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First I cleaned up the head mounting surface with a wire wheel to get all of the old gasket crap off. I also wire wheeled the header flange a little.
Then I finished cutting the flange itself:
Immediately after doing this I put the straight edge on it and it was already flatter. For some reason the flange was holding the #1 and #6 runners too far out from the rest of them. When reinstalling I still put Ultra Copper RTV on both sides of the gasket, just for good measure. This is with a new Fel-Pro gasket too, the old one was too compressed already.
Reinstalled the intake and all the bolts holding them down and let the RTV dry for about a day. Didn't want to take any chances. After firing it up that super annoying ticking noise is gone!
Also while working on this, I noticed something was eating into my new serpentine belt already. There was a noticeable grove all the way around in one spot. Nothing was touching it so I thought maybe the idler pulley or water pump pulley had a rough spot or something. Turns out the hose clamp I had on the lower radiator hose was ever so slightly rubbing it. Tin snips fixed that right up.
Last edited by t.mcginley.jr; 01-04-2016 at 11:32 AM.
Just an update, been driving the Jeep for about 2 months now with no issues. I like it! It's my DD while I rebuild the engine in my Altima. ~60 miles a day round trip, been through rain snow ice, etc. all without a problem. Just rolled over 205k miles.
Here's a pic of my XJ in it's natural habitat:
Also a short vid of the 15" of snow we got a month ago. My neighbor asked if I wanted help digging my Jeep out... I said "nah I got it."
I actually wanted to use that header, it would have been loads easier than what I did but I heard the fitment was usually terrible. Either the flanges didn't line up with the precats or the runners contacted the intake. There are more expensive ones ($300-500) that I heard fit much nicer but didn't want to spend the cash.
Actually the first one I got was from Rugged Ridge, and it was not welded in the Jig right, it would not even bolt-on it hit the intake so bad, I took a picture and contacted Rugged Ridge, they overnighted me a polished one as an upgrade (the original was just stainless - not polished), Since then I have ordered (3) eBay ones that look identical to the Rugged Ridge and all (3) bolted on without a problem. Although I have read people having issues as well, I am not sure which ones, I wonder if eBay and Rugged Ridge were coming out of the same factory and they just had a bad run. Who Knows.
Bumping this old thread as I am about to do something very similar.
My 01 bit the dirt on cyl 2 and I just picked up a 95. As far as I can tell the only difference is the older 7120 head and the single pattern cam.
Im wondering if this could/would cause issues. I would like to add power and already plan to go ahead replace the head gasket while it's out, so Im not above replacing the cam.
Is there anything else I need to worry about?
Im curious if there are other header recommendations considering the issues youve had.
Im wondering if this could/would cause issues. I would like to add power and already plan to go ahead replace the head gasket while it's out, so Im not above replacing the cam.
Is there anything else I need to worry about?
Im curious if there are other header recommendations considering the issues youve had.
I was just out driving the 4th jeep I did the swap in (my daughters new trail jeep), Header, Neon Injectors, Good Intake (I used a Cowl Air Intake or Snorkel), 99 newer intake, and free flowing muffler and I am real happy with the power.
The first one with the Rugged Ridge header we drove 3 years and around 40K miles on it before selling it, it towed trailer from Florida to Chicago and Back, and hauled a ton of stuff all over the South - I was extremely happy with it.
I never messed with the Cam.
Not sure on the O2 Bung, I always ran a 2000 Header with the two precats. First was a Rugged Ridge - last three have been an eBay Header - similar to this for $109 - http://www.ebay.com/itm/00-06-Jeep-W...hVgKfE&vxp=mtr
I was just out driving the 4th jeep I did the swap in (my daughters new trail jeep), Header, Neon Injectors, Good Intake (I used a Cowl Air Intake or Snorkel), 99 newer intake, and free flowing muffler and I am real happy with the power.
The first one with the Rugged Ridge header we drove 3 years and around 40K miles on it before selling it, it towed trailer from Florida to Chicago and Back, and hauled a ton of stuff all over the South - I was extremely happy with it.
