juggalo33438

So I recently bought my jeep. It's a 2 door 5 speed 4x4 Ive been wanting a 4.0 High output for awhile. My father use to have the 4 cyl version and I loved it. So since I had the chance at 100 dollar jeep I took it.
At the moment it needs new rockers/floor valve cover/gasket and oil pan gasket. I got it for 100 bucks so I couldn't pass it up. Other than the floors being rotted out it looks amazing under it. It currently has 187k on it.

Whats would be the best approach for the valve cover? Not sure if I could get a new one cheap. Or should I hit the junk yard? (Who ever worked on this jeep messed it up bad. They broke off the breather tube or what ever its called on the valve cover.)

Also I heard you have to lift the engine to replace the oil pan gasket? It currently leaks a small amount out but before I change the oil I would like to get this out of the way. Is this true?

As for the rockers and floor I'm just going to mig them in and cover it with por-15.

hooper4pres

get the valve cover at the JY...they are cheap and easy to pull. not sure about the oil pan....havent had to pull one....hopefully one of the xj vets will chime in.

juggalo33438

I'm going to find a pick a part jy around here.
Anything I should look for while I'm in there that I might need later? I know these engine are known to last for ever.

hooper4pres

grab every sensor you can. Most parts are dime a dozen on these things.

juggalo33438

Havent got to the jy yet. Today I was having problems with over heating. I think the headgasket is about to go. White smoke is comming out. Not alot tho. I think either the head is warped. Or the gasket is going bad. I had one hell of a time getting a bolt outta the head to change the thermostat. Someone broke it off and decided to just permatex the housing back onto the head. 4 hour of lubing and twisting the bolt to get what was left out.

Anyways. Is it worth saving? 187k on it. So far it needs/may need a head gasket and or head, floors, rockers and a valve cover. I can weld decently so the floors and rockers are no real big issue. But the head is got me worried.

Should i grab one from the jy and have a machine shop shave it? Or send out the one I have to the machine shop?