bryweb

I have a 2000 Cherokee XJ with a 4.0L 6cylinder, it has the dreaded 0331 head and the previous owner overheated it and blew a hole in one of the pistons.

So far from all my reading I have come to the following conclusions (which are open for debate);

Right now my thought is;

A. get a 97-99 motor from an XJ, make some brackets for the coil pack and get an aftermarket header..... or

B. Get an older XJ Block and bolt on a late model 2002+ head on it.

How much of an older block/head can I bolt in - from what year to year will work? I understand I will need to swap manifolds, sensors, etc. over.

Anyone gone through this problem and have any input or suggestions.

Thanks,

Bryan

fishtaconc

Any XJ block will work, 91-95 you will have to swap accessory bracket, cam sensor in place of dizzy, plug the temp sensor on head, plus swap all sensors/senders from your engine to new one. 96-99 plug-n-play, except for the aforementioned coil brackets, and the intake for a 96-98 engine. I put a '93 in my 99 when my stroker broke. Option B is a good plan, as long as you can :

A. Hear/See Engine run

B. Salvage yard offers a warranty of some sort, most will warranty an engine for 30 days.

C. With a salvage yard head, plan on around $150 for complete head job, may not need it but best to plan for it just in case. $150 is what the going rate here is,may be +/- in your area.


Just my $.02

bryweb

Appreciate the advice,

How about TJ and ZJ blocks and heads, will they work ????

Thanks,

Bryan

fishtaconc

Heads yes, but with the TJ the 0331 head started in '99 IIRC like the WJ, The ZJ block is different, I found out the hard way. I'm cant say for sure about the TJ block, I'm sure someone will chime in.

bryweb

I ended up buying (2) 96 XJ 4.0 Long Blocks for $158 a piece on sale at our local pick-n-pull out the door with core charge ($30), I pulled the 1st motor myself and hired someone to help pull the second motor for $60.

I figured I will buy two in hopes between them that at least one will be good, both only had 130K miles.... If one or both are bad I will rebuild them, I am hoping at least one is good to run until I can rebuild the other. (They do have a 30 day warranty)

Appreciate your help.... I will hollar back here once I get one of the motors running.

Thanks,

Bryan

MI_Offroad

I'm looking at doing a motor for my 2001, before it goes. So, can you use a 2000-01 block with the 02-up TJ head and not worry about all the mounting issues?

bryweb

Yes you can bolt a later model head on from a TJ or WJ and be ok, just make sure the head is stamped TULY as I described above.

NOTE: if your current head is cracked the antifreeze plays hell on the cam bearings.... if you are pulling the head it is worthwhile to replace the cam bearings while it is off as it needs to be removed to replace the cam bearings, they are only $30 +/- and I was able to get the local machine shop come over and install mine with the special tool for $50 on another project I had with an 0331 cracked head. If not you need to pull the whole engine out and remove the head again to replace them later, the main and rod bearing although can be done with the engine installed.

A classic sign of cam bearings going bad is the oil pressure dropping to crap at idle (under 5lbs) after it warms up (9-12 mile drive)

Bryan

MI_Offroad

Thanks, I'm planning on building this in the garage and have it done before the engine goes. Don't want to be scrambling to put something together at the last second.

bryweb

Well I just successfully swapped a 96 XJ Motor into my 2000 XJ.

Here are the verified Block Casting numbers in-case anyone wants to compare.

1999-04......53010449 Old Original 2000 Blown Block
1996-98......53020569 Installed 96 Junk Yard Engine

I purchased (2) 96 XJ Motors for $300 (including paying $60 for help) on 1/2 day sale at my local pick-n-pull, I bought two motors because I plan on doing this swap again on my new XJ when I find one.

