4.0L Cracked Head
 

2001 TJ
~89K miles
4.0L manual T, AC

I'm loosing coolant (very slowly)
dealer says its a cracked head, any one familure with this problem?

Anyone using a aftermarket aluminum head? May solver the casting problem
but create a bunch of other problems?
Should I replace the exhaust manifold at the same time?

Jim

Re: 4.0L Cracked Head
 

James Hilins wrote:
> 2001 TJ
> ~89K miles
> 4.0L manual T, AC
>
> I'm loosing coolant (very slowly)
> dealer says its a cracked head, any one familure with this problem?
>
> Anyone using a aftermarket aluminum head? May solver the casting
> problem but create a bunch of other problems?
> Should I replace the exhaust manifold at the same time?

Cracked heads in the newer 4.0 (>1992) are rare. Did they show you
how they came to this assessment? I'd be suspecting a leaky overflow
bottle, hose, or pump, before even thinking about a cracked head.


--
-- DougW -- 93 ZJ 4.0 http://revbeergoggles.com
HESCO Supercharger - 300W IASCA Stereo - Edelbrock IAS Shocks
Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors
Banks Header - and BEER, in the fridge!

Re: 4.0L Cracked Head
 

James Hilins wrote:
> 2001 TJ
> ~89K miles
> 4.0L manual T, AC
>
> I'm loosing coolant (very slowly)
> dealer says its a cracked head, any one familure with this problem?
>
> Anyone using a aftermarket aluminum head? May solver the casting
> problem but create a bunch of other problems?
> Should I replace the exhaust manifold at the same time?

Cracked heads in the newer 4.0 (>1992) are rare. Did they show you
how they came to this assessment? I'd be suspecting a leaky overflow
bottle, hose, or pump, before even thinking about a cracked head.


--
-- DougW -- 93 ZJ 4.0 http://revbeergoggles.com
HESCO Supercharger - 300W IASCA Stereo - Edelbrock IAS Shocks
Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors
Banks Header - and BEER, in the fridge!

Re: 4.0L Cracked Head
 

James Hilins wrote:
> 2001 TJ
> ~89K miles
> 4.0L manual T, AC
>
> I'm loosing coolant (very slowly)
> dealer says its a cracked head, any one familure with this problem?
>
> Anyone using a aftermarket aluminum head? May solver the casting
> problem but create a bunch of other problems?
> Should I replace the exhaust manifold at the same time?

Cracked heads in the newer 4.0 (>1992) are rare. Did they show you
how they came to this assessment? I'd be suspecting a leaky overflow
bottle, hose, or pump, before even thinking about a cracked head.


--
-- DougW -- 93 ZJ 4.0 http://revbeergoggles.com
HESCO Supercharger - 300W IASCA Stereo - Edelbrock IAS Shocks
Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors
Banks Header - and BEER, in the fridge!

Re: 4.0L Cracked Head
 

Hi James,
Like Doug said, we haven't heard of a cracked four liter heads.
Usually that only happens went the engine has badly over heated and
boiled all the water out and someone pours cold water back in before it
cools, and you can hear it when that happens. The Stealership may have
been covering the possibility it was cracked, after finding a clean
cylinder. So it may be just a blown gasket. Aluminum heads are nice, but
don't waste you money on a Rambler engine.
--
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

James Hilins wrote:
>
> 2001 TJ
> ~89K miles
> 4.0L manual T, AC
>
> I'm loosing coolant (very slowly)
> dealer says its a cracked head, any one familure with this problem?
>
> Anyone using a aftermarket aluminum head? May solver the casting problem
> but create a bunch of other problems?
> Should I replace the exhaust manifold at the same time?
>
> Jim

Re: 4.0L Cracked Head
 

Hi James,
Like Doug said, we haven't heard of a cracked four liter heads.
Usually that only happens went the engine has badly over heated and
boiled all the water out and someone pours cold water back in before it
cools, and you can hear it when that happens. The Stealership may have
been covering the possibility it was cracked, after finding a clean
cylinder. So it may be just a blown gasket. Aluminum heads are nice, but
don't waste you money on a Rambler engine.
--
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

James Hilins wrote:
>
> 2001 TJ
> ~89K miles
> 4.0L manual T, AC
>
> I'm loosing coolant (very slowly)
> dealer says its a cracked head, any one familure with this problem?
>
> Anyone using a aftermarket aluminum head? May solver the casting problem
> but create a bunch of other problems?
> Should I replace the exhaust manifold at the same time?
>
> Jim

Re: 4.0L Cracked Head
 

Hi James,
Like Doug said, we haven't heard of a cracked four liter heads.
Usually that only happens went the engine has badly over heated and
boiled all the water out and someone pours cold water back in before it
cools, and you can hear it when that happens. The Stealership may have
been covering the possibility it was cracked, after finding a clean
cylinder. So it may be just a blown gasket. Aluminum heads are nice, but
don't waste you money on a Rambler engine.
--
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

James Hilins wrote:
>
> 2001 TJ
> ~89K miles
> 4.0L manual T, AC
>
> I'm loosing coolant (very slowly)
> dealer says its a cracked head, any one familure with this problem?
>
> Anyone using a aftermarket aluminum head? May solver the casting problem
> but create a bunch of other problems?
> Should I replace the exhaust manifold at the same time?
>
> Jim

Re: 4.0L Cracked Head
 

James Hilins wrote:
> 2001 TJ
> ~89K miles
> 4.0L manual T, AC
>
> I'm loosing coolant (very slowly)
> dealer says its a cracked head, any one familure with this problem?
>
> Anyone using a aftermarket aluminum head? May solver the casting problem
> but create a bunch of other problems?
> Should I replace the exhaust manifold at the same time?

