Jeep Cherokee 4.0 - Coolant Loss No External Leak?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ย. 2024
- In this video I have a look at a 2000 Jeep Cherokee with the big 4.0 engine. The customer complaint is that the car looses coolant but it is not leaking where you can see it....or is it 😏 -Enjoy!
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So to answer a question that is being asked a lot. "Why don't I just slap a reman head on it for her." Great question. If I was a DIYer I'd go for it but I am a shop. Therefore I have to warranty my work and give the customer my best professional opinion. I see a rotted NYS Jeep with 200k on the engine and an oil pan full of sludge and an unknown history of coolant consumption. Let's say I advise her to put a head on it and it ends up being a $1200 repair (just a guess) Now I change the oil several times only to find out it is full of 20w50 from the previous owner to keep the engine quiet and the oil pressure up because the bearings are bad. So now I have the head on it, correct oil in it, she has a bill and the engine is still junk. Who wins in that situation? Or I slap a head on it and it works, then I am a hero. Not an advisable risk from a shop stand point IMO. -Cheers!
Why not use a Head Gasket sealer liquid, like Bar's or BlueDevil, they do work. They are designed to remedy the exact situation you have here, the silicate chemistry, when heated to proper temperature, will solidify and plug up minor cracks in the head
DIYers don't understand that a shop can't get away with things they can. It might just work out fine with a head job but as Murphy's law usually plays out, it probably won't.
@@NICK-uy3nl That's what I'd do if it were mine. I hate the stuff but have personally seen it work for dad on a jeep with this exact problem
@@NICK-uy3nl
Head gasket sealer plugs up everything else required like a heater core and radiator
Heck 200k is nothing. My 98 XJ has 300k on it’s original 4.0. Still runs good, no smoke, no knocks, good oil pressure....
During my days as a service advisor this was always the worst news to bring to a customer. Especially when they were good, genuine people.
"Ma'am, I'm very sorry to have to tell you this...."
Also depends if you want to rebuild the engine yourself or not.
Ditto that!
Ever since you fixed my battery my head gasket's been blown...
Attack of the "eversince" disease...
@@pantherplatform Sometimes it just doesn't pay to be in business!
The classic customer named Everett Sinju. 😂
@@mailmanjoe that sounds like one of the fictitious people working at car talk like Pekov and Dropov, their Russian chauffers...
you guys still remember the dude that blamed Eric for having put "bad air" in his tires causing the rims to rust through... within a week ? :-))
Thxs Eric nice info....Pls let us know what the lady decided to do..?
The last owner probably know about it and that’s why they sold it
The previous owner most likely overheated the engine and it cracked the head.
@@applepoop10
Warped the head., it’s pretty common on the 4.0L
Especially after mudding it and overheating it from mud packed in it
@@Sicktrickintuner the head is cracked
@@Sicktrickintuner not really... but the 0331 head found only in 00 and 01 4.0 engines almost always cracks. Overheating it certainly speeds up the process.
@@applepoop10 That crack is a known issue with 99-01 4.0L heads. Nothing to do with overheating, it's a manufacturing fault, the iron doesn't have enough nickel in it and so it ends up fracturing between cylinders 3 and 4 due to the normal thermal cycling of driving.
"Consuming coolant" - the automotive equivalent of "We found a tumor...."
Or it's a BMW and it's completely normal.
@@Frost640 common for coolant to just vanish in some VW and Audi models as well. If it's on the MQB platform and the thermostat housing isn't leaking, the advice these days is top it off.
and its really almost an emulsion, not "coagulated"
my van is also "consuming" coolant, but I can smell it outside, its not an internal leak, and its not going in the oil pan.
My 94 k2500 has been losing coolant for years internally, (not in the oil, maybe thru the intake. Doesn’t smoke either). I just keep it low for expansion to minimize the leak. At 295k miles I think she kinda likes it.
Person she bought it from 10 to 1 post only issue is battery goes dead over night. But they knew it consumed coolant ...
It’s a 20+ year old car
Nobody sells these old Cherokees unless they have this sort of problem
I thought the AMC 4.0 was as reliable as the 350 small block chevy
@@youngb1ood Probably more reliable. I've owned a number of 350s and they are stellar engines but that 4.0 only has one cylinder head and 2 less pistons.... Less that could go wrong
@@RedfishCarolina 2000 and 2001 models have bad heads and known for cracking. Bad part on those years. Rest of engine is solid as ever. My 98 is over 250k and running strong
I think what sucks is the people probably new what was wrong with when they sold it to her
It's no problem, I'd have an attorney contact them and light their sh*t up.
people don't get rid of good jeeps, you are right.
@@nmatthew7469 good luck. As is where is.
Most common on 0331 heads on 2000-2002 4.0L engines. I've replaced a few of them, Clearwater Cylinder makes a beefed up casting that fixes the issue. They can be replaced by a DIY'er in a weekend. If the oil pressure is more than the minimum 12 PSI at hot idle spec the bearings are still good.
