Mikeythrash

Found out today I have a blown head gasket....which explains everything very said cause I really don't have all the money to put in to fix but I gotta do it. It is a 96 with about 98,500 miles I have been told it's the cleanest XJ they have seen for a 96 and I bought it for 700$ my question is can I drive it still til I get it fixed??? Any suggestions

Tylerzap

I wouldnt. Coolant will wear out the bearings in the bottom end very fast which will change a head gasket replacement, into a full engine rebuild.

A head gasket replacement is not a very hard job to do yourself, and can be done for well under 100 dollars. If you have the right tools, it could be a great learning experience for you to learn about your Jeep.

salad

How do you know it's toast and in what way? If you're loosing coolant into the oil absolutely do not drive it. Anything else should be okay to get you to the parts store for a new head gasket.

DieselDaze

sure you can drive it, should you ?? probably not pending just how much coolant your losing and how fast you're losing it, and if its creeping into the oil....

if you can't afford a headgasket now the question to ask yourself is can I afford an engine later??

if there is coolant in the oil and its obvious do not drive it at all, or only to the place where you plan to park and change HG...

XJ-92

I just did a head gasket a few weeks ago, took me and one other guy just a couple of hours to finish. I think the gasket was around 35 bucks or so.

Mikeythrash

We'll I know when you open the oil cap after you drive steam or smoke comes out and it's either water or coolant I only need to drive it to where the guy is that's gonna fix it I don't have the right tools he's gonna replace it with a whole head set and resurface it.the oil cap is milky as we'll.as long as I keep coolant in it and all I will be fine just driving it to him which is about 35 mins

salad

Are you getting coolant in the oil? You HAVE to drain the oil to find it. If it's really bad you'll see the dipstick is milky/muddy. If that's happening don't drive it anywhere unless it's to swap in a new engine. No freaking way would I take it 35 minutes anywhere... not even idle it that long.

XJ-92

all the tools you need are a socket set with some deep wells, some wrenches and a torque wrench.

skife

Buy the head gasket set and replace the valve cover gasket while your at it.

Mikeythrash

Yeah someone I know it's doing all that and resurfacing it

CanXJ

Keep driving it, then you can get that new motor you always wanted LOL.