looking for some 401 help

newt

I have a worn 401 in my CJ7 that I want to build as a daily driver and weekend toy. I'm looking for low 300s hp and 400+ ft-lbs from just above idle to redline ~5500 rpm. I plan to re-build w/ chevy TBI, air gap intake, cam, .... I have many questions. From the sticky on this forum it looks like all the 401s had the dog leg heads. Is this true and where is the # on them? Are the new edelbrock heads worth the $$$$? What cam specs and cams should I be looking for? The oils pressure has been slowly decreasing and is now down to ~10psi when hot. Should I be looking for a new timing cover (where) and oil pump gears? I plan to do the oiling mods I've read about, but what do I need to know about getting my preasure back up where it should be? I'm reading everything I can, and I'm happy to have found this site. Thanks.

jeepsr4ever

Heres the good news ... you can easily obtain those numbers with just a cam and intake-carb swap whats your gear ratio? this will tell you what cam you want...and tire size If you need a timing cover lots of outfits sell new replacements but i doubt any of them check more thourough than BT's staff...or give better pricing. For pressure its a combination of proper bearing clearances and a good oil pump. You might want to try new gears and maybe a high pressure spring or new oil filter adaptor. You may actually not need a rebuild, maybe some mods and a cam-intake-carb to get you where you want to be.

newt

A little more info as requested: T18, Dana60/14bolt, 4.56 gears, Detroits, 38*12.50 TSLs. I use my Jeep for everything from comuting to work (even though it only flirts w/ being truely street legal) to hard core rock crawling. I'm not looking for top-end & high revs but a very good low & mid range with tons of torque. Are all 401 heads the 58cc doglegs?

newt

http://www.lavenderbrothers.com/images/red_cj-7/DSC00225.jpg

A picture of my Jeep.

Dusty

Spanky, :t: Ill post back on how my camshaft runs once i get it fired up. I used a Howard cam actually i have another 401 in the garage that i might bless witha roller if the benefit is there and the availibiliy But if you get a change pop that picture off there and edit/ white out the plate. Dusty

Mudrat

newt ... DUDE :shock: That's a wild look'n ride :lo1l: Hats off man, that's A1 :t: A little unsure about the front of the roll cage bolted to the speaker mounts though :oops: And what 8 bolt axles are you running? Mudrat :sa:

pyagid

Mudrat wrote
newt ... DUDE :shock: That's a wild look'n ride :lo1l: Hats off man, that's A1 :t:
A little unsure about the front of the roll cage bolted to the speaker mounts though :oops:

And what 8 bolt axles are you running?

Mudrat :sa:

Did you read his sig?? or his previous post?? 8) 111!!!

jeepsr4ever

mod fight mod fight 8)

Mudrat

Obviously NOT :oops: MC, at least paul showed up for the Sunday Chat 8) Mudrat :?:

fuzz401

have to rember mudrat is geting old and feble

for your 401 any 360 -390 after 70 and 401 heads are the same most were 58cc there is some that say after 80 they went to 60cc
for the cam I would stay under 230 @ .50 duration and 110 and up center line on the cam if you go under that it will start to take away your low end and move every thing up to the midrang and upper rpm's

head casting numbers are found between the rocker studs

http://www3.sympatico.ca/david.crooks/amc.PDF

the cam bearing is one place that will kill oil presure fast when it opens up

newt

Thanks for the replies/compliments. Keep the info coming.

http://www.lavenderbrothers.com/images/red_cj-7/DSC01542.jpg

Mudrat, as you can see in the above picture, the front cage down bar 'sandwitches' the dash with plate and continues down to the floor of the tub. This really helps for leg room and the hard door window crank clears it too. The front hoop isn't tied to the frame, but the rear 4 points are.

Mudrat

Whew see now. I feel better knowing that it's not bolted there :?

Cool move and I like the leg-room deal too.

Pat