I got this Jeep a month ago, 205k miles, saw the oil on the left side (looking at the motor from the front) all over down through the bottom, but it drove great so got it for a good deal. Now it drives just fine to work and back. Cleaned the motor off and it appears the oil is coming from the middle of the head gasket area right next to the distributor cap. It's not losing oil badly as it's lost less than half a qt in a month.
What do I need to do to make sure I get the right job done when I have a week to replace head gasket, valve gasket and what more? ANy help is appreciated...

 

Sure. Verify the head and block are not warped when you pull the gasket. Don't mix up the rockers or pushrods. If you need lifters or valve work...now's the time. Get a friend to help remove/replace the head...they're heavy and awkward to get back into place.

Are you 110% certain that's where the oil is coming from? It can happen but isn't a common area for leaking that much oil...usually just minor gasket weeping.
There are no pressurized oil passages in that area, the oil comes up through the pushrods and drains back by gravity.

 

This.

Be darn sure that you don't just have a valve cover leak before you remove the head! It's been done before......

 

I have some friends who have done major mechanical work that will be helping me out and have been helping me out plus a dad for a retired mechanic but he has only seen and driven the jeep for a weekend but he says I got a great deal and we will definitely have to do gasket work in the next couple months. It looks to be a head gasket issue because it is kinda dry above that but I can take pictures and post...
I might be exaggerating on how much oil it is, it's only gone down maybe an eigth of an inch on the dip stick in a month, maybe a 1/4 inch. But looking up underneath, looks like alot of oil everywhere but know that a small drop can smear out to make it look like alot.
There is near to zero oil dropping onto the ground though, that's a good thing I assume. Am doing an oil change this week, changing the filter to a K & N filter and syntehtic blend 10-30... The high mileage syntethic blend was more than twice as much for the $ whew...
Already have the valve cover gasket as that came with the jeep when I bought it so obviously the previous owner took it in to a shop and that was what was advised, although the owner told me it was a head gasket and I had to look and correct him, weird. I want to be prepared when i settle to do the job, do I need the head gasket kit or just the head gasket itself... Dad said the kit will come in handy with all the other stuff that comes with it.... keep the posts coming, i'm learning alot as I go..

 

Before you pull the head, clean that engine bone-dry with solvent. (cover the electronics, alternator etc. with plastic bags...TPS in particular doesn't like water)
Then carefully watch the rear main seal, valve cover gasket, oil filter adapter and oil pressure sender. Those are the usual oil leak spots.

Also check that the Crankcase vent system is functioning and not plugged. If you remove the oil filler cap and there is pressure, or you have any significant oil in the air filter housing...it's plugged. That can push oil out of all sorts of oddball places.

 

Dang it more stuff to look at, apparently my co-worker has a husband who has bulit up a super sexy jeep cuz this morning when I got there, whoa baby, there it was, so looks like I got a local club that I can have helping me with this engine leak trouble, whew. Will try checking all those myself and maybe see if I can have the locals help me out on the engine oil location etc.

As for the air filter, that thing is clean and dry as can be, checked that like 3 times in the past month. The oil cap seems to come off as easily as any other cap.

 

It can also leak around the distributor.

 

Today did Water Pump, thermostat, new heater hoses, radiator hoses, coolant. Cleaned out throttle body. 25+ year mechanic looked underneath and said wow that is so tight, looks like a new car, not a 205k mile car. All the parts we replaced today were all original. Drove my wife out for a date and wowwwww, I can feel a HUGE difference! And yes I know about the air pockets and will be watching the coolant levels for the next few days.
Didn't do the gaskets but will get around to the valve, intake/exhaust gaskets when I have a few days since will want to machine the parts etc.
Radiator seemed to have a small leak or so, put in bars leak in the radiator as well.
Did not flush the coolant since it is obvious that the system was original and all the rust anywhere would be still holding everything together and a flush would have loosened things up. Also tightened the bolts on the valve cover, that helped a bit too...

 

I just want to hit that oil filter adapter drum again! It's common for a few O rings in there to harden, then oil blows all over. Allot pf people think of the rear main when they see it dripping off the lowest point, the bell housing.

Then, like said, gotta watch right away after you clean it. Once it blowes alittle you won't know where it came from. Have fun!

Also, my CCV line from the rear of the valve cover once clogged, I thought it seemed too small. The case needs that vacuum.

 

Keep a close eye on your temps, that stuff sometimes cannot tell the difference between a leak and a partially obstructed coolant passage.

 

I've never seen the results of Bar's radiator stop leak. But I have seen what other radiator stop leak products can do to your cooling system. If your radiator leaks drop the $150 for a new one before that stop leak ruins the rest of the system you already replaced.

Why replace all that and then try to patch a leaking rad with stop leak?

 

When it works, it works very well. (the rabbit pellet type stuff). In fact too well, lol.
It'll keep plugging a hole until the hole is finally just too big to plug...then you get the underhood equivalent of the Old Faithful Geyser when it all comes loose.
Probably 250 miles from home after you've forgotten about the leak.

That said, if the rest of the cooling system is in rough shape, it'll happily plug partially obstructed passages right along with leaks, and it makes a horrible goopy mess with Dexcool. (which had better not be in your 4.0...)

 

X2. I'm not thrilled with the idea of using that stuff. I DID resort to using 1/2 a little tube, (the 3 inch one about the diameter of a quarter), of that aluminum type powder for my heater core. That was a long time ago, seems to have worked. I guess I ended up using the other 1/2 at some point. Anyway, the less the better, if you are going to go there at all, is my .02.


Btw, I think it was two brothers, both posted success with some (relatively new to me), spendy carbon fiber stuff with their cracked 0331 heads. Make of that what you will!

 

I guess if you have a cracked 0331 head it's worth trying.

I've cleaned up a few vehicles that had radiator stop leak put in it. Worst one was a 98 Buick regal. Entire cooling system was clogged with stop leak ****, I swear they put a few quarts of that crap in.

 

Like the "liquid glass" repair, it works great...until it doesn't. And you never know when that day will come.