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goopy oil, lost pressure, weird

0

00xj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
West Michigan
Hi,

2000 XJ Auto 120,000, stock miles

My Army brat kid's jeep is acting up. He's out on training so I don't have all the details but here is what I know.

Had synthetic oil in it. (first time ever, as far as I know)
When he left my house it was running rough, ran great the day before.
Shrugged it off, drove to gas station filled up and checked the oil.
Oil was gunky, not white, black.
Drove immediately to get oil change, guy said he had never seen oil look like that. thick.
Drive it home for 2 hours ran fine good pressure,
Pressure dropped to zero, beeper went off, pulled over, shut it off, towed it home
tried to start it a few hours later, it will crank but not start.
it's in his apt. parking lot, he's gone for a week.

ideas?

I'm thinking the synthetic oil cleaned all the gunk form the engine and the filter is choking on gunk? How about the oil pump? Does that have a screen on it?
Should he just put a new filter on it and add a few quarts and drive it to the dealer one mile away?
Why wont it start? Is there some special restarting sequence.

Thanks, everyone.........
 
Be aware that the 2000 xj has the infamous "0331" head, which is suspect for cracking between cylinders 3-4.

The big question here is this. Is the coolant level in the coolant reservoir dropping? If it is, I would be very suspect of a cracked head, especially with what you describe.

There are some tests you can perform. A "block test" sniffs the coolant for the presence of hydrocarbons. A cooling system pressure test can be helpful. Other tests include the compression test and the cylinder leakdown test.

Good luck but if you are losing coolant, I would immediately be suspect of a cracked head, (if you can't find any cause for leaking it). Oftentimes, the crack(s) can be visualized by removing the valve cover and looking closely between cylinders 3-4 where there is a casting defect which leads to crack(s).

Good luck and be sure to let us know what you find!
 
Thanks

Just called the boy........he didn't think the coolant was low, but he wasn't looking at that either. The oil change guy didn't say anything about the coolant so who knows.

What does a head job cost and is it worth doing? (on the Jeep.....gutter mind)

Thanks
 
If that is indeed the problem, it's going to need more than just a new head at this point. Engines run best with oil in the crankcase, not coolant- it kills bearings fast.
 
well apparently the guy who owned it before me didn't change the oil as often as he said.
My mechanic found a couple inches of goop in the bottom of the oil pan and some metal shavings, he figured the oil pump couldn't move oil through the engine like it should. SO I guess it's engine rebuild time. My question is, "Should I buy the stronger remanufactured head or go with what I have?"

2500 for the rebuild and the install, with fluids and two oxygen sensors. Sound right?

As always, thanks
 
Well, for one I sure as hell wouldn't want the 0331 head, why rebuild an engine with a defective component?

ChicksDigWagons has it about right, but I would say $2,500 would buy you about FIVE good running 4.0 engines from the salvage yard.
 
Buy a good used engine. If you are worried about the head issue, buy the improved 0331 from an 2003 + Wrangler with the letters TUPY cast into the head.
 
but if I buy a good used engine, I might have the same problem in a few months and I would be out all the money spent on the engine and install, I alrealy thought I bought a good engine :)

I think I'll order a new remanufactured head, the stronger one and have that put on when they rebuild it. That seems like the best solution.

The engine swap from a wrangler isn't a direct replacement and I don't have the fab skills to make it fit.

Used XJ's with 120000 are going for about 4-grand around here if you are lucky enough to find one. So a rebuild is still cheaper.

Thanks all
 
The metal shavings most likely did NOT come from the head, so a used engine, carefully selected, is the best bet.

Find a XJ that got crunched in the back end, and look for the signs of good care and maint by PO.

AVOID the 0331 head all together, by a year, or two, newer or older, Research it out.

Local jeepers might be some help.

Do like Joe said-used.

5 trys at a used engine beats a rebuild of a highly questionable orig.
 
orange said:
The metal shavings most likely did NOT come from the head, so a used engine, carefully selected, is the best bet.

5 trys at a used engine beats a rebuild of a highly questionable orig.
Click to expand...

Sure, but the rebuild will take care of that right? The metal is probably from the main bearings which weren't getting oiled properly because the oil pump may have been clogged with sludge. The rebuild and machine work will fix that right?

Seriouly? 5000 worth of questionable used engines and 1500 worth of labor and god knows how much time, beats one 2500 dollar out the door warrentied rebuild? Come on............

So back to my question, should I spend 400 and get the stronger 0331 head, or just rebuild the one I got. If it hasn't cracked in 120000 miles it might never? I'm sure there is some cost associated with rebuilding the head that I won't have to pay, so really the total cost of head will be only a few hundred more.

)p.s I don't care what it costs, I have the money..........:) I just want to do it right and don't want to buy a new head if my old one will do the job) Sometimes getting advice is more hastle than it's worth.
 
Your block should be fine as long as it isn't cracked, it didn't throw a rod or anything.

If you are dead set on a rebuild I would do a full rebuild on it and move on with your life, either that or do a stroker if you want to since you'll be replacing most of those parts anyways. Requires changes to engine management system though so choose your path carefully.

But speaking for myself I would rather pick up a smashed XJ for under 1k, yank the motor, install it in mine, sell parts till you get 5-800 dollars back and then scrap the body for another couple hundred. If it blows, repeat as required. Engine swaps are not that bad, I did one in a parking lot, in a thunderstorm, alone, between ~5pm and midnight on a Sunday evening. I had about another 3 hours worth of connecting cables and hoses back up, so I figure if I hadn't been so lazy and had started at noon instead of 5pm I would have been done the same night.

I actually didn't swap the motor, I swapped the transmission by pulling the entire drivetrain, bolting a new tranny into it, and shoving the whole drivetrain back in. Changed the exhaust manifold (it was cracked badly) and the manifold gaskets while I was in there.
 
I vote: Used - w/upgrades like a high vol. oil pump and a driver who checks fluid levels on a regular basis. There's nothing like regular maintenance to keep an engine going for a long time.

...and since I personally have run full synthetic oil for the last five yrs. on an engine with 230K on the ticker I would seriously doubt that was the straw that broke the back. People say that it causes leaks and other problems, but my experience has been to the contrary. If the thing is mantained correctly (and not beat on) it should last a good long time.
 
I'm getting the engine I have rebuilt, so let's end that discussion. I'm not going junk yard hunting, I don't have the time or desire and I don't want to gamble and hope I get a good one. The engine that roasted was supposed to be a good one too. Crate engines seem to be the same thing as a rebuild so I don't really get the point of doing that.

sooooooooooooo what about the head? Get one of the new stronger remanufactured ones or rebuild the one I have?

thanks
 
If it is an 0331 without the TUPY marking cast into it, I would buy a TUPY head at the junkyard for 50-75 bucks and rebuild that one, or get a stronger reman one.
 
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