Newer 4 cylinder?

Well, maybe I was getting carried away alittle with the offy intake and holley 4 barrel, it's my hot rod blood trying to come out. However I did find a roller cam shaft kit for the 2.3 that will bump mpg and hp a tad and a header for sure. We ran carbs for years before efi came along and never gave it a thought. I wouldn't mind efi, but it seems like a big hassle with the electric fuel pump, sensors and computer and would it fit under the hood? I don't want to cut it. I don't know yet on that. I do know my buddy owns a junk yard and he has an 83 ranger 4x4 manual trans with a 2.3. His kid plays with it at the junk yard. He said when his son is done playing, he's going to part it out. So there's me a motor. Actually he's the one that got me the 3a, a guy sold him all the vehicles behind his barn for 200 bucks, the willys was one of them and it has a title even. Like I say, it has a good frame, not even scale and it's complete to the knobs, gauges and even the heater, radiator and air cleaner is still there. 52 was still 6 volt correct, what was the first year for 12 volt in a jeep?

 

Also, as far as converting it to 12 volt, would I just need a reducer for the gauges? I know I would have to change all the bulbs and head lights and such. The 2.3 would have a 12 volt alt and starter. Anything I'm forgetting? It has had turn signals added, so maybe it's allready 12 volt, I haven't gotten it home yet to really go over it. The first thing is to strip it down to the frame and get it sand blasted, primered and then coated with por-15, or is there something better, I know por-15 isn't cheap, but it's supost to be good. Sorry about so many questions, I guess I'm sorta excited. My very own cj3a, I've wanted one since I was a kid and we had them on the farm. My cousin has all 3 of them, 2-3a's and 1-2a, but he won't get off of any of them. I perfere the 3a anyway. We still use the 51 every deer season, the other 2 just set and rust on the hill, but he won't sell. He acts like there gold or something, the dork!!!

 

Well, I feel like you want a very mild, smooth and reliable engine for a trail Jeep, something with a wide, flat torque curve. The usual hop-up stuff typically moves away from that, making a peaky torque curve at high RPM. Remember that power = torque x RPM, so as long as the torque curve is flat, you have unlimited power with increasingly higher RPM. This is why Indy cars run at such high RPM; you need power to overcome drag at 250 mph. However, acceleration is basically proportional to torque, so you need torque at low speeds to be able to accelerate (or lift the Jeep - same thing) up that tree you want to climb. The Willys engines have a very long stroke, and excel at low speed torque - they are surprisingly capable on the trail. They tend to run out of poop on the highway though.

For a sand buggy or mud bogger, that's a different story.

Re the Ranger, I'd make sure I could find the bellhousing I needed before committing to that engine. You'll need the shallow Pinto bell, per the Novak page.

I wouldn't worry about the gauges at this point... they can be dealt with.

 

With any 4x4, torque or lowend is more important than hp for crawling around on the trails. In this case, the hp would come into play for street speed to hit the 55 mph mark. Even a good stock 2.3 would achieve this goal and still be a benifit on the trails. 120 hp -vs- 60 should make for a nice flattie on the street and trail. Thanks for your help and bringing me back down to earth. You know what I wanted and needed before I realized it, thanks again buddy!!

 

here is a amc 150 4 cylinder being put in a cj3a
http://www.freewebs.com/willyscz/index.htm

 

I like his approach to the adapter. He describes the issues quite well. Apparently the AMC 150 bell is shallow enough to use the short T-90 input shaft. However, I'm puzzled that he described two T-90 short input shafts, one at 6.25" stickout and one at 7". :?

 

Cool Build!

 

Possibly from another vehicle and manufacture, the t90 was used alot thru the 50's and 60's.