Depending on what oil they put in to hide a problem.
I've done 6 myself.. takes about 3-4hrs. Not a big deal
@@steveo8535 16 year old wanted an XJ. Got her a 2001 limited. Took me 6 months to find "the one". I watch it like a hawk 🙄 knowing I was entering the 0331 game. I read up on the Clearwater solution and told myself I'll just fix it when the time comes. May need some pointers 😅
I am just a DIYer myself and people like you help me learn everything there is to know about cars. I'm on a tight single income military (I move a lot too) budget and you make it easy for me to save a bunch of money. I appreciate everything you do. Further your honesty and integrity is simply unparalleled. Thank you for everything you do and I wish you the best.
Thank you for your service.
@@macfisher4004 what service? killing innocent brown people to loot their resources for government?
Thank you for your service...As a Veteran myself, I know how tight money was in the beginning...You Tube can save plenty of money as DIY...Knowledge is Power...May God protect you and your family.
Thanks for your service-- Viet-Nam Navy vet. I was doing the same back in the 60's + 70's.
@@macfisher4004 thank you for being a DIYer.
I drove my 96 grand cherokee 4.0 for 3 weeks with a blown head gasket. Massive coolant loss.. got it apart, cracked head between water jacket and cylinder. Reman head, new gasket, fresh coolant and flush, oil and filter change. 40,000 miles later she still runs great. These things are tanks. Especially the 4.0
Yeah and I drove my GM 4.3 for 6 years with a bad head gasket and it still runs to this day. 3 weeks to me isn’t anything.
@@samsquires2877 my old 02 Silverado had the 4.3 and i put 86k miles on it with LIM gaskets leaking bad, the frame cracked on it so i parked it. Surprisingly i never wiped out the bearings even with dexcool flavored oil!!!
I love my 4.0 jeeps. My daily has 262,000 miles and still gets me where I need to go without fail.
@@Mr.NiceGuy80 definitely agree with you there, them 4.0's that didn't have the 33 heads on them were beasts!
@@mattcat231 just scored another killer deal today. One owner 98 Tahoe 4x4. All the options, leather, everything works excellent paint and interior. The reason they parked it, it needed a distributor cap.
Hey Eric, I’m a 56 year old auto tech and I love your videos. Where I work, or did work before COVID we try to be as professional as you do. You do an awesome job of showing people just what we go through and it’s only getting tougher. I also love your commentary on things as we are very close on how we look at things. Love your shop and how your family is included in your endeavors lol. It great that you and Mrs O work together as I wanted to do that with my wife a few years back but couldn’t make it happen. Do me a favor though...quit being so hard on yourself when you make a mistake......your batting average is damn good my friend. Great channel and I look forward to your adventures. Be safe and take care. Marc.
One of the tough parts of your job I'm sure is breaking this kind of news to customers who might not have a lot of money.
Hence the reason why they bought a 21 year-old-car to start with. Then you feel like a heel because you had to tell them.
I hate having to break bad news to people roadside during a breakdown, snapped timing belt, blown head gasket etc. You see people die on the inside when you explain what has happened and roughly how much to fix.
I just did a head swap on my 4.0. And so far so good. Seems to have more beans and no more lifter knock. But being a shop you gotta take the safe bet
Your filming skills are great for a part time TH-camr! Rarely do we miss what you're trying to show us.
I have done all my repairs for my life I’m 50 and I have never found anyone that I would trust to do my repair but you you would be the only person I would trust to work on my truck you do the job the right way not the wrong way and the best way for the customer that’s for your videos
i knew what it was as soon as you said it had a normal 4.0 coolant leak. the same problem is a common with the ford 3.0 v6
The Ford pushrod iron vulcan 3.0 has this issue too?
Had a 1999 Cherokee with the same problem @ 104,000 mi. Parted out the Jeep (actually made
some cash) and bought a new Honda...smooth sailing ever since.
Once you go Honda you never go back.
Water and bearings never turns out well.
Bought a project 2006 Mini Cooper S from Copart with60K on it but no damage as it was a “donated” car. “Knew” what the issue was. Did some tests to verify. Bubbling in the coolant reservoir and a misfire on cylinder #2. Stuck an endoscopic camera down the spark plug hole - the top of the piston was steam cleaned. #1, #3 and #4 had carbon deposits. I bought the project as a learning opportunity so I did my research, found a great machine shop on the other side of town. Pulled the head, ordered parts - including ARP head bolts for easier torquing - got it all back together following a good step by step TH-cam video and guidance from Dave at the machine shop. The car ran like new when finished. I have never pulled the head on a car before. Cost me $500 in parts some specialty tools and machining - worth every penny in the knowledge and experience I gained. While I’m not in a hurry to do another head gasket I actually enjoyed most of the experience... stupid vacuum lines made it a bit frustrating. Previous owner brought it to a non Mini garage and they snapped a plastic coolant hose - which they didn’t disclose and the previous owner over heated the car.
