Ant.

Hello All,

Just picked up a nice 99 Jeep Cherokee Sport 4.0 Auto.. Paid $1000.00 for it..

I have had to do a couple things to get it running the way it is now, I have put a new radiator, New electric fan, New tires... Jeep runs great but I am pretty sure it has a blown head gasket... I have fixed all the leaks in the cooling system, Start it up and she will run for hours in the driveway, No Problems,

If I run the jeep for a couple days and check the water it is almost empty, I am almost 99% possitive that it is blowing the water out the exhaust..


Now the jeep has 174000 plus on the clock, I am thinking I should rebuild complete motor, Rings, bearings, all the good stuff, Or should I just do the head gasket... Just wanna get some ideas.. I am just thinking since it has so many miles maybe I should just do it all while the head is off and motor is apart... I intend on keeping the jeep...


Any suggestions ?

Thanks,

Ant..

Turbo X_J

Compression test first, see what you got. Hows the oil level, pressure?

RTorrez1

The very first thing you need to do is stop running it if you think you have a blown head gasket. If you are getting water/antifreeze in to the oil you will end up causing damage to the bearings and you will end up having to do a rebuild. Then do like TurboXJ said, Do a compression test then we can go from there.

CCKen

In that instrument cluster pic it looks like the engine is running. If so, that coolant temp is way too high bud.

Ant.

Oil pressure seems fine according to the gauge, Will get a compression check going, Let ya know what I come up with..

Thanks for the info,

Ant...

Ant.

Runs at about 220 - 230, Too HOt?

Ant..

Ant.

Thanks for the input,

I ran it a few times, Thought I had the water/cooling issue fixed, But I filled the system drove it for a couple days here and there, And figured let me check the water just to make sure it was fixed and the water was gone / low again..
So I made sure there was no leaks,Filled the system again drove it for a couple more days and water was low again, But I know I have no leaks so I am gonna have to say I feel it is blowing out the exhaust... Thats the only place it can be going..

Thanks,

Ant.

Radi

If you are burning that much water the plugs should be nicely steam-cleaned. Might pull a few and see what there is to see. Good opp to screw a compression gauge in too.
Cooling system pressure test might be interesting too.

200-210 is 'normal', but + - a few either side, gauge error, etc happens. Is your e-fan coming on at idle?

CCKen

Depending upon the outside air temp, the normal coolant temp is 210* F.

Your electric radiator cooling fan should have been running at that indicated coolant temp. Was it?

Ant.

Yes, When I bought it the fan did not work, The motor was bad, Replaced fan with new and the fan runs great,
I am in florida so it is a little warmer here...

Thanks,

Ant..

RTorrez1

Yeah, 210 is normal operating temp for the 4.0. I live in south Texas and my 98 XJ stays between 210 and 214. It will only get up to 214 when the ambient temp hit around 110-115.

Ant.

Hello All,

Sorry for the delay.. I have been real busy with work and have not had the time to touch the jeep..

I did pull the plugs today and there is most definetly water getting in the cylinders and going out the exhaust.. The first 3 plugs are more rusty then the last 3 so I would say it is leaking towards the front of the motor somewhere between 1 - 3 cylinder. The last 3 plugs towards the back of the motor are realy white with like a redish tint to them.. Here is a few pics of the plugs..

Ant.

I will do a compression check this weekend to see what I have for compression, If any of them are low I will just rebuild complete motor while the head is off, I will pull the motor out for a complete rebuild, motor will not be pulled if just doing head gasket,

Will post what I get after compression check...

Thanks all,
Ant...

CRASHking

my 99 did the same thing(but never leaked fluid), run a little warm even after I changed Radiator, pump, therm, new shroud the works.

well I drove it like this for a good year and ran great exept for once or twice when I would get home it would gurgle and hiss. So I call my mechanic buddy told him whats going on he checks it out nothing he could find. He did say that could have leaking head gasket but I should lose power(power seemed fine to me) or severly overheat which it never really went a dash past 210 mark.

So another month rolls by shes running great (so I thought). Come home from work same deal,its hissing and gurgling again(never leaking fluid or running hot)!! Well I open up the hood the head is smoking like a mother *ucker!

Now my buddy is sayn it had a bad head gasket the whole year. But never had water in the oil or any major symptoms to me anyways.

So now I have to decide to throw another used engine in her or rebuild.....both make me sad


sorry just had to vent a little

CRASHking

yeah and I paid $1500 for mine lol

And its extremely hard to find engines for these things...at least in my budget, they range from $500/200k miles - $1000/100k