Head bolt compatability

I'm replacing the head gasket on my girlfriends 93 xj 4.0. My local NAPA does not have a listing for a set of head bolts for a 93, but does list for a 96-01 via Fel-Pro ES71102. I found a link online for earlier model years, but I don't feel like waiting for shipping.

So, how is this part on comparability with earlier model year 4.0Ls? (I expect that they will work but I just want to be sure).

oh, and i searched and went through 10 pages of results before making this thread.

Thanks in advance
stewie

Not sure on what yrs are comp.. But any reason you can't re-use the ones that your taking out? I'm pretty sure head bolts can be used twice before they need to be replaced. Typically marked with white paint when torqued down the second time.

She just bought the xj (knowing it needed a head gasket) and the bolts can only be used a total af two times. We don't know the history of the jeep and if it has had any work done on it in the past so I am not going to take chances. Besides not everyone marks the bolts like they are supposed to.

stewie said:

She just bought the xj (knowing it needed a head gasket) and the bolts can only be used a total af two times. We don't know the history of the jeep and if it has had any work done on it in the past so I am not going to take chances. Besides not everyone marks the bolts like they are supposed to.

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Understandable. :cheers:

If you're still looking for info... According to this link there are two different sets. I don't really know the difference, but they are different part numbers.

http://headbolts.com/Jeep-AMC-232-244-258-4.0-engine-head-bolts.html

Hey, I may have a set of bolts. Let me get back to you in a bit.

Two times? That disputable. Most say that head bolts stretch, hence the very reasoning to install head, drive a couple of hundred miles, remove cover, and loosen all head bolts, and re-torque! It's called, "In Service Check". Now why do you suppose that's the industry standard? Paint them? Get a grip.., ah.., on your torque wrench, lol. Of course you can do whatever you 'wanna, but there's the correct way, and then the back yard way. Your choice.

Sorry, checked and I my bolts are for a different motor. Having said that, when I redid my head early this summer, I reused my bolts and I don't really know the history of those bolts. I think the reason these specific replacement bolts are so hard to find is that these are not torque to yield bolts. Also, when I re-did my head, I didn't retorque the bolts after xx miles. I think that has more to do with the head gasket than the bolts.

When I did mine, I did search after search trying to find information. I did finally find where I could order the set of head bolts for $$$. In the end, as I said, I re-used the bolts. Some places said re-use them, others didn't. I think there is a lot of conventional wisdom out there that does not necessarily apply across all applications. Getting solid info for this particular application might be difficult. In the end it's going to be up to your judgement.

BTW, mine is a 94.

Alaskan89XJ said:

Two times? That disputable. Most say that head bolts stretch, hence the very reasoning to install head, drive a couple of hundred miles, remove cover, and loosen all head bolts, and re-torque! It's called, "In Service Check". Now why do you suppose that's the industry standard? Paint them? Get a grip.., ah.., on your torque wrench, lol. Of course you can do whatever you 'wanna, but there's the correct way, and then the back yard way. Your choice.

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Yep, TWO torques on the head bolts. That's as per my repair manual, posted numerous times on here, and I believe on Jeepstrokers as well (I'm assembling parts to build a stroker for my jeep as funds permit). And the correct and safe way is to replace.

Edit: 4.0L head bolts are similar to torque to yield bolts, but falls just below that threshold.

I imagine the bolt type is the same from Renix to HO, while the bolt sets (length...etc) may differ, but according th 5-90 they are a sort of torque to yield (only get two round trips, but two round trips are possible) on Renix. I never heard of an in service losen and re-torque, and 5-90 never mentioned it, so I only used the factory spec tightening sequence, ONCE. I used new bolts from the link below, from headbolts.com, delivered for about $50. That was 60,000 miles ago, about 3 years ago.

Ecomike said:

I imagine the bolt type is the same from Renix to HO, while the bolt sets (length...etc) may differ, but according th 5-90 they are a sort of torque to yield (only get two round trips, but two round trips are possible) on Renix. I never heard of an in service losen and re-torque, and 5-90 never mentioned it, so I only used the factory spec tightening sequence, ONCE. I used new bolts from the link below, from headbolts.com, delivered for about $50. That was 60,000 miles ago, about 3 years ago.

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And I got it from several different FSMs, so I've taken it as read. However, the markings seem to be comparable to SAE8 grade markings, so I'm still a bit at sea. But, replacing the screws is cheap insurance, and I feel better if I do.

This has been from all three generations of engine manual - RENIX, OBD-I, and OBD-II.

I've been kicking around the idea of replacing the screws outright with quality socket head capscrews - which are routinely H&T to SAE8 specs, as long as you don't get counterfeits (or Chinese - which can safely be considered counterfeit, in my experience.)

Given that they're described as a variety of TTY screw, I'd be loath to do the service retorque as described (I'm familiar with the procedure,) and if they were to come too loose in service, I'd probably replace them out of hand. However, I've yet to find any that had come loose in service (I have a habit of checking torque on them before I loosen them, just to check to see if the gasket had failed in service or anything like that. A bit of an extra diagnostic step.)

Hmmm.., guess I've got some catching up to do. FSM for '79--258 cu. in. references the "In Service Check" of head bolts. Well, so the advanced 4.0 appears not to require such. No. 11 seems to be the only 'touchy' issue. My FSM for the '89 is outside, and I'm not going out there right now during this blizzard, to double check it to see if there is any mention one way, or the other. Nice to know though.., thanks!:thumbup:

Yes the newer bolts will work. We ran into same thing when doing a few head gaskets. We ended up using a 96 set on a 93, 2-89's. The diff is a couple bolts have the alignment extensions on the bolt heads for the newer style valve cover gasket. That is the only difference.

I did my head gasket a few months ago but reused the head bolts and the engine had already been rebuilt by ATK about 100k ago. That was at the recommendation of several highly reputable machine shops. Next time I will get new ones as I found them at autozone but for the newer model 96 up I think. On sbc and bbc engines I have always reused original bolts without any failures some with 50k plus very abused miles on them. If you retorque do not loosen the bolts just go back over them in the correct order.Just my opinion though.