Worth reviving my old 4.0?

First of all it is important to know that I am broke, have no tools, and no experience working on cars

2000 XJ Sport
4.0 w/180k
AW4
231
30/8.25

I have a rear main failure, and what I believe is a cracked 0331, but it may just be a head gasket.
I have a couple broken bolts stuck in places on the motor that I've been told are just ticking time bombs.

so the real question:
Should I repair this old beat up engine?
OR
Should I drive it until it blows up and then go for a craigslist block, or a factory reman?

Drive it like you stole it! Seriously, if you know it has problems and don't have the ability or know how to fix it, NOW is the time to research and learn how to fix it. Be that dropping in a crate motor or rebuilding the one you have. Personally, I say fix what you have. Buying only the parts you need is much cheaper then an entire motor.

well.. driving it your risking breaking a lot more down the road. you have no money as stated before.. so dont make this more expensive. Your lucky to have an xj to learn on. This is possibly one of the simplest vehicles to work on. Hardly any awkward spots under the hood pulling the head sounds like hell but with patience it can be done by a novice in ~4 hours.

If you undertake this research the right head to replace if its cracked, and put it back on. done and done. These things are bullit proof but the last thing you wanna do is burn out the rings and create another headache.

Better have a couple of strong friends helping you pull the head off onve everything is unbolted. The head weighs about 125 lbs. Thats dead weight. Or man up and grunt it out of there and hope you don't damage stuff while yanking it.

Either way. It's not a fun time.

if you want to learn how to do work on the thing and start a tool collection, give it a shot. if you need something reliable and dont want to do the trial and error mechanic thing, sell it and get something that does not need so much work.

good luck

We need a lot more info to really answer the question. Exactly what bolts are busted, where are they, what do they hold?

You need to do some diagnostic work. Parts stores will rent tools for free (just make a refundable deposit, get the cash back when the tool is returned). First check the oil and coolant for signs of head gasket leak or cracked head. Borrow a vacuum gauge and run engine vacuum tests, to determine the real engine condition. Pull each spark plug, and examine it, compare them to an online chart to check for signs of mechanical engine problems, leaking oil, burnt valves, running too rich.

If coolant is leaking into could be producing steam and forcing oil out a good rear main seal! Why do thing the rear main is bad?

You think you have an 0331 head, or you think it is cracked, or both? Is it stamped 0331? I thought the 0331 was 2001 only?

it is a jeep.. the rear main seal leaks... that is one of the given laws of the universe. I think that is even in Genisis right after God seperated the dry land from the waters.

that is a easy repair though. drop the pan, take the rear cap loose, carefuly rotate out the old seal, clean and relube the new seal and slide it in. I have done it a few times.