Last week I picked up a 98 Cherokee Sport 4x4 for $400 off a lady who said she heard a very loud popping sound come from the engine and then it started to overheat. Her husband and brother both told her it was a cracked block which would not be worth fixing because coolant was rushing out of it. Well I found the overheating problem:



It looks like an internal crack that forced the hose to make a bubble that then popped. After cutting out the bad sections it ran at normal operating temps for two hours no problems as we ran more diagnostics. This weekend we started to pull the engine, here are a few highlight pics from that and a pic of my "I don't want to drive 45 mins to town and back" fuel line disconnect tool. A couple of transmission bolts and it's ready to be pulled.

 

It's been a while since I posted about my project so here is an update:

After getting the engine out and disassembled it spent just over 3 weeks at Millers Automotive Machine Shop in San Antonio. The cylinders where bores out .003 and a crack in the heads water jacket was plugged


Over the weekend we cleaned and painted the parts and brackets that are going to be reused. We also got the bearings, crankshaft, pistons, cam, timing chain and cover installed.












I'm hoping to have the engine back in the XJ by next weekend and running then onto the interior. Thanks for stopping and taking a look please feel free to post any suggestions you might have.

 

awesome.
someone who's not afraid to tear apart an engine and capable of putting it all back together.

good score on a clean southern xj.

 

Thanks Caged I love working on these 4.0L, done right they will run forever.

 

We got the motor finished and dropped back into the XJ. If all goes well we might be cranking it up tonight. We also went ahead and put a junkyard 56027913ab Denso alt, here is a few pic to get you up to date.












When the exhaust manifold I ordered was delivered by FedEx this is how I got it. The driver dropped it over a 6 foot fence right on the flange what was hanging out of the box. JC Whitney was very good about replacing the parts that where missing but I'm staying away for FedEx.

 

lookin good

 

Nice work!!