Jeep 4.0 Engines: How to Rebuild and Modify

CHAPTER 1

THE JEEP 4.0 ENGINE

The 4.0 inline-6-cylinder engine is perhaps best known for powering thousands of Jeep vehicles in almost 20 years of production, but it was also installed in thousands of AMC production cars. The history of the engine is closely related to the vehicles and the companies these vehicles represented. The early roots of these auto companies were the 1903 Overland and the 1905 Maxwell, along with the Dodge Brothers and Paige. It would take a separate book to cover all the connections to the current Chrysler Corporation. So I’ll skip to the Jeep. The Jeep lineage goes back to the American Bantam Company and 1939/1940 era and the Willys-Overland company. The first Jeep prototype was delivered to the U.S. Army in 1940. The World War II military Jeep was generally called the Jeep MB, and of the approximately 600,000 total production built for World War II, Willys-Overland built about 368,000.

The venerable Jeep inline-6 4.0 engine has powered many Jeeps through the years. Although this engine is tough and reliable, it often needs a rebuild when more than 150,000 miles have been racked up. Fortunately, these engines are easy to work on and the rebuild is a straightforward process.

In 1945, Willys-Overland introduced the first CJ2A, or the first civilian Jeep, and in 1953 they were bought by Kaiser. Kaiser was an industrial company that started building Kaiser and Frazer vehicles in 1947 and introduced the Henry J in 1951. In 1970 AMC, which was building Hudson and Nash cars, bought Jeep Corporation from Kaiser. Chrysler Corporation purchased AMC, and Jeep along with it, in August 1987.

Because this book is on the 4.0 inline-6-cylinder engine, the car companies serve as background material. The Jeeps used in World War II were all 4-cylinders. The earliest inline-6s were based on the L and F style for cylinder heads and small displacements starting in 1948, and a 226-ci L-head design introduced in 1954 was produced through 1964.

The inline-6 engine’s family tree probably starts with the 1962 230 Tornado Six built by Kaiser. It was a very advanced design for its time with an overhead cam and four main bearings. For the 1965 production year, Kaiser’s Jeep division purchased the AMC 232 inline-6 engine as a replacement for the 230 Tornado engine. This AMC engine featured an overhead-valve wedgehead design and seven-main-bearing bottom end. This engine’s displacement was increased to 258 ci in 1971. Both the 232 and the 258 engines used hydraulic lifters, which eliminated valve adjustments, and the 258 received electronic ignition on the 1975 and newer models. The 258 served as the solid foundation for the new and advanced 4.0 engine that features multi-point fuel injection (MPI) along with ignition and fuel management.

The Jeep Wrangler (and CJ and TJ) models and the Cherokee models have relatively short wheelbases, which yield short engine compartments. The inline-6 design tends to make for a long engine. In addition, all 1986 and newer 4.0 engines have high-tech emissions systems. All 4.0 engines also use multi-point fuel injection (MPI). This adds up to a very cramped and busy engine compartment.

This is the driver’s side of the 4.0 inline-6, which is the engine commonly used in the various Jeep and AMC models. An engine to be rebuilt doesn’t tend to look pretty or clean because the very nature of a rebuild comes from high mileage and lots of time and distance to collect dirt and oil. The intake and exhaust manifolds are on the same side, which is typical of inline engines.

The 4.0 inline-6 engine has six cylinders, which means six spark plugs, and the cylinders are all in a line. Many engine designs are a V-style layout, which divides the cylinders into two banks. The V-8 is one of the most popular American engines, and it has this cylinder layout. While most V-8s use a 90-degree angle between the two banks, there are V-6s that use 60-, 90-, and even 180-degree angles. In the 1950s and before, there were many inline 8-cylinder engines, but by the early 1960s, V-8s and inline-6s replaced these engines. Since the inline-6 engine tends to be a long engine, the engine compartment gets fairly crowded between the vehicle’s firewall and the radiator on shorter vehicles, such as Wranglers and Cherokees.

The passenger’s side of the 4.0 engine shows the six spark plugs, all in a row. The distributor and oil filter are also on the passenger’s side. Note all the reliefs in the valve cover, which indicate the large number (13) of valve cover attaching screws. The engine ID pad is between cylinders #2 and #3, just to the right of the distributor, passenger’s side of the engine.

