AbbadonTD

So I purchased my "new" 1998 XJ Limited 180K about a month ago now. I love it, it drives great, way nicer than my 2 door 95 sport.

Its FILTHY. I think that it has never been even remotely cleaned. Its coated with oil, all seeming coming from the classic Oil Filter Housing Gasket leak. The fresh oil is on the filter and the sending unit, the rest of the mess is all around and behind. They have been adding oil (the oil in it is really clean), but it was street parked for the last decade, so no attention was paid to the drip, it was topped off.

I am going to strip off what I can and clean once it springs up around here (read: unheated garage). The motor mounts are beat up and I was going to replace them and clean and replace my way out from there. I was going to pull what I could off the engine, drain the fluids, and replace gaskets. I dont have any engine issues, I dont need a rebuild.

Is is worth tearing open the cylinder head and replacing gaskets/seals when I do this other cleaning?

Currently I dont plan on pulling the head, just cleaning the outside, and maybe pulling the exhaust manifold. Anything I do pull I will fresh gasket of course, its the head I really want to know about.

Doogluus88

All those things sound great, but I really don't see any need to replace the head gasket. These are really great motors that don't require tons of meticulous maintenance. The most important things to keeping your jeep happy for years to come are keeping the cooling system in tip top shape and being very faithful with oil changes. Hope you enjoy your jeep!

AbbadonTD

I think this one being a "limited" made its life less harsh than my old sport. Could be completely because the first owner would be a different customer on the top trim packages vs the lower ones?

AbbadonTD

Also, what does anyone think about doing at least the Valve Cover Gasket Seal? Rubber seals dry out in Colorado, and that is right there, and I will have other stuff removed from it in general, it would be just bolts and a seal right?

DFlintstone

It's "oil filter Adapter" Likely it's O rings are hardened. If you search that you will find plenty, also there are part # in my sig. Also see here>

OIL FILTER ADAPRER O RINGS http://www.myjeepxj.com/cherokee-rep...filter-adapter And a link with torx.. https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/oi...o-ring-127359/


Also see #15 here> https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/cr...x-tips-153657/


Yours is not a Renix, but that still applies.



I'd clean it up, run it THEN decide what you might want to change. The gasket's are not actually rubber and may not have hardened.

AbbadonTD

Word. All the other rubber stuff, especially air intake hoses and those PCV gaskets are so hard you would swear they were plastic. I am going to do the radiator and oil systems, and pull off anything in my way that I can to clean and check out. Ill start caring about the suspension next year.

I know its the housing gasket, and I have my tool in hand. I did it on my last xj. I think that this guy had trouble selling it because its so dirty, but I recognized it immediately. There is easily a quart or more of caked on nasty down there, but pull that dipstick, look in the head, its pretty clean oil. I think its a 100,000 mile drip.

I park in a garage, so I dont want to drip too much in the long run, but its my garage, so I can drip all I want for now.

DFlintstone

The leaking oil filter adapter often fouls the starter. If you are really digging in you may want to go ahead and clean that too.

peep

Do the filter adapter and rocker cover gasket and breather gommets, maybe the oil pan gasket and rear main seal. Leave the cylinder head gasket alone.

cruiser54

I'd be looking up ABOVE first, and VERIFYING the source of the oil leak YOURSELF.

Everybody, who doesn't own or have to pay for or perform your vehicle repairs, loves to poke their noggin UNDER the Jeep and come out bearing the false bad news that your RMS is leaking.

Many mechanics, friends, people on Jeep forums who can’t see your Jeep from where they’re at, and good old Uncle Bob seem to enjoy telling you it’s the rear main seal. Has a catastrophic ring to it, doesn’t it?

A simple leak at the back of the valve cover or other source could produce the same symptoms. You don’t need to be a mechanic to figure this out. If you have good eyesight and a dim flashlight, you’re good to go on your own. Don't jump on the RMS/oil pan gasket bandwagon right off the bat.

Almost any oil leak on your 4.0 is gonna drip from the RMS area for two simple reasons.

First off, the engine sits nose-up and any oil will run back to the RMS area. Secondly, the RMS area is also the lowest point on the engine. Simple physics and the old plumber's adage apply here. "$hit flows downhill".

Valve cover gasket, oil pressure sending unit, oil filter adapter seals and distributor gasket, in that order, have to be eliminated as possibilities first.

Revised 02-26-2013

AbbadonTD

Great info, I am pretty sure its oil filter adapter and the sending unit, and not the valve cover, thats why I asked about that. I figure if you don't have to pull the engine open, DONT. and that is the heart of the question I asked, if I am doing all this stuff, and draining the oil completely to clean the pan and put a new gasket on, should I open the cylinder and see how we look/change gaskets.

It seems my answer is if it aint broke, dont open it.

No oil up high, only residue from the PCV and CCV valve gaskets - just the minor drip over time mucking up the head. I found oil in front, but its on the transmission cooler lines. I assume this worked its way down when the jeep was parked.

The starter looks like it was wrapped with a coat of tar. It was on the list. Basically, if I can pull it off, I will, and clean it. I may even take parts to the store and test them for the heck of it, the store is really nearby. I will not be surprised if there is a Quart ON this engine.

cruiser54

Take care of the known leaks. Replace the starter. Don't mess with the oil pan yet.

bryanintowson

Valve cover gasket isn't too hard and the blue felpro gasket is really nice quality. I wouldn't mess with the head.

cruiser54

I wouldn't open your head. You could possibly be cursed to live the remainder of your life like this:

AbbadonTD

So I am going to do the oil sending unit and the housing adapter. Thats a given. I should replace the starter? It starts great. This jeep may be filthy, but it runs SMOOTH.

I think I am not going to pull the pan or the valve cover. I will wait until the next oil change and make a call then. Clean, fix the known breaks, and see where I go from there.

Thanks for the input. I did really want this to be an idea ball and less of a specific question, and yall helped out.

Bocefus

I wouldn't replace the starter if it still works great. Good call on cleaning, fixing the known leaks and then go from there. Good luck with it.