no need to drop T-case with only 3 in lift. never dropped mine.

put a jack under t-case. then remove all the bolts. lower jack then place spacers with longer bolts in the holes. You may have to remove two of the studs if yours has them.

 

Uh that definantly depends on the xj, you really can't generalize in that catagory.

 

My radiator has been leaking on the passenger side for a while. Today after driving maybe 40 miles, I started smelling antifreeze or something very strong, and when I parked, smoke was coming from the front passenger side under the hood, by where the leak is and by the passenger headlight area. Also, my oil pressure gauge dropped low and my jeep was running rough when I accelerated on my way home. Any ideas? I'm also getting really bad gas mileage

 

You are right! With the XJ's i have had experiences with you will not need a t-case drop for a 3 in lift.

Better?

 

Legit.

 

Your profile says 1998 so lets lean towards head gasket and not cracked head. Keep driving that thing and she'll implode lol.

 

Well, now the oil pressures reading normal. It only didn't read normal for probably 200 yards and I got worried and parked it. I just got back from another drive and it did fine. I don't think it would be a head gasket with a visible leak on the passenger side of the radiator would it?

 

Mine was doing that and it was the isolation rubber material that is inbetween the harmonic balancer rings. It starts to work its way out and when it gets to a certain point it hits the fan. I just used a razor blade and cut off the piece being squeezed out and it has been fine.
If that is not it, it might be something that has fallen inside the shroud or sticking through the radiator like a twig or zip tie ect.

 

Could be the rad hose or maybe the drain **** that is down on the bottom on the pass side. If neither of those then it could be the pass side rad tank is leaking.

If it is running badly and the idle goes down the oil pressure will drop too because of the engine running slowly. Have you washed the engine lately or driven through some big puddles and splashed water up into the engine compartment? Sometimes the water will short out the wires for the injectors or distributer.
I have a bad connection on one of my injectors and when I wash the engine I have to cover the injector with a bag or it runs like crap for a week. When the engine is running with one cylinder out you will get bad gas mileage. It is dragging that dead piston and not getting power from it.

 

Use silicon sealer with the gasket on both sides. It is good insurance and if you have to do it again the sealer will keep the paper gasket from bonding to the metal. If you don't It makes it a beach to scrape off down the road if you have to do it again.
Just make sure you let the silicon dry over night before you get it hot and build pressure in the cooling system. It will make a better seal. Otherwise the pressure can make weak spots in the seal before it has time to cure.

Also, make sure the Tstat doesn't slip down between the housing and the head. They are kind of a pain in the butt to keep from falling off the head when you are trying to put the housing back on. If it does, it can keep the housing from mating up properly and cause a leak at the bottom of the Tstat housing.

 

With the older XJ's that have a slip yoke, they have a longer drive shaft and don't have as much a problem when you lift them because there is less angle on the joints. But on the newer XJ's without the slip yoke, the drive shaft is some what shorter and when you lift your Jeep it can cause a vibe.

 

Just run the water hose in it until the water runs clear. The drain plug that is under the exhaust manifold is just a 3/8 ratchet size square hole if you were to go that route.

 

I washed it about a week and a half ago. Not very much but sprayed it down. So if I just wait it out, you say it will go back to normal?

 

My wheels and center caps /lugnuts were hot to the touch yesterday after driving 40 miles. Also my breaks are squealing when I press them. And... When I press on them, sometimes my jeep veers left. Stuck caliber possibly?

 

All XJs have slip yokes off the output shaft on the transfer case. The difference between certain years responding differently has to do with some changes in the tailhousing, rear axle selection and pinion angle.