• Notice for iPhone users: DO NOT use the image size reduction option when uploading photos to the forum. This causes portrait images to post as landscape. We have added a warning to the image insert pop-up as well.

Butters - Jeff's 81 Scrambler Build Thread

I wonder what the performance/mpg difference will be? Yeah I know you don't buy a CJ for the MPG but still curious how it might change.
 
I've never built a 258, but on my last FJ40 I built, balanced, polished and bored the 2F. I shave the head 40 thousands and used factory plugs with an HEI and 2.5" exhaust.
I gained about 2 mpg on average but the performance gain was considerable. Factory put out 135 horse and although I never dynoed it I would have bet I got about 150+ out of it. I also lowered the torque band with the cam, so it was much more usable.
 
Oh boy, so as I've been taking my engine apart to fix these nagging misfire issues I've been looking at the innards and I am not a happy camper.

In 2014 / 2015 I paid someone to rebuild my 350 to a 383 and I paid for the parts as the build went. This was supposedly a reputable area engine builder, though I cannot for the life of me remember how I found him. I had someone else build my engine because, honestly, I had never rebuilt one and not having a place to actually build it had me feeling like I couldn't do it myself.

Please, if you have any mechanical ability, also have some faith and rebuild it yourself.

Anyway, I am now going to pull the engine apart to see what is actually in the engine. What I KNOW is NOT in my engine is the roller lifters and the roller cam shaft that I purchased...because with the heads and intake off I pulled out a lifter and it is definitely NOT a roller lifter.

So, I went looking for the guy who built my engine and I find that in 2019 he was sent to Federal prison for a 6.5 year stint for bilking investors and non-profits out of 4.5 million dollars. Lovely.

We are going to file a claim that might be able to be enforceable if he comes back, but I do have to document what is actually in the engine to do that, hence, pulling the cam and the oil pan to see what the crank is.

Heck, this may not even be a 383! It may just be a 350! UGH!!!>:(>:(>:(>:(>:(:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:
 
WOW. I thought I had it bad with 2 258 engine builds, first only got around 2 thousand miles. Second wasn't built to specs (Even Larry at Clifford Performance sent a letter stating the engine was built for circle track racing). Ten thousand later I went with a Engine Factory engine, another 9 thousand. Lasted 9 thousand miles than problems started popping up. My mechanic just shook his head and we replaced the parts with quality parts. I can tear a jeep apart and put together, change engine parts but terrified to try building a engine on my own. One mistake and thousands down the drain. Your a better man than I.
 
jammer1 said:
WOW. I thought I had it bad with 2 258 engine builds, first only got around 2 thousand miles. Second wasn't built to specs (Even Larry at Clifford Performance sent a letter stating the engine was built for circle track racing). Ten thousand later I went with a Engine Factory engine, another 9 thousand. Lasted 9 thousand miles than problems started popping up. My mechanic just shook his head and we replaced the parts with quality parts. I can tear a jeep apart and put together, change engine parts but terrified to try building a engine on my own. One mistake and thousands down the drain. Your a better man than I.
Click to expand...
I was pretty worried about my ability to take my heads off and figure out what was up with them, but it's not been that bad. Honestly, I am surprised at how few moving parts there as I seem to have been assuming there were parts "no one was telling me about" that I was bound to lose. Thankfully my paranoia was unfounded and the internals are pretty darn simple. Probably the hardest part would be to remove the engine from the engine bay and to get it back in. I don't have a flat space so I am concerned about the whole shebang rolling down the driveway or pinning me or someone else in place.
 
Ok, so I have verified that the crank is indeed a crank for a 383 and not a 350. If it were for a 350, then the piston would bottom out at 3.5" instead of 3.75" inches.

Also, the Keith Black pistons that I had ordered at least LOOK like these pistons, though the "KB" that I'd have to see to make sure is embossed on the piston skirt which I cannot see without removing a piston. So, I'll just have to hope that it is.

This was also a perfect opportunity to verify and more accurately mark TDC on the harmonic balancer. Since I can see the top of the piston I know exactly where that is now and have marked it well.

PistonDepth2.jpg
 
So now I think he may have just bilked me on the hydraulic roller cam shaft and lifters. The only way to validate the Cam specs are to pull the radiator and timing cover which will be a major PITA. I am tempted to just clean up my heads, replace the pitted exhaust valves, put it all back together with the correct spark plugs and enjoy it instead of worrying about the cam specs. It may always nag at me, but until I decide to afford replacing them with what I'd originally ordered, I see little value other than appeasing my curiosity. That is a lot of work to just find out that bit of info.
 
It is hard to find TDC visually due to dwell time. Best to use a stop just short of TDC and record the marker point on the balancer in both directions. The TDC is half way between those marks.
 
ag4ever said:
It is hard to find TDC visually due to dwell time. Best to use a stop just short of TDC and record the marker point on the balancer in both directions. The TDC is half way between those marks.
Click to expand...
I'll do that when I get the head back on. Good advice!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top