Great Lakes 4x4. The largest offroad forum in the Midwest banner

4.7 stroker or 5.3

27K views 312 replies 49 participants last post by  montecarlo33 
#1 ·
My 4.0 is tired and blowing blue smoke and burning oil so its time for some more power!!

Looking at doing a 4.7 stroker or 5.3 while keeping my np231 and nv3550

What's the simplest route to take and how much will both generally cost?
 
#187 ·
Let me expand my previous post.....


By page 6ish just about every legit option had been explained to the op, I contributed what I could.

After page 6ish this threat quickly turned into one guy bragging about his tuned up 6 cyl that would run with a cute widdle 5.3 in stock form.

This is when the trolling started. You seem to the one confused, your the only one posting about wheelingin the last 3 pages.


Gl4x4.... I come here for the same reason your running away.


IMHO, the op needs a goal.

Ask yourself this question.... Do I want to be fast or do I want it to wheel well?
 
#193 ·
a 3550 is a tuff tranny. use the nsg370 adapter,stock 4.8 flywheel and clutch.make the clutch rod longer..done.(this setup can be had cheap if you search) the 231 will break. a 241 will break, joe has a atlas..i have a 4500 and a 205.because we broke all the stock stuff.i went to the 4500 for gearing options.my 3550 was holding up fine.
5.3 screw those strokers
 
#196 · (Edited)
This is what I have in my 99 TJ.... Summer DD

2005 5.3 w/30k miles/ cast iron block
HP tuners custom factory harness
2005 4165E trans/ built like a brick shit house
1994 NP 241 tcase w/ JB super short SYE
coan 2500 converter
8.8 ford rear 31 spline axles w/Trac Lock 4.10 gears
Trussed Dana 44 front/ Yukon Locker
D&R f&r cv driveshafts
B&M rachet shifter
dual exhaust w/manual cut outs
stainless mufflers
Aluminum Radiator
4.5 superlift arms w/ teraflex springs....
Aluminum rims
35 tires

For a DD it's pretty quick... turns the tires in 1st and breaks the back end loose when I grab second. I can cruise at 65 and still get good MPG as it turns about 1600 RPM. 80 mph is no problem, and I have been well over the triple digit mark. I hope to put in a cam, valve springs, and a low profile oil pan this winter. If your ever in Holland send me a pm and I'll take you for a ride.... Can't say too much about the stroker, but a 5.3 in a 3000lbs ish jeep will put a smile on your face, if it's set up correctly!





 
#204 ·
Got cha. That won't work don't want an auto but sounds like a solid setup thanks.

The nsg 370 adapter works with the 6 speed,nv3550 and ax15. They didn't make a stick in a 5.3 so you have to use a 4.8 or a 6.0 flywheel.yes they will bolt up.I have done this conversion. the later Chevy 4500 shifts good but is huge compared to the 3550. U have to do major mods to put it in a jeep.

This is my take on 5.3 cost if u shop.
Motor 300 to 600 complete.
Tune and wire..150 to 800. Depends on who u know.
Adapter, flywheel and clutch.250 to 800 again depends on shopping..( I have adapter clutch and flywheel on my floor.
Motor mounts.build them...50 bucks.
Buy 2010 or 11 camaro manifolds, hug block and just plain work.can easily be had for 100 bucks on eBay.
If you have no shopping skills or building skills.don't do it.I have seen guys spend dumb money doing this swap listening to the company's tell them they need all custom stuff like billet flywheels and shit...if u can't do it cheap.rebuild the 4.0.
I understand now! How do I go about getting a longer clutch rod?

Can it be shifted as fast as the nv3550?

Thanks for laying it out. I now have a plan should cost me around 2k if I find some deals on parts
 
#220 ·
A properly selected combination of an engine with adequate torque, and well matched transmission and axle ratios, considering tire size and vehicle weight means you should rarely be shifting.

Thats one of the advantages of a V8 / auto combo, they can use less gearing, and still generated plenty of torque, and then also be able to generate enough wheelspeed without shifting.

A reworked auto will also shift much faster without the neutral state, to keep momentum.


Thats been a pet-project of mine, I have compiled info from many members on here with their gear/transmission/tire setups, shift points, etc, and all of my various vehicles. Thats actually one of the problems with TJ wranglers, they are getting heavy for the 4.0, and with the stock AX15 type manual, you need to get to about 5.38-5.6x gears with 33s, to get 3rd gear to be 'the gear' that pulls most hills or mudholes without a shift, or gear down to 3.1-3.5 axle gears and use 2nd.
I with the OP that I prefer a manual, just because it's what I like. And auto may be easier to drive off road, but I don't go off road because it's easy. If I wanted easy I'd just stay on the pavement.
 
#223 ·
I with the OP that I prefer a manual, just because it's what I like. And auto may be easier to drive off road, but I don't go off road because it's easy. If I wanted easy I'd just stay on the pavement.
While the second paragraph talked about an auto, the first is not auto specific. I was specifically thinking of my 1975 CJ5, when I wrote it.

One of those things that, on paper, looks like piss-poor gearing. 3.73 gears, T15 3 speed with a 3:1 first gear, and a Dana 20 t-case with 2:1 low range, with 34" tires. About 1/2 the overall gearing of my TJ before it. Buuut, it was extremely well matched.

