Where to start? Jeep CJ7 with AMC 360

[JEEPCJ360]

Hello All,

Been reading a lot, but this is my first post. A few months ago I purchased a 1978 Jeep CJ7 that has an AMC 360 in it with 15K since a rebuild. Currently it has the following:

- Edelbrock 600 CFM carb with electric choke (no spacer)
- Edelbrock Performer AMC intake manifold
- Stock ignition module (the one installed is made by Wells)
- Stock Distributor with large cap and tall rotor modification
- Engine Bore unknown
- Crank stroke unknown, but most likely stock
- Cam unknown, but the idle says it is most likely NOT stock
- Stock exhaust manifolds to a single exhaust out the rear (no cat)
- No emissions components except for the charcoal vapor cannister
- T150 tranny and Dana 20 t-case.

It starts very easily when cold and is a bit harder to start when warm, but starts after about 4-5 crank revolutions. It idles well and runs strong. The problem is that I have no idea what strong really means because I have nothing to compare it to (unless my 2007 Avalanche counts, but this is like comparing a go-cart to a limo). I have already ordered the HEI dizzy from right hear at Bulltear so I will see if that adds to the performance.

My question is...short of putting the Jeep on a dyno, what is the best way to get a feeling of how close to perfect the engine is running? What I mean by perfect is...am I getting the torque and horsepower out of it that it is designed to produce? I am sorry if this is an odd question, but reading through this forum is a bit overwhelming. I want to steadily improve the Jeeps performance, but I am not a fan of big dollars for small gains if you know what I mean. I like low hanging fruit...YUM!

Any and all comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

--Aaron

[Old Rugged Crosser]

If you don't have visions that require uncontrollable horsepower I would suggest that you enjoy it for what it is.--Probably a good reliable 360. Don't go hunting for trouble.

[JEEPCJ360]

If you don't have visions that require uncontrollable horsepower I would suggest that you enjoy it for what it is.--Probably a good reliable 360. Don't go hunting for trouble.

How did you know what my vision was? Are you a mind reader? OK, I don't want uncontrollable power, but I do want controllable power.

[tufcj]

Enjoy it as is for a while, then modify to fit your needs. My 77 has a near stock 360, minor head/valve work, an Edelbrock cam/manifold, EFI (Howell), and a single 3" exhaust. I rock crawl with mine, so gearing and suspension flex is important. I went from the T-150 to a T-18 and swapped the model 20 for a Dana 300. WIth the 4.27 gears in the axles, I have a 70+: 1 crawl ratio. I run about 7" of lift and 37" tires. It could use a bit more gear on the street, but it does great on the trails.

See what you need before you change things.

Bob
tufcj

[Old Rugged Crosser]

How did you know what my vision was? Are you a mind reader? OK, I don't want uncontrollable power, but I do want controllable power.

Hey, calm down, don't get you panties bunched up in a wad. If you will take the time to look at my statement I said "IF YOUR VISION REQUIRED" I'm not pretending to read your mind. Just trying to give you some stellar advice. Take it or leave it. It was free.

Any and all comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Apparently it ant so!

[JEEPCJ360]

Hey, calm down, don't get you panties bunched up in a wad. If you will take the time to look at my statement I said "IF YOUR VISION REQUIRED" I'm not pretending to read your mind. Just trying to give you some stellar advice. Take it or leave it. It was free.

Apparently it ant so!

WOW! I don't think I have ever had somebody take a comment so wrongly. I apologize, I was attempting to make a joke. This is the very reason that email and text is so dangerous as a form of communication. If you could have seen my face as I typed it you would have known what I meant. Trust me, there was not a single once of ill will intended in my statement. I am sorry it was taken that way.

[msalaba]

I run pretty much the same setup as you.

