Main girdle

[JeepSJ]

Upon pulling the oil pan, I found that I have the smaller (10mm) outer bolts on my main caps. Someone told me that the main girdles aren't necessary on the blocks with the small outer bolts because those blocks don't crack.

My thought is that the smaller bolts aren't going to provide as much clamping load as the bigger bolts, therefore you really want to use the girdles to help tie everything together - not so much to prevent cracking as to just help keep the main caps in place.

Any thoughts?

[john8662]

I think the 1997 blocks should really have the girdle kit on them. They are the first blocks to have the piston oil spray coolers internally. I don't think there is a year that wouldn't benefit from having the kit. its next on my list if I have to remove the pan and have an un-cracked block.

[JeepSJ]

Thanks. Plus, it would be a shame not to do it since the engine is sitting on the stand with the pan removed. When am I going to get an opportunity like this again (hopefully not for at least 200K miles).

[tom.mcinerney]

Girdle and timing gears probably best upgrades for reliability.