Jeep Cherokee 2000 4.0L Engine Installation with pictures
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Tooele, Utah
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Jeep Cherokee 2000 4.0L Engine Installation with pictures
Let me start off this thread by saying that Dr. Dre’s album “The Chronic” is ****ing awesome.
The title of this thread should really be 0331. My girlfriend called me one evening to say that her jeep had broken down and she was stuck on the highway. We hauled it to a mechanic who told me that there was low compression on the #4 cylinder, and that it needed a new motor. I thought to myself, ****. I started to take it apart. Here is a picture of the crack on the underside of the cylinder head
It all started to make sense. The 9 months we got out of this thing (150K when we bought it), it was mysteriously losing coolant, with no apparent leaks. Searches I did on this website lead to the dreaded problems with the 0331 head. Here is a picture of the exhaust build up.
I decided that it would be a hell of an experience to replace the motor. I started tearing her apart, piece by piece. Thank god to all of you people who post on this website, I could not have done it without you. Here is a picture of her the morning I pulled her out.
Yes, I stripped her bare. I realize that it wasn’t necessary to pull the intake, the head, etc.. to pull the motor out. I even took the ****ing oil pan out while she was still under the hood, which was a pain in the ***. Anyways, here she is right out of the hood. And yes those two torx bolts at the top of the transmission housing were a lot of fun. I ended up using a wrench and a prybar to pull them loose.
Here are some pictures of the damage. Indeed coolant in your cylinders is not good. She threw a connecting rod at the #4 cylinder. Here is a hole in the block.
Here are the scored journal at cylinder #4.
When I took the oil pump off, I realized that some shear force had broken it apart. Probably when the rod blew.
Anyways I had some fun putting her back together. I decided that the black valve cover needed a makeover. Candy red seemed sexy enough.
CPS – Camshaft position sensor apparently takes the place of the distributor of previous models. If you search this thread, there are some good write ups on how this guy works. When I put in the new motor, I put took the engine to top dead center.
After three months of stripping the old motor apart when I had time (working 60+ hours a week), the new remanufactured or rebuilt motor finally came. I bought the motor from http://www.psengines.com/. They told me that the cylinder heads were cast new (even they couldn’t tell me where from). I paid Twenty three hundred for her. With a $300 dollar core return even though there was a hole in the block. I have yet to see if they will refund the core because they still haven’t picked it up. *** holes. I believe i got my first jeep boner when I saw the new motor in the bag.
With all of the accessories, she is ready to go in. You can see the anticipation of the jeep. She wants it bad.
Here is a picture my girlfriend took right before I started it. I primed the oil pump pretty good. Some people use a drill to prime the pump, but I just used the starter with the inigition and fuel rail disabled. I did it for about 5 mins, about twenty seconds at time.
I also decided to put a new transmission fluid filter in. here is a picture with the tranny pan off.
She started up after one crank. After 500 miles, I changed the oil and filter, and took her up middle canyon in Tooele Utah. She did amazing.
Yes, the bumper sides are ****ed. I tried to tow her a long time ago from the underside frame, and tore that side off. She’s definitely due for a mod bumper. Any suggestions? I am also thinking about taking care of all the rust on the roof. Maybe will just have a shop take care of it.
If you have any questions about the process let me know. Yes i am a newb. It wasn't a bad job it just took time, beer, and determination.
The title of this thread should really be 0331. My girlfriend called me one evening to say that her jeep had broken down and she was stuck on the highway. We hauled it to a mechanic who told me that there was low compression on the #4 cylinder, and that it needed a new motor. I thought to myself, ****. I started to take it apart. Here is a picture of the crack on the underside of the cylinder head
It all started to make sense. The 9 months we got out of this thing (150K when we bought it), it was mysteriously losing coolant, with no apparent leaks. Searches I did on this website lead to the dreaded problems with the 0331 head. Here is a picture of the exhaust build up.
I decided that it would be a hell of an experience to replace the motor. I started tearing her apart, piece by piece. Thank god to all of you people who post on this website, I could not have done it without you. Here is a picture of her the morning I pulled her out.
Yes, I stripped her bare. I realize that it wasn’t necessary to pull the intake, the head, etc.. to pull the motor out. I even took the ****ing oil pan out while she was still under the hood, which was a pain in the ***. Anyways, here she is right out of the hood. And yes those two torx bolts at the top of the transmission housing were a lot of fun. I ended up using a wrench and a prybar to pull them loose.
Here are some pictures of the damage. Indeed coolant in your cylinders is not good. She threw a connecting rod at the #4 cylinder. Here is a hole in the block.
Here are the scored journal at cylinder #4.
When I took the oil pump off, I realized that some shear force had broken it apart. Probably when the rod blew.
Anyways I had some fun putting her back together. I decided that the black valve cover needed a makeover. Candy red seemed sexy enough.
CPS – Camshaft position sensor apparently takes the place of the distributor of previous models. If you search this thread, there are some good write ups on how this guy works. When I put in the new motor, I put took the engine to top dead center.
