WTF? Coolant leak- HELP

LoneRanger said:
I am still looking for a total parts run down so I can get an idea of what this mess is going to cost me.


any help would be greatly appreciated.

L.R.
Click to expand...

I'll try to remember everything I needed for my head gasket project...

Head gasket - Local auto parts store $35-$40
Valve cover gasket(Metal-clad rubber) - Local auto parts store $50-ish
Head bolts - Dealer Couple bucks a piece (x14)
Exhaust flange gasket - Local auto parts store 10-12 bucks (?)
Fuel injector o-rings (12) - Local auto parts store Couple bucks a pack (3 or 4 in a pack)
You'll want some freeze plugs - Local auto parts store or Dealer Couple bucks a piece

Unbolt the exhaust manifold from the downpipe and pull the fuel rail/injectors and all the sensors from the intake manifold and leave them attached to the head to pull it. It'll make it easier by giving you something to hold on to and sperading out the load of lifting the head off the engine. The head weighs like 65-68lbs. You might as well replace the freeze plugs on the side of the engine while you have easy access to them.

You'll need a buddy, beer of your favorite flavor, and a good solid day of work.

A service manual would be a good idea too, Haynes, Chiltons, or otherwise. (For head bolt removal/tightening sequence and other specs...)

Head removal/replacement on a 4.0 is a walk in the park...

I'm sure there are a few things I've forgotten.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me.
 
Wow, that is a HUGE help. I agree, new head bolts have been mentioned on another thread. I am also going to get a new water pump, possibly a new radiator,(both out of my own pocket $$) and what else can you recommend?

thanks again-

L.R.
 
Don't pull the injectors and leave the manifolds attached. Unplug all of the injectors and sensors and pull off the head after you have removed the intake and just use a strap to hold the exhaust manifold away. Alot less gangly that way.
 
Actually, you can pull the head and leave the intake and exhaust connected. You just need to disco the exhaust where it attaches to the header. You will need a buddy to help lift it off, but you can save a whole lot of hassle and skinned knuckles.

Get a spray can of Permatex CopperCote and coat the head gasket before reinstalling.

Actually, thinking about it, are there any freeze plugs behind the intake/exhaust on the head. On the 2.5L there are. If so, you will have to pull the intake and exhaust, but personally, I would pull them together and do the teardown on the bench instead of in the vehicle. There are a couple of bolts that are interesting to get to.
 
yeah matt but it is a PITA to try to thread all of the manifold bolts on the underside in w/o removing the engine mount.

leave the manifold on. much much easier to unbolt the ps pump and unplug the wiring than to spen an hour trying to figure out how to reach all of the manifold bolts, and then spend 20 minutes looking for a bolt you forgot that you dropped on the engine mount, and then spend another 30 minutes trying to wiggle the manifold into place since the books reccomend that you leave the bottom manifold bolts in, you end up backing one out too far, cant find the hole again............. can you feel the frustration here?
 
Damn, that sounds familiar.....not that I have ever done anything like that before:laugh3:
 
LoneRanger said:
You all were correct it IS the freeze plug, I stuck my finger in there and confirmed it. SO the head of the motor HAS to come off huh? how much work is that exactly? lol

and what do I need to do to get to the Other plugs?


what am I looking at so far as cost? materials alone assuming I am going to do the job myself (with some help I hope) new bolts for the head, new gasket, new water pump, new plugs, new H2O temp sensor, new???? Radiator possibly even?

L.R.
Click to expand...

I'd strongly advise that you remove the complete engine and replace ALL the freeze plugs, including the one at the back of the block. If you only replace the one on the back of the head and a plug on the block (especially the one at the back) leaks later on, you'll be tearing your hair out. Trust me on that one.
Since it seems that the previous owner neglected to drain, flush, and replace
the old coolant since the Jeep was new, I suggest you have the radiator flushed while engine's out and when you put the engine back in, flush the rest of the cooling system too before adding new coolant.
 
Pay close attention to the torque requirements on the head bolts. If you don't have a torque wrench... time to get one.
regards,
jlex.
 
I am piecing together my XJ right now.. Of course the only freeze plug I cannot replace right now is the one at the back of the block. I can't pull the block right now due to lack of room in garage. If I have to get to it I will try to get there by dropping the transmission even though that means taking the 'oh so fun to install' RE drop brackets and braces off.. =-(

The coolant that came out of my block looked oh so similar to yours, and the freeze plugs on the block side showed no external sides of leaking. Once pulled you could tell that they were all just a matter of time though.. Pitting had already begun to eat them out from the inside.