Jeep Engine Sales and Specifications

Based on production figures published in WardsAuto World magazine, 4.9 million 4.0 engines were produced from 1987 through 2005/2006. Using Wards, I estimated that there were 4.1 million 232/258 engines produced from 1965 through 1990.

It is pretty easy to distinguish the 4.0 inline-6 engine from most other engines; you simply count spark plugs and plug wires and recognize the basic arrangement, whether the cylinders are inline or in two banks. To separate it from similar General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler inline-6s is somewhat more difficult. The Chrysler 6 is the easiest because it is laid-over, or slanted, at about a 45-degree angle. The 4.0 engine uses 13 valve cover attaching screws, and the driver-side row of cylinder head bolts (7) are outside the valve cover. Perhaps the hardest identification is to separate the 258 versions from the 4.0. On the driver’s side, the 4.0 engine has fuel-injection hardware (6 injectors and a fuel rail) whereas the 258 has a carburetor. On the passenger’s side, the 258 has a mechanical fuel pump between cylinders #2 and #3 and ahead of the distributor while the 4.0 engine has no mechanical fuel pump.

Parts Identification

A casting number is generated by the design engineers at the auto company (AMC and Chrysler). These numbers identify most of the larger engine parts. By the mid-1960s, these identification numbers had become seven or eight digits long. The actual part does not always have a long, flat surface where the number can be seen, so these identification numbers are often shortened to three or four digits.

The cylinder head’s casting number has eight digits, similar to the block, but there isn’t enough room to show them all. The head casting number has only four digits and is located above the #4 cylinder’s exhaust port, basically in the middle of the head. The exhaust ports are somewhat round while the intakes are square and slightly larger. All the valves, actually just the guides, are in a straight line, which means that the head design is considered a wedge; intake and exhaust valves are next to each other. The small relief is in the upper corner of the intake ports, which is for injector clearance.

The 4.0 combustion chamber is on the bottom of the head, so this view has the head turned upward. With the valves removed, the larger hole in the chamber is for the intake valve. Because the chamber does not extend to the far edge of the cylinder (toward the bottom here), this chamber shape is generally considered a closed chamber. Moreover, because the chamber shape is somewhat oval, this type of chamber is also called a bathtub chamber.

Jeep Inline-6 Crate Engines

Tools and Procedures

You may know more than one way to perform a specific operation and, more often than not, more than one tool that can do the job. For example before beginning your project, you probably tested the engine to see if it was in need of a rebuild. One of the common engine testers is the basic compression gauge. It is an inexpensive tool that is pretty easy to use. On the other end of the scale is a chassis dyno, which is pretty large and best run by a professional.

Another potential tool for your project is to use a machine shop, which is required for certain specialty operations. As you set up your machining plan with the shop, you need to recognize that many engine procedures overlap. The machine shop or you (in your home shop) can perform many cleaning steps. Inspections of the block, head, and crankshaft can be done by both and generally do not have to be done twice. While at your machine shop, be sure to discuss all time and cost aspects.

Spending money to save time is a personal decision. I recommend that you inspect each part because it forces you to look more closely at them and you learn more about how they are related and how they work together. This will help you at reassembly time.

Mechanics love tools, and the tool industry loves to supply fancy and expensive tools. A perfect example is a car hoist or lift, which is common in many shops but not common in a do-it-yourself garage. Special tools such as this are not my main focus here. I cover the more common style of engine hoist, which is called a cherry picker.

Many years ago, a tripod was typically used to hold up a chain-fall that was used to lift the engine out of a vehicle. With this arrangement the vehicle had to move and the lift stayed fixed. This meant that you had to solve the transmission support problem. The shop that I used had a hoist, which saved going under the vehicle, but they used a cherry picker to actually lift the engine out of the engine compartment.

The front end of the cylinder head has the thermostat located in it, identified by the two bolts. This deck surface is at the top, so the head is actually upside-down. The stud pointing toward the left on the left face is an intake/exhaust manifold attaching stud and ordinarily points toward the passenger’s side.

