When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go hereXJ (84-01)
All OEM related XJ specific tech. Examples, no start, general maintenance or anything that's stock.
Hi, I'm new to this forum. I am working on getting my first XJ at the moment. There aren't many to choose from in my area that haven't been modified and beaten... I've read here that the prime years are the 97-99's and that the 00'-01's had not so good heads. How bad are they? How many that read this have had to replace the head gasket or the head itself on these years? How common is this with a truck that's been pretty well taken care of? Should I avoid these years like the plague?
I live in a wet climate so as trucks age they rot more quickly than somewhere like southern cali. I figure the newer the better.
Thanks!
The renix years up to 90 can be a pain without a multimeter. The OBD1 years 91 to 95 offered a key dance to help diagnose engine issues. 96 to 01 gave OBD2 read out. Yes there is a casting flaw in the 00, 01 heads that can cause them to crack. A head swap is very straight forward on these Jeeps. I wouldn't avoid any XJ that was in good shape and didn't look Mickey moused together.
Hi, I'm new to this forum. I am working on getting my first XJ at the moment. There aren't many to choose from in my area that haven't been modified and beaten... I've read here that the prime years are the 97-99's and that the 00'-01's had not so good heads. How bad are they? How many that read this have had to replace the head gasket or the head itself on these years? How common is this with a truck that's been pretty well taken care of? Should I avoid these years like the plague?
I live in a wet climate so as trucks age they rot more quickly than somewhere like southern cali. I figure the newer the better.
Thanks!
I own a '00 with CA Emissions. With the 0331 head. Paid $1500 almost 6 years ago. Was a bit of a fixer upper but for the most part pretty solid. I know for a fact that I do have the 0331 head and not a TUPY 0331 head from when I did the valve cover gasket.
TUPY head is one of your choices to fix this problem.
So that being said I want to say that I do not have this problem. I am third owner. Could this head have been replaced cause of this problem with another 0331 non TUPY head at some point? Who knows.
I have one question. If you had to replace a head would you do it yourself?
Avoid them like the plague? IMO if you feel you could replace the head then no.
Even then I don't think you should rule out buying one.
I also wonder from time to time if the 0331 head problem is overplayed a bit.
Depends on many things. Who owns, how it was maintained, etc.
One thing to do is get the Jeep nice and hot. Little or no oil pressure at a hot idle is a possible
symptom. Not a guarantee that it is OK if reading good oil pressure. Gauge could be off.
Then there is oil that looks like a milkshake. Bad sign. But an owner could possibly hide this
problem with an oil change.
Have a scanner. Just cause the Check Engine Light is off does not mean all the monitors are up.
Can verify this quick with a scanner.
So you know my understanding is that some but not all '00's are CA Emissions. All '01's are.
Would prefer a Federal Emission vehicle but even that is not a deal breaker IMO.
Another thing I consider the 0331 head a bargaining point to possibly get the price down.
I like to use the line my buddy has:
Give me a good body, clean interior, and good glass. Anything mechanical I can fix.
So I would not rule out buying one.
Ok. Thanks a lot for the advice.
If I had to I would replace the head myself.
What is a TUPY head and how can it be identified?
That's good to know about the Dana 30. I'm not planning on crawling or beating on the truck in any way, so I assume it would last just fine? This would be my daily work and weekend camping truck.
Ok. Thanks a lot for the advice.
If I had to I would replace the head myself.
What is a TUPY head and how can it be identified?
That's good to know about the Dana 30. I'm not planning on crawling or beating on the truck in any way, so I assume it would last just fine? This would be my daily work and weekend camping truck.
Big letters are stamped in the head. People say you can see it through the oil filler hole in the valve cover with a flashlight. Found from the factory on later '02 to '06 TJ 4.0's and later '02 to '04 WJ 4.0's. Swaps right on.
Also there is a company called Clearwater that makes new heads that many people use.
Ok, great. Thanks Ralph77. Hopefully any 00'-01's that I check won't be too gunked up to be able to tell with the flashlight technique.
That $480 USD would dent the wallet up here in Polarbear land... Do the years previous (91-99) heads fit the 00-01 engines? Would getting a low mileage head from these years as a replacement be an option as well?
The earlier heads will fit but you have to find a way to mount the coil rail since the 99 and older use a distributitor. There is a few write-ups floating around here where people have made their own brackets.
Ok, great. Thanks Ralph77. Hopefully any 00'-01's that I check won't be too gunked up to be able to tell with the flashlight technique.
That $480 USD would dent the wallet up here in Polarbear land... Do the years previous (91-99) heads fit the 00-01 engines? Would getting a low mileage head from these years as a replacement be an option as well?
Somebody more knowledgeable then me will have to chime but here is what I think I know. It is not just a straight bolt on but yes. There is no place to bolt the coil bar. Some brackets are going to have to be fabricated. Guessing not that big a deal. '99 and down have distributors and a coil. '00 and '01 have a coil bar. Exhaust ports on earlier heads are bigger and the '00 or '01 exhaust manifolds won't cover them. There is some sort of adapter plate that takes care of this. You can read more here and I am sure a Google search will yield more.
Me personally I would go with a TUPY head. I am not trying to screw around. But also because in my travels I have picked up 2 of them. Just in case. Paid $50 for one and got the other one for free. Maybe they can be used as is, maybe they can be rebuilt, or maybe they are door stops. Hopefully I will never have to find out.
Here is a link that says what heads are on what Jeeps. Now I have no idea, with the exception of the 0630 cause the guy at the link above did it, can be used in place of a 0331 head. Again with some modifications. Go to Post #4. Also looking at that list reminded me of something. '00 XJ's manufactured before 1/20/00 might have the 0630 head instead of the 0331 head. But that is something I just think and don't know for sure.
The head cracking rate is about 50/50 pull the oil cap and see if you see the word TUPY cast on the head if so the head has been changed, there are other heads that don't have tupy , the cast numbers on 00-01 are 0331 you can find the casting number just below the middle of the injector rail, partially covered by the valve cover.
2003 to 2006 0331 heads from a Grand Cherokee or are revised castings they work fine, or you could spend $450 or so for a Clearwater head.
The 0630 head will work but it has to be modified for the coil packs. Lot of work
01-30-2019, 01:53 AM
'00-'01 cracked heads
