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What did you do to your ZJ today?

4M views 55K replies 2K participants last post by  98ZJ 
#1 ·
This thread is to serve as an inspiration to others modifying their ZJ's. Pretty simple, just post what you did to your ZJ today!


Today I shamefully took my Jeep to get the oil changed because it was to hot to change it myself.
 
#32,182 ·
Sounds like you have a nice build going on, Schizo. Very clean too! Unfortunately I know jack about those nissan motors outside of the basics haha, but I agree. For that, it would be better to try to go with the factory style vs an independent one. Good luck on the hunting :thumbsup:
 
#32,183 ·
Sounds like you have a nice build going on, Schizo. Very clean too! Unfortunately I know jack about those nissan motors outside of the basics haha, but I agree. For that, it would be better to try to go with the factory style vs an independent one. Good luck on the hunting :thumbsup:
Unfortunately that's not my build, but a stock 200SX from Germany. With that said, if I have my way my build will be that clean.

I'm just trying to figure out what I'm gonna do for ignition. A lot of dealing with imports is easier than upgrading Jeeps, especially ZJs. But this isn't. It's one of those challenges that exemplifies why I love tuning. I can't buy it, I have to build it. (Even if the engine does bolt in because it was the stock motor in some markets) If I was satisfied with that engine stock, I'd be happy with what I have now. 167hp over 155hp isn't huge, and the KA24DE has a lot more torque, stock.

Of course, it's a lot easier to turn 7psi into 17psi than it is to turn 0psi into 7psi. And that little 1.8 will take 400hp without reinforcement. Plus it's fully 100lbs less, plumbed and wet, than the engine I have is, dry and bare. Very tempting characteristics.

Getting the same kind of gains out of a ZJ is harder, it seems. I wonder if it would be practical to get 400lbft from a 5.2l ZJ.
 
#32,184 ·
Unfortunately that's not my build, but a stock 200SX from Germany. With that said, if I have my way my build will be that clean

Getting the same kind of gains out of a ZJ is harder, it seems. I wonder if it would be practical to get 400lbft from a 5.2l ZJ.
If you're stubborn enough, you will find a way to get it lol!

You theoretically should be able to run an N2O line right to the fuel rail and gain up to 80 horsepower but that's pushing the motor to its brink AFAIK. Add on a turbo kit and fogger plate for NOS and you /might/ be able to push it to 400-425 but that's gonna be some broken push rods, rockers, etc at best, I'd bet. The base is around 230hp right? Mobile sucks big ones for searching that kind of stuff lol
Might just be easier to throw a more modern powertrain into it if you want anything above a turbo'd 5.9er. Disclaimer, I'm deep in rum and severe lack of sleep atm ;)
 
#32,185 ·
The problem is just how delicate those innards are. This motor can't handle any increase in cylinder pressure for any reason. It's stout as hell when stock and it'll last as long as you'll drive it like that, but it'll pop as soon as you say the words "boost" or "increased compression".

Tuner logic suggests that extracting an extra 30% torque is fairly simple, even NA. You just increase cylinder compression a twinge, make the cam a bit hotter, and inject more fuel. 300 to 400ftlbs from a 5.2l V8 should be easy. But we all know it isn't.

It's a sad day for the displacement junkies when a boosted stock-internal 1.8l 4-banger can make more power and torque than a 5.2l V8 before it blows. Displacement isn't the solution to power and torque, clever engineering is. And the cast internals of the Magnum V8 are just no good for increasing the power. Not like the fully-forged internals of that Nissan engine that everyone in the Nissan community overlooks. That delicious <200lb engine with its square bore/stroke and 9000rpm capacity.

Excuse me boys, I need to take care of something.
 
#32,186 ·
The problem is just how delicate those innards are. This motor can't handle any increase in cylinder pressure for any reason. It's stout as hell when stock and it'll last as long as you'll drive it like that, but it'll pop as soon as you say the words "boost" or "increased compression".

Tuner logic suggests that extracting an extra 30% torque is fairly simple, even NA. You just increase cylinder compression a twinge, make the cam a bit hotter, and inject more fuel. 300 to 400ftlbs from a 5.2l V8 should be easy. But we all know it isn't.

It's a sad day for the displacement junkies when a boosted stock-internal 1.8l 4-banger can make more power and torque than a 5.2l V8 before it blows. Displacement isn't the solution to power and torque, clever engineering is. And the cast internals of the Magnum V8 are just no good for increasing the power. Not like the fully-forged internals of that Nissan engine that everyone in the Nissan community overlooks. That delicious <200lb engine with its square bore/stroke and 9000rpm capacity.

Excuse me boys, I need to take care of something.
There are plenty of L4s that won't handle boost just like there are V8s that can't handle it. Take that clever engineering and apply it to a V8 that can actually handle it. My cousin just sold his 02 Camaro. It was running mid 9s with a blown LS1.
 
