I just remembered. I saw a thread, a guy had to loosen his rockers (on a 4.0), to get the valves to close. He ran it like that and gradually tightened it down till they "bled off" enough for it to run right. Idk. what was up with that. Adjustable hydraulic lifter adjustment on a chevy, you turn it out until it starts clacking, then when you go back down (3/4 turn MAYBE), the engine will miss but it settles sown. Sort of the same idea. I'm not sure how he ended up with his lifters to "tall".

 

That link didnt work. There was NO SMOKE at all when this thing did run. Nothing at start up, after it warmed up, or when I drove it.

 

You're right! it doesn't. Usually that works. Anyway I googled checking lifters, and ended up finding a process for cleaning them.

Well, if it's flat and the valves are sealing it should work. Don't know that a hairline crack that you can't see would give you 25 lbs compression. Hopefully your problem was the gasket and it just doesn't show well. Never did see a set of #'s before/after wet test.....I think the "newer" seals are better. I learned to always change them. Tough but possible to do with the head on. Don't know your $ situation. Allot of guys would take it in to be checked, and with the valves out changing the seals is a snap.

 

The gasket looks perfect, especially between 2 and 3, 4 and 5 as well. There was some dirt/debris that was on the cylinder, but that was from changing the plugs (some dirt fell in). I plan on getting a new head gasket just for safety. I work at Advance Auto, so I get a discount there. My boss said that the hole on the side of the lifter should drip some oil when the lifter is being pushed down. Only 3 of my lifters did this. This sound right?? I am trying to search but not coming up with much. When the engine was cranked, oil did come up the rods and on top of the rockers, just not very much.

 

I've never dealt with lifters much. A couple rebuilds got new ones. I put them in a can in oil and pumped the plunger to prime them & stuck them in. I've changed a flat (collapsed) one a few times. (some you can extract thru the head). Never had an issue with them holding up too much. Maybe you DO have an issue there, just that it's new to me.

Always use a new head gasket. Also I would use a new manifold and valve cover gasket.

Yea, you can get some of the gunk out if the space below the top of the piston like I described earlier. I stuff rags really well into the cyl's to scrape/clean the block. I always like to do a final wipe on the head gasket surfaces to be sure there is no oil or anything.

 

Not sure why this is news to me as I've had my XJ for long enough but, today I went to do a plug/wire change and forgot to mark the distributer for quick reference and pulled all the wires. I looked up this post to refer to the provided diagram and discovered my cap screws are off a bit. I've never altered my distributer and am wondering why my distributor screws are located at the red dots? Should I conclude #6 is right after the top right screw? Thanks all! Pickpan

 

On mine they point at the 3rd line on the front of the valve cover, counting out from the air cleaner.

#1 is at 5:00 viewed from the side. I can't guess why every diagram I've seen is wrong.

 

Thanks DF. Pickpan...

 

No! #1 is at 5:00, viewed from the side. It's where I placed the yellow connector in the photo. And it's 153624, clockwise.

EDIT;, and yes, the screws look right.

 

This is a pick for the visual folks out there. Pickpan...

 

That's 180* out.

 

WHAT?

EDIT-ADDED. Oh, I see he deleted his prior picture. It has now been replaced with the correct setup.

 

Yeah. He edited it after I saw the first photo.

 

so what ever became of this issue?

 

I actually just got a call from the machine shop. My head has been cracked. He said it need to be replaced. Now I have to ability to upgrade to a newer head. I was told the 0331 casting head was "redone" in the later years to fix the issue of cracking. I am able to get a 0331 casting head from a 04-06 Wrangler at my work for $320 with springs and valves. Clearwater Cylinder Head offered the upgraded 0331 head for $400 fully assembled. Any ideas or opinions in this??? If I go this route, I will take my block to the machine shop while the head is on order to get bored and redone