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what to do....

L

little red cheroke

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Nashville TN
Dropped the XJ off at a local shop. Only guys I trust to work on it and they shoot straight. The 4.0 has 106000 miles on it and a bad rear main. They are saying in the long run it's just going to be better to replace the engine with a remanufactured one at a cost of around $4,000. I don't even think the jeep is worth that much. I don't want to get rid of it but I also can't afford to put a new engine in it. It's leaking so much oil it's almost not drive-able. I think the crank is scared which is why it's leaking so bad. What do you guys think I should do?

Oh and here's the specs.

2001 XJ sport, 4.0L, AW4, NP231 w/sye. HP D30 front w/ 4.10s locked and 8.8 rear w/ LSD and disc brakes. 3.5" lift with skyjacker springs and spacers and shackles. adj. front upper and lower control arms. full skids front to rear, JCR bumpers and sliders. think thats about it. what do you guys think?
 
If your mechanically inclined you can get a long block for under 2k. Even like a jasper or advance auto long block is ok. Swap all the components, learn how to check crank sensor etc...It's not rocker science. If you love the truck it's worth it. You have that much in mods anyhow...
 
Step 1, find out whether the crank is scared or not. If its not, replace the seal, its cheap and relatively easy. What makes you think it is scared in the first place?

Step 2, stop trusting that shop, because if they are telling you its better to replace an entire engine, than a rear main seal, they are not shooting straight!
 
Let's clarify something here....Are they saying the rear main seal is bad, or the actual rear main bearing?
 
I replaced the seal a couple months ago. It was a tiny leak, now its a big leak. They said the crank is scared, and when I had it apart for the rear main it looked like it had a small groove in it but I can't remember for sure.
 
Begster said:
What makes you think it is (scarred or scored, not scared) in the first place?
Click to expand...

This is exactly how I got into working on my own stuff. Shop quoted me $15 for the part and $550 for the labor. So I searched, bought a manual, did it myself in about 7-8 hours....since I don't make $550 per shift, I figured I was paying myself.

...and so it went. The Jeep had 160K on it then...has 240K on it now. No oil leaks.
 
My deal is I can't do much work on it alone. Not because I don't know how, long story short I fell, had some surgeries, and now have problems with pain management. If I were to do it alone it'd take a year or two. I can hit it for maybe an hour tops before having to stop and I'm usually out of commission for a few days. Trying some new things and it may get better but I can't count on it.
 
Sorry about that! Hope you're better. I can't do the heavy lifting much anymore either, GD arthritis is creeping into my bones. Hurts like a MF.
 
Around here a used 4.0 will cost you less than 500 dollars. To hell with putting in a reman'd one, they last forever.

Prices I've paid: $75 for a 150k 4.0 out of a 99 (still in a buddy's XJ being DDed), $75 for a ~200k 4.0 out of a 95 (in my storage unit as a spare), $100 for an unknown mileage 4.0 out of a 94 (going into my 98 soon because I don't feel like swapping the head gasket in the truck), $160 for an unknown mileage 4.0 out of a 96 that originally came from a 98 ZJ (it's in my MJ right now, gets beat on every time I drive it, still runs great... only took the old motor out because the motor mount bosses broke off the passenger side of the block, it ran fine at 235-240k even after having been run without oil dozens of times)
 
Post up a thread in the southeast chapter forum found towards the bottom of the main page and ask for help. There's quite a group of guys and gals in the greater Nashville area (including the chapter president) who would likely be willing to take a look at it for you and give you a better opinion that we can via the internet. I would be happy to look at it for you but I've been banished to the great snowy north (hopefully temporarily...)
 
little red cheroke said:
...the crank is scared...
Click to expand...
Begster said:
...the crank is scared
...
it is scared...
Click to expand...
little red cheroke said:
...the crank is scared...
Click to expand...
little red cheroke said:
...the crank is scared...
Click to expand...

Cranks have emotions? I think the word yall are looking for is "scarred." Sorry I just had to comment

Really though, in my very unproffesional opinion, not worth $4000. There's so many other options. Put in a SB Chevy, or maybe pull a crank from a wrecked jeep, even the whole block or another complete used engine.

And x2 on getting local NAXJA members to help you out, if I were out in that area I'd give you a hand.
 
Last edited:
Putting that much money into your XJ gets you "upside down" on the value real quickly.

I agree that if the engine needs replacing, the most economical solution is to find a salvage yard engine and a shop that installs it reasonably.

You may have to snoop around a little to find a lower mileage engine and also get a few quotes on the install charges.
 
ParadiseXJ said:
Sorry about that! Hope you're better. I can't do the heavy lifting much anymore either, GD arthritis is creeping into my bones. Hurts like a MF.
Click to expand...

PM me if you want to solve the arthritis problems!!!
 
What year is it, what kind of oil are you using, could you have mucked up the seal installation, bolt left out, or came loose...? Could you have cleaned off the grove with emery cloth (a form of sand paper), Did you get the right seal?
Ask yourself why the new seal leaks worse than the old seal!!!!

And are you sure where the leak is?????? I have seen rear valve cover and oil filter adapter o'ring seal leaks that looked like rear main leaks!!!!!!
 
I doubt it's a gooved crank, it would have been leaking worse before the change then... worst case he nicked/scarred the crank trying to get the upper half of the seal out (this is why you always use a brass punch, no screwdrivers or steel tools) best case it was just a failed install, happens to the best sometimes.
 
I wonder if he had some dried gunk on the crank surface (that looked like scoring) that he should have dressed off with some emery cloth?
 
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