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Jeep 230 Tornado Engine, anyone know much about these?

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  • Jeep 230 Tornado Engine, anyone know much about these?

    I'm thinking it's time to finally give in and take the Ventura apart and get everything fixed at once. Everything shy of the paint, most likely. Anyway, I'm looking on craigslist for a good, cheap parts hauler and found this:




    It's cheap, it's close, and it could easily be the next project.
    Anyone know anything about these motors, though?
    I know very little. They're OHC and have one cam lobe per cylinder, that much I know. But that's about where my knowledge of them stops.
    This add is a few days old, and the wagon may be gone by now, but I'm curious about the engine none the less.

  • #2
    Re: Jeep 230 Tornado Engine, anyone know much about these?

    That's one about which I know NADA. Hope someone responds with info, as I'd like to know.

    Dan

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    • #3
      Re: Jeep 230 Tornado Engine, anyone know much about these?

      The 230 Tornado engine is an overhead cam 6 built by Kaiser.
      It uses a 6 lobe cam that opens intake & exhaust valves.
      It was designed and built in house by Kaiser.
      Created to replace the flathead 226 Super Hurricane 6's.
      Considered ahead of it's time by 1960's technology standards.
      Used in M-715, Gladiator, Wagoneer, Pick-Up, from 62-65, replaced by AMC 232.
      Used in late 65-81 in Foreign & US Military vehicles.
      Known for excessive oil consumption, cam lobe/bearing wear & failure.
      There was a 154ci 4cyl version of this motor too.

      I've seen these motors first hand. They're noisy, and not worth a damn for daily driving.
      The Jeep in the craigslist ad looks great for $650!!! Tear that POS Kaiser motor out though.


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      • #4
        Re: Jeep 230 Tornado Engine, anyone know much about these?

        They are the first OHC engine designed and built in the USA. They are also turds. I've had a few and am working on one (slowly) these days. They clatter a lot and make no power.

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        • #5
          Re: Jeep 230 Tornado Engine, anyone know much about these?

          Greetings,

          The Tornado was a tempest in a iron tea pot. As an attempt to update the too-old, too-long-stroke Willys six-cylinder with an OHC head, it was less bad than its predecessor. As stated above, there is nothing worth fixing about it. Hot Rod Magazine did a feature article on it when it first was introduced. To this day, I know without a doubt, money changed hands, as it was not, could not, never could be considered to have hot rod potential.

          Buy the Jeep, toss the engine for just about anything else. IIRC, they used the ex-Buick V6 for many years thereafter. Buick had to buy back the tooling and production rights when they went back to the same design still around today.

          thnx, jack vines

          thnx, jv.

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          • #6
            Re: Jeep 230 Tornado Engine, anyone know much about these?

            Just another part of the long kaiser/amc/mopar/mercedes story

            My fabulous web page

            "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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            • #7
              Re: Jeep 230 Tornado Engine, anyone know much about these?

              Originally posted by PackardV8
              IIRC, they used the ex-Buick V6 for many years thereafter. Buick had to buy back the tooling and production rights when they went back to the same design still around today.
              I suspect that's not correct. The 225ci odd-fire V-6 used in CJ-5s and Jeepsters from '68-'71 (I think) was a totally different design than what's used in, say, a 231ci Buick V-6 like a Grand National engine. The 225 was like a Buick V-8 minue a couple cylinders. The V-6 was not used in fullsize Jeeps, but the Buick 350 V-8 was in trucks and Wagoneers around '68-'71.

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              • #8
                Re: Jeep 230 Tornado Engine, anyone know much about these?

