top 5 upgrades u should do for your AMC v8 jeep

[@victorriceroni8455]

Might I make a humble suggestion? When replacing a disturbator, install a new distributor drive gear on the front of the camshaft. Older and wiser folks may know if switching the gear from your old distributor to the new one might work. But new distrubitor gear on old cam gear will result in cold wet walk home.

[@jasonlenihan9854]

My friend sent me this video, one of the best I’ve seen so far as being clear and informative. 👍

[@slowcountryboy476]

I purchased a '79 CJ5 in November 2021. It has a stock 304 with GM points style distributor, a Motorcraft 2150 2bbl., granny 4 speed, a Dana 20 transfer, Dana 30 front, and what appears to be an AMC 20 rear end. When I first got it the MPG was 10. First thing I did was replace the points (adjustable with an allen wrench), rotor, cap, plugs, 60,000 volt canister style coil, and set the timing with an ear-chrometer. The spark plug cables looked decent. MPGs went to 12 and a feelable power boost. Then I installed a fuel atomizer on the carb squirters and could cold start it (15 deg and snow on the ground) with no choke, warm up about 5 minutes and go. No hesitation, bogging, clogging, chugging, or whatever "***gging" you can think of. Then I pulled the distributor, disassembled it to clean it and inspect for excessive wear; all good. I installed an Accel adjustable vaccum advance canister, and Moroso distributor recurve kit. After playing with the various springs in the kit and adjustable vaccum for a week I clocked it at 15 MPG on a 1 hour run on a lonely country road at speeds up 95 MPH. And no, I did not experience any death wobble. Like a bonehead I tinkered some more because I wanted more MPG. I tinkered with the kit's various spring strengths some more and I got 18 MPGs on two, two hour runs through the mountains!! (at mostly posted speed limits) I wound up with 16 degrees initial timing, and 49 degrees total timing at 3,300 RPM and I tested it up to 4,500 rpm. It stays at 49 dgrees, plus I am running the lowest grade pump gasoline!! As stated above, it is a stock engine (stock compression) with stock cast iron intake and cast iron exhaust manifolds flowing into one muffler. Future engine mods include a cam ground for low end torque, a dual plane aluminum intake massaged with grinders to round out sharp turns and edges and match the head/intake ports, and a base plate style atomizer under the carb. "Shorty" headers, or block hugger headers are planned also with a 3" elbow to replace the header exhaust pipe flange. This will give more collector to play with and can be fashioned inside the frame rails before reducing to a 2 1/2" exhaust system. In the world according to me, I just want more MPGs and more crawling torque. By the way, when I was tinkering with distributor advance I did use a timing light with a built-in tachometer. The work could not be done without it. You can also pull the distributor and take it to someone who has an old distributor machine. But that costs money and will not give you a real world on the road experience because you have to really make the engine work on the road so you may feel the engine perfomance, listen for knocks and pings, and keep an eye on the coolant temperature. With a distributor machine you have pull out the distributor each time you want to make a change. Finally, be extra vigilant on the road. I live in a rural area with lonely straight back country roads and very little traffic. And if something were to wrong horribly bad on the road deputies and medical help are at least 45 minutes, that is the fastest time known around here. So be careful, make sure your tires are well balanced, and suspension/steering are in good repair. If not, repair that before you do any engine engine work. Be smart, be safe.

[@junkyardjeep744]

whoa 90 mph and no death wobble , thats excellent for an old cj5 jeep !!!!!

[@slowcountryboy476]

@@junkyardjeep744 I got lucky because I have addressed the steering and suspension. For my peace of mind I will be installing new ball joints, tie rod ends, and so on because they are a huge safety item. I'm likely going to use heavy duty stuff with heim joints, high steer, heavier ball joints, and so on.

[@slowcountryboy476]

@@GorillaCookies I very well; however, an assumption, though false if persisted in will harden into fact. Because of your extensive experience with the 304 engine you automatically assume I am in error and that is your solid truth. And just for shits and giggles your truth becomes even harder when you discover I am a carpenter, not a mechanic. Notwithstanding, my calculations could be wrong because after all, I am only a carpenter. I just installed 33 inch tires and am interested in discovering how the new tires affect the mileage. Already I feel a little loss in torque. Anyway, Happy New Year!! Be safe.

[@WiSeNhEiMeR-1369]

Thanks for the HINTS & SUGGESTIONS COOP the WiSeNhEiMeR from Richmond, INDIANA ...

[@UnderSprayedWhiteSkies]

I emphatically agree w/everything you suggested except the side dump headers. For me, too ugly, too noisy, and too fumey. I totally get your rationale though. I solved all my AMC V8 issues (including the guaranteed to leak rear main seal, and pathetic V-belt (lack of) tensioning system), by swapping it for a 4.0L w/multiport fuel injection.

[@brandondriskill8809]

A couple of things regarding the intake manifold. You may pay more than $100-150. I couldn’t find one for less than $275 a couple of months back. Also, there are 2 manifold styles. One for the 67-69 cylinder heads and one for the 1970+ cylinder heads.

[@ecesarchavez]

Great video 👍🏼 Thanks for sharing But don’t understand replacing the oem alternator.

[@junkyardjeep744]

the chevy 1 wire alternator gets rid of a ton of extra wiring like the voltage regulator

[@alexandredemers9156]

Me again with my 304 YJ crawler. 63amp alternator was not enough for all the mods I made. So one night with too much coffee I installed a second alternator. A lot easier than I thought

[@junkyardjeep744]

hmmmm, so 2 power wires to batt, 1 from each alternator, then then 2 wires to ign on key, one from each alternator ??