After three months of stripping the old motor apart when I had time (working 60+ hours a week), the new remanufactured or rebuilt motor finally came. I bought the motor from http://www.psengines.com/. They told me that the cylinder heads were cast new (even they couldn’t tell me where from). I paid Twenty three hundred for her. With a $300 dollar core return even though there was a hole in the block. I have yet to see if they will refund the core because they still haven’t picked it up. *** holes. I believe i got my first jeep boner when I saw the new motor in the bag.
With all of the accessories, she is ready to go in. You can see the anticipation of the jeep. She wants it bad.
Here is a picture my girlfriend took right before I started it. I primed the oil pump pretty good. Some people use a drill to prime the pump, but I just used the starter with the inigition and fuel rail disabled. I did it for about 5 mins, about twenty seconds at time.
I also decided to put a new transmission fluid filter in. here is a picture with the tranny pan off.
She started up after one crank. After 500 miles, I changed the oil and filter, and took her up middle canyon in Tooele Utah. She did amazing.
Yes, the bumper sides are ****ed. I tried to tow her a long time ago from the underside frame, and tore that side off. She’s definitely due for a mod bumper. Any suggestions? I am also thinking about taking care of all the rust on the roof. Maybe will just have a shop take care of it.
If you have any questions about the process let me know. Yes i am a newb. It wasn't a bad job it just took time, beer, and determination.
#2
CF Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: ☼ Blackhole Sun
Posts: 8,567
Likes: 0
Received 18 Likes
on
16 Posts
Year: My Jeep is a GMC
Welcome to the site
The new head will have a casting number on it. I guess the previous owner used some type of "stop leak" & plugged the coolant passages? Oh well hopefully fixed for a while.
The new head will have a casting number on it. I guess the previous owner used some type of "stop leak" & plugged the coolant passages? Oh well hopefully fixed for a while.
#4
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 190
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 Inline 6
[QUOTE=brokenlegs
If you have any questions about the process let me know. Yes i am a newb. It wasn't a bad job it just took time, beer, and determination.[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the thread, I am dealing with similar issues on my 2000, and I am looking at what to do for replacement.
If you have any questions about the process let me know. Yes i am a newb. It wasn't a bad job it just took time, beer, and determination.[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the thread, I am dealing with similar issues on my 2000, and I am looking at what to do for replacement.
#6
Newbie
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Kirkland, WA
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: Stock 4.0
Let me start by saying GOOD WORK! I'm going to be going through this tomorrow on my 2000xj. Aside from the intake and the head can you give me a quick run down of what components do/dont need to be removed in order to pull the motor?
Trending Topics
#8
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Tooele, Utah
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
-All of your coolant hoses
-All vacuum lines that run to brake booster and other components outside of motor
-All electrical connections to the motor and components if leaving them on (alternator, fuel rail, ingnition, starter, throttle body, etc, etc)
-Oh yes and your fuel line
-Power steering pump line
-Take your radiator out you'll have a lot more room when you pull it out. They are fragile anyways, you won't want to bump it around.
-AC Compressor - don't need to open any lines, just detach from motor (careful it's under pressure with dangerous chemicals)
-At minimum you'll need to detach your exhaust from the block. This will be tricky to do with the intake manifold on, but not impossible
-starter motor
-torque converter bolts, and transmission housing to block bolts. I had much more clearance without the head and the valve cover on to reach these bolts, but still almost not enough. Those two bolts on top of the transmission housing where the most difficult to get to and to get enough torque on. Some people have good tricks though, just do some research.
Basically i had a lot of time before purchasing the new motor and wanted to learn so i took almost everything off that I could. I also replaced a lot of parts. This did make it easier to pull out.
-All vacuum lines that run to brake booster and other components outside of motor
-All electrical connections to the motor and components if leaving them on (alternator, fuel rail, ingnition, starter, throttle body, etc, etc)
-Oh yes and your fuel line
-Power steering pump line
-Take your radiator out you'll have a lot more room when you pull it out. They are fragile anyways, you won't want to bump it around.
-AC Compressor - don't need to open any lines, just detach from motor (careful it's under pressure with dangerous chemicals)
-At minimum you'll need to detach your exhaust from the block. This will be tricky to do with the intake manifold on, but not impossible
-starter motor
-torque converter bolts, and transmission housing to block bolts. I had much more clearance without the head and the valve cover on to reach these bolts, but still almost not enough. Those two bolts on top of the transmission housing where the most difficult to get to and to get enough torque on. Some people have good tricks though, just do some research.
Basically i had a lot of time before purchasing the new motor and wanted to learn so i took almost everything off that I could. I also replaced a lot of parts. This did make it easier to pull out.
Last edited by brokenlegs; 01-03-2013 at 02:01 PM.
#9
Newbie
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Kirkland, WA
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: Stock 4.0
Excellent info, thank you. I want to do it myself but if its like any of the other projects it will end up taking twice as long as I plan for. Was about to have a guy do it for $500 +/- but now that I see your list I may just go for it. THANKS!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Darkside96
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
17
01-10-2019 10:52 AM
smithj
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
0
08-23-2015 12:14 PM
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)