'00-'01 XJ Cracked Cylinder Head (OVERVIEW)
#106
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Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
A magnet.... you know one of those that extend out.... or have a small round cylinder.... like this one from Harbor Freight (or try your local hardware store)
http://www.harborfreight.com/15-lb-c...ool-95933.html
How many miles are on the Jeep??? Its always a snowball effect, at that point do you put a Cam in to? Its a matter of how they look, how many miles, and your budget.
Bryan
http://www.harborfreight.com/15-lb-c...ool-95933.html
How many miles are on the Jeep??? Its always a snowball effect, at that point do you put a Cam in to? Its a matter of how they look, how many miles, and your budget.
Bryan
#107
OK. Time for me to go "all in" betting on my lower bearings, and just replacing the head with a TUPY. So here we go... See 3 photos below:
1) Lifting the old 0331 head out (straps and pipe):
2) Verifying the crack (look for the cracks above the 3 "x" marks I inserted):
3) Here's the deck view of the old head:
Now lets see if I can really put this all back together... Stay tuned.
JohnEP
1) Lifting the old 0331 head out (straps and pipe):
2) Verifying the crack (look for the cracks above the 3 "x" marks I inserted):
3) Here's the deck view of the old head:
Now lets see if I can really put this all back together... Stay tuned.
JohnEP
#108
Progress being made. Photos (OUT OF ORDER):
1) Gasket is cleaned off block.
3) (last photo) A better way to lift the head? Bowline knot used on strategic re-installed side-protruding bolts.
2) (middle photo) Yeah, it worked great. 3-man job. Dropped it right into the posts on the gasket first try.
I wish I had thought of this bolt/rope/pipe lifting method before I used the strap method (see post above) to remove the head. Would have prevented a lot of gasket crud from falling down into the engine. I'll keep you posted.
Your comments/critique appreciated.
JohnEP
1) Gasket is cleaned off block.
3) (last photo) A better way to lift the head? Bowline knot used on strategic re-installed side-protruding bolts.
2) (middle photo) Yeah, it worked great. 3-man job. Dropped it right into the posts on the gasket first try.
I wish I had thought of this bolt/rope/pipe lifting method before I used the strap method (see post above) to remove the head. Would have prevented a lot of gasket crud from falling down into the engine. I'll keep you posted.
Your comments/critique appreciated.
JohnEP
#109
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Location: Iowa
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Year: 1988
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 6.0
300 miles short of a 100k. on an 01 cherokee. and guess what. my buddy got's a cracked head. he's kind of tight on money. has anyone purchased the j&c head? if so got anything to say about it? want both of the good and bad. how long have u had it on there? i know theirs a lot of people who have used the cch and the ach heads but haven't herd of head anything about the j&c.
I'm also surprised there isn't a write-up on this yet. 90% sure the crack is in between coolant and exhaust. anything you guys recommend replacing while we're in there this deep? some helpful pointers will help also.
I'm also surprised there isn't a write-up on this yet. 90% sure the crack is in between coolant and exhaust. anything you guys recommend replacing while we're in there this deep? some helpful pointers will help also.
Last edited by iwheeljeepxj; 12-23-2013 at 05:42 PM. Reason: had some more questions.
#110
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Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Depends on how long it has been leaking, but I have replaced heads before only to have crap oil pressure once its warm because the "Cam Bearings" were shot, had to pull it apart again and replace them.....
Bryan
Bryan
#111
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Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: inline 6 4.0L
300 miles short of a 100k. on an 01 cherokee. and guess what. my buddy got's a cracked head. he's kind of tight on money. has anyone purchased the j&c head? if so got anything to say about it? want both of the good and bad. how long have u had it on there? i know theirs a lot of people who have used the cch and the ach heads but haven't herd of head anything about the j&c.
I'm also surprised there isn't a write-up on this yet. 90% sure the crack is in between coolant and exhaust. anything you guys recommend replacing while we're in there this deep? some helpful pointers will help also.
I'm also surprised there isn't a write-up on this yet. 90% sure the crack is in between coolant and exhaust. anything you guys recommend replacing while we're in there this deep? some helpful pointers will help also.
#112
198k miles on my 0331 head and counting. Fingers crossed. Shows no signs of letting up. 20psi hot idle, not using any coolant, no weird smoke, good power, hot oil pressure at cruising speeds in the 40-50psi area.
#113
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Year: 2004
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 2000 4.0
Yup cam bearings usually go first. The reason: coolant drains directly onto them from the drain holes in the head. Lifter bores in the path of coolant draining into them take a beating too. Usually it is cam bearing #3. Somewhat good news is it will run for a long with a washed out cam bearing and 3 to 5 psi. Mine has ran for over 3 years and still counting.
#114
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Year: 1998
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Bryan.
#115
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Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
i have a 00 xj sport with 140k with unexplained coolant loss milkly under the cap and i have done a cooling system pressure test and it doesnt drop down over the course of a hour it takes about a week for the coolant overflow to go dry no check engine light no rough idling other than when its super cold out kinda sounds like a diesel for a min or too
oil pressure is 40 at crusing speeds
none the less i ordered a new head from odessa cylinder head hopefully it cures the problem
oil pressure is 40 at crusing speeds
none the less i ordered a new head from odessa cylinder head hopefully it cures the problem
#116
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Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
There's nothing to worry about as long as you properly maintain your motor and cooling. The heads that crack are on abused and neglected motors that have been overheated. I've got 120k on mine and I'm on top of my maintenance do I worry one bit? No sir. And hey if by a fluke it were to happen it's just an excuse to upgrade.
#117
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Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
There's nothing to worry about as long as you properly maintain your motor and cooling. The heads that crack are on abused and neglected motors that have been overheated. I've got 120k on mine and I'm on top of my maintenance do I worry one bit? No sir. And hey if by a fluke it were to happen it's just an excuse to upgrade.
#118
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Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
2000 XJ 4.0 with about 190,000. Got it from my son with a broken piston skirt. In the middle of a rebuild now. Wasn't until I had it pulled apart, and an engine kit on the way that I started reading about the 0331 heads. Went and checked, and sure enough. My son had ran it hot, at least 3 times, within a few hours. It got hot, they stopped, let it cool, added water, cleaned the Rad fins, drove again, ran hot, after the third time, they removed the t-stat, then replaced the stopped up radiator. He drove it for another couple of months before the piston broke, and that happened about 2 weeks after changing the oil.
No cracked head, (knocking on wood)!! I have checked it several times, and when I first pulled the valve cover, everything looked great, no water/antifreeze. We'll see, and I'll keep an eye on the coolant level and oil......RR
No cracked head, (knocking on wood)!! I have checked it several times, and when I first pulled the valve cover, everything looked great, no water/antifreeze. We'll see, and I'll keep an eye on the coolant level and oil......RR
#119
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Not mine but a picture of the one I based mine off of.;
#120
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Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
That's not necessarily true. You can reduce the likelihood of the head cracking by making sure you never overheat but the head can still crack. On my 2000 XJ the temp gauge never went over the 210 mark but I still ended up with a cracked head. My only clue was unexplained loss of coolant.