[@alexandredemers9156]

I used GM alternators. Exact, I just spliced the wire and hooked in parallel. I installed a switch to activate one on demand.

[@MegaTapdog]

Thanks for the video. What radiator are you running? what radiator are you running?

[@NBWDB]

When you installed the mighty might fuel pump, did you just plug off the fuel return?

[@gregchiropolos9885]

Wow how about Prestolite ignition systems from the mid 70s on sixes and V 8s that would contently short out.

[@junkyardjeep744]

we only run hei chevy style ignition in all our amc v8s and of course chevy v8s, still a brilliant design here in 2022 I think

[@johnrotella3890]

I have a '78 CJ7 that really needs these upgrades. I live in Simi Valley, California and I would love to find a mechanic that can find all the parts and make all of these modifications. If anyone knows anyone near me or in the Ventura or Los Angeles county area please post that intel.

[@junkyardjeep744]

get on all the Mac buy sell trade groups on face book, u can buy hard to find amc stuff there, the hei distributor can be bought on eBay

[@realandyinaz]

Hawaii Racing is located in Simi.

[@erikalarson6803]

I'm going to be critical of these 5 things. I only own one Jeep at the moment, a FSJ. It is my 19th one. I have owned a couple CJ's as well. ALL with the third generation AMC V8, the oldest a 1971 and the newest a 1989. Each of the five modifications are a choice that one can make and start down the path of making your Jeep a Chevy. A big part of what makes a Jeep a Jeep is that it's different in ways that create and reinforce it's unique characteristics. By all means do what you want with your rig, but the Chevy mods just make if more Chevy and less Jeep. Now if those mods were Buick sourced mods than maybe the Jeep could still be Jeep. A Buick HEI distributor, a Buick 60A alternator, a Buick Q-jet, and then that electric fuel pump in addition to a factory mechanical pump, and an aluminum intake that accepts the q-jet without an adapter. The q-jet is missing so many pieces that it would barely run in a cold environment. Completely removing the choke except of the electric housing is just asking of a reliability problem some cold morning. When are you going to change out that Ford/AMC starter for something different? A Chevy perhaps??

[@taylorbarnes5377]

Sweet video! How did you wire the Holley fuel pump? I’d like to add one to my 72 cj5 with an amc 304. I am sick of having the mechanical fuel pumps fail.

[@junkyardjeep744]

use holly mighty mite electric fuel pump, don't even need pressure regulator, mount it on you're frame by the gas tank, a 40 dollar pump. for t b I fuel injection, use 14 psi frame mount electric pump, they r about 150 bucks

[@taylorbarnes5377]

@@junkyardjeep744 thank you sir!

[@scotfield3950]

Did all of those and the egr was also a pain finally just blocked it off. This was on a cl7 with quadratrac and hard top, what a fun jeep

[@junkyardjeep744]

ya makes a huge difference

[@PokeTubin]

Thank you so much I’m going to try asap !!!

[@craigwoolpert2359]

Thinking about the electric fuel pump but do I still need an inline fuel filter up by the carb? And did you wire into a switch? Craig

[@junkyardjeep744]

I just run 1 plastic see through (no glass !!!) before the fuel pump, u can run 1 extra before the carb for good luck

[@charlescarr487]

Oops the last message should of said..which GM Brackets did you use for the altenator??

[@junkyardjeep744]

late 70's gm truck alt. bracket on bottom and amc v8 alt. bracket on top

[@BandBHomestead]

What intake is that? Is it specific to the amc 304 or is there a Chevy manifold that works? If it's a Chevy manifold, what part number and/or vehicle is it that I need to look for?

[@junkyardjeep744]

its for amc small block only, hard to find used and like 350 to 400 new but can be found used if u dig around on the amc groups on Facebook

[@williamfowler616]

if you replace the front timing cover and oil pump with regulator, do not run your oil pressure at 70 psi like modern engines make sure your oil pressure is not more than 45 psi or else you will be stripping timing gears quickly, if you replace the oil pressure regulator spring, with a new spring you will have to cut two rings off the string to make the oil pressure 45 psi. this is the biggest mistake made when rebuilding the AMC V8.

[@edc6333]

I actually have a quadrajet and adapter plate on my shelf from another project, did you need to make jet or metering rod changes?

[@junkyardjeep744]

some times if there is 2 much fuel at idle but not very often

[@raychilcote5558]

Depends on what the carb was on. Big 454s will likely have too much fuel and need smaller idle jets. Mine came from a '78 Corvette with a 350. Right in the pocket.

[@charlescarr487]

Which altenator did you buy ?

[@junkyardjeep744]

just the basic late 70's chevy k 10 or c 10 truck 60 amp alternator

[@americanbeserker2324]

I learned it ain’t smart to put a 429 carb on a 304 it just wastes more gas😂

[@kennethcohagen3539]

That alternator is the worst GM alternator ever made! The diodes used in that hunk of garbage are the smallest ever used in a Chevy. Use an older GM version, which Carrie’s a universal rebuild part number of 7122. It has the largest diodes ever used and will last much longer. The only down side is that you have to be smart enough to wire in a separate voltages regulator, but that’s fine. It won’t overcharge your battery like the internally regulated alternator will. As for the HEI ignition, buy a modern one and use the best quality cap and rotor you can find. Early distributors had a bushing in them that ate itself up, and the bronze material would coat thee inside of the distributor causing misfires. The Quadrajet? Great carb, but hard to tune. Get Doug Roes book on Q-jets and modify your carb accordingly!

[@vandie9759]

you willl assimilate to the Borg and do this...

[@Mega7492]

What you have there is a real piece of junk. I do like the AMC Jeep.