I never messed with the Cam.
Not sure on the O2 Bung, I always ran a 2000 Header with the two precats. First was a Rugged Ridge - last three have been an eBay Header - similar to this for $109 - http://www.ebay.com/itm/00-06-Jeep-W...hVgKfE&vxp=mtr
Hopefully the OP can chime in on the O2 bung. I really dont want to run the pre-cats; going to use one down pipe. Really like the header the OP used, design wise at least; much easier to get to the bolts and freer flowing. Not to mention no longer heat-soaking the intake and injectors.
As for the linked header, I cant use it as it is for the newer 0331 head. Ill be using the 7120
Speaking of injectors, I really wanted to do the Neon injector upgrade (did on my long gone ZJ), that is until I found out my XJ has the newer injector connector...
This here looks very similar to that rugged ridge header. Wonder if same manufacturer, just cheaper.
OP here, yes that looks like the correct O2 sensor bung. See if you can verify in the description somewhere that it's a standard M18 x 1.5 thread pattern though.
I have about 7k miles on my swap so far and still running strong. My original thought, since I deleted the pre-cats, was to run spark plug nonfoulers (spacers pretty much) between the bung and O2 sensor so it wouldn't "see" the missing cats. Funny thing is, it must have spaced them out too far and set off a code for the opposite problem. Putting them directly into the exhaust stream worked just fine, no codes at all. Almost like it's not even checking that the precats are working...
For the header, I would go with the something similar to the one bryweb linked to with the precat setup, it will be alot easier. They do sell ones with the two precat flanges AND larger round exhaust ports to mate up to an older pre-0331 head. Can't tell if that one is correct because they don't show a pic of the exhaust ports, but the gasket looks correct for an older head. 0331 heads have smaller ports. If you don't want all the heat soak, etc. though then go with a regular header and fab up some exhaust. Totally agree with adding in a flex piece, I want to eventually cut mine and put one in.
I didn't touch the cam in my 96 engine either, just set it at TDC on #1 piston, pop out the distributor and drop in your cam synchronizer from the '01 (which should also be at TDC when you take it out of the old motor).
I used my 2000 injectors (and intake, alternator, P/S, AC compressor, coil packs, etc.). If you want the Neon injectors you'll probably have to cut and splice in the correct connectors.
OP here, yes that looks like the correct O2 sensor bung. See if you can verify in the description somewhere that it's a standard M18 x 1.5 thread pattern though.
I have about 7k miles on my swap so far and still running strong. My original thought, since I deleted the pre-cats, was to run spark plug nonfoulers (spacers pretty much) between the bung and O2 sensor so it wouldn't "see" the missing cats. Funny thing is, it must have spaced them out too far and set off a code for the opposite problem. Putting them directly into the exhaust stream worked just fine, no codes at all. Almost like it's not even checking that the precats are working...
For the header, I would go with the something similar to the one bryweb linked to with the precat setup, it will be alot easier. They do sell ones with the two precat flanges AND larger round exhaust ports to mate up to an older pre-0331 head. Can't tell if that one is correct because they don't show a pic of the exhaust ports, but the gasket looks correct for an older head. 0331 heads have smaller ports. If you don't want all the heat soak, etc. though then go with a regular header and fab up some exhaust. Totally agree with adding in a flex piece, I want to eventually cut mine and put one in.
I didn't touch the cam in my 96 engine either, just set it at TDC on #1 piston, pop out the distributor and drop in your cam synchronizer from the '01 (which should also be at TDC when you take it out of the old motor).
I used my 2000 injectors (and intake, alternator, P/S, AC compressor, coil packs, etc.). If you want the Neon injectors you'll probably have to cut and splice in the correct connectors.
Fantastic! Youve pretty much answered anything I could even ask!
Thank you!
Originally Posted by bryweb
The header in the link I included will fit over the bigger exhaust ports on 7120 and 0630 Heads.
And no the Neon are direct plug-ins - no wire splicing required.
We have different connections, tho it does look like some cars have what we need;
12-29-2015, 07:07 AM