One, the CJ5 was much lighter than the TJ. I suspect that the 304 made around similar horsepower to the 4.0, but more like 250-275 ft-lbs.

Two, and more important, was that first gear gave me a gear with about 200-230 rpm per MPH, which is something of a sweet spot for most Jeep engines. Basically, you want a high of gearing as possible that you can still lug.

With that setup, I could lug down to 300rpm or so, but still spin the tires up when in mud, if I needed to. I never needed to shift. Put it in 1st gear when you got to a climb/mud hole/snow pile, and leave it alone.

Had I put in something like 4.10 or 4.56 gears, I'd have helped low rpm crawling, but hurt the performance in those most common 'michigan' wheeling situations, where I needed RPM. I'd need to shift 3/4 of the way up hills, which sucks.

So, yeah, a well shifting transmission helps, in momentum scenarios. But if you are doing that very often, you should be asking why you've set up a Jeep that requires a shift at that point.
 
#202 ·
The nsg 370 adapter works with the 6 speed,nv3550 and ax15. They didn't make a stick in a 5.3 so you have to use a 4.8 or a 6.0 flywheel.yes they will bolt up.I have done this conversion. the later Chevy 4500 shifts good but is huge compared to the 3550. U have to do major mods to put it in a jeep.

This is my take on 5.3 cost if u shop.
Motor 300 to 600 complete.
Tune and wire..150 to 800. Depends on who u know.
Adapter, flywheel and clutch.250 to 800 again depends on shopping..( I have adapter clutch and flywheel on my floor.
Motor mounts.build them...50 bucks.
Buy 2010 or 11 camaro manifolds, hug block and just plain work.can easily be had for 100 bucks on eBay.
If you have no shopping skills or building skills.don't do it.I have seen guys spend dumb money doing this swap listening to the company's tell them they need all custom stuff like billet flywheels and shit...if u can't do it cheap.rebuild the 4.0.
 
#203 ·
I was referring to bdd1469 as far as searching goes I search all over the place before I ever ask a question there may be tons of threads on a certain subject but if I have a specific question I ask it. I know a 4.8, 5.3 and 6.0 are all the same motors practically. Just ask that figuratively I guess.
 
#215 ·
My 4.0 isnt in good enough shape for that plus I want some more torque down low for crawling in the rocks

When I had my stroker engine and my Nv4500 in a TJ on 35s... The last thing I worried about was fast shifting... Its not a race car... Its a jeep...

Buy stuff for offroad performance... Not because you want to be able to beat your buddies on the street...
I understand that. I dont want my jeep to be fast for the street but to be able to shift fast for hill climbs or when I need to get wheel speed to bump it over a ledge.

u can make the clutch rod out of a bolt with a nut on the end.or a bunch of other things.has to be longer then your stock one.dont know what year your jeep is? if you have a later one you can use the stock fuel pump. if not u need to change that.

the 3550 shifts better then the 4500.drag racing is not what i have a stick shift for..
I have an 02 TJ. Can I buy something or does the clutch rod have to be made? Doesnt sound too hard

The ability to shift quicker helps to maintain momentum and not get stuck.
Exactly!

A properly selected combination of an engine with adequate torque, and well matched transmission and axle ratios, considering tire size and vehicle weight means you should rarely be shifting.

Thats one of the advantages of a V8 / auto combo, they can use less gearing, and still generated plenty of torque, and then also be able to generate enough wheelspeed without shifting.

A reworked auto will also shift much faster without the neutral state, to keep momentum.


Thats been a pet-project of mine, I have compiled info from many members on here with their gear/transmission/tire setups, shift points, etc, and all of my various vehicles. Thats actually one of the problems with TJ wranglers, they are getting heavy for the 4.0, and with the stock AX15 type manual, you need to get to about 5.38-5.6x gears with 33s, to get 3rd gear to be 'the gear' that pulls most hills or mudholes without a shift, or gear down to 3.1-3.5 axle gears and use 2nd.
True thats why an auto is better for wheeling but I just wont go there. Im a manual fan through and through give me a good shifting trans and ill wheel with the best of the autos:thumb:
 
#209 ·
u can make the clutch rod out of a bolt with a nut on the end.or a bunch of other things.has to be longer then your stock one.dont know what year your jeep is? if you have a later one you can use the stock fuel pump. if not u need to change that.

the 3550 shifts better then the 4500.drag racing is not what i have a stick shift for..
 
#214 ·
I have driven an aw4 with home made paddle shifters(momentary switches on wheel)...... kind of polish and cobbled together but awesome! Shifts quick & hard on demand with out an ounce of hesitation. I had no problem going from 1st to second and back to first on test without hesitation.

I met this guy at the bottom of test hill, spoke to him for about 20 min, then he beggs me to give his jeep a try. Blue cj7 w/ bald 37" at tires and 4.? Stroker/aw4.

I fully understand your love for a manually controlled auto. Some day I will go there but no day soon. I just don't wheel enough to justify the effort
 
#227 ·
Yep I agree.the 318 or 360 is a simple swap. Cheapest way to go.
 
#245 ·
There is a tj just a few miles from were I live with a 318 from a ram in it.the thing rips and was a easy swap. There is a bunch of info on pirate about this swap.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top