I had a 2000 Cherokee with the same problem. Good ol' 0331 head. If it overheats AT ALL it will crack.
I found putting the used oil in 2 liter plastic pop bottles and letting it sit for
a couple of hours, you will notice antifreeze at the bottom of the bottle
in the tips if there is a leak.
"It's elementary chemistry, my dear Watson! Oil and coolant do not mix, and will separate if left standing for a time." The result is two layers; one of oil, and one of coolant." :)
@@markh.6687 This is true. But as a test to see if there is an antifreeze
leak, the tips will tell you how much of a leak you have. The tips of the bottle will glow green ,orange, or whatever color the antifreeze is.
Shame to see a nice customer having gotten so ripped off when she bought this car.
Come on! She bought a Jeep with over 100,000 miles. She should have taken a mechanic to look at it before opening her wallet. One simple pull of the dip stick.
ITs 21+ years old. Electrical diagnosis video was back in the beginning of December, 2 months ago. The "new" hoses aren't so new since there is heavy rust on the hose clamps. The Jeep has electrical tape over the CEL.
"Ripped off" thats quite the accusation given the circumstances.
@@scurfie2343 unless the seller changed the oil to hide the fact that there was a coolant leak ? Hard to say when none of us were there during the sale .
@@thomasfletcher4765 Good point. I guess the price was too good to pass.
@@scurfie2343 I got my xj with 467k miles and it’s the most mint thing i have. Everything engine wise is factory.
Good point you clarified in the comments about the perspective between DIY'ers and a shop where you have to warranty your work. The old, "Just because you can doesn't mean you should." phrase applies. It is more than just a diagnosis (which most of us come here to watch - thanks, Eric!). When you do the "South Main Auto Greatest Hits" video you can make this an entire subject.
I’ve never seen a 00-01 cherokee that didn’t have this crack. Pretty well documented.
Is it only 2000+??
@@garymallard4699 If I'm not mistaken its like some late 99's and up. I believe the casting issue was corrected late 01'. There is a lot of good information about it on any jeep XJ forum.
@@filecabinet827
Ok thanks..i got a 98 and will check..i think it was after my year??
I heard about it but can't remember
@@garymallard4699 Does not effect 98's for sure.
@@filecabinet827
Thanks..it seems i might be ok but still gonna check it....i'm pulling it into shop anyways in a week...got other issues to fix ..parasitic drain mainly and bad rear solenoid on hatch....
Have 2001 Wrangler with 140k two and a half years ago and had the same symptoms but mine cracked at the exhaust port so no coolant was ending up in oil. Pulled it bought a new head out of Florida and rebuilt using standard bearings and pistons and 25k later still running strong. Thanks for the great videos SMA
Should have had SMA do a pre purchase inspection, yes sir
"Stick a fork in it, cause it's done" I love it. Right up there with "the money light is on"
Not trying to be snarky, but I always forget that there are people that don't work on their own vehicles. My Dad still works on everything he owns and taught me to do the same.
The vast majority of vehicle owners don't DIY.
how would you work on this? reman'd head? i guess you would know the engine history better than in the case of a random shop/client situation, since its your vehicle
I do basics.. oil/trans fluid changes, pop a battery in, have a look-see if something's cropping up, like a leak etc. But even for a DIyer, this requires a rebuild or whole engine swap, which is probably beyond the scope of most folk, either it be time, physical ability, knowledge base. I grew up without a father at all; I think some people are just absent-minded when it comes to looking after their stuff.
Agreed. However, there are things I know about and there are things I don't know about. I recently built a house and I wouldn't know a King Stud from a Cripple Stud. I rely on experts to tell me what is wrong and try to understand it. Having been a mechanic for 14 years I ALWAYS took the time to explain all of my findings, especially to women whom many times got taken advantage of.
@@sandygrungerson1177 I would definitely put a head on it myself but as a diy guy. I can definitely see Eric’s point as a shop owner
Eric, Jon V. Here. I had a Jeep 2000 4.0 years ago. Bubbles would bubble into the coolant jug. I took it to a local garage. A couple days later they called saying I had a cracked head. He bought a used head. Had the head planed. Valves done. Four weeks later, I picked up the Jeep at he tune of $1500.00. About 3 weeks later I parked at home and heard the Bubbles coming into the tank. I was beside myself! I bought 2 bottles of Bars Leak.
I dumped the goop in. I drove the old Jeep for a few years after that. Never heard another bubble. Rust finally was her demise in 2014. I even had a snow plow on her. I lived in Maine were rust is is a problem. Lot’s of winter salt...
I love cherokees! Built better than many others! Rebuild it!
