• The Jeep name was first used on a small four-wheel-drive vehicle that was built for troop use in World War II. After the war, Willys-Overland, the manufacturer of the Jeep, made civilian copies for sale. Willys sold its Jeep division to Kaiser-Frazer in 1953. Jeep again changed hands in 1970 and became part of American Motors Corporation (AMC). AMC used its own engines to power various Jeep models, including the 304 V-8.
  
  

General Engine Information

• The 304-cubic inch displacement V-8 engine used in 1978 Jeeps was manufactured by Jeep's parent company, American Motors Corporation. The engine block and heads are made from cast iron. The overhead valves are located in the cylinder heads. There is one intake valve and one exhaust valve for each cylinder, making the 304 a 16-valve engine. Fuel is delivered via a two-barrel carburetor mounted on the intake manifold on top of the engine. The power output of the 1978 AMC 304 V-8 is 130 horsepower at 3,200 RPM and 238 foot-pounds of torque at 2,000 RPM. The compression ratio is 8.4:1. The cylinder bore is 3.750 inches, and the crankshaft stroke is 3.753 inches. The normal oil pressure reading for this engine is 50 PSI.
  
  

Applications

• The 304 AMC V-8 was first used in 1971 Jeep J-Series pickup trucks, Cherokees and Wagoneers. The smaller CJ Jeep, which dated back to World War II, didn't get a 304 V-8 as an option until 1972. Improvements to the CJ's smaller frame were made to accommodate the 304 in 1973. The 304 was retired from use in Jeeps after the 1981 model-year.
  
  

Torque Specifications

• The retaining bolts for the cast iron exhaust manifolds on each side of the engine block should be tightened with a torque wrench to between 23 and 27 foot-pounds. The intake manifold retaining bolts need to be tightened to between 40 and 45 foot-pounds. The flywheel retaining bolts need to be tightened to between 100 and 110 foot-pounds while the harmonic balancer bolts should be torqued between 53 and 58 foot-pounds. The main bearing cap retaining bolts should be tightened to between 95 and 105 foot-pounds. The correct torque for the connecting rod bolts is between 25 and 30 foot-pounds. The cylinder head bolts need to be tightened to between 100 and 100 foot-pounds.