My 2000 block blew a hole in the piston and probably has a cracked head from the previous owner overheating the crap out of it, I went with a 96 motor so I could have a better breathing head 0630 that when combined with the header I conveniently had to have and the better 2000 intake it should be a good combination at a cheap price, I have about $700 into the whole install ($160 motor, $90 Coil Pack, $100 Radiator, $260 Header, $50 used injectors, $50 fluids) I know I should have done the water pump, and this, and that.... The plan here was to get her running cheap and see how it runs. Right now I have about $1500 into the whole jeep including an almost new Tuff Country EZ-Flex 3.5 lift, BF Goodrich AT's. PW, Cruise, 116K, Clean Body and Interior, and this engine install - not bad in my opinion

I swapped almost everything down to bare long block (leaving the head and engine internals alone) over to the 96 motor, all sensors, most of the brackets, engine mounts, INTAKE, ring/starter gear from the crank, etc. (Don't ask me what you need to switch cause I don't know, I switched it all to be safe accept the A/C bracket that had a broken bolt in it)

Issue #1 with the swap - After research I decided to buy a Stainless Steel Rugged Ridge Header for a 2000 Cherokee (cost at $260 - talk to Kevin at www.4ws.com ) it was cheap but I read good reviews (I had some fit issues (First one hit the manifold - and they found all they had in stock were bad, so returned it and the second header came with free polish stainless upgrade and it had an issue with the last top back bolt going in cross threaded so I took it apart and ground the flange) - so test fit it first). The Exhaust ports match almost perfect, it looks beefy and nicely welded, and I keep my rig smog legal with all its O2 Sensors - The stock 2000 exhaust manifold will not work on the bigger 1996 cylinder head exhaust ports - you need either a plate someone here sells, an after market header with bigger exhaust ports, or take a part of the 96 and older exhaust and get 02 sensor replicators (research it)

Issue #2 with the swap - Then I took some steel and made (2) brackets that went from the rocker cover to hold and ground the coil pack, I then cut some bolt heads down thin and pointed them up through the coil pack holes and through the brackets and used nut. (96 and older heads do not have threaded holes in to bolt the coil pack), I will probably add a couple more brackets and a ground strap to be safe later.

NOTE: -You will have the 96 sensor for water temp at the back of the head, it is not used in the 2000 as the temperature is taken from elsewhere. I just left the sensor in for now, most replace it with a plug.

The Motor is in and my XJ drives up and down the street, I still need to replace some bad injectors and a bad coil pack (both were swapped from another jeep to get that jeep running smooth and sold) Hopefully this weekend I will pickup some Neon 784 Injectors, clean and test them, and install them with a new coil pack I have and be completely done giving this swap a 2 thumbs up.

This Jeep I am giving to my daughter so I want to make sure she runs good.

Bryan

xj9901

Thanks for the great list man. I have an 01 XJ and I just have that feeling I'll be swapping engines soon

bryweb

Coil Pack and 784 Injectors installed today and the Jeep runs nice and smooth with no problems..... TWO THUMBS UP 2000 Jeep XJ with 96 Jeep XJ motor swap !!!!

Bryan

Indian Outlaw

Ok let me get this straight, can i put a 00 or newer head on a 99 or 98 4.0l with no mods and put it back in my 00 cherokee, engine has rod through block and i have two good 98 and 99 engines? Is head gasket the same, steam holes need welded? etc. Thanks

bryweb

I did the whole motor, so I can not say for sure, but all my reading and research said yes you can bolt your 2000 head on an 1998-99 blocks. A quick search at Advance Auto shows them both to use the same head gasket.

My belief is that the intake/exhaust ports are smaller, and the coil pack mounting bolt holes are the only two differences on the heads, and the block there is no difference.

When you are all done, please come back if you can and confirm it worked ok so the next person knows.

PS: The 2000-01 heads are so prone to cracking, as well as breath like crap, personally I would use a different head if I could.

Good Luck,

Bryan

Indian Outlaw

Oh thanks let me be the ginni( spelling?) pig Just kidding, thanks for the reply.

waynetsiawd95

hey bryan I seen that you said you made a bracket for the coeil packs to ground them out any chance you could post pics or send them to me whichever ways best for you email wayne28557@gmail.com or phone 252 773 8150 thanks if possible