Hey guys, I just noticed the other day that my 1994 Cherokee Country was feasting on coolant and oil, and that the oil pressure would drop from about ~50~ down to like 40 or lower. I immediately was terrified (Cracked head) but I checked the head out this morning and noticed that there was a pretty good size portion of the rubber gasket "pooched" out the side of the head toward the rear of it. How hard is it to change a head gasket, and what else would I need to do on top of that? Please help, pretty novice jeeper, all advice is really appreciated. Few pictures of it below:

 

looks like your valve cover gasket not you head gasket, it will cause you too leak a bit of oil, im not sure about coolant though but that in the picture definitely looks like a pinched valve cover gasket. easy to replace, no problem.

 

How is the temp holding up? I'm somewhat having the same problem. I took it to get smogged the other day and it overheated like crazy....now when I drive it, the temp will rise to 210 then drop a bit, go back up then drop.....and so on.

 

If you are feasting on coolant like you say have the system pressure tested and have a block test performed to verify it's a head gasket. From the pic all I can see is your valve cover gasket is toast. If it's the head gasket that's bad buy the gasket kit and while you have the head off hav it checked for cracks by a machine shop. Takes about 3 hours to R&R head gasket if everything is good and it's just the gasket that blown.

 

sounds like the thermostat. i had a similar problem. it used to over heat while idleing at stop lights and such and would drop back down while driving and then go back up a bit under hard acceleration.

 

210 is where it's supposed to be. The dropping and rising of the temp gauge you are seeing is the thermostat opening and closing as it should. If it rises above 220 then there is a problem with the cooling system somewhere.

 

mine runs at about 190 cruising

 

Do you have a 195* thermostat in or a 180*? OEM is 195 4.0's like 195* and will run 210 with no issues at all as long as everything in properly maintained.

 

i dont exactly remember what thermo i have but i know it keeps it running good. heats up and runs around 185-190, ever since i changed it it hasnt overheated or even close.

 

If you are feasting on coolant it has to go somewhere.

Check your oil level? Is it the same as it was before, or is it higher?

I have a truck once that was feasting on coolant. Could not find any leaks, nothing on the ground.

When I went to check the oil there was more in there then should have been, but wasn't oil. I had a head gasket leak that was putting coolant into the motor. I was luck and caught it before it did any real damage.

Looking at that pic where your valve cover gasket is leaking and the color of what is oozing out kinda sorta looks like oil/coolant mixed but I cannot really be sure.

 

check your dip stick, if the oil is creamy looking it could be the head gasket too, or if oil is in your coolant

 

Valve cover it is then, I can touch that gasket and it's got fresh oil on it, and that's where I"m losing pressure. Temp is great, runs at 210 solid then drops to about 200/upper 190's. The coolant leak is still unsolved though, I have placed huge peices of drafting paper under the jeep while it sits and it's all water that's falling on it. Few drops of oil, but no coolant. Where the heck could it be going? I also smell burning coolant/hot coolant whenever I shut her off and am walking inside the house. Is it falling on the block and heating up? Maybe that's why I don't see it anywhere.

Jeep has never overheated, always has run beautifully. Oh, and I put a new T-stat in late october, so that's not the problem.

 

 

Mine runs a little under 210, and even lower at highway speeds... but at a standstill it will overheat in about 10 minutes

 

Then you need to check your efan and your clutch fan. Mine will run indefinitely at a standstill and NEVER go above 210. Of course I have all new water pump, efan, fan clutch, t-stat, radiator, and hoses.