Explorer 1 gets a Stroker!

[tag187]

Actually the money spent vs. the cost of parts, machining & labor (I count the value of my time) is very competitive. I will reserve my opinion for when I have completed the project. Keep in mind that I have 4 years of experience with an intercooled super charger on my 4.0 that I could write volumes of opinion on.[/QUOTE]

I will agree here, when I built mine I may have saved about a thousand dollars but I did spend quite a few weekends and days off in the garage getting it together and up and running.

 

[S.Limited]

Yeah. I'm a mechanic and I still had someone else build it for me. Not only did it save me time and effort but it came with a warranty. Not to say something will go wrong but if it did it was someone else's problem.

 

[Bodo]

but it came with a warranty.

The warranty and customer service is the complaint that I keep hearing.

YMMV and all that stuff.

 

[elcoyote]

The warranty and customer service is the complaint that I keep hearing.

YMMV and all that stuff.

where exactly are you hearing this?

 

[Bodo]

Seems my memory is faulty. It's Titan NOT Golen that people are having trouble with.

Sorry for the confusion and misinformation! And apologies to Golen!

 

[elcoyote]

Seems my memory is faulty. It's Titan NOT Golen that people are having trouble with.

Sorry for the confusion and misinformation! And apologies to Golen!

Thanks for clearing that up. I started to think that perhaps I had missed something in my research or that things had changed at Golen.
My engine arrives tomorrow. I am looking forward to it.

 

[Explorer 1]

Stroker done and ready for shipment

Chad from Golen called me today and the stroker is ready. Sooner than I expected!

I believe they are shipping it off today and it may be a week on the road.

My mechanic asked that I remove my Warn bumper and winch along with some of the underside armor before he starts working on it so depending on how much time I have available, work should begin maybe in two weeks.

One last trip to Big Bear and the John Bull trail with the old engine before I leave it at the shop. I'll have to do some of my wheel'n in the Taco.

More later,
Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1

 

[elcoyote]

My install is complete, cam broken in. Picking it up tomorrow for the first driving experience. I'll report back

 

[Explorer 1]

Happy for you!

Mario,

Mine hasn't even arrive yet. I have this one last trip Saturday in the old engine and wouldn't you know it the water pump started growling yesterday. Bummer, It would have been a lot easier if it would have waited until after the trip, them we could have changed it with the engine out.

So last night until 11:30 pm I was pulling the bad one out and hopefully this evening I'll get the new one in.

When you say the cam was broken in, did you opt for a cam other than what Golen supplies?

Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1

 

[Explorer 1]

The games begin.......

I dropped off my stripped down Cherokee at the shop this morning. Removal of the skip plates and front end makes the rig look so naked.

I'm planning my own version of fender flares so I took off the Bushwackers.

Here is the new engine still all wrapped up:

Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1

 

[Explorer 1]

slow progress

The rear bolts that hold the bell housing are a real pill to get off. Once they are loose we should be able to remove the engine.

Thanks
Fred
Explorer 1

 

[Root Moose]

The rear bolts that hold the bell housing are a real pill to get off. Once they are loose we should be able to remove the engine.

The one(s) at the top of the bell housing are a real pain. Torx and hard to access - I forget if there was just one or two at the top.

We got tired of fighting with it and ended up pulling the engine with the whole drivetrain last time.

 

[Explorer 1]

Once they are out........

Once those stink'in bolts are out they are on their way to the recycling bin. We alreday have replacement bolts in hand!.

Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1

 

[elcoyote]

to remove those bolts you need a very long extension (or a series of them put together and access them from the rear over the top of the transmission. I would suggest keeping them in the torx pattern otherwise you may have difficulty getting to the proper torque when you re-install

 

[Explorer 1]

finally got those "stink'in" bolts out!!!

It took the sacrifice of a wrench and the use of a MIG welder but we finally got the last two bolts out and the older 4.0 engine is out!

We ended up welding a wrench to the star bolt to get a good enough grip to break it free.

Anyone interested in a good shape 4.0 long block for sale let me know.

I guess one of the advantages of this taking so long is that it give me lots of time to practice my bending skills for the external roll cage I plan on putting on the Cherokee once the new engine is in.

Thanks,
Explorer 1
Fred