Eric, you see and work on a heck of a lot of vehicles that the average tech doesn't see. Thanks for all your expertise you show us on the videos you produce. Take care & God Bless
0331 head, found out the hard way myself
Yeah. With all the coolant washing the bearings down, I'd drop in a used 4.0
There are tuff little things. Ran my 89 Renix out of oil once. Drove 3 miles with no oil to a gas station, and poured in 5 qts of oil. Drove it another year, till I found holes in the floor pan. 😣
Yep, its unfortunate they used the 0331 head on the last two years of the XJ... They fixed it on the later years 4.0... It would be easy to pop a new head on that 4.0.
Yeahbut... as Eric says, she's 21 years old (the Jeep, maybe the owner, too!)... and they never did have modern rust-prvention tech. I got rid of my 2000 XJ (snif!) in 2011, with rust in all the seams and cracks. Sold it to a guy down the street for his daughter to drive to college. Within another three years, the door bottoms had rusted thru and she was pretty well toast. From an inspectable daily-driver standpoint...
My opinion is always skewed. I undercoat my vehicles and have almost 300k on my 4.0. No reason not to keep it going.
We lost one for the very same reason. 0331 head, cracked, washed main and rod bearings just enough you could hear them starting to clatter just a bit. Jacked the engine up enough to drop the pan, sure enough clearance just starting to show up on a couple of the rod bearings, glitter in the pan. Put it back together and sent it down the road with the new owner aware of what we found. While most all of them can be saved, when it comes to money it's not always worth it.
Over the years I have used a liquid glass head gasket sealer that works with coolant, and had good results. As a shop owner myself, I inform the owner of the problem, and that there is a chance it won't fix the problem, but if it last a year, or two, as some have , they can at least get some use out of it for a while.
Happened to my 05 Ram with 60k grocery miles. Never bought another dodge again. Yota for life now.
My 98 corolla crapped out at 90k burning oil
@@maxaddicks4945 My 97 corolla has 160K miles and runs excellent.
For Future Reference for these 4.0L Jeeps. Clearwater Heads in Clearwater Florida does heads that prevents these common cracks between cyl 3 and 4 in the 99-00 heads.
I had a 2003 grand Cherokee with 295k and was in great shape! Loved it except for the gas mileage. My wife got Rear ended in it
TMI!
@@LatitudeSky - She liked it!!
@@LatitudeSky 😂
mmkay.
butt what happened to the GC?
@@timewa851 ins totaled it out and paid me 6100.00 for it. Wish it would let me post a pic
I knew it was a cracked head or a blown gasket since I had that experience once before on a 2000 Chevy Malibu. Blown head gasket causing combustion gasses into the cooling system. This was obvious since the coolant would blow out the reservoir and the engine overheating. A non leak symptom points to water in gas plus the oil on the dipstick made that one easy.
I really hate it when this happens to good people. She just bought it and probably making payments
Yeah. I bet she was told that the 4.0 engines are bulletproof. They were great engines, but at the same time, shit DOES happen.
Yeah that's really sad an no telling they they were selling it too . Could been a buy here pay here or a individual but either way that sucks
The problem is no one researches vehicles before they buy them. This is a well know, well documented, problem on the 2000 and 2001 Cherokees with the 0331 head.
@@rustedgraffiti8257 True, but the average person probably wouldn’t even think or know to research an issue like that
If she just bought it she needs to contact an attorney and let the shyster that sold it to her piss their pants.
Great mechanic...few guys are at your level keep the videos coming
I swear, I am about 1 more breakdown away from shipping my Subaru to New York! We need an Eric O. in Missouri!
This is the reason why when i bought my Cherokee i did tons of research on what years to avoid, the 96 to 01 Cherokee 4.0 liters were plagued with bad cylinder heads and prone to cracking, kind of a sad thing if you ask me, the 4.0 has a reputation of being reliable and tough and lasting over 500k, nevertheless they are still great, id recommend if you are looking to get into a jeep with a 4.0 look for one 1995 or older. I have a 1993 Cherokee 4.0 and its going strong at 277k. A bit of lifter and valvetrain clatter but these engines are notorious for having a loud valvetrain. Love watching your videos Eric, Very informative and to the point. Everything you need to know and no BS. I have learned a lot watching your videos, i do a lot of my own repairs and you have taught me a lot about diagnostics and staying with a plan and keeping things simple.
cheers,
When my heater core goes out on my wj I’m taking it to Mr O 😂 you have to pull the entire dash to replace them
The replacements don't last 2 years, done it 2 times, gave up and hooked it to the ac system instead.
😂😂
Did mine on my 2000 4.7L last year with 230K miles on it and replaced the blend doors and AC evaporator while it was all apart. It was a weekend job not hard but time consuming. I got it all together and no blower motor or power at the HVAC controls.... I was soooo mad. Traced wires down to the fuse panel that pulled loose but that was a week later driving with no heat in NY in December. Fun times!!!