                Nope, the Buick 3.8L, not the 3800 which is a big evolution, is a 225 redesigned to use Buick 350 rotating parts. Its an odd stuck in the middle of the 2nd Generation (300/340) Buick small block and the 3rd Generation (350). It probably has more in common with the 2nd Gen because lots of the 3rd Gen stuff was in the heads and with 2 cylinders gone its hard to tell which pattern its using the 2nd Gen EI EI IE IE or the 3rd Gen EI IE EI IE. The stroke seams to be limited to 3.625in while the factory 350 stroke is 3.850, also hinting at more 2nd Gen origins. Jeep bought the 225 from Buick in 1967 because its the last year you got it in a Buick because in 68 it was a Chevy 250 I6. Jeep had it till '74 when Buick bought it back but I don't know if they used it that long since when AMC bought Jeep, they started using thier motors.
                The 3800 FWD motor is a significant evolution from the classic Buick V6 but its still very close in basic design. Its now shorter, on-center vs off center on the rods, and uses a lot of technology you see on the Gen III/IV SBC motors and it came out in mid 95. For a Jeep you want an 83- early 85 motor since you can use the 225 oil pans and front covers and they had slightly better heads than the older motors. In late 85 they changed the oil pan to 20 bolts, still used on the 3800 but not sure if its exactly the same, so I don't know if you can get one that works. The "109" blocks are stronger but not markedly so. I'd get an early 85 14-bolt pan motor, some reproduction 225 Dauntless stickers for the stamped valve covers and paint it to match the original Dauntless ones but you'll gain the even fire, better heads, and lots of upgrades from the Turbo6 world.
                Central TEXAS Sleeper
                USAF Physicist

                ROA# 9790

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                • #9
                  Re: Jeep 230 Tornado Engine, anyone know much about these?

                  I'm pretty sure the 225 and 231 are very similar. The 225 is 3/4 of a 300, the 231 just uses the slightly larger pistons from a 350. I know I used some parts from a 225 on the 231 that I swapped into my chevette long before Cads became popular.

                  The new guy Will ( CTX-SLPR he's also from the HR forum) will set you straight on Buick stuff

                  edit: damn, he beat me to it!
                  My fabulous web page

                  "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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                  • #10
                    Re: Jeep 230 Tornado Engine, anyone know much about these?

                    And now we know! Thanks for the info.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Jeep 230 Tornado Engine, anyone know much about these?

                      looks like 71 was the last year for Jeep Buick V6 engines?



                      btw, I have a standard shift flywheel from a car 225, I wonder if it's useful for anything? heavy summabich
                      My fabulous web page

                      "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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                      • #12
                        Re: Jeep 230 Tornado Engine, anyone know much about these?

                        The difference between the old Buick 225/231's and the newer Series I are changes like the Gen I SBC to the LT-1, and the Buick Series II engines is like the changes to the LS series engines in the SBC. They are similar, but at the same time very different. I got an Odd-fire 231 sitting in storage right now. In any case all these engines are completely different than the inline OHC six in the Jeep for sale.
                        Escaped on a technicality.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Jeep 230 Tornado Engine, anyone know much about these?

                          Originally posted by squirrel
                          btw, I have a standard shift flywheel from a car 225, I wonder if it's useful for anything? heavy summabich
                          Jeep guys like the heavy flywheel, better for keeping the engine going while trying to ease out of spots. It would need to be rebalanced to work on a 231 since they are different weight factors with the split pins on the later 3.8. I'm going to have to have my '78 3.8L flywheel turned to neutral balance to match my internal balance crank on my 4.1L, no its not stock.
                          Central TEXAS Sleeper
                          USAF Physicist

                          ROA# 9790

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                          • #14
                            Re: Jeep 230 Tornado Engine, anyone know much about these?

                            I have a 225 in my 71 CJ-5, last year for it I think, 72's had a longer nose for the amc six'es Little motor screams with the 5.38 gears! I think it was rated at 160hp

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                            • #15
                              Re: Jeep 230 Tornado Engine, anyone know much about these?

                              Thanks for all the info guys. I knew some of you had to know about this motor. I guess the next step if I buy it is to see if a 4.0 or 4.2 will mate to the tranny. I'd like to drive it as-is for a while. At least while I'm working on the car. Like I said, it's probably gone. Haven't called on it yet and I won't have time to look at it today. I don't like calling people about cars until I'm ready to pull the trigger.

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