The 4.0 cranks are cast iron and once they are machined it is hard to tell a cast crank from a forged crank. They are typically identified by a number, perhaps four to six digits long. There is no space for more numbers. The second flange (counting from the right) has the casting number 130324. This is the special long-stroke Scat crank.

The rear of the 4.0 head has a large core plug in it. The valve cover rail is at the top so the head is in its normal position. Core plugs are not held in by bolts. The large hole provides good access for cleaning.

Connecting rods also use a casting number for identification but only the last few digits, three in this case: 544. The number is at the bottom of the rod beam next to the big end and only on one side. The number may also be in the middle of the beam on some versions. This rod is a production 4.0 rod. The shorter 258 rod looks pretty much the same.

Engine Compartment

The Wrangler (as well as CJs and TJs) and the Cherokee are two of the most popular vehicles that use the 4.0 inline-6 engine, and both utilize a somewhat small engine compartment. Consider removing the radiator early to gain extra space. The engine has to move forward before it can go upward. While the inline-6 layout makes things tight with the firewall and radiator, there tends to be extra space to the driver’s and passenger’s sides of the engine.

Although most vehicles use an automatic transmission, I have included tips on the manual transmission aspects as they come up in the removal process. There are similar issues with four-wheel-drive hardware but it generally just puts more stuff around the engine. Remember that with the automatic transmission, the transmission cooler is generally in the bottom tank of the radiator and that there may be an auxiliary cooler in front of the radiator as well.

Cleaning

Dirt is the engine’s biggest enemy. Many 4.0 engines in need of a rebuild are very dirty. (See Chapter 8 for more cleaning details.) I recommend that if the vehicle is moveable you take it to a hand-style car wash and thoroughly wash it before you start the actual removal process. Caution: Too much water on ignition parts may cause the engine to stall. Be prepared!

Most do-it-yourself engine builders have a power washer. Once again, before you start the removal, power wash the engine compartment in your driveway (away from the garage). Do not power wash the engine compartment in your workshop area because it makes a mess and leaves grease residue on the floor. The next cleaning step is somewhat optional. Once the engine is out of the car, roll the cherry picker (or engine stand) into the driveway and power wash the engine. Then roll it back into the shop to start work. If you washed the engine compartment at the car wash, you don’t need to power wash it at home unless your home power wash gives you time to be more thorough.

Once the engine is disassembled talk to your machine shop. You and your machine shop should discuss early on whether you or they will clean the individual parts. Everything must be cleaned before you begin reassembly.

All 1980 and newer vehicles require a full emissions package. These items, as well as the fuel-injection sensors, individual injectors, and fuel rail, along with air conditioning and power steering equipment, make the engine compartment extremely crowded.

Jeep Inline-6 Specifications

Although the 258 and the 4.0 are closely related, the following comparison chart can be helpful in differentiating them. The biggest advantage of the 258 is its long stroke; the biggest advantage of the 4.0 engine is its large bore. Also, the 258 uses a shorter rod than the 4.0 engine.

The 4.0’s cylinder block and cylinder head are both cast iron. The crank is cast nodular iron and the rods are cast malleable iron. The pistons are cast aluminum and feature a dished top. The intake manifold is aluminum. The camshaft has four bearings and is a hydraulic flat-lifter design.

The 4.0 cam has a longer duration than the 258 cam but features the same valve lift. The 4.0 cylinder head uses much larger valve sizes.

CHAPTER 2

ENGINE REMOVAL

You can divide an engine building project into roughly five major steps: removal, disassembly, machining, assembly, and installation. For these various steps you are going to need some basic hand tools and some specialty tools. The machine shop you select can perform many of the special engine procedures that require unique tools that you do not have. In some cases the special tools can be rented.

Even though the 4.0 engine is only a 6-cylinder, it is still heavy. The big parts, such as the block, head, and crank, are cast iron and are two cylinders longer than a V-8’s. These parts are heavy and hard to handle because of the extra length.

Your best friend during an engine project is the engine stand because it becomes your workbench. The typical engine stand has a fully adjustable head, which is where the engine mounts. The engine stand’s head is mounted to the stand’s upright in a manner that allows rotation of the engine. Be sure this rotation feature is freshly greased before you start. As with any engine project, it is very important to use caution and take care in every aspect during the five major steps. Tools can bite and heavy objects can be unforgiving.

