I am replacing the engine in my '96 XJ this weekend with a used engine with 139,000 miles on it.

Is there anything that is troublesome or hard to replace with the engine in the XJ on the 4.0's that I should fix or replace before putting it in?

 

I would suggest ALL the freeze plugs. Replace them with BRASS ones. Also, upgrade your engine mount bolts to grade-8 bolts when installing.

Could do the harmonic balancer if it looks like its starting to seperate at all.

Oil filter adapter gasket. I'm sure someone else will help on that one as I haven't done it yet.

While the engine is OUT, maybe upgrade the steering box to a durango unit from a junkyard?

Any other suspension/front end goodies while the engine is out of they way for a bit would be cool I guess.


Cannot think of anything else at the moment..

 

do a rear main seal fo sho

top two tranny bell housing bolts are inverted torx bolts.....get the socket! and they suck to get at.......i always swap them to regular bolts on any manual one i do so clutch jobs are easier.

 

I plan on replacing the following.

1. Water pump
2. Rear main seal
3. Oil filter housing o-rings
4. Oil pan gasket
5. Alternator

Oh yea, the top 2 bell housing bolts sucked ***** to get out. I wound up grinding the heads off and pulling the bolts out with the block. I couldn't get to them with a socket and by the time I had figured out what type of socket they were one of them was rounded off. Not to mention I couldn't break them lose. Once the block was out the bolt body came out with my fingers.

 

oil pump

 

If your going to have the oil pan off anyway, yank a couple of rod & main caps to check the clearance.

ETA: Have you heard this engine run yet, is there any way you can do a compression test? No reason to waste time and $ if it's trashed.

 

I think I am going to take the new pump I have on the blown engine and put it on the "new" engine.

I have not heard it run as it is already out of the wrecked vehicle.

How can I do a compression test without the engine in the vehicle?