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OK this may be crazy, but!

simonsxj

NAXJA Forum User
Is it possible to stroke a 4cyl. in a 1989 XJ. All I want is power that equals a stock 4.0. I know that I can get a throttle body header and free flowing air filter also an adjustable map and a cam. If I do all of that, would that get close, also a better ignition? Just want to be different and use the 2.5.
 
You'd be much better off selling your xj for the 4.0L/auto/231 xj. Sell it as a very economical gas friendly daily commuter. :rolleyes: You'd spend way too much $$$ and still have a modified 4 banger. The 4.0L is a great motor and worth modifying it for more power if you think you need it.
Troy
 
Thanks for the input. I do not want to sell it. I want to modify the four cyl. Land Rovers drove many miles in very harsh terrain, and 98% of the ones used by first aid and charity organizations use 4 cyl.. Anyhow thanks for the link. I guess I just don't want to be like everybody else.
 
simonsxj said:
Thanks for the input. I do not want to sell it. I want to modify the four cyl. Land Rovers drove many miles in very harsh terrain, and 98% of the ones used by first aid and charity organizations use 4 cyl.. Anyhow thanks for the link. I guess I just don't want to be like everybody else.

That's fine if you want to keep it, do what you want, but in the long run you will spend alot more for alot less. So many xj's come with 4.0L that I have to look far and wide to see 1 that is a 4 banger. Just about everyone I see has a 4.0L badge on it 87'+. Toyota's do alot too with a 4 banger, but it is easy to do dual t-cases in them and they are geared to compensate for their small engines/power output. The 4 banger is good for sticking a klune-v reduction unit or so behind or so, but so is a nice 4.3L Chevy vortec that doesn't take alot of engine bay room, you can move it forward and then get a dual t-case setup in it.
Troy
 
simonsxj said:
Thanks for the input. I do not want to sell it. I want to modify the four cyl. Land Rovers drove many miles in very harsh terrain, and 98% of the ones used by first aid and charity organizations use 4 cyl.. Anyhow thanks for the link. I guess I just don't want to be like everybody else.

Just bear in mind that most of those 4-cylinder Land Rovers were probably diesels (the modern Land-Rover diesel being the 5-cylinder turbo). The second and third cars I ever ownder were a pair of 1968 & 1969 Series IIA diesels (I had to take the dead one to get the good one). There's nothing wrong with the 2.25-litre gas engine, but the diesels are a lot more tractable for off-road work and do last longer - mine turned 300,000 miles while I had it, and I sold it on to someone else who I believe may still be running it.

The reason I mention this is that you need to be comparing apples to apples here - yes, you can certainly use a 4-cylinder engine for off-road work, but bear in mind that most 4-cylinders are not high-torque engines which is exactly why so many 4-cylinder Land Rovers were diesels. The Lada Niva I had after it was also a fantastic off-road device, but its 1.6-litre gas 4-cylinder was a lot more work off-road than the diesel Landies were. Just something to consider, but by no means am I telling you not to go for it. Besides, I'm a huge fan of supercharging and think that would be a really cool thing to see on an XJ :)
 
I have built many turbo vehicles. If I don't get enough I will install a intercooled turbo on it, it will be cheaper than an engine swap. My present turbo project is a 1985 Prelude with a twin turbo intercooled Vortec 4.3 (dry sump), t-10, 9" (rear wheel drive). So a turbo is an easy addition for me, but money limits right now. I will play with the 4 cyl. for now. Thanks for the info. I am British and have owned a Land Rover, diesel also, beautiful off-road.
 
I am British and have owned a Land Rover, diesel also, beautiful off-road.[/QUOTE]

I feel bad for you, not that your British, but because you have owned a Land Rover. :D :looser: Costs to much, not much if any aftermarket, and cannot touch what a properly set up xj, or even stock xj can do. Good to see you came around and got an xj, even if it is a 4 banger. I don't know what you use your xj for, but a turbo isn't as helpful offroad as it is onroad. You want good torque with low rpms to help offroad. A 4.0L straight 6 is plenty torque for everything and you can modify it if you have the $$$ for up to 320 hp or so with the 5.0L stroker kit.
Troy
 
I would purely use the turbo for on road performance, but I kind of like the idea of a low power engine for once. I have had in order:
many CJ's
One CJ-5 with a 426
two XJ's with the 4.0
two MJ's with the 4.0
YJ with a 350

So kind of interested in this approach to wheeling. I would rather use driving skills off-road instead of brawn, I need the power for on road. I'll build the 4cyl sanely and see what I get. I will also record the results. Thanks for the input. Now all I need is a cheaper header than Clifford.
 
I used to run a 2.5L and on the trail it was great. I built it up pretty good but it just wouldn't pull the mountains that good. I ended up building a 4,7L stroker and doing the swap. Stroking a 2.5L isn't a viable option since there are no off the shelf cranks that will do what you want. I converted mine from carb to EFI, added a cam, ported it, header, and exhaust. I had a hard time pulling 75 going down the freeway even geared. I spent as much building the 2.5L as it cost me to build the 4.7L stroker. I enjoyed doing the build and it was fun on the trail, but it just didn't get it done on the road.

The 4.7L gets almost as good of gas mileage and I chickened out at 105mph on the 35's.
 
I was about to come one and say that the 4 banger didn't get any better mpg than the 4.0, but found that on the 89s, it did, 18/23 vs 16/22. However on my 96, as a 2wd, the 4.0 actually gets slightly better on the highway, 23 vs 22 while equaling the city mpg. 4x4s are even in 96
 
The 4.7L gets almost as good of gas mileage and I chickened out at 105mph on the 35's.[/QUOTE]

Nice. :guitar: You didn't exactly chicken out if you did 105 on 35's, that is the defn of hardcore. I'm looking to do a stroker kit on my 91' 4.0L as it has 204K miles now, but still runs good and doesn't smoke.
Troy
 
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