You need to disconnect the throttle linkage, wiring harness, hoses, and other miscellaneous parts, and then you can pull the engine. Once the engine has been pulled, the engine rebuilding truly begins.

It is always a good idea to gather your supplies before you start the project. You will need catch-cans and pans to gather the water/anti-freeze as it is drained and also pans to catch the engine oil as it is drained from the oil pan. A few hours before you actually start your project, it is a good idea to spray penetrating oil on many of the bolts in the engine compartment including motor mount bolts, front drive accessories and brackets, and radiator bolts.

Engine Lift and Engine Stand

Perhaps the biggest tool in an engine project is the engine lift, or hoist, also called a cherry picker. Years ago you might have used a chain-fall, but today these lifts are based on the large hydraulic cylinder and a long steel arm. These units can be purchased for a reasonable cost, but you might also borrow one or rent one at a tool rental store for the removal and again for the installation.

I also recommend an engine tilter, which is a fixture that allows you to easily change the angle of the engine assembly once lifted. This feature isn’t as important at removal as it can be at the installation. It can be tricky to get the engine to line up with the transmission (matching the angles) when you are trying to get them back together. I also think it is more important on a long engine such as an inline-6 than it is with a shorter V-8 or inline-4-cylinder.

Look at the engine stand as your workbench. A 4.0 inline-6 is too heavy to roll around on the floor to assemble. A good engine stand is a great asset and helps you in many ways throughout the project. Typically they have three wheels: one to each side at the rear and one extended out at the front. Some versions have two front wheels instead of one. The head features four L-shaped adjustable arms. The head assembly has a pipe that fits into a larger pipe that is welded to the stand’s upright. This pipe fitting inside a pipe feature allows the head to rotate even with the engine attached.

Basic Tools

For any mechanic, basic tools can cover a lot of ground. You should have a selection of common tools.

Although perhaps not considered a traditional tool, you should have a notebook for this specific engine for documentation and record keeping. Write down everything that you learn about the engine, such as casting numbers and clearances. Remember to identify this engine as your own with a personal ID stamp, perhaps the last four numbers of your Social Security Number and your initials.

And last, don’t forget to use a digital camera to record key aspects as you take things apart.

Required Basic Tools

•3/8-inch-drive (sizes 1/4- to 7/8-inch) and 1/2-inch-drive (sizes 7/16- to 1-inch) sockets

•3/8- and 1/2-inch-drive ratchets

•extensions

•universals

•deep-well sockets, including deep-well spark plug socket

•3/8- and 1/2-inch-drive torque wrenches

•long-handle breaker-bars

•box and combination wrenches

•pliers and locking pliers

•Phillips and straight-blade screwdrivers

•dead-blow (shot-filled) plastic mallet and a ball-peen hammer

•selection of pry-bars and gasket scrapers

•Allen wrench set

•set of brass drifts

•files

•oil galley/water jacket brush kit

•12-inch steel scale (not a ruler) and a metal straightedge

•feeler gauge sets: standard (thin) and spark plug (thick)

•air impact wrench (if you have access to compressed air) for removing and installing the flexplate/flywheel

Special Tools

Many aspects of engine building require special tools. Some of them will be used multiple times in the engine building process whereas others will be used in only a few situations so be sure to think through which specialty tools you want to purchase to accomplish a task at your home shop versus which ones can be used by your machine shop.

Required Special Tools

•Degree wheel, two styles

•Dial indicator(s)

•Bridge, with dial indicator

•Depth micrometer

•Micrometers

•Snap gauges

•3-finger gear puller

•Dampener installation tool

•Vernier calipers

•Valvespring compressor

•Cylinder head stands (2)

•Piston ring expender

•Ring filer

•Piston ring compressor

•Valve seal installer

•Plastigage

•Organizer trays (cylinder head and rotating assembly)

•Brass drifts

•Hooked probe (cotter pin puller)

•Number stamp kit

•Dial bore gauge (optional)

•TDC positive stop (optional)

•Rod guides

•Small mechanic’s mirror (with extendable handle)

•Feeler gauge

•Ridge reamer (optional)

•Camshaft guide

•Mechanic’s magnet (with extendable