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disappointing dauntless

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by 67cj5, Nov 15, 2004.

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  1. Nov 15, 2004
    67cj5

    67cj5 Member

    Oregon
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    Oct 15, 2004
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    347
    I finally got my 67 cj5 together the other day and we took it out to the beach to drive it around in 4 wheel drive. I dont see what all the hype is about when it comes to the little 225. I have 31 inch tires and 373 gears and I found it to be completely inadequate,and overall powerless. I have an aluminum intake and headers, dual exhaust and a holley 450 carb. I didnt expect chevy v8 performance, but c'mon this is the little engine that barely can. I did manage to eat a synchronizer for 2nd gear from my t86 trans. I replaced it, only because I need the trans now, but I really an thinking 350 chevy and t 18. I am really disappointed in this little engine after all the great stuff I have read about them. :cry:
     
  2. Nov 15, 2004
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
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    Sep 21, 2002
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    12,367
    Gotta be something wrong with yours, although I don't have one I drove them in the late '60s and they would scoot.
     
  3. Nov 15, 2004
    mruta

    mruta I drank with Billy!

    Downers Grove, IL
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
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    422
    I'm not a betting guy but I'll almost bet the house that you have some serious tuning issues with the engine and possibly problems elsewhere.

    From the description of your engine, I think you are overcarbureted. What kind of intake are you running- single or dual plane???

    There are a million more questions that need to be asked but we'll need some more information before we can go any further. One of the regulars, Nickmil, has some 225 powered Jeeps that are capable of eating 350 Chevies all day long. Just so you know, I have a Chevy engine thats going into my Jeep but I can say the 225s are great engines.

    Let us know more specifics about your combination including camshaft and ignition specs, etc. and we can probably tell you what you need to get what you're looking for.

    mruta
     
  4. Nov 15, 2004
    Trailbst

    Trailbst New Member

    Earth
    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2003
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    I'd have to say something is wrong also. I got my 71 when I was 19. With the V-6, 3 spd and OD, 31s, and 3.73s, I was beating all the V-8s stoplight to stoplight. Made a lot of them mad.

    Give the board some more info, see if someone can help you.


    Erik
     
  5. Nov 15, 2004
    jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    Hermosa, SD
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    Jul 30, 2003
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    yup, something not right
    using low range?
    wide wheels?
    low air pressures?
    more info please
     
  6. Nov 15, 2004
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
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    Sep 22, 2002
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    Yea ,you definitely have some problems, my 225 with 3.73 gears and 31" tires would smoke all 4 tires in first gear with over 140,000 miles on it, and that was stock with nothing more than headers, it should easily eat a stock 304 powered Jeep.
     
  7. Nov 15, 2004
    sparky

    sparky Sandgroper Staff Member Founder

    Perth, WA
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    Sep 20, 2002
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    Overcarbed...
    Not tuned right?
     
  8. Nov 15, 2004
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
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    5,349
    If your intake is designed for a 231 , most won't fit properly (port mismatch) and will hender performance, the carb is to big unless you are running a decent cam (read large), your timing is probably set wrong or in need of some replacement parts and tuning, your carb will usually need rejetting even when running a stock 2 bbl with headers. Find someone on this board who lives close enough to help you or find someone else who can help you tune this thing up. (seriously, no malice intended)!
     
  9. Nov 15, 2004
    sparky

    sparky Sandgroper Staff Member Founder

    Perth, WA
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    Read the 4bbl V6 Articles in the Tech Section too.
     
  10. Nov 16, 2004
    Southtowns27

    Southtowns27 Custom Title

    The Backhills of...
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    Feb 4, 2003
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    Is it possible you have either the wrong distributor or have it indexed wrong so it's only running on the left cylinder bank?
     
  11. Nov 16, 2004
    Posimoto

    Posimoto Hopeless JEEP Addict

    Minden, Nevada
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    I'd have to agree with most of the above (except maybe being able to eat a 350 or a 304) But I can chirp the tires in 2nd (actually 3rd) with 33's. Holley 450cfm seems like way too much carburetor. I'm using a Holley 350cfm
     
  12. Nov 16, 2004
    67cj5

    67cj5 Member

    Oregon
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    I am an ASE mechanic. I was a diesel mech from vo tech, and now I work on jet turbine engines for the U.S. Coast Guard. I have spent alot of time making all the proper adjustments and tuning everything. I use a vacuum gauge on the carb and have a complete holley jet kit and really spent alot of time getting it just right. Maybe after reading all the info on the net , my expectations were to high.. The intake is a dual plane from Offenhauser and the headers are headman. The little motor runs smooth, just seems to be lacking in power. I have another set of axles with 538 gears in them. I will try them out and see what I think of super low gears. It just seems a little weak after reading all the info I have read about them.
     
