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Going Through a Beater XJ 4.0.

5/8 and 3/4 heater hose and just loose the bottle all together.

That's a great idea ! We just bought a new overflow bottle, still in the box.

Maybe even put in a later version overflow bottle in that area. I'll look it over in the morning !!!

Better still, just use the old overflow bottle as the overflow bottle for the radiator cap. The old bottle won't be pressurized so it will last. Just need to adapt it to the 3/8 overflow hose.
 
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On my 89 I removed the bracket the pressure bottle sits in and put a overflow off of a 95 there

Right! My thought was to try and plumb in the original over flow tank. Finding 3/8 rubber overflow hose seems impossible in a 6 foot length. Maybe fuel line or similar instead.

I bypassed the original tank with 5/8 hose at both ends. Pressure tested great. Saved the cost of a new tank. So thanks for that idea !!
 
Re: Going Through a Beater XJ 4.0. Engine tear down time.

2 days ago we took the jeep through a dry wash that was huge and deep with sand. So much fun in 4 hi !! The engines torque really showed up well in the deep sand at about 1500 rpm ! I wanted my gf to make the same drive but we never got the chance.

Yesterday the knocking sound got far worse and the engine started to miss. So we cleaned out the shop, drover her in there, and put the front end up on jack stands to let the suspension stretch down a bit. The oil pan comes off first for piston inspection.
 
Re: Going Through a Beater XJ 4.0. Oil Pan removal !!!???

I can't for the life of me get the oil pan off !!

CRC gasket remover didn't help either. I'll try another coat.
 
Re: Going Through a Beater XJ 4.0. Oil Pan Still Stuck !!

The pan at the deepest part has been side loaded with pressure from a bottle jack for a few days now. Pan still won't come loose. I'll start on removing the head for now since I'm convinced that there is a busted piston.

Here's the bottle jack video:

https://youtu.be/ynP2juTxySQ
 
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You have far more motivation than i do.
I spent the 100 on a spectre cu1193 rad and converted to open cooling.

I replaced the Spectra every year, three years in a row, before I gave away the receipt and went to Murray. POS shaved a lot of miles off a good engine at one point because it sat a while and went downhill.

If ever you should have an overheating problem but can't find the fault, it's probably that radiator. Cap flange is weak and dumps pressure to the reservoir. Maybe it only overheats with the AC on or at higher speeds.

That's the Spectra "Premium" for you.
 
Re: Going Through a Beater XJ 4.0. Oil Pan Still Stuck !!

The pan at the deepest part has been side loaded with pressure from a bottle jack for a few days now. Pan still won't come loose. I'll start on removing the head for now since I'm convinced that there is a busted piston.

Here's the bottle jack video:

https://youtu.be/ynP2juTxySQ

Somebody must have been tired of oil leaks and glued it with something fierce. I'd cover it with a 2x4 and smack that against the side with a good sized hammer. Given the bottle jack in place, I'd be looking for a new pan to go back together with in case this one gets destroyed.
 
Re: Going Through a Beater XJ 4.0. Oil Pan Still Stuck !!

Somebody must have been tired of oil leaks and glued it with something fierce. I'd cover it with a 2x4 and smack that against the side with a good sized hammer. Given the bottle jack in place, I'd be looking for a new pan to go back together with in case this one gets destroyed.

I think the oil pan gasket is factory original to 1988.

Used a 2x4, a sledge, and a huge rubber mallet. Didn't budge.
 
You sure you have all the oil pan bolts out? Even the ones that look like studs are bolts
I have had some tough ones before but never that tough.

Positive.

Been pulling pans a long time without any damage to them. Might be this pan is the one I trash.

There was a guy out there that used his truck and a chain to pull his 4.0 pan off. It worked.
 
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