My head gasket blew in my 2001 Jeep Cherokee XJ. Looking for recommendations on a GOOD head gasket kit.

There are just so many options out there. I want to make sure I get some thing that will last at least what I got out of the factory one of 183,000 miles.

She is my daily driver, as well as I have a little bit of fun on the weekends. So it doesn’t need to be anything extreme, but definitely needs to be reliable. I just replaced the radiator, thermostat & housing, all hoses, power steering pump & reservoir and serpentine belt. And I already had new fuel injectors on order that supposed to show up the end of the week.


* this is an older picture, but it gives you an idea she looks like

 

Getting it torn down

 

Question - how do you know its a blown head gasket and not a cracked head? What were the symptoms that lead you to do this tear down?

 

Started it up and all sudden it just hard stopped running real quick. Took a little bit of finesse and I got it running but I was blowing white smoke like I had a fog machine hooked up to my exhaust. And the exhaust smelled like radiator fluid.

 

Yeah, those push rods are looking a little burnt

 

A Felpro 530SD head gasket was recommended to me by a trusted source on this site, and thats what I am going with on my head remove/ replace project.

 

I bought the thickest head gasket felpro sells for the 2001...a few thousands less compression for better durability seemed a good idea..no issues after 40 or 50 k

 

You need a cylinder head, not a head gasket. These engines simply do not have head sealing issues. A failed head gasket is wildly rare, while a cracked 00-01 0331 head casting is not. All 00'-01' 0331 heads are highly susceptible to cracking and should never be reinstalled.

Replacing the 00'-01' 0331 head with a 02'-06' 0331 TUPY head is truly your only option. The TUPY head is inexpensive ($75-$100) and widely available at scrap yards nationwide.

 

I pulled the head two weeks ago and got it down to a machine shop 45 minutes south of me. Now I’m just waiting to hear back on whether or not it’s cracked or it was just a blown gasket.

It’s my daily driver, so the delay is killing me!!!

 

There's 2 kinds of 2000/2001 0331 heads: Those that are cracked, and those about to crack. Don't even bother with that head even if they can't find the crack (it's a 3/4 issue so it probably is cracked). Either get the junkyard head as Randy suggested or get a Clearwater head.

 

Look at #3 and #4 pistons. All clean from coolant.

what's the engine oil look like? Milky?

 

yep I noticed the exact same thing. That’s what’s making me think it was a blown head gasket.

Luckily, I only ran the engine for a few minutes when it started blowing white smoke. Oil was definitely light, but at least it wasn’t foaming.

 

Good to know.

 

The spotlessly clean 3 and 4 pistons show which ones were getting steam blasted

 

Yes. Which leads to blown head gasket.

When the 0331 heads crack between #3 and #4 cylinder, it's an undetectable coolant leak into the crankcase.

TUPY head time!!