Engine swaps

[Jonas720]

Hi I just purchased a 84 720 and want to know what you guys (girls) think about engine swapping. What workers best or keep it stock ? Can power steering be added? Thanks

[ggzilla]

Keep it stock. The 2.4 is a good engine.

[Jonas720]

What can you recommend I do to the stock engine?? I like going fast. :)

[ggzilla]

1. Put your foot down and hold to the redline. Don't short shift.

 

2. For higher top speed, put it in fourth gear.

 

3. To accelerate faster, put steeper final gear in.

[ggzilla]

Oh and give it a tune-up if it won't do 90 mph

[Jonas720]

Cool thanks

[Cpl620]

Dont be small, V8 swap em' all.

[Jonas720]

Dont be small, V8 swap em' all.

lol. I'm not that smart to swap a v8. I'm a oil change only kinda guy. Haaaaa! Lame huh?

[datzenmike]

Z24 is a good motor for pulling a heavy truck. It has lots of grunt but not so much top end.

KA24E or DE from a D21 Hardbody will actually fit your transmission but you will need to convert to EFI on your truck and modify the engine mounts. Lots of work but also lots more power. Not to be undertaken by the inexperienced so drive your Z24 and learn about this first.

 

The biggest performance bang for the buck is a differential swap. Not the complete rear end just the third member gear carrier. The Z24 powered 2wd 720 had deplorable gear choices in the back to increase mileage. Earlier 720s with smaller motors had taller gears in the 4.11, 4.375 and even 4.625. I would go with 4.375s.

[ggzilla]

And I'd go with the 4.625 for best acceleration. You still have fifth gear for doing 75 MPH.

 

What you should do first is retorque the head gasket to keep that Z24 running good.

[wayno]

Hi I just purchased a 84 720 and want to know what you guys (girls) think about engine swapping. What workers best or keep it stock ? Can power steering be added? Thanks

 

As mentioned above, just drive your truck for a while before making up our mind about the engine swaps.

The 720 came with the power steering option, you just need to find one with everything at a wrecking yard and buy it all and put it on your truck.

You likely will even have to buy the steering column complete(switches, ect.) also, this is not just a couple parts swap and have power steering, so be sure that you want it real bad, you will likely need the column complete with all switches, covers, you will need the PS gear, lines that go across to the passenger side, the PS pump on the engine, the belt adjustment hardware, the PS reservoir if separate, the lower harmonic balancer if yours doesn't have the groove needed, the belt.

It will likely be a tilt column truck, that is why you need all the column switches, because the non tilt column shaft is smaller than the tilt column shaft, the rag joint has to be near the firewall, as it will hit on the upper control arm if it is at the steering gear itself.