Looks like I have a blown head gasket

Okay so I just fired up my 92 jeep with the 4.0 for the first time in a week. Last night I finished getting everything tight on the engine and put fluids in it and was only able to put about half a gallon of coolent in. Couldnt get anymore to go in. Fired it up because I needed to move it to load a front axle in a guys truck. Ran great for the min I had it running. After the guy left I tried to put more coolent in it then fired it up. Had also put a new fan clutch on on it and took it 5 mins to get to the 3/4 mark on my temp gauge. Checked my oil and still looks like I have water in my brand new oil. There is quit a bit it looks like but idk. I just spent 150 on part in the last week and all that. I am also thinking my radiator is clogged. I will let it cool down and check my compression. Just one thing after another with this xj. It does have about 245,000 but also been told the engine was re done like 10k ago which I dont by off. It shows the 21 years of grease and dirt on the engine when I pulled the engine last week.

Ok so here is the results on my compression test. Number one is 120. number two is 130, number three is 130, number four is 140, number five is 130 and number six is 145.

The first thing I normally do is take the radiator cap off and run the motor. It may spew some coolant out so put a catch pan under the radiator. Run it for awhile, not revving it, until it starts to heat up. Look and see if you have bubbles coming to the top.

A plugged radiator often shows up as a really hard top radiator hose, with the motor at operating temperature. Normally you can squeeze the top hose almost closed with your fingers, if it isn't really old and hard to begin with. If the radiator is plugged, it can actually swell some with the motor running at moderate (2500) RPMs and gets football hard..

Well the hoses are brand new, Has new thermostat. When I drained the coolent last week it looked like chocolate milk so I went ahead to changed everything besides the water pump and radiator. I have a brand new radiator for it that I will be putting in after I do the head gasket tomorrow. Hoping Nothing else pops up on it for a while now.

And another question is what do I need to torque the head bolts too?

looking at you head from the driverside...here is the tightening sequence (start at 1 and work your way out)

12 8 4 1 5 9 13
11 7 3 2 6 10 14

step 1...tighten all bolts to 22ft/lbs
step 2....tighten all bolts to 45 ft/lbs
step 3....recheck all bolts at 45ft/lbs
step 4...tighten all bolts except #11 to 110ft/lbs, then tighten #11 to 100ft/lbs...

Remember to drop bolt #14 in while the head is out and tape it about halfway in. It's impossible to drop that bolt in if you put the head in first.

On bolt #11 you need to put thread sealant on the bolt because it goes through the water jacket.

Here's a tip from ecomike from 5-90.

5-90 taught me a trick, you take 2-3 old head bolts, cut off the head, and then cut a slot in what was the head end of the bolt. Thread them in the block and then use them for guides for getting the head lined up properly. Then use a long blade screw driver to remove them. Works great!

Ok cool thanks. I will try that trick. Its a good idea.

Ok so I got it put together besides the new radiator and small things like that. So I was talking to a guy I know and he told me to use copper spray on my head gasket. I have done alot of head gaskets full rebuilds and all that and never heard of using anything on head gaskets. The guy never messed with a 4.0 but says thats what the books say to use and all this BS lol. Has anyone else heard this before? I also have a family friend that has a shop well had and they never used it so I just thought it was kinda funny.

he probably meant to use copper RTV on the exhaust manifold to head . Not head to long block?

blondejoncherokee said:

he probably meant to use copper RTV on the exhaust manifold to head . Not head to long block?

Click to expand...

I've actually heard of that as well. Copper spray or indian head shellack on the head gasket. When i dropped my HG on, i did it dry, and have no problems.

I guess it helps it seal better or ensure the seal or something along those lines. Not really sure though.

I used Copper RTV on both sides of the intake/exhaust manifold gasket though, and the thermostat housing, and on the #11 head bolt (the one that goes through the water jacket.)

Ya this guy keeps saying everyone uses it on there HG's and every shop around here does but since I am a tow truck driver I went around to every shop here and not one of them said to use it lol.

I am also about ready to fire the XJ up and see if I did everything right and hope thats the last thing I have to do to it besides the rear end still