Im in the middle of rebuilding a 4.0 for a 96 XJ of mine. Bought the vehicle knowing the block was cracked. So far I’ve pulled 2 heads off of other ‘96-98 XJs with casting number 0630. Can’t seem to find one that isn’t cracked. Pictures attached.

Should I just bite the bullet and purchase a Clearwater or Odessa??

Let me know if y’all have any recommendations.


First head I brought to machine shop

Second head

Second head

 

Mine is cracked in the same place as your first picture? What did you end up doing? What was the machine shop recommendations?

 

Machine shop recommended trying to get another. Once it’s cracked it’s not usable. Planning on pulling another head from the salvage yard tomorrow. If that one ends up being cracked I’m going to call Clearwater/Odessa for availability

 

I ordered a complete head from Clear Water, I think with shipping it was $660. A couple days after the order it shipped.

 

Wow! I just finished putting the head on my XJ because I needed to repair a few things. It was a job I would not want to do again. And you have pulled your head PLUS two others and still got more to go? I think I would buy a new head and be done with it, if financially that is possible. Its too much work for a chancy outcome to keep pulling heads in the junk yard.

 

This my third time pulling my head haha.

First time was blown head gasket. I should've had the head checked for cracks then but I was in a rush and broke.
Second time to change the lifters.
Third time because when I changed the lifters I did not change the cam and now have cam failure.

 

Dont tell me that. I just put new lifters in on my old cam! It was a calculated gamble.

 

Did you use any of the camshaft assembly paste on lifters? Mine didn't last long before the engine starting running like crap and miss firing.

 

Yeh, well, I used Melling assembly lube. I coated the lifter's wear surface and every thing else in the stuff.

I squirted it down the push rod openings on to the cam lobes too.

I have a friend who is an incredible engine builder, ( yeh we all do, I know, but this guy is crazy good, but still realizes that you gotta fo the basics first) and he took a look at what I was doing, and as he said, " yeh, it oughta be ok"!

 

Instead of going with a Clearwater I have a buddy that works at Autozone and he hooked me up with a TUPY 0331 casting. I believe it’s a straight swap onto a ‘96 but can anyone confirm or deny this for me?
I noticed the coolant temp gauge in the rear is tapped. I may had remove tap to put my coolant temp sender back in. There are also threads for where the coils would’ve gone. Does anyone know if this will harm anything?

Pictures attached. Please advise





Threads for Coils

Tap for Coolant Sender

 

The 0331 head will not bolt up to a pre 2000 exhaust manifold without an adapter plate. The exhaust ports are also smaller so it will not perform quite as well as the 0630. The threaded holes for the coil rail are a non issue. You will have to remove plug for the coolant temp sensor. Do a search for 0331 adapter plate.. your valve cover might not fit properly, you might have to get one for the 0331 head. It looks nice but it's definitely not a simple interchange

 

I didn’t realize the exhaust manifolds changed that much after 2000. Thank you for letting me know and avoiding that headache. Returning this head and getting a rebuilt 0630 ordered. I’ll keep y’all posted