Good deal on a 258?

[78J-10]

Ok I found a local guy that has a 87 258 for sale. I dont really need a new motor for my jeep. But the last time i ran it it was making a really bad tickin sound and think its a lifter goin bad. Anyway..

The engine is a 87 it has 30k on a full rebuild new everything and it has been punched .030 over. It has a mallory ign. system a full one. and has a nice alum. valve cover and a black cat shorty header. THe engine was run on gas for 10k or so then has been on LP since. i have heard the motor run and have driven the wrangler it in and it runs really good.

he is asking 975 for it i got him down to 800 even. this is what all i get.

Engine w/
-Mallory ign. with a nice harness for it.
-600 CFM holly carb and fuel pump with regulator
- header
- few misc parts and bolts

I dont know if this is a good deal or not since its a 258 but i figured it would cost a lot more to rebuild my 258.

Any thoughts?

[rixcj]

To me, that's not a bad deal. All those components, added up, would be expensive. Are you going to continue to run LP, or gasoline?

A 600 cfm carb is pretty large for a 258.

So, it runs really good, huh?

Rich

[tgreese]

A 258 in very good condition is not an expensive engine, maybe a few hundred dollars. Nothing wrong with it, just not much demand. If the add-ons double the value, then it's a good buy. Up to you how much you value the add-on speed parts. I wouldn't pay any extra for a Holley, since they are lousy off-road carbs in my experience. So, about a $400 premium for a used header and Mallory ignition set up. Not for me...

The '87 258 is the later generation of the 258, with some differences from your '78 motor. For 1981, the block and head were redesigned to be lighter, and the crankshaft has fewer counterweights. The earlier crank with more counterweights (8 or 12 vs. 4? Something like that) will spin up slower but also should be smoother and a little easier on the mains. The earlier engine should also be a little less likely to stall at low speed, due to the larger rotating mass. No problem bolting in the later engine though.

[78J-10]

I have a plan on running it on gas. He wanted way to much for the LP system for my taste.

I know the 600 is a little big for a 258 and i have a MC2100 on my old motor but was not overly impressed with it. I planned on getting smaller jets for the 600 to help out on the fuel over load.


The guy has already pulled the motor and has it waiting for me. and i didnt really give him a yes or no answer cause i am still on the fence about it.

I know the motors easy to come buy but not around here and everyone who has one wants an arm and a leg for it and there all beat and need rebuilt.

[tgreese]

...
I know the motors easy to come buy but not around here and everyone who has one wants an arm and a leg for it and there all beat and need rebuilt.

Have you tried your local or regional Jeep/4x4 forum? Post a want-to-buy ad there. I've had pretty good luck finding parts that way.

[78J-10]

Yeah i have made a few WTB on therew but there all baby jeepers who either want to much or need way more work then its worth. and there only 4.0Ls and i dont really want to do a FI swap just yet.

[tgreese]

You can do a 4.0L without EFI. The 2V 258 aluminum intake manifold will bolt to it. Use that with the 4.0L exhaust manifold. Should be fairly straightforward. No place for a mechanical fuel pump on a 4.0L, so you have to run an electric fuel pump.

[LTS06]

I just bought a 258 in good running condition (I too got to see it in the jeep and run it before pulling it) for $200. Granted it doesn't have some of the bells/whistles you are talking about and it's not recently rebuilt...but maybe it gives you some idea of what to look for.

[jeepdriver99]

I have a better deal for ya. I will have a 258 available within the next couple weeks that appears to have had a fairly recent rebuild (or so I was told when I bought the vehicle it's in). I'll let it go for $150 along with the T90 trans and D20 TC.

[78J-10]

Jeep driver i will be pming you.

Thanks i know what to look for now. I plan on running an electric fuel pump anyway since im going with a fuel cell.


Thanks guys!!

-Mike