jeep 360

I found a good running 360 that a guy is pulling out of 79 cj bolted up to a t-150 3 speed. Im thinkin about buying it and my questions is will it bolt up to the t-5 in my 84 cj7 after removing the 258. Will the bell housing and clutch components work that are existing in my jeep or do I need to purchase the clutch and bell with the 360? Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

I would advise against it. The T-5 won't stand up to 360 power.

What's wrong with your 258?

 

Nothing wrong with it, runs fine, I just dont care for it,, I would like something a little more fun to drive, I know where I can get a t-176 to go with it,, or maybe go automatic.

 

if you planning to put automatic tran in youre cj5 youre getting a lot of trouble. Some already do it pu need major modification.

 

This is a CJ-7, so you have enough chassis length for an automatic or a stronger 5-speed.

I'd suggest a 4.0L HO and your choice of transmission (AW-4, AX-15, NV3550) from an XJ. No chassis changes for the engine will be needed, you'll get 360-like performance on the highway, and much better fuel economy.

 

Is it possible to build the 258 to be similiar to this 4.0L HO you mentioned?

 

Also, what kind of chassis changes need to be made for the 360?

 

The 4.0 is essentially the modern version of the 258...it's fuel injected, among some other modifications. I don't think it's a bolt in replacement though...is it Tim?

The 258 isn't a bad engine at all for the CJ. What is it that you really want to do with your Jeep? Street, trail, etc.

 

The 4.0L HO is the same engine as the 258, just with a different bore and stroke. You can put a 258 (4.2L) crank in a 4.0L block and get a 4.6L engine. You can put a 4.0L HO head on a 258 and it makes more HP. Most parts are interchangeable between the two engines.

But the 4.0L HO makes more HP than the 258 in stock form. Lots of options.

Start here: http://www.jeep4.0performance.4mg.com/stroker.html and read more here http://www.jeepstrokers.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=34

Yes, the 4.0L is a bolt in swap. Same bell pattern, same mount locations. The 4.0L bell has a place for a crank position sensor, so you have to deal with that. But it's really easy - Hesco sells a kit to mount the CPS on the front pulley, or Novak can modify your bell

http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/ford_to_amc.htm or you can modify it yourself. The 4.0L has no place for a fuel pump, but you'll need an electric fuel pump anyway for the fuel injection. Piece of cake.

<edit> IIRC there are some other minor issues ... I don't recall if the fan is centered in an XJ ... somehow I think it's not, and you need to use some parts from a 4.0L Wrangler, like the water pump? Something like that.

Unfortunately we had a forum that dealt just with this swap on the CJOffRoad forum, but it's gone. But this swap is pretty common, and you should be able to get plenty of help on the JeepStrokers forum or on JeepForum.com. http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f8/official-4-0-swap-thread-475002/

 

Not sure of the complete list. Different radiator, reroute the plumbing, electrical changes, usual stuff.

You'll need new frame towers and engine brackets for a '76 or later V8 CJ-5 or CJ-7. The Wagoneer brackets and towers won't work. Or you'll have to fabricate the mounts. The transmission will have to be relocated in the chassis, so you may have to alter the floors. The driveshaft lengths will need to change. The transmission cross-member will have to be moved. New exhaust piping ... may be other less obvious things that I'm not thinking of.

 

why not just build up your 258? there are hundreds of parts out there to make more power. 4.0 head conversion, fuel injection, cams, headers, just a few. the 258 is a good reliable motor. or as Tim said do a 4.0 swap they are great motors as well

 

Well you fellas have given me a lot to think about,, my jeep a 1984 with 80,000 miles on it all stock except a lift, wheels and tires.. top off,, is mostly a top off fun driver in the summer, this winter I took it out a couple of times in the snow and that was fun too,,, building the 258 seems like a lot less trouble,, I put the carter carb kit on it this last summer and that helped a bunch,, how much more horse does the 4.0 head add, an rv type cam would be a fairly easy addition too I would think?

 

Think Chev 350 with a 350 turbo trans and 20 tc. Solve all your problems at once and not have to mess with any AMC Junk. Everything readily available and the most aftermarket support out there.

 

http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/engine/fi40swap01/

here is some reading for ya. might help ya out some. there are a bunch of information out there for the 4.2 4.0 head swap

 

If you want to play around with your upgrade options, I'd suggest you get a copy of Desktop Dyno and simulate the changes. That's probably the best estimate of things like cam and compression changes that you can get. Some claim an additional 40 hp from the HO head swap, but there's no way to verify that.

You could upgrade the 258, but I think you'll find that it will always be down on power compared to a 4.0L with the same modifications. The 4.0L, becasue of its shorter stroke and larger bore compared to the 258, will have a much flatter torque curve. Power (horsepower) is just torque times RPM, so when you have a long-stroke engine like the 258 with a torque curve that starts falling off at, say, 2000 rpm or lower, you will always put out less power than an engine with a flatter torque curve.

Nothing wrong with the 258, but the 4.0L is appealing because you can usually buy the whole 4.0L donor vehicle for less than you'd spend on all the go-fast parts you'll need to hop up the 258. The 4.0L is basically a souped-up 258 - you get all the good stuff like fuel injection and a better head design and a header and better ignition in a single inexpensive package.

 

Just curious...would a 4.0L with fuel injection, out of a 1990 Cherokee, be a HO engine? Were there different 4.0L engines available (HO or non-HO)?

Also, would this bolt right up to a T-176 bellhousing and tranny? Thanks.

Rich

 

wow

 

Hi Rich.

IIRC '91 was the first year for HO. A '87-90 has the low-port head (much like the 258 head) and the Renix (Renault-Bendix) fuel injection. The HO has the high-port head and Mopar MPI.

http://www.monsterslayer.com/pages/jeep/40Head/40Head.htm

Yes, both the Renix and HO engines will bolt up to the T-176. Same pattern as a 258 or a 304 or a 360 or a 401.

 

Thank you, Tim!

Rich

 

From info I had 92-95 4.0 were the best for swapping. As to the 258 the best seat of the pants upgrade I have done was switching to the later model aluminum 2V manifold with the water-jacket on it hooked up and MC2100 carburetor (re-jetted) with HEI. More power, better starting and strange as it sounds better fuel economy over the old 1V system (totally worn out). Best of all total investment less than 250$.