JT4x4

The Mud Pit => Wrenching => Topic started by: footman on August 06, 2008, 02:35:46 PM

Title: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: footman on August 06, 2008, 02:35:46 PM
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.
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: rocket on August 06, 2008, 03:27:56 PM
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.
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: Axle on August 06, 2008, 05:13:44 PM
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.
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: footman on August 06, 2008, 06:51:57 PM
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?
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: rocket on August 06, 2008, 08:08:36 PM
no idea.  do the 350 conversion.  350's can be had for a few hundred bucks.
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: CaptORM on August 07, 2008, 04:30:19 AM
Give me a call this week ill come by and take a look at it.  Maybe theres something you overlooked.
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: albsvx on August 08, 2008, 01:51:40 AM
what kind of oil do you use?
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: footman on August 08, 2008, 02:23:12 PM
Castrol high milage 10 30
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: footman on August 18, 2008, 02:07:23 PM
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?
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: footman on August 18, 2008, 09:30:18 PM
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.
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: Axle on August 18, 2008, 11:57:39 PM
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.
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: Doball on August 19, 2008, 02:25:34 AM
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.
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: albsvx on August 19, 2008, 03:46:38 AM
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 (http://car-part.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi)

suggests around $250 for a 2001 head with <60k miles
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: albsvx on August 19, 2008, 03:56:47 AM
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 (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.
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: footman on August 19, 2008, 01:48:33 PM
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.
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: albsvx on August 19, 2008, 03:58:32 PM
Good luck.

I can't imagine a new block from the dealer is going to be cheaper than one of those fully rebuilt ones from ebay, but you never know.
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: CnoteTJ on August 20, 2008, 05:50:26 PM
4wd.com has http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?partID=40362 (http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?partID=40362)

i dont know how much a dealership would charge for a new one though  ???
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: footman on August 20, 2008, 07:07:24 PM
So a new one from the dealership costs $851. 

I went to salvage yard and got one with 50% less miles on it for $150 last night and its now at L&L getting checked.

SO if anyone needs to do any head work I'm really good at tearing down and putting it back together.
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: albsvx on August 21, 2008, 03:27:51 AM
cool, that sounds like a real reasonable price, and I'm sure L&L will take care of you with fixing up anything that's questionable about it.
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: footman on September 02, 2008, 09:17:38 PM
So lil red is back up and running!  I got home sunday from vacation and spent last night putting her back together.  Everything was done and as I was tightening the tensioner pully the bolt snapped, I had a few choise words for the occasion.  At lunch today I ran to the salvage yard, removed the bolt from a wreck for $5 an ran home to install and whalah!  I do still have a squeal at cold start for 10-20 sec coming from the ac compressor, can I get in there and grease it up?
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: rocket on September 02, 2008, 10:05:00 PM
the compressor is lubricated by oil that is internal to the compresor.  your manual may tell you how to add some if needed.
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: Gastank on September 03, 2008, 09:14:41 AM
no idea.  do the 350 conversion.  350's can be had for a few hundred bucks.
Trust me... not as cheap as you think.
Title: Re: coolant/oil mixing again
Post by: Doball on September 03, 2008, 01:22:49 PM
Where is this salvage yard you keep going to? Do they have any good stuff left?