Cost to rebuild Tornado 6-230 motor, 2x as much as a 258?

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  • chrisnsarah
    360 AMC
    • Sep 24, 2000
    • 3282

    #31
    Originally posted by FSJunkie
    It's funny how everyone likes the 230 as a novelty engine and likes to build them, yet I don't hear anybody volenteering to have one for a daily driver. I would, but I have a 4000 mile old 360 that runs smoother than Barry White, so it's not going anywhere.
    I did, back in 2003. I used the '64 as a light work truck for a year until I got out of the remodeling business. I never worried about tailgaters because of the built-in Jeep oil smokescreen these engines seem to have.

    The nitrided cam and crank was very durable and this engine would hast a long time IF you didn't run it low on oil, which is what killed manby of these engines. They either burned it, leaked it out, or a combo of the 2. There was a retrofit kit from Jeep to help combat the oil leakage. My '64 didn't have it, but a spare 230 I have did.

    X100, never scrap this motor. even if it's wasted with a rod through the block, the used parts are valuable since new and repros are almost nonexistant. I don't know of any performance upgrades, except the dizzy will accept a pertronix and the carb is an easy to find Holley 2bbl.
    '64 J200 thriftside
    '67 J2000 townside custom cab
    '68 Jeepster Commando
    '69 Super Wagoneer
    '75 J10
    '79 Cherokee S WT
    '75 Cherokee
    '61 Aristocrat Lil Loafer

    Comment

    • CarlBraun
      232 I6
      • Oct 24, 2009
      • 148

      #32
      retrofit kit

      Originally posted by chrisnsarah
      I did, back in 2003. I used the '64 as a light work truck for a year until I got out of the remodeling business. I never worried about tailgaters because of the built-in Jeep oil smokescreen these engines seem to have.

      The nitrided cam and crank was very durable and this engine would hast a long time IF you didn't run it low on oil, which is what killed manby of these engines. They either burned it, leaked it out, or a combo of the 2. There was a retrofit kit from Jeep to help combat the oil leakage. My '64 didn't have it, but a spare 230 I have did.

      X100, never scrap this motor. even if it's wasted with a rod through the block, the used parts are valuable since new and repros are almost nonexistant. I don't know of any performance upgrades, except the dizzy will accept a pertronix and the carb is an easy to find Holley 2bbl.
      Chris

      what exactly does the retrofit kit contain. I've only heard about this kit but have never seen one or know what it consists of.

      Enlighten us and provide a pic if possible

      thanks
      Carl

      1963 Wagoneer 230/BW Auto
      1965 Riviera Gran Sport 425 2x4bbl

      Comment

      • FSJunkie
        The Nigel Tufnel of the FSJ world.
        • Jan 09, 2011
        • 4040

        #33
        Originally posted by CarlBraun
        when I got the wagoneer it really drove bad as it would start out in 1st, shift into 2nd and immediatley into third creating a severe bog before the RPM built up and the truck built up speed. My mechanic and I did a lot of testing and; after finding an NOS vac modulator to replace the original, and spending some time adjusting it, it now shifts great. Just be careful as REVERSE is at the far right of the shift range on the column PNDLR and it takes some getting used to especially since my other toy has a turbo 400 with conventional PRNDL.

        The wagoneer has a 3.73 posi and doesnt much like going over 55 mph

        I'll be taking components off of the engine block for detailing. I'll be painting the block and touching up the attaching hardware, brackets and manifolds and it should look nice. Trying to keep it as original as possible with the only deviation planned will be the seat upholstery. THe vinyl/cloth combo is a tough one to replicate and its pretty ugly too if you ask me. I'll have my seats upholstered with a blue pleated vinyl to keep it simple but tasteful.

        Carl
        So because yours has the BW automatic, the transfer case doesn't have a low range. 2hi, and 4hi only. Dana model 21 FYI. Very rare. In a motortrend article, the top speed of a 230 Wagoneer was 92 MPH, I would think yours could do more than 55.
        '72 Jeep Wagoneer Custom, 360 V8

        I love how arguements end as soon as Ristow comments. Ristow is right...again.

        Comment

        • chrisnsarah
          360 AMC
          • Sep 24, 2000
          • 3282

          #34
          Originally posted by CarlBraun
          Chris

          what exactly does the retrofit kit contain. I've only heard about this kit but have never seen one or know what it consists of.

