Hello everyone, first time owning a jeep here. I bought a 2000 Classic 3 weeks ago, after purchasing I washed down the engine(there was a fair amount of crud on the side of the block). I have since noticed that it is weeping oil at the head gasket(it's not the valve cover gasket), is this a sign that the HG will fail or is it just oil passages for the valve train close to the side of the block leaking.

I have a 30 day warranty on this Jeep(about 5 days left) so I need to know if I should take it back and have them fix this or if it is a non-issue???

Thanks,
Dave

 

If it's leaking oil from the head/block mating surface, than the head gasket has already failed. It may not have breached a cylinder or cooling gallery yet, but it's compromised.

 

Anyone else have any input on this??

 

Yea

Basically what CodeXJ said.

 

X3 on what CodeXJ said!

 

Definitely take it back.

 

Agreed. If it wasnt disclosed you can sue as well.

My buddy just bought a early 02 evo, needed head gasket and other stuff, wasnt disclosed and they refused to repair it saying he caused it(he had it for 2 days). So he sued, kept the evo, got it repaired, and got his 07 stang back.

 

Your description made me go out to my jeep and check on an oil leak that I thought was the valve cover gasket. Turns out I am dead wrong. I have a leak on my 2000 4.0 between what looks like 2-3 or 3-4 cyl.

I just inherited the jeep for nothing, but it needs a lot of help. It seems to run fine, just a bit of lifter tick from the oil change. I dont want to thread jack, how involved is a head gasket fix?

 

It's a non-OHC engine, so it's not horribly hard, but still not something you should tackle if you aren't confident. The question is, for the 00-01 years at least, is the head cracked? Removing the head is fairly simple. You'll need to drain the coolant and oil, disconnect the intake manifold and exhaust manifold, remove the valve cover and unbolt the rockers and pull them and the pushrods. Then you can finish unhooking any sensors/lines run to the head, unbolt it, and lift it off. Anytime a head gasket goes it's a good idea to have the head professionally checked for cracks, doubly so for the 00-01 model years.

 

X2 for the cracked head. Does the oil leak start immediately below the head gasket? If it starts above, then Damn. Could have a cracked head. Alabama Cylinder Heads,... Wont happen again.

 

another victim of the 0331 casting

 

Bad batch of iron.

 

i think i just found this on my jeep too its a 95 zj. thought it was the valve cover so i replaced it then i thought it was the rear main seal nope. crawled under it and i see oil all by the exhaust manifold. oh and my exhaust pie is pretty sooty but no smoke

 

Are you sure? Because the exhaust manifold bolts to the head above the head gasket. Unless you mean lower down?

 

its towards the bottom of the exhaust manifold. leaking down the engine. id say between cylinders 5-6 drivers side