User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 3/13/2011 11:22:49 AM EDT
In the family we have a 2001 XJ 4.0 with ~123k on it. It's been using coolant for a few weeks, but with no evident leaks I checked the oil cap and found the dreaded milkshake residue. I at first assumed we are looking at a blown gasket, but with a quick search online I learned about the 0331 head issue. With closer inspection of the block, I can see fluid residue on the passenger side that seems to originate between cylinder 3 and 4. So... I pretty much know I'm fuk'd.
I'm not confident in my ability to fix it myself, so here's what I want to know- How should I source a replacement? Without specific instructions, I'm pretty sure my mechanics will just call a salvage yard and get another time-bomb. If (when, really) they tell me the head is in fact cracked, they may be open to me providing a part myself or suggesting a specific year/model to request from the local salvage circuit. How much should I expect the parts to cost and about what is the standard labor (in hrs) for the job? |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/13/2011 11:56:52 AM EDT
[#1]
Goto jeep forum.com there you can get a new head for 500$ and then get a mech to do the install.or send the head out to a machine shop. My step sons 2001 did the same thing my mech did evrything for about 1000$ that was 3 years ago the jeep is still running and the boy don't take care of it. You can't kill that motor get fixed and keep un jeeping
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/13/2011 1:02:12 PM EDT
[#2]
get an aftermarket head from clearwater or alabama cylinder head I'm in the same boat but worse (low oil pressure) meaning the bottom end is gone. strangely it ran fine until the water pump died. be glad you caught it early.
What i did is bought a used motor from a 98 and a new cylinder head from clearwater ($400) , converted the old motor with the new head and started a direct swap. just a head swap isn't that bad and I wish thats what I had instore. but I still wouldn't give up my xj for anything. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/13/2011 7:57:53 PM EDT
[#3]
Honestly - if you can get a reman head for $400 from Clearwater, that's a pretty good deal. Especially on a 4.0 - doing the head yourself would be a real easy job. If you have basic mechanical skills you will be able to do it. You can unbolt & remove the intake and exhaust manifolds as one unit - and aside from them, there's very little else to disconnect. Even for a novice, it should be a 4-6 hour job. I'd expect at a shop, they'd ding you for 6-8 hours of labor or so. On top of the price of the head, you'd also have the miscellaneous gaskets needed (~100 retail, no idea what shop cost would be)
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/13/2011 8:16:24 PM EDT
[#4]
not a reman..... new casting.....populated w new valves, springs guides and seals.... a reman would put you with the same weak spot between #3&4 cylinders.
eta check out naxja it is the arfcom of the cherokee world good stuff. link http://www.naxja.org/forum/index.php you make it hot |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/14/2011 9:10:44 AM EDT
[#5]
Alabama head or I below the 99 heads fit(double check though). I suggest considering doing it yourself. I did the freeze plug on to back of head. Was pretty easy to remove head. I did replace the head bolts even though they can be reused once.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/14/2011 11:26:08 AM EDT
[#6]
99 won't work the 2000 & 2001 have distributerless ignition, 99 heads won't have the bosses for the coil pack
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/14/2011 3:33:15 PM EDT
[#7]
I've got a buddy in my unit who has some experience as a mechanic who will be able give me a hand in a few weeks. I'm starting to get super paranoid about how much damage may have been done. I have no idea how long this has been a problem, how much coolant has been lost and where. The residue on the oil cap tells me some is in the crankcase, and the stuff on the side of the block tells me that some vented out the side.
Any tips what to look for in trying to assess any damage done? What's the difference here? Clearwater Cylinder Head Alabama Cylinder Head |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/14/2011 7:22:55 PM EDT
[#8]
you cAN pull the main and rod caps and assess damage that way, but if it has only been hapening for a few weeks, I wouldn't worry but don't take my word for it. The story on my jeep is as follows.
We bought a 2000 xj we had been looking for a while,.on the first oil change we noticed the low oil pressure. it continued till we had more lucas than 10-30 but ran fine said we will fix it when it breaks. three years later the water pump goes out and I say I won't put a new water pump in a bad motor so it's time for the swap. that 4.0 is a tough motor and I would just change the head and run it. ymmv eta make sure you search chrysler and try e-bay for clearwater |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2011 7:28:01 AM EDT
[#9]
Grab a head off a 97-99 from a junkyard. I believe you can have the bosses added at a machine shop for the ignition they had.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2011 9:45:13 AM EDT
[#10]
Deos it run well?
