remedy this. Not sure replacement is any easier with the motor out...
Vacuum lines - I honestly don't know anything about how this system works. Would appreciate any education you can offer here.
Transmission front seal - found this on a quick google search.
Sensors - O2 sensors (<6 months) and cam sensor (<4 years) are what have been replaced. What else should I be considering for sensors?
Starter motor - starter motor is 235k miles old.
Master and slave cylinder - also 235k miles old.
Clutch - clutch assembly was partially rebuilt in the last 5 years (don't recall what exactly they replaced). Is this a replace with new or selectively refurbish item?

Appreciate any and all feedback y'all can give me.
 
I'd remove all tape and loom from the engine harness and check every inch of wiring.

Good time for new battery and ground cables.

New motor mounts? Anchor seems ok. Might want to do the transmission mount at the same time.

Upper and lower radiator hoses?

Send your PCM to @Wranglerfix wranglerfix.com for testing.

Need any help I'm two hours south. Love to see a new stroker getting installed.

-Mac
 
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macleanflood said:
I'd remove all tape and loom from the engine harness and check every inch of wiring.

Good time for new battery and ground cables.

New motor mounts? Anchor seems ok. Might want to do the transmission mount at the same time.

Upper and lower radiator hoses?

Send your PCM to @Wranglerfix wranglerfix.com for testing.

Need any help I'm two hours south. Love to see a new stroker getting installed.

-Mac
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback, Mac. I'll add these to the list of items to discuss with the shop.
 
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My first engine swap was my Golen stroker a couple of years ago. It’s somewhat documented in my build thread, if you are interested.

Some thoughts. I too wondered what I should do “while I’m at it”. One conclusion I came to was avoid replacing things that aren’t an issue. Especially when it comes to sensors and the like where aftermarket parts are notoriously inconsistent, and Mopar parts are difficult or impossible to find.

Also things external to the engine compartment are separate (like the heater core).

Some things absolutely make sense however. Water pump and T-stat. Belts and hoses, of course. Definitely do a MML (I recommend stock style mounts with lift blocks) now. Crazy not to do the clutch. Fuel pump is a possibility though if its going. Check your pressure (running and leak down) before you pull the old motor.

Hope that helps. Good luck!
 
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There are 3 guys on this site that i know of with a stroker(me included) who have 4.10 and 33s. It is perfect for highway driving,though somewhat lacking in technical offroading. I regularly pull 11% grades easily with mine though its at about 1500ft elevation.The numbers don't seem impressive by themselves but it is like a 1/3 power boost down low. They may not be a v8 but are impressive compared to a 4.0l.

As far as your carriers being wrong you might research that more. Tj differentials have a different carrier break depending on what you have(Dana 30,Dana 35,Dana 44). Dana 44's you can use "thick" gears meant for rubicon axles and go up to 5.38 on the 3.73 and lower carriers

Definitely check out woodrows build thread.he has dyno runs with his golen.cool stuff!
 
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Woodrow said:
My first engine swap was my Golen stroker a couple of years ago. It’s somewhat documented in my build thread, if you are interested.

Some thoughts. I too wondered what I should do “while I’m at it”. One conclusion I came to was avoid replacing things that aren’t an issue. Especially when it comes to sensors and the like where aftermarket parts are notoriously inconsistent, and Mopar parts are difficult or impossible to find.

Also things external to the engine compartment are separate (like the heater core).

Some things absolutely make sense however. Water pump and T-stat. Belts and hoses, of course. Definitely do a MML (I recommend stock style mounts with lift blocks) now. Crazy not to do the clutch. Fuel pump is a possibility though if its going. Check your pressure (running and leak down) before you pull the old motor.

Hope that helps. Good luck!
Click to expand...

I understand what you are saying about not replacing functioning components that can only be replaced with inferior products. I think part of my methodology is that if I'm taking the time (or paying for it) to remove components and then reinstall them on a new motor, it makes sense to put back new stuff instead of the old.

Other than discontinued Mopar sensors, are there other items on my list you would put in that same category of "don't fix it if it ain't broke"?
 
Even with the 4.6, you will still want the proper gears for 33’s. With the 5 speed 4.88’s are recommended. I’m no expert but something doesn’t sound right about your carrier breaks. A Dana 30 is 3.73 and up. A 35 is 3.54 and up . So that means you can install 4.88’s. A Dana 44 is 3.92 and up but that can be fixed with thick cut gears I believe.
 
YonderNorthwest said:
I understand what you are saying about not replacing functioning components that can only be replaced with inferior products. I think part of my methodology is that if I'm taking the time (or paying for it) to remove components and then reinstall them on a new motor, it makes sense to put back new stuff instead of the old.

Other than discontinued Mopar sensors, are there other items on my list you would put in that same category of "don't fix it if it ain't broke"?
Click to expand...

