Well.... it was less broken than I thought, they left a rag in the TB... pulled it out and it's back to exactly how it was.... 3 months ago when I first realized there was a problem.

 

I'm thinking of doing a contest, if you can fix my jeep, I give you $500. Gonna post a video. you make a comment on it, and I do what you suggest, and if it fixes my jeep, you get $500.

 

I think most of us would be more than willing to help you for free, mainly because at this point we would love to see the solution to the problem and see your Jeep out and about.

 

I appreciate that, but at this point, I'm willing to pay for people's time and help. I've been troubleshooting this on and off for over a month myself, and two months at a dealer, I have well over a grand in parts alone trying to figure it out. so anybody with a smoking gun will have earned it.

 

I don't remember who or where, but somebody asked me about the backup camera single din head unit I installed on my XJ, finally got around to posting a video about it today:

 

I’ll post back in this thread. I decided to pull the head, since one of the cylinders has no compression. Started the process today, should finish it up tomorrow. The #6 spark plug was disgusting and wet with oily substance. The intake/exhaust gasket was also leaking pretty bad it looks like.

 

Taking my head off, and pulled the push rods and found this on cylinder 5. It’s the only one that has a mark like it. Thoughts?

 

Alright, so head is pulled, here is a photo album of the head, gasket, and pistons.

So now I have some options. Rebuild my head? buy a rebuilt head? and what parts do I need to buy?

I'm going to replace the lifters and push rods, gaskets of course, but should I replace my head bolts? if so, what ones can I use? I only see ones for a 96/newer jeep. Also do I have a renix engine or a newer one? the casting number is 7120, from looking online, that's a 91-95 head? anything else I should be aware of before doing this job?

 

Dropped the head off at the machine shop. they said turn around would be about a week, which is fine. Fingers crossed it's a simple rebuild and nothing too complicated and nothing is cracked. (I couldn't see anything, but the shop has better equipment than I do). Took it to johnny rackley's in Mesa, They came highly recommended.

then opened the oil pan drain plug, and I'm just leaving that open for a couple of days. I'm going to swap out the rear main seal, and last time I did this job on my last XJ, I was just covered in oil. Hoping if I let it drip for a couple of days, I'll have less oil spill on me? maybe? Probably not, but a man can dream, can't he?

Going to order a set of new push rods and lifters, and a gasket set. anything else I should pick up/do before putting the new head on? going to clean and paint the valve cover. Probably some stupid color like purple or orange. Just because.

I am struggling to find replacement cylinder head bolts. The ones I find all show for 96 and later. Can I reuse my head bolts? or are they all torque to yield and have to be replaced?

 

I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure they're all torque to yield and should be replaced. That being said I have seen them reused. I wouldn't do it but...
Good luck with your rebuild!
https://headbolts.com/chbs-1128-jeep...4-2-head-bolts
https://www.quadratec.com/p/crown-au...ee-xj-comanche
These any help?
Or maybe the machine shop would have a supplier?

 

My confusion came in that all the headbolds I could find said 96 or newer, but all 4.0's used the exact same head bolts, so I have a new set ordered, along with push rods/lifters/exhaust manifold/gaskets, Parts should be here before they are done with the head.

what I really need now is a buddy who's willing to help me install once the head gets back. I'm not very strong, so a 2nd pair of hands so I don't do somethings stupid like screw up a brand new gasket.

 

i’m... just going to leave this here.

 

Working on replacing the rear main seal and putting on a new oil pan as well. Also put on a new knock sensor.

 

Things to do still:
Finish up the rear main and oil pan
fix engine not revving over 2000 RPM (in progress)
Alignment/straighten steering wheel
ball joints - Need to order.
figure out click in driveline, bad angles? bad ujoint? who knows. So frustrating, Maybe have to do a SYE?
figure out how to keep brake lines from binding
Front skid/bash plate (waiting on alignment and stuff since it will be in the way)
water pump - since I have it all apart now anyways, might as well right?
fuel gage being wrong, New fuel pump = new sender, and a full tank registers at only 1/2 full, maybe just put the old one back in since it seems like it was fine?
new exhaust, Got a new header, but it doesn't match the older style exhaust, so instead of getting a different header that matches which is 3x the price an prone to cracking anyways, going to do a middle pipe. Should just bolt right in... that's on it's way as well.



I'm sure there is more.

 

RMS and oil pan are in, Took off the transmission skid plate, Will probably screw around with the rear axle/driveline to see if I can find the click in a few hours when the sun isn't so direct.