New-B from Michigan rebuild

[Innojazz]

Hey guys, new XJ owner here. First time Jeep owner too. Bought this 2000 XJ Sport (141,000 miles 4.0L auto) from a guy back in late January with what he said was a slight ticking coming from the valve cover. Well, I talked him down a bit on the price thinking I'd be doing a valve job at minimum and a total rebuild at max. Well, turns out to be the later. So this will be my (re)build thread and general place to seek knowledge from all the experience here on the site.
The morning after bringing it home:

Brought into the barn to begin the rebuild:

Beginning the disassemble process:

Will post more as progress continues.

 

[Fore Wheeler]

Hi from Midland.

What part of MI are you from????

 

[Innojazz]

Hi Fore Wheeler!

I'm down state a bit in Holly.

 

[Fore Wheeler]

home of the landfill ski resort?

 

[Innojazz]

I can watch them "ski" from the comfort I my couch! I'm that close.

 

[Innojazz]

Alright, so more progress. First, took the valve cover off to see why the ticking noise, this is what the under side of the valve cover looked like:

I could probably collect the white stuff and sell it as white lithium grease. Hell, it might be for all I know.
Here are some pics of the mess in the head. I've never seen a head this dirty on the inside. I'm not sure the oil was ever changed.

Will take the head off next and see what there is to see...

 

[kmanxj5050]

0331 head, I'm sure it's cracked. I would look into a 97-99 head (dont remember the casting number). Or you can purchase an upgraded casting just like the 0331 from Clearwater cylinder heads. I've done both.

Welcome I am in Reed City.

 

[87manche]

I'd do the clearwater head.

no mucking about with holding down the cop rail.

when jennie's cracks thats the plan.
I

 

[Fore Wheeler]

I put a complete 98 motor in my 01. Problem solved.

and a 94 motor in my 98

 

[kmanxj5050]

Did the same as wheeler. 97 into a 2000

 

[Innojazz]

I'm going the same route as Fore Wheeler. I have a local guy building me a '98 motor right now. I should have in a week or so.

I did get the head off and it is cracked. Water jacket hole to water jacket hole between cylinders 3 and 4. That explains the classic symptoms I had - white smoke out of the tail pipe, mysterious loss of fluid, no loss of power, no fluid in the oil. I'll post pictures soon.

Also going to do the swap to a remote coil. I hate that single coil pack already and I only had it a month!

I've got lots to do while the engine is out though. Not in a big hurry so I want to do this right ONCE and then move on to other ambitions...

 

[Innojazz]

Alright, so here is the smoking gun picture:

And a few more of the inside of the engine:

Gotta work on getting the short block out now. With all of the mess in this engine, I'm sure glad I'm getting a complete rebuild.

 

[Fore Wheeler]

Looks like scrap to me.

 

[440_Dakota]

welcome from another new-b,i'm going through the exact same thing,you mention a remote coil set up,I've never read up on that,is that adding a complete distribitor or something different ?? any link to that info

 

[Innojazz]

Hey there 440_Dakota, here is the link:

http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1066869

It's a good read. I'm not after any performance upgrades or anything but since I'm switching to a '98 motor, it won't have the bosses for the current ignition coil. It's an easy enough swap if you don't mind doing a little wire extension.

Well, got the short block out. Here is the load leveler hooked up:

Engine out:

Dirty dirty:

Empty engine bay:

Now on to cleaning up this dirty greasy rusty engine bay so that it doesn't get worse.

 

[440_Dakota]

thanks for the link,very interesting another mod for the list

 

[Innojazz]

Ok, so it's been a little while since my last update. Been working at it little by little but haven't made great strides.

Went to pick up my new engine though!!!

And got it safely home into the barn:

 

[Innojazz]

Made a trip over to West Michigan yesterday to pick up an intake manifold because mine was broken:

And of course, now I'm sick and don't feel well enough to head out to the barn for any real length of time:tears: But I was out there long enough to get the new intake cleaned up in the parts washer. Hope it gets warmer around here soon so that I can give this thing a coat of silver paint.

 

[Fore Wheeler]

My intake broke just like that.

 

[Innojazz]

Finally starting to feel good enough to get some work done this weekend.
Removed the trans and xfer case.
Empty bay:

Dirty slushbox:

Time to get these cleaned up. Probably going to paint the bell housing so need to head to the store.