  13. Nov 16, 2004
    67cj5

    67cj5 Member

    Oregon
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    i also wanted to say that i have read quite alot about this motor, dont get me wrong, I am not knocking it in any way. I have read all the posts, I started with the origional 2 barrell carb,it ran o.k. but not what i wanted, then I used a 225 oddfire intake from OFFY and tried a 390 cfm, but couldnt get quite enough out of it. It ran fine, but under load it could use more air. I put the 450 on it and ran it around for another month on pavement and it will chirp the tires, I just expected more under heavy load like sand. I am going to try other gears and some other mods, just cause I have them, but I really feel as though a stroked small block chevy is the only way to get the results I want.
     
  14. Nov 16, 2004
    Southtowns27

    Southtowns27 Custom Title

    The Backhills of...
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    Hrmmmmm.... Maybe it isn't enough for you... I don't know, it's hard to say from this end of the computer. Be careful with a stroker, you can twist the frame with it. I have a nicely built 283 in mine and it picks the front end up without much effort. (hence my avatar :) )I can't imagine what 100 more cubes and 3/4" of stroke would feel like!
    I'd still double check that the distributor is indexed correctly. If it's off, the left bank still runs fine, the right bank is just very weak. If the exhaust on the right side is cool, that's the problem. I had the same problem you did, ran good but had no power. It took me months to figure out why....... Good luck
     
  15. Nov 16, 2004
    michigan_pinstripes

    michigan_pinstripes I'm not lost, I'm wandering

    Clarkston MI...
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    I can almost guarantee that the 231 intake is a slight mismatch for the 225 heads causing turbulence.

    The 225 Offy and 390 sounds like a good choice.

    What type of aircleaner are you running? (height & Diameter) You have plenty of exhaust but may not have enough supply. I run a dinky 4" filter on my L-134 and when I switched to the K&N, my idle came way up. After I retuned the carb, I picked up 5-7 MPH on the open road.
     
  16. Nov 16, 2004
    dauntless_powered

    dauntless_powered SUB Chief

    Groton, CT
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    Nov 3, 2003
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    1,000,071
    not sure what to say as most of it has already been said, it sounds like you have the knowledge without a doubt (read: way more than me), but beofree you give this thing up, i would maybe invest in a hei dist, k&n filter (the bigger the better), an check what th eothers suggested. i am very surprised with mine, and i have throw you in your seat power on the low end after the latest hei install. i also run a 12" k&n with a 2" carb spacer and a holly 390 carb. hopefully you get her figured out. if you do decide to swap it and want to sell it, post here i gaurentee somone here iwll take it off ur hands
     
  17. Nov 16, 2004
    John A. Shows

    John A. Shows Comic Relief

    Mendenhall...
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    Sep 24, 2002
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    I think I know what you're talking about Chris. The many many descriptions of the Dauntless and the word "Power" would make you think the things just going to generate tons of G-Forces (if that's a word).

    Maybe mines not tuned up either but I certainly wouldn't call it a "power house" by any means. Definitely strong enough to pull the jeep whereever it needs to go, but nothing that's gonna set you back in the seat and keep you there for very long.

    I think you may only be satisfied with the 350 or something equivalent. But even though I don't consider mine a power house, it's strong enough for me. Especially since I never even try to see how much power it's got. I basically just cruise around in mine really slow and shifting gears really smooth, and loving the really really quiet mufflers.
     
  18. Nov 16, 2004
    firegod33

    firegod33 Member

    Grand Junction, CO
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    Jul 7, 2003
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    My first thought was to blame the 3.73 gears. My '67 with 4.88's and 33's will smoke my 4.0l XJ on acceleration and pulling power, over the CO passes.
     
  19. Nov 16, 2004
    jd7

    jd7 Sponsor

    Nacogdoches,Texas
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    Mar 30, 2004
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    67cj, sounds like you've done all the right stuff to your jeep and don't like it. Kinda sounds like you're not going to be happy until you swap a v8. I've always found that the buick v6 (dauntless and 231) adequate in all but 70 mph hiway passes. I had the chance a few years ago to buy a cj from afriend w/chev transplant he let me drive it for an extended period of time, loved the straght line acceleration but got noticing I had trouble on the dirt roads(muddy) on the way to the hunting lease. In high gear would find myself swaping ends on curves with just small amounts of throttle that got old real quick. Long story short I didn't buy it. Maybe it's not the most powerful but it does most things pretty well.
     
  20. Nov 16, 2004
    Hippo393

    Hippo393 Jeepless

    Charlotte, NC
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    Sep 22, 2002
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    1,130
    I've always noticed good power. 0 to 60 in about ~12 secs, IIRC.

    Really? My li'l bugger can blow by people on the highway. Might be because of 3.73 + 33s + OD. :D
     
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