New Jeep Repair/Build thread

[DanMan2k06]

I thought I'd start a new thread in here on the new addition I just picked up.

It's a '99, 130k, Classic edition, Dana 35 and ABS, auto, excellent condition, and bought with a "blown head gasket".

$750

Well we didn't even attempt to start it at the guy's house when it was purchased. Put it on the trailer and got it in the driveway. Yesterday me and a friend decided to see if it would crank. Not only did it turn over (with a jump box) but it started after about 2 cranks. Last time it was started was before Halloween of last year. After letting it run for about 5 seconds I shut it off, just in case things were really messed up inside the motor.

So today I investigated a little more. Started the engine up and let it idle for a few minutes, revved it, etc. It ran fine. There was a little white smoke out the tailpipe, but it could have just been from water or vapor or something. There was a huge coolant leak at the water pump. There's a metal line that looked like it's part of the heater system that was pouring out at the threads, so I couldn't do a coolant pressure test.

So I moved on to do a compression test. ALL of the cylinders tested ok. Lowest was 145, highest was 155. So based on the readings and the fact that it ran perfectly fine, I think the head gasket it totally fine.

What else could I check to verify that the head gasket is in fact alright. The jeep is still on the trailer. When taking the plug wires out, a bunch of them ripped and broke so I can't start it until those are replaced. Any suggestions? Opinions?

[fyrfytr1717]

Damn, $750 for a '99 in relatively good shape? Nice score. Can't help much on the head gasket. What's the oil look like?

[Jeepm@n]

I'd say I give you $750 for the Jeep and you don't have to worry about it.

In all honesty I would have the oil tested for coolant. If compression is good it may be fine. I'd say give it a cheapo oil change and see what happens.

[stephenspann27]

Cool wheels on your trailer...

[DanMan2k06]

Funny you mention that lol. The entire trailer was built around the cherokee. It used to have 4 matching wheels, don't know what happened to them. But it's just big enough that you can fit a stock cherokee on it with ease. Doors clear the fenders, duckbill is low enough to drive up in 4lo.

[DanMan2k06]

Well I noticed something while under the hood today. It's a 99... with a ditributor. Still has the old style ignition system. However it does have the newer intake manifold. What were some of the emission changes they made during the transition? It has the old style exhaust manifold as well.

[DanMan2k06]

Ummm. Wow. Updates...

So I flushed out the cooling system today. No freakin wonder this thing overheated. Pulled of the water pump, and found the impeller fins laying inside the block.

Pulled out the t-stat housing and the thermostat was in terrible shape. Might as well have been stuck. Traces of silicone were all over.

Moved on to flushing everything, starting with the heater core. I hooked up the garden hose to the inlet side, and extended the outlet about 4' so I could contain everything. A million hose clamps and contraptions later, and I had a real nice system in place. I first turned the garden hose on, and almost nothing came out of the heater core outlet. A small trickle. Then it got faster and faster. The water coming out was not water, but muck. The consistency of pure mud, and the color of red clay. Not a good sign. After the first 5 gallons in the bucket, I just let it pour into the grass. Probably took around 25 gallons to get the water decently clear.

Then I moved to the block. Same situation. Red, gunky, thick, muck. I tried spraying the hose into the water pump hole but it was too messy and not thorough enough. So tomorrow I'm going to make 2 plates to cover both holes. One for the water pump, and one for the t-stat housing. Both will have a 3/8" npt nipple threaded into the cover plate so I can blast water in both directions and have it be somewhat pressurized.

The radiator is trashed, I didn't even bother trying to flush it. A new one will be put in along with a new water pump, thermostat, housing, all new hoses, res. bottle, just about everything but the heater core. This is by far the worst cooling system I have ever seen in my life...

[stephenspann27]

'99 is a very sought after year, nice intake manifold without the supposedly crack prone head of the '00 -'01. The red color is probably from rust.
On my '87 XJ 90% of the rust was in the head, you could see it through the thermostat hole.. I replaced my head and radiator and my coolant is now a good color. ( I placed the head because mine was worn out and cracked).

[96NYXJ]

what a deal!

[kastein]

Originally Posted by DanMan2k06

Well I noticed something while under the hood today. It's a 99... with a ditributor. Still has the old style ignition system. However it does have the newer intake manifold. What were some of the emission changes they made during the transition? It has the old style exhaust manifold as well.

Yep, like Stephen Spann said, 99 has this setup from the factory. coil rail started in 2000, better intake in 1999.

Originally Posted by DanMan2k06

Ummm. Wow. Updates...

So I flushed out the cooling system today. No freakin wonder this thing overheated. Pulled of the water pump, and found the impeller fins laying inside the block.

Pulled out the t-stat housing and the thermostat was in terrible shape. Might as well have been stuck. Traces of silicone were all over.

Moved on to flushing everything, starting with the heater core. I hooked up the garden hose to the inlet side, and extended the outlet about 4' so I could contain everything. A million hose clamps and contraptions later, and I had a real nice system in place. I first turned the garden hose on, and almost nothing came out of the heater core outlet. A small trickle. Then it got faster and faster. The water coming out was not water, but muck. The consistency of pure mud, and the color of red clay. Not a good sign. After the first 5 gallons in the bucket, I just let it pour into the grass. Probably took around 25 gallons to get the water decently clear.

Then I moved to the block. Same situation. Red, gunky, thick, muck. I tried spraying the hose into the water pump hole but it was too messy and not thorough enough. So tomorrow I'm going to make 2 plates to cover both holes. One for the water pump, and one for the t-stat housing. Both will have a 3/8" npt nipple threaded into the cover plate so I can blast water in both directions and have it be somewhat pressurized.

The radiator is trashed, I didn't even bother trying to flush it. A new one will be put in along with a new water pump, thermostat, housing, all new hoses, res. bottle, just about everything but the heater core. This is by far the worst cooling system I have ever seen in my life...

Gross. They probably never flushed the cooling system and never changed the coolant.

Nice score for 750 bucks!

[DanMan2k06]

I got the cover plates made and installed, seemed to work pretty well. I'd like to put some kind of solvent in the mix to break up any scale and grime, any ideas?

I've heard dishwasher soap? Maybe vinegar?

[stephenspann27]

Vinegar helps.. dishwasher soap scares me.. bubbles suck..

[DanMan2k06]

Yea I wondered the same about dish soap. I think I'll go with vinegar for now, and throw in some of that 500 mile flush stuff once it's all back together. Then just drain and fill it at work every now and then.

Still looking at radiators and suppliers. Seems like the CSF tri-core is a decent replacement.

[DanMan2k06]

Yea I wondered the same about dish soap. I think I'll go with vinegar for now, and throw in some of that 500 mile flush stuff once it's all back together. Then just drain and fill it at work every now and then.

Still looking at radiators and suppliers. Seems like the CSF tri-core is a decent replacement.

[mfascuba]

You can use drain-O for an acid flush but make sure you flush it out well when you're done. Might want to run some baking soda through to make sure it's neutralized. I've poured the drain clearing crystals into a radiator, dissolved the scale and it started to leak like a sieve. Might want to replace the heater core while you've got it in the garage.

Mark