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Click here for more pics and story. Sometimes profiling a builder is as simple and natural for us as turning the ignition key on one of our vehicles. Hesco has been building engines for more than 34 years. Why does this interest us? Hesco builds Jeep engines. How good are they? We figured it was a good indication when Jeep asked Hesco to help create Jeep's engine manuals. Hesco is also credited with supplying engines for 13 Daytona and NASCAR wins, and preparing engines for Chrysler Motor Sports' desert racing.
The straight-six 4.0L H.O. engine for Jeep has been one of the workhorses for the company since its release. In factory form, the engine cranks out approximately 190 hp and 224 lb-ft of torque. The engine responds exceptionally well to performance modifications. Hesco's rebuilds have consistently turned out powerplants with massive amounts of additional power. The company's stroker engines with CNC cast-iron heads put out approximately 270 hp and 333 lb-ft of torque. Stroker engines fit with Hesco's aluminum heads crank out 300 hp and 365 lb-ft of torque.
Because of Hesco's reputation and quality product, and because we only like to tell you about products that actually work, we gave our contact at Hesco, Bennie Fulps, a ring and had him walk us through an engine build. This information should help you in selecting a new engine for your Jeep or give you some pointers on your next home build.Engines reborn at Hesco are hand-selected cores from select suppliers. Each block, head, connecting rod, and crankshaft is heavily scrutinized after cleaning. We were told that only the best cores are selected to become a Hesco rebuilt engine.
All components are hot-tanked twice and then dipped in an anti-rusting solution before inspection. Each block is bored to whatever specifications a customer has requested for their new engine. Torque plates are installed for the block deck and water pump to ensure a bore. After the block has been bored and honed, it is hot-tanked again to remove the honing oil and any debris from boring the cylinders. Once this process is complete, the block is hand-washed and blown-dry. It now begins its journey to a final inspection before being selected for a new life.
The block is then placed on a stand in a temperature-controlled build room. It will be mocked up with the crankshaft, piston, and rod. The deck height is checked and the block disassembled. It is removed from the engine stand and placed in the decking machine, where a predetermined amount of material is removed to obtain a set compression ratio. At this time, a Hesco machinist works a little magic with a die grinder in strategic places in the block. The block again goes through a cleaning and hand-washing process.
The block is now ready for a final trip to the build room, where it is placed back on an engine stand. Next the cam bearings and freeze plugs are installed. Assembly lube is applied to the cam lobes, and the camshaft is installed in the block after having been through a cleaning process. All internal engine parts go through a cleaning and inspection period. Nothing is taken out of its package and installed without having been hand-washed and inspected.