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01 in Nebraska, oil, non running

vertrx

NAXJA Forum User
Location
South Carolina
Son is driving west to east. 01XJ.
He's been having a bit of a problem. No heat is the biggest issue. Also, it stalled on him in the mountains (Wyoming) but seemed to be driving ok. Now he's stopped at a rest stop, oil is looking dark, and there is oil in the engine compartment where it sprayed out. Leak? It is real dark and he just changed it not long ago.
Also, vehicle not starting. It shut off as he took foot off gas going into rest stop.

This vehicle had the motor replaced with what I believe was a 97. Before my time. But, its not the original 01 motor. Therefore, sounds like it blew a gasket or the head gasket?

Bottom line, I might have to drive to get it (from SC). Any tentatives guesses as to where to start?
 
Check the coil pack plug and all fuses and relays. Check the grounds too. The oil is concern for blow by or a leaking head gasket. Grab a compression tester before you get out there and check it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
It won't start and the kid says it won't even turn over. He may have locked up the motor. No oil on dipstick either. Locked up motor is the worst scenario.

All I know right now is that oil is all over the place, no start, no oil showing and the oil looks murky.

If I can't even start it, how do I test compression? Dumb question, but I'm scratching my head here!

At least we got the tow arranged and a hotel for him to stay in.
 
Presuming I need a new motor, are all the 4.0 I-6 engines compatible? Meaning, could the motor come out of a TJ or a Grand Cherokee? Same for the head if that is the problem?
 
Murky sounds like it blew a head gasket in this cold weather. A couple of years ago I was heading home from work in my 97 XJ in subzero temperatures and wanted to fill up the washer fluid when I got home. It took me 20 minutes just for everything to unfreeze enough to pop the hood. We are talking -10 or -20 with greater wind chill. When I got it open, coolant was sprayed around. Some hose clamps were a tad loose, but ultimately it was a blown head gasket. Not too familiar with repair facilities in Nebraska, or how far he is from the Colorado area. You might try the Midwest Chapter if you are closer to Omaha than Fort Collins/Denver. Otherwise just plan on towing it back?
 
No they are not the same, 00-01 heads are 0331 and use the new style manifold. If using an older motor, an adapter plate (custom, not store available) is required unless the manifold is changed from old "log style" to new style. There are threads here on what motors interchange, let me see if I can find it.
 
Thank you for your replies!! I'll read over that link sent.

Plan is to drive out there and tow it back. Gonna be a distance, but there is no point in trying to find something out there over the holidays and then never know who or how they are doing the work. Plan on doing it myself. This will be a first.

So, if I find a low mileage XJ block from a 2000 or 2001...what head should I be looking for because I don't think I want that...0331 head, right? I could take one off a WJ if I read that right? This is a lot of information to figure out in a short time!
 
Last edited:
Thank you for your replies!! I'll read over that link sent.

Plan is to drive out there and tow it back. Gonna be a distance, but there is no point in trying to find something out there over the holidays and then never know who or how they are doing the work. Plan on doing it myself. This will be a first.

So, if I find a low mileage XJ block from a 2000 or 2001...what head should I be looking for because I don't think I want that...0331 head, right? I could take one off a WJ if I read that right? This is a lot of information to figure out in a short time!

All original 2000-2001 XJ's had a "0331" head. Later years in TJ's etc had an 0331 TUPY head. The TUPY is what you want. Both are stamped 0331 in the same location, but TUPY is stamped between the cylinder 3-4 rockers where the original 0331 heads cracked.. Just pull the oil filler cap and look down. If it's a TUPY head it will say TUPY there. Otherwise get a Clearwater head which is a direct replacement.
 
From what I read on the link you provided, the TUPY head seems to also be on the 01-06 Grand Cherokees. But, if I get one of those heads at the yard, how do you tell if the head is good? Basic question, but I don't know.
 
Try to spin the motor both ways with a wrench. If you can go back but locks forward, it's possible you just hydro locked the motor from a head gasket failure. If it won't spin either way, it's probably toast.
 
trippled said:
Try to spin the motor both ways with a wrench. If you can go back but locks forward, it's possible you just hydro locked the motor from a head gasket failure. If it won't spin either way, it's probably toast.

vertrx said:
Thank you. I'll have to do that on my motor as well when I get out there.
I think he meant to do that on your son's XJ. You should look for a replacement engine if he did have the misfortune of hydro-locking it.
 
It won't start and the kid says it won't even turn over. He may have locked up the motor. No oil on dipstick either. Locked up motor is the worst scenario.

All I know right now is that oil is all over the place, no start, no oil showing and the oil looks murky.

If I can't even start it, how do I test compression? Dumb question, but I'm scratching my head here!

At least we got the tow arranged and a hotel for him to stay in.

Didn't you say he just changed it? Sounds like it had a pretty severe oil leak. I don't think a head gasket would leak out that much oil in a short period of time if there is nothing on the stick and he just changed it. You mentioned oil leaked into the engine bay... possible double gasket on the oil filter causing a massive leak? If no oil is showing on the stick, there is a good chance the engine is locked due to oil starvation not hydrolocking.
 
Well, the answers are nondescript. I did drive out from SC to NE. 16 hours/day over three days.
Just got the Jeep back from the mechanic who swapped the motor. Still no telling why the motor blew up. No oil and no coolant in it though and son drove off initially without heat coming out.
It did start in the hotel parking lot but I winched it on the trailer anyway.
Now we've got everything running well. It sounds good. Got a used motor in there from a 2001 with 140,000 or so miles on it. Now I'll keep an eye out for the head going south as its that one with the issue (0331?)
 
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