So I need a new engine

I'm not apposed to spending money on what you want. I'm glad you went for it! Out of curiosity, where is the additional $2k over $8k coming in at?

If you ever do decide to boost, do know that you'll need a higher volume blower than you would on the 4.0L to reach the same levels of boost. Talk to the SC manufacture and Golen before hand and they should be able to guide you to what you need.
Oh, I’m ball parking the install Vegas 4x4 is going to run 1400 and then anything else that might come up hard to know what the other shop f-up.

thanks for the boost/super charger info, doubt I’d even want that much hp to super charge or boost the old 4.0 with 200k miles was fine 90% of the time just doing the stroker will keep me out of trouble, lol.

I just called the other shop and asked what I’m into it for if I just pick it up, he sounded disappointed. Probably shitting his pants says his computer crashed he’d need to call me back, chances are they knew all along it was going this way and are trying to charge me for work not done or some BS we’ll see no argument here I’ll do it in person tomorrow when I pick it up and even pay in full under protest then just see if a small claims judge sees it my way.
 
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Oh, I’m ball parking the install Vegas 4x4 is going to run 1400 and then anything else that might come up had to know what the other shop f-up.

I just called the other shop and asked what I’m into it for if I just pick it up, he sounded disappointed. Probably shitting his pants says his computer crashed he’d need to call me back, chances are they knew all along it was going this way and are trying to charge me for work not done or some BS we’ll see no argument here I’ll do it in person tomorrow when I pick it up and even pay in full under protest then just see if a small claims judge sees it my way.

I would not pay for services not rendered. If they don't see sound reasoning, pick up the jeep and leave. In fact, take a buddy along and have him already in the Jeep if it's parked outside. Have them take you to small claims if they want to be paid.
 
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20 years ago I’d cause such a disturbance they’d be calling the cops, I bought a used 280z back in the mid 1980’s after taking it home I found the tire sidewalls getting cut in half rubbing on the springs... you should have seen the look on the dealerships owner when me and my buddy stormed into their conference room in the middle of their meeting. They totally redid the suspension accidentally scratching one of the front fenders so they completely repainted the car.

nowdays I don’t want the fight, I’ll let him know what’s coming and just follow through with it, I’m retired and have a little time to waste going to court.
 
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I’d love to have found a shop that would do the hemi turn key smog legal but the only conversion I’ve found so far is a local shop that’s doing them off road only, Jeep speed shop used to advertise the complete service I think in the end it was costing 20-25K turn key and the turn around wasn’t fast I was reading, now I don’t see them offering the turn key option only kits, plus I’d have to ship it to them from southern Nevada. I’ll call Golen today and order the complete engine with the headers and injector kit hopefully Vegas 4x4 will get it before the 15th and then they said it would take about 3 days for the install.

https://redrock4wd.com/conversions
For your Hemi swap.

Glad Vegas 4x4 worked out for you. Larry doesn't work there anymore he just retired but if you mention my name they might know who I am. Tell them Rick White from Cle Elum, WA.
 
Thanks for the red rock off road link I’ll keep this option in mind just in case the stroker isn't available For some reason.

my saga continues with the first shop, they never got back to me so I called them this morning first he says they won’t charge anything for the labor, just the parts they bought, radiator, head, fuel pump/sender, plugs and fluids it’d just be an additional 400 over the 1200 they already got. He says it runs now it’s just that the piston in one of the cylinders is coming apart they can see evidence now with a bore scope but it’s not their fault everything looked ok when they had the head off no way for them to know? 15 minutes later he calls back and tells me they can give me a refund of 238 for the fuel pump the work was never done this is after telling me two days before all was back together they just need to finish up and test drive. The won’t release the vehicle without the parts being paid for despite the fact they never should have done the work in the first place. He’ll refund all the money I paid but wants to take my rebuilt head, the new radiator plugs and I guess fluids he put in on the failed repair That’s not ok with me I’m giving Vegas as complete a Jeep to start my build as I can. So I’ll pick it up today I’ve arranged another tow truck (130.00 wasted) cut my losses for now at $972 for the parts I don’t need and am being overcharged and deal with this part of the mess in small claims court.

after the new Golen stroker goes in I guess I’ll have the old engine block with a newly machined Rebuilt cylinder Head I’ve paid about $475 for I’m not going to need and won’t work with the new stroker anyway so when this is done if someone on the forum needs a 4.0 head and can pick it up from Vegas 4x4 these parts will be of no use to me, let me know.
 
I’m giving Vegas as complete a Jeep to start my build as I can.

I would talk to the shop (Vegas4x4) you're bring it to about what they need. And what (if anything) Golen needs for a core charge. They may be fine without a head. They'll definitely be replacing the fluids anyway so as long as it's not driven without those (sounds like it doesn't start anyway?) you'll be fine.
 
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No core charge for the Golen Stroker and I bought the most complete engine package I could get so it’s a mater of making sure Vegas 4x4 gets all the injector and other Little misc parts I really don’t want to start my build bringing them a box of loose parts To save a few hundred bucks and if I can help someone else in the process that makes me happy I guess and the Jeep parts not such a waste.
 
Yea, got a phone call from Chad this morning, it almost feels like Christmas my engine is ready to ship and Chad sent me the Dyno results for my Stroker looks better than promised, 330ft#’s torque and almost 285hp.
FC46FB76-51A5-4F93-9C24-08D92EDAD9F5.png
 
I guess I’ll have the old engine block with a newly machined Rebuilt cylinder Head

I would not count on the head being usable. Whatever caused the piston to frag may have also damaged the head. Pieces of the broken piston could also have come in contact with the head and caused damage. It may be unusable.
 