Also there was a pretty good amount of sludge\sand\dirt that had accumulated in the water passages in the block. I did my best to clean it up by using paper towels jammed in where the freeze plugs used to be and thin hacksaw blades to reach where I couldn't. We will see as I just need that rear engine plug to last 1-2 years..

If you have the means to pull the block I would go for it just for peace of mind since it really is repair just waiting to be done and breakdowns usually don't happen on your schedule.

Good Luck!

George Trilikis
00XJ


Dr. Dyno said:
I'd strongly advise that you remove the complete engine and replace ALL the freeze plugs, including the one at the back of the block. If you only replace the one on the back of the head and a plug on the block (especially the one at the back) leaks later on, you'll be tearing your hair out. Trust me on that one.
Since it seems that the previous owner neglected to drain, flush, and replace
the old coolant since the Jeep was new, I suggest you have the radiator flushed while engine's out and when you put the engine back in, flush the rest of the cooling system too before adding new coolant.
Click to expand...
 
All new head parts~
post-11-33887-engineparts.jpg


and a new Radiator~
post-11-33986-Modine_Radiator.jpg



modine 2802




water pump, new thermostat, water temp sensor, and TPS sensor will be purchased tomorrow. anything I am forgetting? I am going to replace all of the freeze plugs, and run the stock radiator with nothing but a box of baking soda and some distilled water in there to try and get some of the shit out of it. I'll drain it in a day and repeat the process 2 or 3 times then install the new Modine radiator when I feel the block has been flushed as best it can get. unless someone else has a better DIY way that i dont know about?


L.R.
 
gptrilik said:
I can't pull the block right now due to lack of room in garage. If I have to get to it I will try to get there by dropping the transmission even though that means taking the 'oh so fun to install' RE drop brackets and braces off.. =-(
Click to expand...
Not at all - the tranny will come out just fine without removing the DBs. You need to remove the t-case and crossmember to get at it, but that's the basics of the removal right there. While you're at it this would also be a good time to replace your CPS and keep the current one as a trail spare if needed.
 
CPS - Crankshaft Position Sensor. If you are looking forward under the Jeep toward the engine, the CPS will be at 11 o'clock on the bellhousing.

This is a bellhousing from an AW-4, the engine side of it is laying on the ground. The hole for the CPS is at the upper left.
cps.jpg


Relative location and a visual explanation of why I recommend replacing it while the tranny is out. This picture shows how inaccessible the CPS is, and this is with the crossmember removed and t-case dropped several inches:
cps_2.jpg
 
LoneRanger said:
All new head parts~
post-11-33887-engineparts.jpg


and a new Radiator~
post-11-33986-Modine_Radiator.jpg



modine 2802




water pump, new thermostat, water temp sensor, and TPS sensor will be purchased tomorrow. anything I am forgetting? I am going to replace all of the freeze plugs, and run the stock radiator with nothing but a box of baking soda and some distilled water in there to try and get some of the shit out of it. I'll drain it in a day and repeat the process 2 or 3 times then install the new Modine radiator when I feel the block has been flushed as best it can get. unless someone else has a better DIY way that i dont know about?


L.R.
Click to expand...
I did the baking soda thing a few weeks ago with great success. Only difference is I put a gallon of vinegar in with distilled water for a few days, drained the stinky mess, flushed the system with water, then I put in the box of baking soda with d-water and ran that for a few days then drained that slimy mess and flushed the system again with water until clean. (Fill system, run till t-stat opening, run a few minutes more, drain, refill, repeat until clean water comes out) It took a while but it was worth it. I could not believe the amount of sediment that came out of that engine and I have religiously changed the coolant annually since I've had the jeep, 91 bought used in 93.
Now my temp guage stays pegged at t-stat opening temp in 95 degree heat in stop and go traffic with a bad fan clutch and the A/C blasting.
 
I just replaced all of the freeze/casting plugs on a Dodge2500 I recently bought (had one of the plugs on the rear of the block leak which required tranny pull) and I put brass freeze plugs back in instead of the steel ones. I'm hoping they will last longer than the steel ones. probably not necessary if proper coolant changes and flushes are done but I figured it couldn't hurt. got them at NAPA
 
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