360 to 304 swap

[wanablikemike]

What if anything will need to be changed if i swap my good 304 into an '86 G-Wag with a blown 360?

Also ... is the frond axle from my '83 Cherokee N/T the same ratio the before mentioned G-Wag? The Chero has a 258 6cyl.

Thanx guys. I think I'm finally on my way to havin a nice "dependable" FSJ that I'll be able to take to Ouray!!!

Mike

[RWC]

The 304 is externally identical to the 360. It will bolt right in, and all the accessories and everything will line right up.

RWC

[joe]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by wanablikemike:
Also ... is the frond axle from my '83 Cherokee N/T the same ratio the before mentioned G-Wag(86)? Mike<hr></blockquote>

50/50 chance Mike. Only two ratios avail from 80+ in Wags/Cheros were 2.73's or 3.31's.

[joe]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by RWC:
The 304 is externally identical to the 360. It will bolt right in, and all the accessories and everything will line right up.

RWC<hr></blockquote>
The heads are different and not inter-changeable so the int/exh manifolds are prolly different so that may mean some of the accessories/brackets may not line up?

[chrism]

360 accessories will work just fine on a 304. I used a set of waggy brackets on my CJ.
Flex plate/flywheel will be different between the two. You will need the one balanced for the 304.

[wanablikemike]

I'm pulling the complete 304 out of my '74 Cherokee with all accessories still on it. I'm assuming that it will bolt right up in the '86 wag. The main things that I'm worried about are the wiring setups and the differences in trannys (my '74 has a TH400 and I'm assuming that the Wag has a TF-727). What will be the differences?

[joe]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by wanablikemike:
I'm pulling the complete 304 out of my '74 Cherokee with all accessories still on it. I'm assuming that it will bolt right up in the '86 wag. The main things that I'm worried about are the wiring setups and the differences in trannys (my '74 has a TH400 and I'm assuming that the Wag has a TF-727). What will be the differences?<hr></blockquote>
A 304 wasn't stock in any 74 FSJ so it's already been trans-planted once before from somewhere else???
360's(and 401 AT's) that ran either a TH400 or manual trans behind them had a crank insert that "MUST" be removed if you're going to mate a TF727 AT behind it so I would think the same applies for a 304.

[Cecil14]

Weren't 73/74 the two years they used the 304 in the SJs? Maybe it was 72/73. I know they used them there for a couple of years. Maybe he's got an early model 74 that happened to have a 304? AMC was known to do such things...

Anthony

[RWC]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr> The heads are different and not inter-changeable so the int/exh manifolds are prolly different so that may mean some of the accessories/brackets may not line up? <hr></blockquote>

The heads are different, but wouldn't consider heads to be an external part. The intake and exhaust manifolds are identical, as is the distributor, oil pan, timing-chain cover, timing chain, oil pump, etc.. Yes, the engines are externally balanced, so the flywheels/balancers will not interchange even though they will bolt on. All of the accessories on the front of the engine are exactly the same.

And it should be noted that even the heads can be made to work; the problem that I've heard of is the 360/401 valves making contact with the top of the 304 block. I've also heard of people taking 304 heads and putting them on 360s, thinking that the smaller chambers will lead to higher compression and greater power, only to be hampered by the smaller 304 valves.

The wiring set-up will be exactly the same. The only real concern you may have will be a spacer that sits in the end of the crank for the TH-400. When you've got both engines out, compare the cranks and you'll see whether or not you need to pull the spacer out of the 304.

RWC