What problems come w/ strokers?

[Johnnie Walker]

The bill for my first stroker was $1100.

And it bolted in. On a Saturday afternoon. And the late model doesn't throw any check engine lights.

Not saying that the 5.3 isn't great, my wife drives a Yukon XL, but the Stroker makes plenty of power for most needs, certainly for mine, and the simplicity is appealing.

Also, not a concern for everyone, but when I sold my daughter's wrangler, I pulled the stroker out, dropped a fresh, stock motor in and sold the jeep, keeping the stroker for my off road XJ. Once you drop a chevy motor into an XJ, you probably don't have the flexability to go backwards.

Depending on how you do mounts, wiring etc. You can go back easily. Especially if you go the route of using Novak bolt in components. If you cut up/weld a bunch of stuff and wiring to get the LSx to fit/function, then you will have a difficult time.

 

[yossarian19]

I don't know how you'd build a stroker for 1100 anymore. Maybe if you go with Ebay used crank / rods, assemble it all yourself, don't need any machine work beyond getting old pistons & new rods pressed together... Maybe then you could run a 4.5 stroker on premium gas for 1100? I'm pricing it out and $2k comes real quick on a stroker build.

 

[bigdaddyjlove]

Maybe.

I already had a block. I bought a new crank, rods, pistons, gaskets etc...
The only machine work I needed was to have it bored .30 over, and the pistons pressed on.

Assembly is easy. If you can swap a motor, you can certainly build one. If you are considering a 5.3 swap, then building a stroker is no challenge.

Where I did spend was time. I searched out part numbers and then scoured the internet for the best deal. I don't think I ordered any two items from the same source. It was a pain, but I saved a lot of money.

I don't doubt that prices have gone up, but I doubt that LS/LX motors have gotten cheaper.

 

[Johnnie Walker]

Maybe.

I already had a block. I bought a new crank, rods, pistons, gaskets etc...
The only machine work I needed was to have it bored .30 over, and the pistons pressed on.

Assembly is easy. If you can swap a motor, you can certainly build one. If you are considering a 5.3 swap, then building a stroker is no challenge.

Where I did spend was time. I searched out part numbers and then scoured the internet for the best deal. I don't think I ordered any two items from the same source. It was a pain, but I saved a lot of money.

I don't doubt that prices have gone up, but I doubt that LS/LX motors have gotten cheaper.

I've seen complete w/ harness LSx engines, even some with trans as low as 600$-ish. They have been around long enough that you could probably find a complete/wrecked vehicle for maybe a couple g's and sell everything you don't need and make money back. Even scrapping the pile after would net you something.

 

[bigdaddyjlove]

Not to hammer at this too much, but im not sure how you would get a cherokee through emmissionshere (Georgia) with a v8. Does the obd2 computerallow for such? Honestly curriuos.

Also, yes the engines are cheap. I misspoke. I meant the components for the swap. Little stuff like coolant hoses allways seems to $5 me to death with a non original engine.

 

[Johnnie Walker]

Not to hammer at this too much, but im not sure how you would get a cherokee through emmissionshere (Georgia) with a v8. Does the obd2 computerallow for such? Honestly curriuos.

Also, yes the engines are cheap. I misspoke. I meant the components for the swap. Little stuff like coolant hoses allways seems to $5 me to death with a non original engine.

It may empty your wallet a bit more, but novak conversions has pretty much everything you need to make the swap.
For federal, and most states, as long as the engine is same model year or newer, and you have all the correct emissions components then you should be good to go. Here in CA, you take it to a ref and they says yes/no. If they say yes you get a sticker and you are good to go. I'm sure they run cleaner than an old heep 4.0L as well

 

[yossarian19]

So the donor's charcoal canister, cats etc have to come with? In CA I mean?

 

[bigdaddyjlove]

Here in Georgia, only 11 counties in the Atlanta metro perform emission testing. For pre obd cars its a quick visual and a sniffer test. Getting a v8 past that MIGHT be doable. For newer, they just plug into the obd data port. Vin has to match, etc...

Interestingly, my jeep buddy (we all have one) is from california, and he says that he proces to register unusual vehicles, motor swaps, legalizing a dirt bike, homebuilt cars, is much easier out west.

Here, its simpler to buy 10 feet of road frontage in a non emission county and stick a mailbox on it.

 

[jeeperjohn]

AQ stroker would be cool but I would love to install a Kenne Bell whipplecharger. There used to be a kit designed for Wranglers that I think would be easily adapted to XJ's. I know it would be more expensive than a stroker but I think it would provide more power added with better reliability in the long run.

 

[Johnnie Walker]

So the donor's charcoal canister, cats etc have to come with? In CA I mean?

I only know of a couple 100% heep LS motor swaps. Do not have much info unfortunately.
Would definitely need cats. You could call or go to a ref station and ask. I think there is some, not much, info on the dmv website.