@@timtrinkaus7072 If it took you a week of NY driving to figure out you were cold, I've just got to grin and say DUMMY ASS. NO OFFENSE INTENDED, It just struck me funny.
I'm not really a car guy. Just enough to keep my bucket of bolts relatively operational. I learn by watching this great channel!! Thanks
Why does the video of the water drop growing remind me of watching "The Andromeda Strain"??
They’re both scary?
Fantastic observation. I can almost see Arthur Hill and the creepy music in the background. May have to watch that tonight 😁
Great movie!
Scary as hell saw it when I was too young for it.
@@DIYDaveOK "3...2...:click!:.....Self-Destruct...has been cancelled."
I had a similar problem with a bad head gasket luckily. I replaced the head gasket and ran an engine oil flush through the engine a couple of times and luckily nothing else bad happened in subsequent years.
Having those fancy diagnostic tools would've made trouble shooting much easier back in the day!
Never thought I would be watching a SMA video looking for "crack" under the hood.....🤣🤣🤣
Eric O frequently reminds us he has a big nose, no surprise he hunts out crack in the hood really ;)
Good one, man....
That Jeep on crack!🤪😂
In Tennessee, we keep our crack above the waist band of our blue jeans and just below the bottom of our T shirt.
Like my dad used to say "don't throw good money after bad" applies to this situation !
It's a fantastic sentiment, and an equally good guide in life, but like so many things, it's generally not black and white.
Take for example, my aforementioned car. It has no effective resale value (except for scrap), but still has utility value. I had JUST put in a bit of work to it: trans fluid and filter, oil fluid and filter, coolant flush and fill, power steering flush and fill, belts, plugs, valve cover gaskets, and replaced driver side axle seal and axle that had a tore outer boot and clicking u-joint. $219 in parts and 9 hours of my labor. It blew the gasket shortly after (about 1000 miles according to my records.) I add about a gallon of coolant mix once a month (about $10 since I get the concentrate and mix it myself) in the summer on average, and as previously mentioned haven't needed to add any for about 1000 miles since the weather got really cold. Now I recognize I'm in a different situation than some, in that I have the skills/knowledge/desire/pig-headedness to limp a car a long like this, and it's not my only car (we have more cars than drivers), so that if it did literally blow up it would be no big deal; just annoying that I didn't get the full measure out of the work i've put into maintaining it over the last 16 years.
With that Jeep, if it were me I'd get into the habit of doing *cheap* oil changes frequently (based on the condition of the oil and how much coolant its loosing), install one of those fumoto drain valves to flush out the settled water/coolant every day, and possibly pull the valve cover and try patching the thing with some JB weld, or since I have one, break out the die grinder and welder. But again that's me, I'm certifiable (according to my wife), and I'd be willing to gamble.
Thus endeth another novella. 🤣
So the engine is a loss, what would be the harm in putting one of those “miracle “ leak sealers? Not you as the mechanic but before she trashed the thing suggest she try it?
I think they "can" work on head gasket, but not the head.
I had an 1995 windstar with the dreaded 3.8 and the head gasket was blown. Bought it for 200.00, ran a couple cans of block sealer. Then a couple cycles of clean water and finally put the proper mix of coolant and water in it. It cost me a total of 35 dollars and several hours. The end result was 1.5 years of trouble free driving and I was able to save up for the rebuild which was about 1200.
I feel bad for her. Someone sold it to her knowing it had trouble. I hope she didn't give a lot.
this is why I won't sell one car I own. It has 180k on it, and a bad head gasket. In the winter it seems to be fine, but in the summer it starts pushing coolant out and I have to "service" it (burp the system, push all the overflowed coolant back into the loop) every 200 miles or so, or every sunday morning. it's gone over 6000 miles since the head gasket broke, and I put 2 bottles of head gasket fixer in the coolant early on. we have other vehicles to drive on longer trips, so it's now my daily "beater" or the wife's backup car. she keeps wanting me to sell it (we have too many cars she says!) but it's not worth anything given its age, mileage, and cosmetic (re: rust) issues, and I won't lie to someone who'd buy it. I'll keep driving it until it blows up, then strip it for parts for the twin we have of it.
@@johnhufnagel I know someone who sold their car to a demolition derby. Car was used up, and had been used as a bass competition car, after a lot of "adjustments" to it. Fitting end, didn't end up as a junk heap sitting somewhere for years. Went out with a bang.
I dont. She bought a 20 year old jeep with 180k miles. To put that in perspective this thing is old enough to vote. Probably didnt even have it checked out first. What did she expect, a 2019 for a 2002 price?
@@navyreviewer while I agree that caveat emptor should apply, don't you think that society in general function better if sellers are more honest to their buyers? While it is currently understandable to have the buyer / seller relationship adversarial, and I don't disagree that it is necessary for it to be that way, there needs to be at least some level of honesty and trust between both parties. Lackng that, society would suffer a greater loss.
