coolant/oil mixing again

[footman]

ok so its been about a month since I put the jeep back together from when I blew the head gasket.  I did everything as per the factory service manual and the jeep ran great!  Over the past week or so I've noticed the coolant was getting low and there was just a little bit of brown sludge at the radiator cap.  Until today there was no sign of any contamination in the oil.  This moring I took the filler cap off and there was some snot on it.  Have any of you ever herd of a head gasket going so fast or is it possible that the block could be cracked?  If that is a possability how do you find out?  If it is just the head gasket, what can be salvaged and used again as everything is new from about a month ago.

[rocket]

to test the block, it has to be magna-fulxed.  You would have to take the block to a machine shop and they use a dyed iron filings and a magnet to look for cracks.

[Axle]

Just buy a new(ish) jeep, bro.  We can help you get that lift off of it and put it back to stock.  In the long run, it's probably better than continuing to make expensive repairs.

[footman]

A new jeep would be great but unfortunetly I could never aford a newer jeep.  I bought this one for $3000, had it been any higher I would probably not even have it.  Plus, I've grown pretty fond of lil red despite all its little hiccups so far.

Anyone know how much a newer than 1999(150000mile) 4.0 goes for?

[rocket]

no idea.  do the 350 conversion.  350's can be had for a few hundred bucks.

[CaptORM]

Give me a call this week ill come by and take a look at it.  Maybe theres something you overlooked.

[albsvx]

what kind of oil do you use?

[footman]

Castrol high milage 10 30

[footman]

Pulled the head yesterday and I'll be droppiong it off today for crack check.  Theres one more possability that could be causing the mixture.  The guy at L and L said that the straight sixs have been known to have the head bolt holes trap some coolant and when torqing the bolt isnt completly installed.   Have you guys herd of this?

[footman]

Well, my head is DEAD!!!!!!  It has a 4" crack in it.
Do any of you know where I can get a replacement??  Money is tight so no high performance please.

[Axle]

I sure don't, but when you find out, post it up so I know where to look in the future.  You could try 4wd.com.  Call them and see what they have.  They might have an OE replacement.

[Doball]

There's an engine shop on 184. They got me a set of stock 350 heads ready to bolt on for $600. I don't imagine a 4.0 would be more than $350.

I think it's L&L Auto machine service 445-8075. Going from rt 12 down 184, it's just past walmart on the right. On the left you pass the Acura dealer, then the little dealer right next to them, Look right and it's just past the equipment rental place.

[albsvx]

yeah, there's no way I'd buy "new" for a 4.0 ... buy a junkyard head and have it "refreshed" by a auto machine shop, or a lot of shops will do the legwork on the core for you (saving you the hassle of finding out that you bought another trashed head from the junkyard, etc...) ... (I'm not sure if this is what Doball was suggesting, or if he was talking about NEW) .. I would expect that you should get a refreshed used head for even less than $350, but I haven't shopped.

or just go with a straight used (junkyard) head, and worry about rebuilding it if it needs it.

http://car-part.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi

suggests around $250 for a 2001 head with <60k miles

[albsvx]

or around $325 shipped on ebay for one that's already rebuilt.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chrysler-4-0-Rebuilt-head-AMC-Jeep-98-04-0630_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286Q2em20Q2el1116QQitemZ350062701235

This auction is for a professionally rebuilt 4.0 AMC/Jeep 98-04models, casting # 063004 with the block # 53020569, 53010449

Rebuilt is:
Springs clean in acid, 3 angle valve job, Head resurfaced, refaced valve seats, head is clean and new valve seals installed.

Porting head for 120dls.
Porting allows better intake and exhaust air flow, for better performance.

...

probably your best bet would be to go to the local place (I know other people who have had good luck with the place doball referred to) and ask for their price, if it's higher than that, see if they'll match it, if not, just go ebay.

[footman]

L and L is who I've been dealing with.  I talked to Dave when I picked up the head yesterday afternoon and he said go buy a new head from the dealership and bring it to them and they would switch everything out.  So, I've got some calling to do today.