304 vs Dauntless

[dave123]

Curious. A friend has a couple of Dauntless Buick 225 V6 engines laying around, and I have the AMC 304 . He is building one up and trying to talk me into swapping my 304 for the other. Looking at the HP and torque, I really don't see much of a difference. I'm guessing the Dauntless weighs less, and probably revs better, but really, would a swap be worth it? My 304 runs, the Dauntless engine MIGHT run. Plus the money for the swap, etc.

So, is the Dautless really that great? I'm thinking if I were to do a swap, it would be to a small block chevy!

I also doubt that I could sell my 304 for much, so money is an issue as well.

 

[BrockGrimes]

The Dauntless Buick 225 V6 is a great motor but I wouldn't swap a AMC 304 for it.
How ever I'd use the Dauntless for another project.
One can never have to many jeeps.

 

[mylittlecj5]

I gotta agree...I wouldn't trade the AMC 304 for a Dauntless Buick 225 V6 ...
But I would trade it for a 360 AMC. Drop-in cheap, great power and its still all Jeep!

 

[BajaEdition]

Dauntless Buick 225 V6 is a great motor and worth having, for a 71 and earlier Jeep, In 72 the engine bay of the CJ was lengthened by 3 inches so they could get larger engines in there. So any Jeep starting in 72 there is no real need for a V6.
I have to admit us Dauntless guys are fanatical about the little engines that can, and the numbers prove us out, But the engine was picked because it fit. Turned out to be a really great engine but that AMC 304 is a better engine.

 

[LongHorn]

Dauntless is a great motor and worth having, for a 71 and earlier Jeep, In 72 the engine bay of the CJ was lengthened by 3 inches so they could get larger engines in there. So any Jeep starting in 72 there is no real need for a V6.
I have to admit us Dauntless guys are fanatical about the little engines that can, and the numbers prove us out, But the engine was picked because it fit. Turned out to be a really great engine but that 304 is a better engine.

A-Men to that brother! I think the V6 is a great motor, but I'd never swap out a V8 to get one. I love my 401 V8!
:jeeplove:

 

[LASTCJ786]

That was a Dauntless Buick 225 V6 65-71 (rights picked up from GM) 225 Odd fire. I blow one up in my 71 CJ5 once. dropped in a 231 GM V6 (GM picked the rights back)

What will drop into your Jeep (72-86) is a AMC 232 i6 ,AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l ,AMC 304 ,390,360 and 401. Just a few choices. LOL

 

[dave123]

Thanx, I was thinking the same, but wanted some opinions.

The AMC 304 is running great. If it ever gives up the ghost, I will most likely put in a 360.

Only bad thing, my 11 mpg will probably sink even further!

 

[mylittlecj5]

Yea but the FUN FACTOR will TRIPLE!

 

[LongHorn]

Thanx, I was thinking the same, but wanted some opinions.

The 304 is running great. If it ever gives up the ghost, I will most likely put in a 360.

Only bad thing, my 11 mpg will probably sink even further!

My hopped up 401 gets 10mpg now.
I'm thinking you need a tune up.

 

[BajaEdition]

AH, a little history here, Kaiser did not buy the just rights for the engine, they bought the tooling and everything. When Buick bought it back from AMC they had to get the tooling back also. So for a few years in the 60s and 70s Jeep was producing all those 225s, not Buick.

 

[cj5 guy]

i have a saying that fits well here. there is no replacement for displacement. sorry but im a v-8 fanatic. just the sound of the AMC 304 alone is worth keeping in the jeep especially if it still runs. mine sat for over a year while i was on deployment and didnt get started once. the day i came back pumped the gas a few times and she turned over first try. amc's were built well. lookin at swaping my 304 for a 360 or if i can find one for a decient price a 401. just my .02

 

[LongHorn]

i have a saying that fits well here. there is no replacement for displacement. sorry but im a v-8 fanatic. just the sound of the 304 alone is worth keeping in the jeep especially if it still runs. mine sat for over a year while i was on deployment and didnt get started once. the day i came back pumped the gas a few times and she turned over first try. amc's were built well. lookin at swaping my 304 for a 360 or if i can find one for a decient price a 401. just my .02

X2 on that! She's real fun my 401!

 

[IOPort51]

X2 on that! She's real fun my 401!

A typical case of what psychologists call "over compensation".

 

[Boonie]

i have the buick v 6 in my 68 or 69 CJ5 . i have the T-90 Transmission behind it. is this a good trans for the v-6 or should i upgrade to something better? what will fit without a lot of modification?

 

[LongHorn]

The factory option was a T-18 , but the SM 420 will also work & it has a 7 to 1 first gear.

 

[Boonie]

The factory option was a T-18, but the SM 420 will also work & it has a 7 to 1 first gear.

What all would i have to change to install a T-18 Transmission .?

 

[BajaEdition]

T 90 is a 4 banger tranny. T-14 was the tranny for the v6 or as said the T-18 4 speed.

 

[BajaEdition]

What all would i have to change to install a t-18 Trans.?

need to check out if the front input shaft is the same, if so you would use the same bellhousing and clutch setup, if not you have some adapting to do
the T-18 you have, if that is a T-90 is a small hole t 18, you will have to either get a new casing, or a new entire tcase to match up the t 18, once in you will probably have to move the crossmember to get the tranny mount and the tcase mount to work, and then have the driveshafts worked on.

 

[LongHorn]

What all would i have to change to install a t-18 Trans.?

Clutch, pressure plate, pilot bushing, bell housing, shift fork re-drill the crossmember & probably a a Transmission mount.

 

[IOPort51]

If I had a pre 71 with the V6 in it I would do whatever I had to do to keep it that way, but I would not swap for the V8 you have.