im4kingdom

Hello,

The pulley has sheered off of our power steering pump because of locked bearings. This would just be a nuisance (we, the same day, just got it out of the shop for a new radiator and tune-up) except that it is the second power steering pump we've purchased since we purchased this used Jeep. It has sheered off numerous belts and pulleys (due to a sautered plate that attaches the pump onto the motor, interestingly I met someone yesterday who also has a Chrysler product and said their's was the same way). We are on our third alternator (and it isn't right either). We no longer feel this is just bad timing or bad parts. We now fully suspect that the engine is not what should be in this jeep. (Thus we are buying parts that won't work on this engine.) Can you help please? We've got to get this running again. Do you know what engine this is?

The details for our Jeep: 1996 Grand Cherokee Limited 5.2L V8, all power, sunroof, 4WD

Following are the pictures of the engine.

I have the same post going in the JeepForum. Just seeing what different perspectives I can get. Someone suggested that the pulleys aren't aligned. I will post another picture of those when I can get one. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you, in advance, so much!!!

dnuccio

from what i can see, that is a 5.2L 318ci, which is correct for your jeep. on the drivers side of the engine block, towards the front of the engine, there should be a casting number there. write it down and post it on here, someone will be able to tell you what engine you have for sure.

Bustedback

It's the right engine, it's also the same engine that can be found is Ram pickups, dakota pickups, Ram vans, and Durangos SUVs.

dnuccio

as a matter of fact, it could be had in just about every dodge or jeep suv or truck made in the 90s, with the exception of the XJ and MJ of course

Bustedknuckle

Sooo.. didn't you just answer your own question?

Delta

I think he meant it should be a 5.2 but he wanted to know for sure because of his problems

Bustedback

The 5.2 was the only V8 available until 1998, then you could get the 5.9, but it was a one year only option.

im4kingdom

I'm not sure of exactly where that is, dnuccio. One of the pictures shows the numbers we could find. Can you tell us exactly where that is?

im4kingdom

Thank you for the replies. Yes, that is what we are supposed to have but we are wondering if it is, in fact, what we have. At jeepforum.com one poster let me know that even though it looks right it may not be right because he tried to put parts from a 96 onto a 95 (or vice versa) to fix his out on the trail and it didn't work, even though the engines looked alike. So, I was hoping to find someone who could tell us for sure. Is there a way to know?

Someone also suggested the pulleys may not be aligned. We took further pictures of the pulleys to get opinions. It does appear that the power steering pulley is a little forward of the others. Any ideas? (Pictures of the pulleys follow. Just the nub of the power steering pulley are showing in two of the pictures. We don't want to replace the pump or pulley until we can get to the root of the problem.)

We appreciate the help!

dnuccio

Ive never looked at an LA engine up close, but my research tells me its on the drivers side of the engine, just below the cylinder head, on the engine block

OnARoof

There are two different thicknesses of the power steering pump brackets that go from the pump to the block. A thick and a thin one. Your 96 uses the thin version and it sounds like it was replaced with a thick one. Go to your local pick n pull and pull a bracket off a 97 and one off a 95 and you'll see what I mean. Bring the thin one home and swap them out and that should handle your alignment issues which is possibly the cause of your other problems due to side loading of the bearings.

ok93zj

That is not a la block. That is a magnum block. The difference is the heads and intake. They started magnum engines in 1992.

There is a flat spot in the right side of the engine by the oil pan gasket surface that has a 19 digit long number that will tell me what year, what's size and where it was built and the application.

But it looks like the correct engine for your jeep.

gs69350

It could also be that the ps pump pulley was not installed correctly after a pump replacement.

purplegrocerygogetter

Have you tried looking at the bracket that attaches the power steering and I think alternator to the engine? Its like a triangle shape and about 5 inches... its on drivers side, mine cracked and was causing them not to line up right and sheer off the serpentine belt, couldnt figure out what the hell was going on. Its a stupid part, Nd cant just order it either! And most J/Y wont sell it, at least not here in Ca! can not remember what it was called but I think you can figure it out from what I described.

im4kingdom

Ok, dnuccio and ok93zj, the only #'s I could find on the right side of the motor near the oil pan gasket did not have 19 #'s and were difficult to read. So, I took a couple of pictures. Seems like someone mentioned in the past that this engine doesn't have a # to verify. If it really does is there another place to look. (I'm also assuming that the right side of the engine is the driver's side.)

Thank you for all of the ideas! We will have to check the bracket again. It has been replaced once already (new), because we discovered the other one had been sautered. But our problems have continued since we replaced it so I don't think that's the whole problem. That's great information about the thickness. A friend of ours with a body shop ordered the part specifically for our jeep. So, if it is the right engine it should be the right part.

In case it might help to know: In about a year and a half to two years we have replaced three alternators, the belt tensioner and the a/c pulley once, in addition to the power steering pump, power steering bracket and numerous power steering pulleys. Also, numerous belts.

This is really frustrating!

Thanks again for all of the help!