#32,189 ·
A stock 5.2 or 5.9 with good head gaskets and upgraded head bolts will be good for around 400 - 500 hp at the crank under boost with a good tune (you'll generally see less NA before something goes, as you'll have to rev it higher to make that kind of power). Beyond that, pistons are usually the first to go. The cranks are good to 600 - 700 hp, rods are good to somewhere around there as well (stock rods are forged I-beams).

Out of curiosity Schizo, why the CA18 rather than an SR20? Just want to be different?
 
#32,191 ·
There are plenty of L4s that won't handle boost just like there are V8s that can't handle it. Take that clever engineering and apply it to a V8 that can actually handle it. My cousin just sold his 02 Camaro. It was running mid 9s with a blown LS1.
Well, exactly. The point is, it's the clever engineering applied to a large-displacement engine, not the displacement itself, that creates the power and torque
you can have the extra heated intake air and the trouble that comes with it
^^^^^ This
A stock 5.2 or 5.9 with good head gaskets and upgraded head bolts will be good for around 400 - 500 hp at the crank under boost with a good tune (you'll generally see less NA before something goes, as you'll have to rev it higher to make that kind of power). Beyond that, pistons are usually the first to go. The cranks are good to 600 - 700 hp, rods are good to somewhere around there as well (stock rods are forged I-beams).

Out of curiosity Schizo, why the CA18 rather than an SR20? Just want to be different?
The CA18 is considerably lighter and cheaper than the SR20, and without breaking it open to replace some soft bits, it'll last considerably longer at 300+hp. The CA18 is basically an RB26 less two cylinders, and is built in much the same way internally. I know several guys running 300+hp for several years now, without ever opening the motor up. I know a few guys doing the same with SR20s, but I know even more guys whose SR20s blew up as soon as they got past 250hp.

Even if it weren't so much lighter (it's like 100lbs lighter than an SR20, and it's a lot shorter so it's almost entirely behind the crossmember) it's still a lot cheaper. I can get a whole CA18DET swap for $1400, trans, ECU, accessories, and all. An SR20 longblock on its own would set me back more than that. And considering that adding power is just a matter of increasing boost and adding bigger fuel injectors on either, it just makes sense to go this route.

(Besides, the CA18DET is prettier)
 
#32,192 ·
Cut out what little was left of my rocker panels and welded in some 3" x 3" x 3/16" HREW and braced it off to the unibody rail as well.
It's beefy!!



I also welded up some extensions for the front sway bar end links for both ZJs.

 
#32,193 ·
Well sweater my you know whats off driving for two hours with it being 80+ degrees and 80% humidty. AC worked fine in the fall so figuring low on freon but recharged it like ACPro can said and compressor kicks on for a second off a for a few then repeat. I still think more freon but Dad (who believe he knows it all) says nah. So we see gonna put some more in tomorrow. Only put in maybe half a can? Any ideas also?
 
#32,194 ·
Well sweater my you know whats off driving for two hours with it being 80+ degrees and 80% humidty. AC worked fine in the fall so figuring low on freon but recharged it like ACPro can said and compressor kicks on for a second off a for a few then repeat. I still think more freon but Dad (who believe he knows it all) says nah. So we see gonna put some more in tomorrow. Only put in maybe half a can? Any ideas also?
To much freon will cause issues just like not enough will.
 
#32,196 ·
The A/C compressor cuts off if high-side pressure is too high or low-side pressure is too low. If high-side pressure is too high, continued operation can damage the system. If low-side pressure is too low, it can signify a lack of lubricant, in which case continued operation can damage the compressor.

I tend to suggest at this point, vacuuming the system and adding the specified amount of lubricant and refrigerant, mixed with UV dye to find leaks. It's expensive, it's time-consuming, and it's the right way to do it. (And it's still cheaper than accidentally blowing the compressor, in which case you'll need to do all of the above, plus buy a $300 A/C compressor)
 
#32,197 ·
The A/C compressor cuts off if high-side pressure is too high or low-side pressure is too low. If high-side pressure is too high, continued operation can damage the system. If low-side pressure is too low, it can signify a lack of lubricant, in which case continued operation can damage the compressor.

I tend to suggest at this point, vacuuming the system and adding the specified amount of lubricant and refrigerant, mixed with UV dye to find leaks. It's expensive, it's time-consuming, and it's the right way to do it. (And it's still cheaper than accidentally blowing the compressor, in which case you'll need to do all of the above, plus buy a $300 A/C compressor)
This.

In general I don't trust the refrigerant in a can stuff you get at the parts store. Doing it right takes real equipment.
 
#32,199 ·
Man, I'm gonna have to do my A/C. It worked great until my wife destroyed my condenser. I can't wait to fork over the money to get it professionally recharged! I'm so excited!

And Schizo, sure, it may be that clever engineering that gets a boosted 4 banger to output more than a N/A V8, but that's not comparing apples to apples there. You're not going to find a N/A 4 banger that puts out the kind of power a V8 can put out, at least on the torque side. I do see your point, but I believe you're missing mine.
 
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