360
stock rotating assembly
stock heads w/ recent valve grind
edelbrock performer manifold
summit K8600 cam
edelbrock roller timing chain <- only cause the stock set was shot
stock exhaust manifolds
stock motorcraft dist w/ ford 460 big cap
T-15 w/ D20

Major difference is I'm running propane and have a MSD 6AL ignition.
(added 6al for hotter spark for propane)

Good strong running torquer

Not much else I'd like to do to this engine. Maybe advance the cam timing to get a little more low end power. (seems my torque curve is a little higher than I want)

To your hard start warm issue, check the timing. iirc you want 12* @ 600 RPM vac advance disconnected.

Before you get all gung ho over the HEI dizzy, you may want to search for posts in reference to vac advance can clearance. HEI is convenient but IMHO a POS copared to a motorcraft dizzy. (Pretty bad comming from a chevy guy)

Good luck and let your wallet be your guide!

[msalaba]

Hello All,

Been reading a lot, but this is my first post. A few months ago I purchased a 1978 Jeep CJ7 that has an AMC 360 in it with 15K since a rebuild. Currently it has the following:

- Edelbrock 600 CFM carb with electric choke (no spacer)
- Edelbrock Performer AMC intake manifold
- Stock ignition module (the one installed is made by Wells)
- Stock Distributor with large cap and tall rotor modification
- Engine Bore unknown
- Crank stroke unknown, but most likely stock
- Cam unknown, but the idle says it is most likely NOT stock
- Stock exhaust manifolds to a single exhaust out the rear (no cat)
- No emissions components except for the charcoal vapor cannister
- T150 tranny and Dana 20 t-case.

It starts very easily when cold and is a bit harder to start when warm, but starts after about 4-5 crank revolutions. It idles well and runs strong. The problem is that I have no idea what strong really means because I have nothing to compare it to (unless my 2007 Avalanche counts, but this is like comparing a go-cart to a limo). I have already ordered the HEI dizzy from right hear at Bulltear so I will see if that adds to the performance.

My question is...short of putting the Jeep on a dyno, what is the best way to get a feeling of how close to perfect the engine is running? What I mean by perfect is...am I getting the torque and horsepower out of it that it is designed to produce? I am sorry if this is an odd question, but reading through this forum is a bit overwhelming. I want to steadily improve the Jeeps performance, but I am not a fan of big dollars for small gains if you know what I mean. I like low hanging fruit...YUM!

Any and all comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

--Aaron

You have all the "low hanging fruit"

make sure you have 120 - 150 psi even across the cylinders and that you ignition timing is in spec.

Outside of the engine, you may want to look into gearing.
this is really important if you do not have a stock tire size.
many people call their engine a turd when they bolt on 35" tires w/ 2.73:1 gearing

[JEEPCJ360]

Before you get all gung ho over the HEI dizzy, you may want to search for posts in reference to vac advance can clearance. HEI is convenient but IMHO a POS compared to a motorcraft dizzy. (Pretty bad coming from a chevy guy).

Thank you for the thoughts.

I was going to go with the MSD or Summit CDI unit and stick with the Motorcraft dizzy but I have read so many threads on the jeepforum.com site of people having noticeable performance gains with the HEI. I will keep my duraspark/coil/dizzy in case the HEI fails, but I like the simplicity of the HEI. I have not read anything about clearance issues, but I would hope that Bulltear wouldn't sell HEI units that have this issue.

I am running 410 gears so that shouldn't be a problem, right? I will check my timing and see where I am. IIRC i am around 10 BTC right now without vac advanced hooked up. I was a bit more advanced but was getting slight kickback when starting so I retarded it a few degrees.

I think the next upgrade is going to be exhaust. I know you are running stock manifolds, but what are your opinion on headers? Also, what are your thoughts on single versus dual exhaust? Thanks for your time.

[Old Rugged Crosser]

The clearance problem comes in with clearance between the dizzy cap and the power steering pump. If you have that problem like I did, I made a bracket to move the p.s. pump down out of the way. I still have the pattern.