Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here XJ (84-01)
All OEM related XJ specific tech. Examples, no start, general maintenance or anything that's stock.

bad head gasket?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 11-08-2017, 06:43 PM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
iPodTouchMyself's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Model: Cherokee
Thumbs down bad head gasket?

Hey guys,i'll upload pictures when i get a chance, but it looks like i may have gotten a blown head gasket, the leak comes from under the spark plugs near the distributor cap and appears to go all the way across the block, looks like where a gasket would go.

Ive been driving like this for about 1k miles now, the oil looks fine, no milk/butter, just leaks about 200ml a week, it does not really bother me, i just notice after a bit of driving it will smoke a little bit.

Is there something i can do for now? Thicker oil? Lucas stop leak?

In b4 just change the head gasket.

backyard mechanic will do the gasket for $1000
Old 11-08-2017, 08:17 PM
  #2  
CF Veteran
 
Cummins93's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Northern CT
Posts: 1,201
Received 153 Likes on 129 Posts
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: Turbo 4.0
Default

You could perform a block test for verification. It's not always a perfect test and sometimes the color change is so subtle that people don't see the positive indication.

$1000 is too much for such a simple job. Its what $100 for an mls with all gaskets and studs? Then 5 hours of work at $100 an hour.

Last edited by Cummins93; 11-08-2017 at 08:18 PM. Reason: Grammar issues.
Old 11-09-2017, 10:46 AM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
diskman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Posts: 897
Likes: 0
Received 12 Likes on 9 Posts
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
Default

It's not a blown head gasket. ALL of my 4.0s "weep" oil where the head and block meet on the passenger side. There is no pressurized oil there anyway.

I just hit the manual car-wash every few months and clean it off.

There is a fix for the weeping but it involved removing the head. Just not worth the time in my book.

Now your oil-filter o-rings are probably leaking a bit and the valve-cover gasket needs to be replaced. You can do the valve cover on a Saturday afternoon. The oil filter adapter can be a bear if you have the TORX bolt. Common fix tho.
Old 11-09-2017, 01:34 PM
  #4  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
iPodTouchMyself's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Model: Cherokee
Default

Do you think cleaning it off and applying some silicone to it will slow it down? I just put 100+ miles on it today no problem just more oil



Originally Posted by diskman
It's not a blown head gasket. ALL of my 4.0s "weep" oil where the head and block meet on the passenger side. There is no pressurized oil there anyway.

I just hit the manual car-wash every few months and clean it off.

There is a fix for the weeping but it involved removing the head. Just not worth the time in my book.

Now your oil-filter o-rings are probably leaking a bit and the valve-cover gasket needs to be replaced. You can do the valve cover on a Saturday afternoon. The oil filter adapter can be a bear if you have the TORX bolt. Common fix tho.
Old 11-09-2017, 01:42 PM
  #5  
CF Veteran
 
5-Speed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: SoCal
Posts: 3,494
Received 392 Likes on 310 Posts
Year: 1987
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Default

Originally Posted by diskman
It's not a blown head gasket. ALL of my 4.0s "weep" oil where the head and block meet on the passenger side. There is no pressurized oil there anyway.

I just hit the manual car-wash every few months and clean it off.

There is a fix for the weeping but it involved removing the head. Just not worth the time in my book.

Now your oil-filter o-rings are probably leaking a bit and the valve-cover gasket needs to be replaced. You can do the valve cover on a Saturday afternoon. The oil filter adapter can be a bear if you have the TORX bolt. Common fix tho.
X2 on this. Mine weeps too. Pretty bad actually. I hose down the engine with degreaser every oil change to keep it clean. It drives me crazy so I will be pulling the head off soon to fix it.
Old 11-12-2017, 07:33 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
diskman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Posts: 897
Likes: 0
Received 12 Likes on 9 Posts
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
Default

Originally Posted by iPodTouchMyself
Do you think cleaning it off and applying some silicone to it will slow it down? I just put 100+ miles on it today no problem just more oil

Newp. Spray it off at the carwash every few months if it bothers you. I consider it "Active Undercoating"..

It's a Jeep thing.

Try running 10W30 in a "High Mileage" formula. It may help slow the weep down over time.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:57 AM.