@@johnhufnagel I do agree with that. My point isn't let the buyer beware, it's the buyer has to be realistic about their chooses and cant blame others for those chooses. She bought a 20 year old jeep, probably for a 20 year old jeep price. What was the expectation? She should have had a mechanic check it out. Or maybe she did and ignored that because it was such a great price. Either way, in all likely hood, her expectations were completely sideways to reality.
Time to rebuild to a 4.7 stroker!
Exactly! As long as the running gear and drive train are sound...even then still a builder for someone lol
Yeeaass
That *might* cost more than that jeep is worth lol
@@cyr2795 Lmao, a 10 Million mile Cherokee will sell for $10k where I live. Some high school kid will get his parents to pay that much for it.
@@chimichangapoops6244 I have had mine for almost 8 years and get contact info placed on my windshield from random people about once every few months. Last offer was $6k.
heh we had a customer in our shop a few years ago...Jeep TJ with the big 4.0...misfires cyls 3 and 4 and coolant loss, no external leak too...and this guy LOVES this TJ...I stupidly said try a headgasket or get the engine rebuilt...he went with option 2 and our rebuilder found the head to be shot...customer authorized a replacement and complete rebuild. Wasn't a cheap bill but he still drives it daily, runs like a champ!
"Ever since you guys fixed my battery drain, my Jeep cracked its head, you need to fix it for free"
Yeah, why didn't the full service shop notice the coolant issue earlier?
@@VWWRENCHIE Wasn't why it was there, and isn't at all related to the battery issue. There are no *outward* signs to notice. The question is why didn't the customer mention the ongoing coolant issue before? You cannot lay that on Eric.
yup caught your 'drop' its a bummer for your customer but instead of throwing parts at for something else which isn't the problem, Eric O over at SMA did the right thing and told the customer the bad news....and options... all about the options and hopefully listening to your professional opinion on which decision is best for each customer. Keep up the great content Mr Eric O....
With that mileage, honestly I would just change the oil, and throw in a couple packs of those gm tablets made for porous aluminum blocks. Whats the worst that could happen?
It could strand you on the road. But, then with that kind of fix I wouldn't drive it too far from home.
Great Video Eric. Covered all the bases on coolant loss. The engine that comes to mind with the most mystery coolant loss is the 3.8 L V/6 GM. My shop changed many intake gaskets on those for the old "I keep adding coolant but I don't see no leaks". Thank-you for all the great info.
Amen to that my son has a 3.8 Grand Prix
Whatever happened to the Jeep 4x4 that you were building?
I stole it.
My son had a Jeep similar to this one and the head cracked on it. We couldn't find a new head or a descent motor to replace the original. My son had an adapter plate and a few other sundry items made up at a local machine shop and we dropped a supercharged 3.8 liter V6 out of a Pontiac Grand Prix. The thing is a bear now with 260 HP, better gas mileage than the 4.0 liter inline six, and was well worth the money to do the swap.
As soon as you said "a new radiator" that was a dead giveaway to me.
Daughters 3.7 liberty overheated and has a head gasket coolant leak, dumped some Kseal in it a year ago and its worked ever since, I never thought it would but so far it has.
Can You make a videos on common problems on minivans ? Thanks in advance
The first common problem with minivans is usually the regret you feel after buying it.
That’s an “0331” head. Jeep fixed it with a beefier TUPY casting in about 2003. You could probably find a used engine out of a later model TJ, Cherokee, or GC.
Can’t wait to see the repair. It’s fun pulling the 4.0 heads
I definitely dont think this will be a head replacement. the previous owner was chasing the leak as well and its been driven a lot since then so a lot of coolant has mixed with the oil and likely done severe damage to the engine. if it wasnt 180k miles you could check the damage and evaluate but with that many miles the engine is basically junk
@@zombieblaster5754 I was wondering why Eric O wouldn't do a used head, but that explains it! Thanks!
@@zombieblaster5754 Given how well Jeeps hold their value, I'd still rebuild it. You can find junkers with the engines and/or transmissions being rebuilt at least once with over 200K POSTAL miles STILL selling for 10k+.
Hell the lady could pay to get another used engine put in it and then sell it off to USPS employees and still make bank. I've seen the jeep market because I was interested in one when I was with the post office. There's a huge market and with enough money, you can take advantage of it.
Hell the only reason why I didn't do what I'm literally advocating is because my post master essentially told me "buy a car for the job or you are fired." And he was so much of an asshole (didn't even give me my contracted training/probationary period.) I told him I wasn't getting a loan for a vehicle unless he guaranteed me the job. He refused, because I was a week into the job and my performance wasn't up to evaluation. So I literally rode the paycheck another week and then resigned. (Even typed up my resignation letter with fill ins for the date/signature. So I could literally ride my time, till I was brought back into the office for the "firing talk." And that's what I did. Handed him the resignation paperwork as soon as I was called back into his office.)
