I’ll keep it short.

bought rusted xj for $500 the build is here.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f46/500-pine-stand-sxs-262795/

I have read and read the forums and now that the easy part of cutting and welding is over I need to turn to the engine.

never had a chance to fully test drive it and run it up to temp. Runs great. No codes. Oil level isn’t overfull. Doesn’t leak any oil for the three months in the garage.

I know I need to flush the radiator. water is clear but a rust colored reside on cap and inside of the overflow and fill neck of the radiator. The temp creeped up enough for me to know that the efan is smocked literally. plus I checked it by removing temp sensor on thermostat. The cooling system needs overhauled. I get bubble in the overflow once it gets hot.

should I overhaul the entire cooling system then worry about the head or test and then replace everything if I remove the head?

pretty sure I know the answer but I’m quarantined and get to store to get the exhaust gas tester.

thanks for your input.

 

Bubbles in the coolant once it gets hot? That's actually normal. The radiator cap keeps pressure on the system, raising the boiling point.

Wait for the gas test kit. Maybe do a pressure test too. It's probably not a bad idea to change the head since your profile says it's a 2000, which should have an 0331 casting anyway. But from what you said there, it doesn't really sound like it's what's giving you the problem... currently, at least.

 

Didn’t get a bad test until I got it hot enough to get the thermostat to open up and the coolant with exhaust gas was able to get in the radiator. Either cracked head or blown gasket. I’ve looked under the oil cap between 3&4 and don’t see a crack or coolant.

Don’t know how long it’s been bad. Haven’t ran it enough to know if it’s eating coolant or the oil is increasing. So I have no idea if the bottom end is any good.

I’ll make some assumptions:

1)because the oil is black and probably not changed in awhile and slightly under full means that it’s probably not leaking coolant in the oil

and

2)the coolant is straight water/crude which probably means the PO was adding water which it was probably eating.

Don’t know if one is better than the other but it runs strong so I’m going to replace the head and let the bottom end eat.