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I would get the motor pull the head to confirm , you never know what happened your going by what repair shop told you
I line mechanic working next to me once did a head job dropped a bolt and didn’t realize it When he started motor we heard a clunk yep bolt was on top of piston contacted head and busted a hole in top of piston
Customer got a new motor
 
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I would not count on the head being usable. Whatever caused the piston to frag may have also damaged the head. Pieces of the broken piston could also have come in contact with the head and caused damage. It may be unusable.

It’s hard to say until it’s pulled off the block just what happened, it could be ruined? I was able finally to start the engine after a long cycle on the charger the battery came back and has held the charge for a month. The engine now fires up but I can hear one of the cylinders making a slight rattling noise at low RPM I’ve only moved it in and out of the garage without any change in the sound but I wouldn’t drive it on the road.

I would get the motor pull the head to confirm , you never know what happened your going by what repair shop told you
I line mechanic working next to me once did a head job dropped a bolt and didn’t realize it When he started motor we heard a clunk yep bolt was on top of piston contacted head and busted a hole in top of piston
Customer got a new motor

it’ll depend on if the shop doing the swap finds something the other shop did was outrageous, hmmm, what they did was outrageous... guess what I meant to say, something like not even having done the head at all? i feel like I should get a total refund, realistically the shop will wind up getting some credit for parts and well I don’t want the wasted time and stress unless it’s a slam dunk.

I wonder what specs on the motor, cam and heads.

I’m not sure the actual specs I think I’ve read something on his web site but I don’t know enough about it to say, kind of why Im careful to choose Chad to trust and feel really lucky to have gotten that great advise here on this and the repair shop in Vegas.
 
It’s hard to say until it’s pulled off the block just what happened, it could be ruined? I was able finally to start the engine after a long cycle on the charger the battery came back and has held the charge for a month. The engine now fires up but I can hear one of the cylinders making a slight rattling noise at low RPM I’ve only moved it in and out of the garage without any change in the sound but I wouldn’t drive it on the road.



it’ll depend on if the shop doing the swap finds something the other shop did was outrageous, hmmm, what they did was outrageous... guess what I meant to say, something like not even having done the head at all? i feel like I should get a total refund, realistically the shop will wind up getting some credit for parts and well I don’t want the wasted time and stress unless it’s a slam dunk.



I’m not sure the actual specs I think I’ve read something on his web site but I don’t know enough about it to say, kind of why Im careful to choose Chad to trust and feel really lucky to have gotten that great advise here on this and the repair shop in Vegas.
Seems like a stout engine. rpm ranges would be nice to see as well.
 
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Yea, got a phone call from Chad this morning, it almost feels like Christmas my engine is ready to ship and Chad sent me the Dyno results for my Stroker looks better than promised, 330ft#’s torque and almost 285hp.
View attachment 177029

Crank numbers, but impressive nonetheless.

I think you'll really like it!
 
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Crank numbers, but impressive nonetheless.

I think you'll really like it!
Yep, what matters I guess is how it is on the road/trail, the added power whatever that is in the end combined with going from 4.10 to 5.13 gears should be pretty noticeable, at least I hope so anyway. What’s typically claimed in the auto specs? Crank, wheels or axel?
 
Yep, what matters I guess is how it is on the road/trail, the added power whatever that is in the end combined with going from 4.10 to 5.13 gears should be pretty noticeable, at least I hope so anyway. What’s typically claimed in the auto specs? Crank, wheels or axel?

Manufacturers always report HP at the crank. The TJ is reported as having 190 HP stock, but when you dyno them on a conservative dyno (a Mustang dyno, also the only one I would trust), they come back around 150-155 HP at the wheels, which is accurate, as it accounts for drivetrain loss.

So with 285 HP at the crank, you should be putting down around 245 HP at the wheels, which is still REALLY damn impressive to say the least. There's no possible way you won't be grinning ear-to-ear! That's almost a 100 HP gain at the wheels over stock.
 
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Thanks, good news and in a little under 2 weeks I’ll have my Jeep and depending on the break in time for the engine and gears I’ll run a seat dyno and see what pops up on the meter, lol.
 
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I think crank dyno is the only way to really get a reliable apples to apples comparison across vendors since there's many different transmission and transfer case combos. Even then there's variation, but it's closer than at the rear wheels dyno.
 
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after a couple weeks breaking in the new gears everything (except the transmission) has turned out great so far, no unusual noise I can hear over the tires and near as I can tell no vibes up to 75 on the freeway. i can tell the stroker’s going to have more power at different times driving, but the transmission is screwed up the shop thinks the torque converter Is the problem It’s throwing a p0700 and affecting the shifting. I was having some shifting issues before so until the tranny’s replaced I won’t know how much of a difference the new engine’s going to make?

The Savvy control arms were money well spent and getting rid of the cam bolts improved handling and the ride feels noticeably softer. Not necessarily knocking the RE arms, mine were somehow bound up and they had a heck of a time getting them out, the aluminum Savvy arms look cool too.

thanks again for the tip on Vegas 4x4, great work, reasonable, quality parts and know 4x4’s inside and out, Ryan’s got a background in racing and Very sharing with info they have some impressive builds it was fun drooling over jeeps with some cool 1 tons and V8’s.
 
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