Sep 21, 2015, 03:49 PM
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XJ Ask the Question Thread
Senior Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 651
Likes: 0
From: Fayetteville, NC
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Ohhh. Whereabouts? Engine serial number looks like this: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/4...4/#post9122959
0331 head was introduced in late 1999 calendar year for the 2000 model year. They all have bosses for the distributor-less ignition.
If someone had, for some reason, swapped your '96's head with the worst 4.0L head ever made, you'd have to check the number on the head to find out.
0331 head was introduced in late 1999 calendar year for the 2000 model year. They all have bosses for the distributor-less ignition.
If someone had, for some reason, swapped your '96's head with the worst 4.0L head ever made, you'd have to check the number on the head to find out.
::CF Moderator::
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 43,971
Likes: 1,578
From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
CF Veteran
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: Hagerstown MD
Year: 93
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6 w/Flux Capacitor
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: ny
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Bought a 500 dollar 96 Cherokee Sport w/ 4.0 and 4 wheel drive. got it cheap because of blown head gasket and non-existent floor boards, which I welded in a whole new floor pan set.
I replaced the blown gasket (had a definite hole between #4 and #5 cyl) with a new fel-pro one. head was in spec for flatness and was torqed to spec and #11 bolt threads were sealed. of course some idiot used TONS of stop leak and she still over heats. while the head was off, I dug out (and blew clean with compressed air) the PLUGGED coolant ports in the head and they are clean as a whistle. water pump looks new and today I removed the radiator and flushed and shook it about 50 times and got it to flow real good in both directions, reinstalled rad, and a new 180° Stant thermostat. also flushed the engine and it seems to flow ok. no overheating while idling in the driveway only when I drive it. any other ideas?
clutch on the belt driven fan is good, when you rev the engine the fan will blow your hat off into the next county and it has good resistance when you turn it by hand with the engine off. the electric fan works as it should.
my next step tomorrow will be pull the t-stat back out, add some coolant system cleaner with plain water and drive it a couple days with no t-stat, drain, flush with clean water again, refill and see what I got. if it don't work, I guess I need to pull the water pump and inspect the vanes on the impeller. only other thing it could be is the block water ports plugged too? both hoses get hard when it overheating. heater core has good flow both ways(I have good heat) and there are no coolant leaks anywhere including internal. If I get no results after the cleaning and inspecting the pump, I guess I gotta pull the head again, and recheck the block ports. Hope I don't have to do that!
I replaced the blown gasket (had a definite hole between #4 and #5 cyl) with a new fel-pro one. head was in spec for flatness and was torqed to spec and #11 bolt threads were sealed. of course some idiot used TONS of stop leak and she still over heats. while the head was off, I dug out (and blew clean with compressed air) the PLUGGED coolant ports in the head and they are clean as a whistle. water pump looks new and today I removed the radiator and flushed and shook it about 50 times and got it to flow real good in both directions, reinstalled rad, and a new 180° Stant thermostat. also flushed the engine and it seems to flow ok. no overheating while idling in the driveway only when I drive it. any other ideas?
clutch on the belt driven fan is good, when you rev the engine the fan will blow your hat off into the next county and it has good resistance when you turn it by hand with the engine off. the electric fan works as it should.
my next step tomorrow will be pull the t-stat back out, add some coolant system cleaner with plain water and drive it a couple days with no t-stat, drain, flush with clean water again, refill and see what I got. if it don't work, I guess I need to pull the water pump and inspect the vanes on the impeller. only other thing it could be is the block water ports plugged too? both hoses get hard when it overheating. heater core has good flow both ways(I have good heat) and there are no coolant leaks anywhere including internal. If I get no results after the cleaning and inspecting the pump, I guess I gotta pull the head again, and recheck the block ports. Hope I don't have to do that!
I honed the cylinders and put new rings on my pistons, and installed new crank and rod bearings. It runs strong and doesn't overheat. love driving it so alls well that ends well 
CF Veteran
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: Hagerstown MD
Year: 93
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6 w/Flux Capacitor
Never worked. Could never get it to work. The PO flecked something up, i got it with an aftermarket gauge next to my headlight switch and it always read 150. I checked the sender and it turns out its not even for my year. They ran their own wires to the aftermarket and disconnected/cut the old one. I added a new connector to the stock wire, and replaced the sender to one correct for my vehicle, and put the stock wire back on. Needle doesn't move. Replaced the gauge with a JY one and verified it works by running a small current through it with a battery and the needle went up. Put it in the jeep. hasn't moved since.
::CF Moderator::
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 43,971
Likes: 1,578
From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Perhaps you have a sender for an idiot light instead of a gauge?
If you set your meter on ohms, and touch the red probe to the tip of the sender and the black probe to ground, what does the meter read?
100* us 1365 ohms
220* is 93.5 ohms
260* is 55.1 ohms
If you set your meter on ohms, and touch the red probe to the tip of the sender and the black probe to ground, what does the meter read?
100* us 1365 ohms
220* is 93.5 ohms
260* is 55.1 ohms
Last edited by cruiser54; Jun 19, 2014 at 08:57 PM.
CF Veteran
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: Hagerstown MD
Year: 93
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6 w/Flux Capacitor
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,692
Likes: 6
From: Mercer County, NJ
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 HO
CF Veteran
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: Hagerstown MD
Year: 93
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6 w/Flux Capacitor
Moderator of Jeeps
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 21,029
Likes: 3
From: Frederick, MD from Cleveland, OH
Year: 1993 YJ Wrangler
Engine: 4.0 I6
Seasoned Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 415
Likes: 1
From: maryland
Year: 2 Door 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 L H.O.
Why does my battery amps go down ,when i turn on a/c?(a good bit)Like between half and Quater..New battery,Altarnater.Starter and belt (tight)??