          Enlighten us and provide a pic if possible

          thanks
          I have an NOS kit I got on Ebay some years ago for the '64. There wasn't anything too unusual about it, except it came with a special bolt and you were supposed to drill and tap a hole in the block for this bolt. There might be 2 of them.

          IIRC, the bolts were more like pins that kept the front plate and cover from moving around and tearing the gasket.

          The kit came with a front plate gasket, the sleeve bolts, a front crank seal, a valve cover gasket, some other parts, and instructions. The instructions say to drill a hole and gives the dimensions and also tells you to coat the new gaskets completely on both sides with gasket sealer (I guess Permatex #2).

          The easy way to tell if you have this is pop your valve cover and look into the timing chain cavity. On the passenger side about an inch down, you may see a 12-point bolt, about 5/16". If you see it, it has the kit.

          I can't get pics until Sat since I'm out of town, but I'll take pics of the kit and the engine that has it and put it in a new thread.
          '64 J200 thriftside
          '67 J2000 townside custom cab
          '68 Jeepster Commando
          '69 Super Wagoneer
          '75 J10
          '79 Cherokee S WT
          '75 Cherokee
          '61 Aristocrat Lil Loafer

          Comment

          • CarlBraun
            232 I6
            • Oct 24, 2009
            • 148

            #35
            thanks Chris

            I'll take your advice and take a look under the valve cover to see if the mod has been performed. I have a new valve cover gasket seal and I was looking for an excuse to pull the cover and put it on anyway.

            I had my 230 Wag out yesterday and took it into the hills of DeLuz and it ran well but its still burns some oil while sitting at the traffic lights in town. Its also giving me a bit of detonation on the hill climbs so I may play with the timing a bit more to see if I can eliminate the detonation rattle as I know its tough on pistons, rods and crank. Option #2 would be to dump some of the 114 octane leaded race gas I have in the corner of the garage to see if that takes care of the detonation. A couple of gallons of VP 114 mixed with 92 unleaded works great in my 65 Riviera GS for keeping the valve seats happy and the octane levels where they need to be. Oh, and it smells REALLY good too.
            Carl

            1963 Wagoneer 230/BW Auto
            1965 Riviera Gran Sport 425 2x4bbl

            Comment

            • CarlBraun
              232 I6
              • Oct 24, 2009
              • 148

              #36
              92 MPH

              Originally posted by FSJunkie
              So because yours has the BW automatic, the transfer case doesn't have a low range. 2hi, and 4hi only. Dana model 21 FYI. Very rare. In a motortrend article, the top speed of a 230 Wagoneer was 92 MPH, I would think yours could do more than 55.
              Well I'm running a much larger tire on my Wag than they did on the test mule so my speedo may be off a bit. Also, my Wagoneer has a 3.73 rear end which probably equates to 3000 to 3500 rpm at 60 mph...I havent checked it against a newer car's speedo either.
              I'm not sure I could hang onto the rig at 92 mph...

              The Spicer Dana components on my Wag were all made at the Spicer Axle plant in my home town of Ft Wayne, IN. That plant is one of a few DANA plants that have not been closed down due to excessive union strikes.
              Carl

              1963 Wagoneer 230/BW Auto
              1965 Riviera Gran Sport 425 2x4bbl

              Comment


              • #37
                Cool Wag (dead thread resurrection)

                Wow,

                What a very neat early Wag this is. Wonder if it's still alive?

                Comment


                • #38
                  The OP's rig is (I saw it recently and may see it today)

                  Since it's a Borg Warner auto, I don't think there was a Chev adapter made for that trans, but there is an IH and AMC as well as maybe Ford (FMX) that would. With the correct AMC bell and flexplate, a 258, 4.0 or even AMC V8 would bolt in.
                  If it was mine, I would consider putting in the AMC 290 I have because I already have the flexplate and I had the bell. Just the frame mounts would need changing.
                  Jeep gauges are for amusement only. Any correlation between them and reality is purely coincidental.

                  Comment

                  • TheJeeper
                    258 I6
                    • Mar 31, 2009
                    • 346

                    #39
                    What years did they paint them beige? Mine is factory blue and was wondering what was behind that. Have yet to see another blue one. In an early '65
                    '65 J200: 230ci., T90A-1, built with T90J input shaft, Spicer 18, 2.47:1, D44s: 4.27s. 31x11.50x15 vintage Star M/Ts

                    Regarding a manual valve-bodied auto... "To me that's like trying to play a fiddle with a sawzall."

                    Nothing in written by me in ANY post can be used without my written consent.

                    ~Eli's Jeep Supply~

                    Comment

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