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I'm looking to swap my head on my 2001 because It is cracked . Anything I need to know before I go buying anything ? And will a 99 head work if it's non coil pack ? This is my Cherokee in the picture below
Clearwater replacement head or TUPY are the easiest swaps. The intake manifold changed to a new style with different sized ports so that needs to be addressed as well if using a earlier head.
Another vote for the Clearwater 0331. Bolt it on and go.
You can use the 0630 head from the '99, but it takes a little more work. First, you either have to rig up some brackets to hold the coil rail on, or you have to convert to a Chrysler minivan coil pack with spark plug wires (AKA the "Viper" coil conversion because it was also used to spark the first six cylinders of the Dodge Viper). If you go the second route, you get rid of the coil rail altogether and mount a similar three-coil pack next to the coolant overflow bottle instead.
Second, it's the exhaust ports that are smaller on the 0331, not the intake ports. Your existing intake manifold will work fine with the 0630, but you have to use the correct manifold gasket to avoid exhaust leaks where the ports don't match up to the '01 exhaust manifolds. You may be tempted to try to use the '99 exhaust manifold instead, but you can't. The '01 has two 3-cylinder exhaust manifolds in place of the '99's single 6-cyl manifold. They come out in two collectors that feed into the twin catalytic converters that the earlier years didn't have. Even if it were legal to remove those cats, it would be a considerable headache to do so.
The Clearwater head is the 0331 design with the deck beefed up so it won't crack. For less than $600 and an afternoon's work, you avoid all that crap. The only reason to use the older head is if you have one already or can get one dirt cheap.
I disagree, put a 0630 head in (your 99 head), It has bigger exhaust ports, then buy an ebay header for $110 to fit over them, and use some chevy starter shims to make coil brackets.....
0630 head is cheaper and a better performer, I don't see any reason not too !!!!, $50 head and $110 header vs. $600 for a 0331 head
I have done a few 00-01 Cherokee to 96-99 motors, pm me with any questions.
PS: Antifreeze has been known to take out the Cam Bearings (ask me how I know), if you lose oil pressure after the oil (not antifreeze) warms up you will know.
Jeep head replacement 2001 to a 1999