Probally just needs a fresh head gasket. That's really easy on that mill to replace. The 4.0L is a tough little bitch and easy to rebuild. My 4.0L went through hell. Leaky everything, spun bearings, low oil pressure, etc. etc. You know how most 4x4 have bearings on the fron drive shaft, mine didn't! I could literally lift and turn my front axels by hand. My whole front drive was ground down to nothing. Rattleing, grinding, popping everywhere. Sounded like I had a cheap diff locker. I drove it from Ocala FL to Gainesville Fl with only 5 psi oil pressure from an offroad "incedent". And when I tore it down,ifound it really only needs rebuilt with new pumps. A hone is needed as well. My cylinders are polished nice and smooth from all the tree bark I found between the piston and cylinder walls. I had someone rebuild the iron head just because I knew someone who would do it for only $50. Tough engine. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2011 6:29:06 PM EDT
[#11]
Quoted:
Deos it run well? Probally just needs a fresh head gasket. That's really easy on that mill to replace. The 4.0L is a tough little bitch and easy to rebuild. My 4.0L went through hell. Leaky everything, spun bearings, low oil pressure, etc. etc. You know how most 4x4 have bearings on the fron drive shaft, mine didn't! I could literally lift and turn my front axels by hand. My whole front drive was ground down to nothing. Rattleing, grinding, popping everywhere. Sounded like I had a cheap diff locker. I drove it from Ocala FL to Gainesville Fl with only 5 psi oil pressure from an offroad "incedent". And when I tore it down,ifound it really only needs rebuilt with new pumps. A hone is needed as well. My cylinders are polished nice and smooth from all the tree bark I found between the piston and cylinder walls. I had someone rebuild the iron head just because I knew someone who would do it for only $50. Tough engine. It does run pretty well. I never would have guessed there was anything nearly this serious wrong with it. I'm really curious just WTF you did to get bark in your block... Tree through your oil pan, maybe? As far as mine goes, I think it should be G2G if I just swap the head and change the fluids, but I'm still kinda paranoid about it. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/23/2011 4:45:04 PM EDT
[#12]
UPDATE: The XJ has been parked for quite a while and I have a new head from Clearwater. That friend that was supposed to help me only helped me for a short time last weekend and left me hanging this weekend. As it stands now, I've got everything (including the old head) off. The thing that is bothering me right now is that there are no obvious issues with anything. I cannot see any cracks in the old head and the head gasket doesn't seem to have any spectacular failures either. The only discrepancy I can see is that the exposed surface of the block seems to be darker around 3 and 4, and there is a corresponding spot on the old head gasket that seems pitted.
I was hoping to see a more obvious problem with the head. I am a bit worried about the idea that the problem might be somewhere in the block itself. There's coolant in the oil, but no oil in the coolant. Is it possible that the block is cracked? Pics- 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/24/2011 3:34:38 AM EDT
[#13]
unless you done something really stupid like push the engine without any oil in it... I'd put the new gasket and head and be GTO.
like everyone else has mentioned, that is one tough motor. i'd swap out the engine oil after tyour all done and then change it again in a couple hundred miles. keep us in the loop |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/24/2011 3:42:24 AM EDT
[#14]
We had an '89 that was eating coolant, but not oil. We replaced the head gasket and it was GTG. No visible issues with the head, no major problem spots on the gasket. Somewhere it was leaking though, with the new gasket it stopped eating coolant and ran great.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/24/2011 5:12:44 AM EDT
[#15]
One thing to becareful of on 4.0's the the orifice they use as a PCV, the ends break off and in a 100 miles or so you suck your crankcase dry of oil. Worh replacing when putting back together.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/25/2011 8:30:55 AM EDT
[#16]
It seems I've made one hell of a rookie mistake. I've got two problems-
1) My friend who helped me with the tear-down pulled all the head bolts, and I'm not sure which ones came from where. This is a problem because it seems there are three different types. One has a standard hex-head, one has a hex-head with a threaded post coming out of the head, and the third has a post with no threads (there's only 2 of these). Is there reference that will help me with this? 2) There are two pegs (for the manifolds) and an exhaust manifold bolt that I didn't get out of the old head. The head has to be shipped damn quick or I will be hit for a $100 core charge, and I am in another location. How hard would it be to source replacements? |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/25/2011 8:44:20 AM EDT
[#17]
Quoted: It seems I've made one hell of a rookie mistake. I've got two problems- 1) My friend who helped me with the tear-down pulled all the head bolts, and I'm not sure which ones came from where. This is a problem because it seems there are three different types. One has a standard hex-head, one has a hex-head with a threaded post coming out of the head, and the third has a post with no threads (there's only 2 of these). Is there reference that will help me with this? 2) There are two pegs (for the manifolds) and an exhaust manifold bolt that I didn't get out of the old head. The head has to be shipped damn quick or I will be hit for a $100 core charge, and I am in another location. How hard would it be to source replacements? Just buy a replacement set of head and exhaust bolts/studs. If the OEM bolts were torque-to-yield, you can't reuse them. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/27/2011 3:49:45 PM EDT
[#18]
you often cant see the crack when it first starts forming the fact that its discolored is a give away that its there.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/30/2011 11:31:20 AM EDT
[#19]
Does anybody by chance know which of these bolts goes where?
 |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/30/2011 11:56:56 AM EDT
[#20]
Quoted:
Does anybody by chance know which of these bolts goes where? It doesn't particularly matter where the studded ones go, they are just for lining the gasket up. Just make sure you torque properly and follow the proper torque pattern. |
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