It seems as if no one here has heard about the 0331 head castings and
their propensity to crack. I Believe the 01 TJ and every other 99+ 4.0
has this head casting, I may be wrong but the Cherokee and ZJ do and
there's plenty of XJ owners on naxja.com (a bunch of XJ enthusiasts) who
have seen this cracked head.

The Aluminum 4.0 head is made by HESCO, they are DAMN proud of it, to
the tune of nearly $2000 dollars proud. Which is something like 19x the
cost of a stock completely re-manufactured head. This diamond encrusted
Aluminum head only shaves 30 pounds, and does not flow significantly
better than the good stock castings that don't crack (castings 0630 and
7120).

I say it doesn't flow significantly better because HESCO will not show
actual Dyno sheets despite claiming they would show them many times. and
they claim it's good for 10 to 15 HP more, but I'm betting it's more
like 1 to 5 than 10 to 15. The only other advantage to this head is that
the pushrod holes have been enlarged to allow pulling lifters and thus
changing the cam without taking the head off.

Also of note this head was avialable from summit with a different name,
same head. At least HESCO claims it was theirs and someone took a bulk
order and tried to rebrand them as "Patriot Aluminum heads" Don't know
how true that claim is.

--
Simon
"I may be wrong, but I'm not uncertain." -- Robert A. Heinlein

Re: 4.0L Cracked Head
 

James Hilins wrote:
> 2001 TJ
> ~89K miles
> 4.0L manual T, AC
>
> I'm loosing coolant (very slowly)
> dealer says its a cracked head, any one familure with this problem?
>
> Anyone using a aftermarket aluminum head? May solver the casting problem
> but create a bunch of other problems?
> Should I replace the exhaust manifold at the same time?

It seems as if no one here has heard about the 0331 head castings and
their propensity to crack. I Believe the 01 TJ and every other 99+ 4.0
has this head casting, I may be wrong but the Cherokee and ZJ do and
there's plenty of XJ owners on naxja.com (a bunch of XJ enthusiasts) who
have seen this cracked head.

The Aluminum 4.0 head is made by HESCO, they are DAMN proud of it, to
the tune of nearly $2000 dollars proud. Which is something like 19x the
cost of a stock completely re-manufactured head. This diamond encrusted
Aluminum head only shaves 30 pounds, and does not flow significantly
better than the good stock castings that don't crack (castings 0630 and
7120).

I say it doesn't flow significantly better because HESCO will not show
actual Dyno sheets despite claiming they would show them many times. and
they claim it's good for 10 to 15 HP more, but I'm betting it's more
like 1 to 5 than 10 to 15. The only other advantage to this head is that
the pushrod holes have been enlarged to allow pulling lifters and thus
changing the cam without taking the head off.

Also of note this head was avialable from summit with a different name,
same head. At least HESCO claims it was theirs and someone took a bulk
order and tried to rebrand them as "Patriot Aluminum heads" Don't know
how true that claim is.

--
Simon
"I may be wrong, but I'm not uncertain." -- Robert A. Heinlein

Re: 4.0L Cracked Head
 

James Hilins wrote:
> 2001 TJ
> ~89K miles
> 4.0L manual T, AC
>
> I'm loosing coolant (very slowly)
> dealer says its a cracked head, any one familure with this problem?
>
> Anyone using a aftermarket aluminum head? May solver the casting problem
> but create a bunch of other problems?
> Should I replace the exhaust manifold at the same time?

It seems as if no one here has heard about the 0331 head castings and
their propensity to crack. I Believe the 01 TJ and every other 99+ 4.0
has this head casting, I may be wrong but the Cherokee and ZJ do and
there's plenty of XJ owners on naxja.com (a bunch of XJ enthusiasts) who
have seen this cracked head.

The Aluminum 4.0 head is made by HESCO, they are DAMN proud of it, to
the tune of nearly $2000 dollars proud. Which is something like 19x the
cost of a stock completely re-manufactured head. This diamond encrusted
Aluminum head only shaves 30 pounds, and does not flow significantly
better than the good stock castings that don't crack (castings 0630 and
7120).

I say it doesn't flow significantly better because HESCO will not show
actual Dyno sheets despite claiming they would show them many times. and
they claim it's good for 10 to 15 HP more, but I'm betting it's more
like 1 to 5 than 10 to 15. The only other advantage to this head is that
the pushrod holes have been enlarged to allow pulling lifters and thus
changing the cam without taking the head off.

Also of note this head was avialable from summit with a different name,
same head. At least HESCO claims it was theirs and someone took a bulk
order and tried to rebrand them as "Patriot Aluminum heads" Don't know
how true that claim is.

--
Simon
"I may be wrong, but I'm not uncertain." -- Robert A. Heinlein