As I was literally looking at 10K plus another 2K + in a RHD conversion, for the potential to lose my job because the post master wanted me to be just as fast right out of the gate as the regular I was subbing for. And yes, he told me that. "You need to get as fast as your regular now! Or I'm gonna fire you!" And those vehicles are literally only suited for postal work. It's not like I could turn it into a family vehicle. So the investment was absolutely financially unfeasible. As no job, no way to pay off the loan. Screw up your credit AND get the car repo'd.
@@YTisDumb that is a big "if" for a 20 year old vehicle living in cuomostan (home of the nation's saltiest winter).
@@walterk1221 your neighbor Wolfburgh seems to be catching up (the second state)
Great tip with overnight pressure testing, got to remember this. As far as this Jeep as long as it's not a rusted out pile then just swap in an used engine. Plenty of 4.slows in junkyards. These Cherokees are worth some decent money when unmolested.
Damn the seller was definitely a Sleazeball. I feel bad for this person.
Wow! That’s pretty cool! Not cool for the Lady, but pretty cool video. Keep these coming! Love them!
Its a 2000, get a 7120 or a 0630 head. Easy quick job
My 2000 Cherokee Sport just had the oil pump go out while driving on interstate, there are 2 years for these motors and hard to find, I managed to find a good one for $750, and she’s being installed as I write this😎💕
If she decides to go for another " used " engine , me personally I would get one from an older model ( maybe 96 through 98 )
What would be your reason for that?
@@naushad911 better made engine than what's in there ( no engine head issues )
Its the same exact engine lol. Only difference is the intake manifold
@@coltonhurley2525 , except the engine head was built stronger than those made between 99 and 01 . Manufacturers left out nickel when casting the heads ( during 99 thru 2001 )
Perfect diagnosis Eric.Watching this video was déjà but for me. One of those jobs u never forget.Working at the dealership 17 years ago I had a customer come in with his newly acquired used XJ with a 4.0 litre complaining of antifreeze consumption. Had a fresh oil change with no engine noises. I diagnosed the same cylinder head crack. This jeep still had powertrain warranty so a Chrysler reman cylinder head was installed. 3 months later the jeep was back on a tow truck with low oil pressure and a rod knock. Obviously it had been sipping coolant a lot longer than anyone knew seeing as the owner only had it for a month.Chrysler could not get us a short block so a reman long block was installed. U would think that this would be the end of the story right?WRONG. A little less than a year later the jeep was back in for an oil leak. Turned out the reman long block had a porous casting defect on the passenger side and oil was weeping through. Third time was the charm. Another reman long block installed and never saw that jeep again 😋🇨🇦
Another success story for the Chrysler Corporation.
Classic Jeep fart at 4:53. Lol
I like how you pinpointed the crack with a bore camera Dr. O.
180k not even broke in yet. Would like to know how much coolant went through the engine.
Nope, it's fully broke when the head springs a coolant leak.
A jug a week for who knows how long
It's a Chrysler product.
It wasn’t maintained well by the previous owner or owners.
Super common issue, did a few when i worked for jeep back in the day.
3:18 -- ope, there's yer problem lady
Yep, common trait with the 4.0. I put block seal & bars leak in mine and got year and a half out of it before she finally crapped out. Work beater with a 10 mile daily commute.
Is over heating the problem. Or junk casting?
It is both.
@@applepoop10 Thanks I never owned a Jeep,
My 2000 Chevrolet Z 71 pick up with The big 5.3 Has the same problem. I put some radiator stop leak in it at 235,000 miles still runs fine !
Poor gal. Any chance has a used car warranty or does ny have a law that seller is liable?
In all states a used vehicle is usually sold "as is" especially with high miles and age. In other words when you buy it it's yours! Their are lawyer's that do lemon law and they will tell you the same thing.
@@jdgimpa in Washington there are civil routes to enforce lemon laws but only if a shop had inspected it prior to purchase.
@@jdgimpa that sucks for her. Hope she didnt pay too much for it
@@jdgimpa There are fewer states that allow "as-is" than that require some kind of warranty. And even an "as-is" product must be fit for the purpose for which it was sold. If you sell it as a car, it must be suitable for use as a car when it is sold. It's arguable this is a significant enough defect to fail to meet that criteria. If she'd bought it within the last 30-60 days, it would be worth speaking with the dealer first, and a lawyer second if the dealer didn't want to help. But I suspect this was probably a private sale from another individual, who had already fired the parts canon at it trying to find the leak.
4.0L, one of the best engines ever made!
I prefer the 4.2
Good 'sleuthing'. Those 4.0 engines are usually bulletproof but when they aren't...I feel sorry for the lady that owns it!
I've owned mine for 20 years, they are bullet proof except for 99 and 00 models, they have weak heads
They are excellent engines and will last a long time with proper maintenance. Unfortunately, many people don't maintain them, They just drive until it stops and then complain about having a bad vehicle.
