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4.0l bad head gasket??

oemjeep91

NAXJA Forum User
Location
monson
hey just bought a 96 zj with a 4.0l 210,xxx for 200 bucks, two major problems one guessing it has a bad head gasket have to look more into it. because the girl who owned it had it overheat on her twice so just guessing the head is warped. anyone ever have these heads machined? they are aluminum correct? and it also drains the battery if it sits. when she parked it the jeep ran fine then before i bought it drove it for a few and it idled like crap but she said it was fine before so maybe with the little hammering on it i did in the short time i drove it maybe more damage but still not a bad deal. also was wondering how the tranny would be with that high miles and auto. had a five spd with 260 and was fine when i sold it.
 
The AW4 auto trannys in the XJs last a very long time, but the ZJ IIRC, used a Chrysler transmission, so I don't know about it. Most of us here have XJ's, but I friend with a 95 ZJ, that we swapped an XJ 4.0 into. The head is cast iron, and they rarely warp. Details on the engines, 4.0, ZJ or XJ will be the same, but computers, and transmission, torque converter, radiator, some brackets on the engine, flex fan and clutch are different.

Congrats on a great steal, ohh, I mean buy, LOL.

Don't guess, do some basic diagnostics tests. Lots of great threads here on how to do it yourself. Search here or Google on to do a vacuum test, and how to use a screw driver to listen for clicking in the injectors (see if they are all clicking), and try disconnected one injector wire assy, or spark plug wire at a time to see if one cylinder has no effect on engine rpm. A working cylinder will make the engine run worse when you kill the fuel or spark to it, a dead one will do nothing. Check the fuel pressure with a gauge. Pull all the spark plugs and use a picture chart to see what might wrong with any one cyinder from the fouling, color, or burned areas, or no fouling...of the plugs. You can tell a lot from looking at the plugs. Also check the coolant and oil for signs of a head gasket leak.
 
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