THE BACKGROUND INFO
So let it first be known that my Jeep, like most before it are labors of love and in most cases a drain on the wallet. With that being said here is my current status...I bought two Cherokees a 1996 and a 2001. The 96 is what I refer to as my donor jeep, because it was purchased with the sole intention of harvesting an $1,100 suspension system and 34" Swampers. I parted out doors and did a wheel swap and recouped my $500 investment for the 96 xj. (Basically free suspension system and parts). My 2001 xj is very capable but I am not finished making modifications yet, I am only at the tip of the iceberg.

However after returning home from a school field trip with my kids, the 01 started to smoke white and blue, with oil pressure only dropping when the engine was not being revved or in neutral...to about 10. I limped it home without beating on it excessively on the mountain climbs here in Vermont.

Upon inspection, oil had spewed from the passenger side of the engine, around the infamous 3rd and 4th cylinder. Note that a month prior I had a continual misfire on the 3rd cylinder and after changing the plug and wiping he code it never appeared again...just find this odd.

Obviously the head gasket is shot, and I won't know for sure, but have a strong gut feeling my head is cracked like all those before it of similar year. This is my budget build Jeep. I am a stay at home dad with a freelance design business, and don't feel right dipping into our funds for a new engine, new car, or unnecessary parts/labor (I do everything myself, to this point).

THE SOLUTION?????
I have the engine from the 96 XJ, also a 4.0, but it is the distributor system, vs. the newer "distributor-less" system. I have read mixed reviews online, so I come to you guys for clarification. Here are the questions if you made it this far:

1. Can I swap the head from the 96 and put it on the 01?
2. What other components need to accompany the swap? Intake, Exhaust, etc.?
3. Which gasket kit should I order, the 96 or the 01 model?

Remember my goals is to do this on the cheap (I will be taking the head to a machine shop to check and shave if necessary).

 

Ok, nobody has responded so far so I will try and help. I think you can swap heads but the 96 head does not have the mounts for the coil rail on the 2001. I have heard of people fabricating mounts using the valve cover bolts as anchors. I dont know about the gasket. Heres a thread with your exact situation.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/200...needed-176752/

 

I would get a rebuilt head from http://www.cylinder-heads.com/

 

1) Yes, absolutely. The 96 has a 0630 head casting, which will fit...many have done this swap before. You will need to fab up brackets to hold the coil rail (this sounds way more difficult than it actually is...do a search on the forums). I recommend bringing the 0630 head to a machine shop to get it looked over.

2) Intake is fine. Exhaust might be tricky because the 0331 head has different size exhaust ports (smaller). The stock manifolds on your 01 will not line up with those on the 0630 head. Two options...1) use exhaust manifold from 96 or 2) purchase aftermarket manifolds for the 01, many of which will also fit older heads' ports (confirm before ordering(. Option 1 is cheaper, but won't really be possible if you have the precat setup on your 01's downpipe. Either way you'd have to weld new 02 sensor bungs in.

3) Both should be the same. The only thing that's changed over the years is the intake and exhaust port size.

 

For what it's worth, I got a 2002 TUPY head off a WJ for $50, had a machinist mag-particle it for cracks, decked the head a few thou, 3-angle the valves, and install new valve seals for $150.

I'd suggest calling around for an updated TUPY head at your local junkyards and taking it to a capable machine shop. Save yourself some money and avoid the headaches of exhaust work and the ignition bracket.

 

I agree, doing a tupy head is easier

 

That would be a huge pain. ALL 2001 XJs came with the CA emissions with the precats in the downpipe. That downpipe requires a manifold with two outlets. The '96 manifold will not fit.

We're not allowed to discuss removing the precats, because it's technically against the law. Besides, it's easier and cheaper to just use the '01 manifold with the 0630 head.

(Edited because I wrote something stupid.)

They're not. If you use the wrong one, you can have an exhaust leak, but for the life of me I can't find the thread where people were discussing which one to use.

Personally, I'd just try the 2001 gasket first and see if it worked, since that gasket appears to cover more area around the exhaust ports. Manifold gaskets cost less than $15, so if you had a leak with the '01, you could just pick up a '96 and try it next.

If neither one works, there's a guy who sells an adapter plate. It's not cheap, but it's still cheaper than a replacement 0331. If you have any fabrication skills, it wouldn't be very difficult to make that plate yourself. It requires you to use both of the gaskets, so there's that to consider as well.

 

For the sake of correctness, the mixture would not change. The upstream 02 sensors adjust mixture - the downstream sensors after the precats just check to see if the precats are working. You would get a code, but mixture would be unaffected if the upstreams are there and working.


I was referring to the head gasket. Yes, obviously the intake /exhaust gasket is different.

People swap 0331s for 0630s all the time. As others have mentioned, a TUPY or aftermarket (Clearwater, promaxx) head is an easier swap.

 

Ah. Brain fart. Maybe I should think about the things I type.

Yeah, but he said he wants to do this on the cheap, and he already has a good 0630. Swapping in a later 0331 would be easier, but not cheaper than a head he already owns.