So here it is my 2001 jeep xj 4.0 gave out. My pistons are cracked and one is in pieces and it screwed up my bearings and grooved my crank and cam. So I was wanted to know what y'all think I should do. Should I buy a short block new or swap it if I swap it what should I throw in it and it's an daily driver so keep that in mind but I only say that because some swaps won't let me pass inspection laws in NC! also i say short block because my top end is all brand new head lifters push rods

 

I think you answered your own question. If the top end is all new, I'd slap another 4.0 block in there and call it a day. That would probably be the easiest and cheapest route.
If it wasn't a DD and you had a good budget, "throw in" an LS motor and enjoy.
Just my .02.

 

Yeah that really blows dude. I'm actually a little jealous to be honest though, since this would give me an excuse to do what I've wanted to for a while. STROKER! Seeing as you messed up a lot of different components, I would really look at something like this. There are probably other option out there, but this just happens to be a site I found recently. Your cam and crank are probably toast, and the bearings are definitely shot. Honestly, a stroker kit like this works perfectly with what you have left of your engine and probably isn't much more expensive than going with stock replacement parts, unless you bought an entire 4.0 used of course. Good luck man, and keep us updated.

 

realistically throw a short block back in it and call it good

if it were me, i would be swapping in a 5.3 vortec. ill be doing it soon so i may be biased but if you can and have the $$ to do it than go for it

 

Depends which head you have now,If the cracking head i would go long block if its the none cracking head and not messed up from the piston then go short block.

 

I agree, if its an 0331 head I would swap for a long block, Are you sure your 0331 is not already cracked and let antifreeze into a cylinder and thats what blew your Piston ???? This would be my guess.

I am not a fan of the 0331 head at all...... if you want to know what it takes to put an older motor in read this thread. Read my post #10

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/01-swap-214031/

 

I would find a donor motor on craigslist or a junkyard. That's a sweet xj though

 

send it to a local machine shop and have your short block rebuilt. or get a donor short block and have that rebuilt.

 

This is what I would do if it were mine use a local machine/engine shop that is known for their work. You will get better quality parts and all new parts in the block and not a bunch of used pieces like most all the big reman guys do plus a local go-to guy if you have a problem. I will cost you a little more as it is assembled by someone who knows what they are doing not a guy hired that day throwing that part in and tightening the bolts down.


Your XJ looks nice and I would guess you plan on keeping it a while just do it right and how you want it done.

 

From all the responses I guess it all just depends on what is important to you?, how much money you have to spend?, and how good are the machine shops near you?.

When I lived in Chicago area I had great machine shops to work with, now I live in Tallahassee, FL and I have crappy ones that have bit me in the butt, Crate motors get real expensive, used motors you risk the reliability.

I know from personal experience buying (already with blown motor) or owning 2000-01 Cherokee's and Grand Cherokee's with the 0331 head that they are prone to crack, that they can fill a cylinder with antifreeze and hydro-lock and blow a piston to pieces. Also that a crappy machine shop can miss the cracks when magna-fluxing it.

So if you are going to re-use the head (and its an 0331 casting) I would make sure it is not cracked and make sure who magna-fluxed did it right, you did get it magna-flucked before rebuilding the head right?

 

Sorry guys for being such a late response and thank you all so much for your input it's greatly appreciated and thanks to everyone that said my jeep looked Good haha! But I have a brand new head, lifters, push rods, now I don't know if it's an 0331 head i know the old one was this one I couldn't find that on it. But I did that maybe 2,500 miles ago ive had it driving on the road just fine for a good 2 months and I left it for a week to go to the beach and come back boom it's knocking. But the only machine shops around here are Napa really :/ i live in hickory NC btw. I really dont have the money to spend at the time but I'm going to talk to my bank in the next couple days. I didn't know if I should spend the $1,500 roughly to buy a short block or Just go ahead and build something nice but preferably under $2k seeing is how it would be another personal loan.

 

I would not look at something like that. Titan doesn't have a very good reputation.

 

I really didn't do much research on them. It was just something that I found maybe half an hour before I saw this post. But there are other options out there for similar products that definitely have solid reputations.

 

I picked up a fully built, lightly used stroker (less than 10k on the build) on CL for around 2k, on CL...seeing as how you can't even get a stroked long block at that price, I jumped on it. LOVE IT.

While you may not have the luck I did, a decent stroker build can be had for not much coin. Search it if interested, there are options out there.

That said, it isn't for everyone. OP, if your top end is good, a short block can be had for around 1500, or you can get a used motor on CL, or the salvage yard. And it looks as though you have already done some disassembly, you can always start from scratch, put a mild cam in, bore the pistons, add some longer rods....It will all depend on your wallet, and your desire.

 

If it were me, I would buy a junkyard motor that looked good inside, throw away the head and go. The block is basically the same for everything 91-01