If you have a mopar radiator leave it be
 
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GPK03X said:
Even with the 4.6, you will still want the proper gears for 33’s. With the 5 speed 4.88’s are recommended. I’m no expert but something doesn’t sound right about your carrier breaks. A Dana 30 is 3.73 and up. A 35 is 3.54 and up . So that means you can install 4.88’s. A Dana 44 is 3.92 and up but that can be fixed with thick cut gears I believe.
Click to expand...

I'm going off of information I received/read more than a year ago.

For reference, I have a Dana 30 front, Dana 44 rear with Truetrac LSD front and rear. Should be factory splines for both. Are you saying I misunderstood or was mislead that I can't go deeper than 4.11 with my setup?
 
GPK03X said:
Even with the 4.6, you will still want the proper gears for 33’s. With the 5 speed 4.88’s are recommended. I’m no expert but something doesn’t sound right about your carrier breaks. A Dana 30 is 3.73 and up. A 35 is 3.54 and up . So that means you can install 4.88’s. A Dana 44 is 3.92 and up but that can be fixed with thick cut gears I believe.
Click to expand...

Depends on how he'll use it. The strokers have no need to sit at 3000 rpm going down the road
 
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YonderNorthwest said:
I'm going off of information I received/read more than a year ago.

For reference, I have a Dana 30 front, Dana 44 rear with Truetrac LSD front and rear. Should be factory splines for both. Are you saying I misunderstood or was mislead that I can't go deeper than 4.11 with my setup?
Click to expand...

You can go to 5.38 in the rear with gears made for rubicon tj's. The front you'll need to change the carrier
 
Rickyd said:
Depends on how he'll use it. The strokers have no need to sit at 3000 rpm going down the road
Click to expand...

It's a daily. But when I do go offroad/camping about 10-15 weekends a year, I'm pulling a 1,000 lb Dinoot trailer. Often traveling long stretches of highway over the mountains to hit dirt/camp. Most of my offroad time is pretty mild. Occassional rock gardens but rarely lifting tires.
 
Rickyd said:
You can go to 5.38 in the rear with gears made for rubicon tj's. The front you'll need to change the carrier.
Click to expand...
This carrier replacement requirement is making me think going to 4.11 might be a better option. Especially with the added torque of the 4.6. But I also don't want to half ass this when I'm likely about to drop $15k on all the rest...
 
I’m one of the guys on here with 4.11 gears with 33s, a stroker and 5 speed (or I was for 2 years, now on 35s). Like @Rickyd said, its a good set up for street driving if a little undergeared on techy trails with an NP231. 4.56 would also be fine with 33s but I wouldn’t do 4.88-although I will likely go there with my 35s. There are some downsides to deeper gears on the street like more potential driveline vibes due to higher driveshaft speeds.

The only other big opportunity I wouldn’t miss when doing the engine swap is the chance for deep cleaning the engine compartment. I also took things like the intake manifold, bell housing, accessory brackets and engine to motor mount brackets to a shop with a parts cleaner to get them really scrubbed before bolting them onto that shiny new block. Other stuff like your alternator and ps pump (ac compressor if you have) are easy enough to replace when necessary. I recommend cleaning and reinstalling unless they have known issues.
 
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Regarding carrier breaks, here is a chart from west coast differential.
IMG_2423.jpeg

So if you are now at 3.73, you should be good to go up unless you have rear Dana 44.
 
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Woodrow said:
I’m one of the guys on here with 4.11 gears with 33s, a stroker and 5 speed (or I was for 2 years, now on 35s). Like @Rickyd said, its a good set up for street driving if a little undergeared on techy trails with an NP231. 4.56 would also be fine with 33s but I wouldn’t do 4.88-although I will likely go there with my 35s. There are some downsides to deeper gears on the street like more potential driveline vibes due to higher driveshaft speeds.

The only other big opportunity I wouldn’t miss when doing the engine swap is the chance for deep cleaning the engine compartment. I also took things like the intake manifold, bell housing, accessory brackets and engine to motor mount brackets to a shop with a parts cleaner to get them really scrubbed before bolting them onto that shiny new block. Other stuff like your alternator and ps pump (ac compressor if you have) are easy enough to replace when necessary. I recommend cleaning and reinstalling unless they have known issues.
Click to expand...

I'll talk to the shop about the cleaning. No AC. Alternator is a fairly new Bosch replacement. Thinking I'll definitely do PS pump.
 
YonderNorthwest said:
See above. I've got 30 front and 44 rear. That means 4.11 is the lowest I can go?
Click to expand...

The trutrac includes a carrier so you carriers aren’t stock. The carrier breaks are the same though. It would appear you’re stuck at 3.73 without a carrier change. Your 30 can go as high they go but the 44 is maxed out. Oh well, might as well add a rear e-locker to your list🙄
 
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