What would you do?

Now that I have multiple CJs I plan to build one for the street and light trails and the other just for wheeling. I need to decide on what I am going to do for an engine in the trail jeep soon. I have a 225 V6 that should run or a 4.3 chevy that I can drop in. I will end up rebuilding the engine I use either way.

I know I want injection, but I love the idea of using an oddfire because of the low end torque and it came stock.

How much could I "build" the oddfire and keep it projection friendly? Would it be worth the extra cost to inject the buick over the chevy? I need to buy a computer and throttle body for the 4.3 anyway.

I plan to run waggy 44s and 36" IROK tires. If I go duantless power I will run the stock trans and tcase with my warn OD. If I run the chevy I *might* go with an auto and a dana 300.

Any thoughts?

 

fuel injection + beefy axles + big tires = 4.3

if you can make it work that dana 300 is a great unit

forget about using an auto as it's just too long

 

I like the size of my 4.3/SM465/Spicer18warnOD. It will give me the best of street and trail.

 

Hate to say it but 4.3 would be the way to go there.

 

do you have the waggy axles? I just wonder because you mention using your dana 18 (offset outout) or a dana 300 (centered output). Doesn't that dictate what rear axle you need?
I have a waggy rear that had the quadratrac therefore has an offset rear so I felt I was required to use the dana 18

 

I don't have the axles yet, but the rear could be offset or centered. I want to finalize my build plans before I go out and buy parts.

If I run an auto, I would extend the wheelbase, which wouldn't be a terrible idea with 36s anyway.

I'm in the early planning stages right now and I want to make sure I think all this out before I start buying or building anything.

 

great, just wanted to make sure you had thought of that.

that sounds very similar to my plan waggy D44s, TH400, Dana 18
I have the parts.... just need to install.... minor detail ... right?

 

A turbo 350 or C4 auto isn't all that much longer than a truck style 4 speed. I am trying to make the same choice. I think I am going to end up with a 360 just to keep it cheap. No cost in adapters... I would rather have a vortec 4.3 and the turbo 350/dana 300. It would make a much more capable wheeler IMHO.

 

my 4.3 is non-vortech

I'm all for stock powerplants, but the injection part and possible auto has me wondering...

 

4.3 TBI. Makes lots of HP, parts are plentiful, and TBI is exceptionally reliable. I really like my stock Dauntless, don't plan on swapping it, but if I ever build one from from the ground up like you're talking, it's getting a 4.3 TBI.

 

4.3 has more power

Dauntless is cooler however-- you cannot beat the heart-beat sound of the odd-fire exhaust.

The Chevy V6 is larger and heavier though-- but it you want a little more power the 4.3 can do it a little better.

 

Lots of good points! The true Vortec engines don't make much more power and are more prone to problems; mainly fuel related. Still good engines, though TBI is probably a better choice for reliability.