This is why I prefer to purchase new vehicles. It's nearly impossible to find a decent used vehicle here in the Carolinas. People just trash their cars, keep them parked outside all the time and never do much maintenance.
@@mblake0420 Really? is this a well documented trend with those engines? I'm curious because I eventually want a 4.0 5-speed Wrangler.
@@Doomzdayxx Yes, it's a known issue with the head castings in the 99-01 model years. The company that made the heads for Chrysler in that period didn't use enough nickel in the iron casting, which causes ductility problems, usually manifesting as a crack between cylinders 3 and 4. They're known as "0331" heads. They don't all crack, but it's best to treat it as a ticking time bomb.
You can check if any 99-01 4.0L head is an 0331 by looking down through the oil filler hole. If you can see "TUPY" stamped into the head, it's one of the replacement heads that fixed the issue and will not crack. If you can't see "TUPY" (you can see in Eric's video there's nothing there, it's just smooth metal), it's one of the 0331s and it *might* crack if it hasn't already.
@@dunebasher1971 Interesting and good to know. Thanks alot dude.
I'm so saying prayers for this poor lady.
JEEP ( just empty every pocket ) .
Ha!
My 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee was not that bad. But the wife 2001 Chrysler Minivan was the worst!
@@garnetredslt damn! Another good one.
99-03 cracked head. Common issue. I do a bunch of those. When you pull the head lay it flat on the floor and spin it. Its warped so bad it will spin circles
When the jeep owners say my 4.0 most reliable thing out there haha
Besides the 350 small block Chevy, and the 3800 Buick v6, what are some other extremely reliable American engines, If the amc 4.0 isn't on the list?
The cracking issue only affects factory 99-01 4.0L heads. Given how long the 4.0L was in production, the 0331 head (the one that cracks) barely dents the average.
@@dunebasher1971 Only late 99. Weve got a 99 XJ with the good head.
@@youngb1ood The Chrysler Slant 6 and 318 V8.
@@youngb1ood my son has a 97 Pontiac Grand Prix GT with a 3.8 that’s been a pia. I like the car but am ready to light a match to it.
had a coolant leak in 2000 on my dodge shadow 1990, noone could figure it out, i finally found it myself it was at the back of the engine under the starter motor was the frost plugs and block heater that they come with up in canada, (it would hit the exaust and steam off)it had 240000 kms on, it changed them out and drove it for another 4 years
I feel bad for this customer, she bought someone else's problem.
It's a known fact that buying a used car does bring in whatever past that car has. One hopes whatever used car one buys was used gently.
happened to my 4.0, machine shop bill $138, head gasket new head bolts $80.00 = Runs great no coolant issues anymore!
Just throw some pepper in the rad and run it, it will seal that tiny little crack. It has to work, i read it on the internet and as we all know if it's on the internet it has to be true.
At this point she might as well try one of the sealing products; otherwise she'll be spending a lot more money to fix or replace the Heap.
The old Perrier to seal coolant leaks...used this on Jeeps while in the Military (yes, dating myself). It worked, for a while but not a permanent fix. I agree with Mark H for a sealant product. If she likes her Jeep try anything off the shelf...if she really loves her Jeep she would invest in an engine rebuild and go another 100k miles.
As a DIYer and IF I had a backup car, the XJ is not a rotbox, a garage time and $$$ I'd either go through it or a different 4.0 engine and stroke it! There are stroker kits for these but a 318 swap would be fun to!
you should try some of those sealants in a jar that claim to fix head cracks for an experiment
I wouldn't even try to do that . Just a waste time an that stuff cloggs up radiators an the small internal coolant passages in engine blocks too . When a head or gasket goes just replace it an if it's been ran to long or much with the coolant in the oil then the hole engine needs to be swapped cause the bearings are done by that time from all that mixing .
They also plug up the water passages in the block causing overheating in specific locations that won't show up on the temp gauge but will fry the head gasket over and over and over.
Maybe if she gave him the title and said it’s yours do whatever you want with it
It is always the nice person who gets screwed over by jerks. I feel sorry for the lady.... But, your also a business. You have to be honest always with your customers and am very pleased that you are and also giving them all the options the good and bad points of each. Even a reman engine is no guarantee either.... as there is reman's and there is REMAN's some done professionally and well and some done .... well done....... Great video work Eric!!!!
I hope you made Mrs O dinner for Valentines day, maybe some venison steaks and a couple beers.
yep one of those bit me in the hind end last year. Pulled the head and sent it to the machine shop, apparently the boss didnt elect to get it magnafluxed. Got everything installed and shipped it and it came back 2 days later with the same complaints. Needless to say they all get checked for a crack at that spot now.
That poor lady got gypped.
Good for you, for spelling gypped correctly.
I haven't seen "gypped" used in quite a while Sonofabuck! (RIP Grandpa R.!)
The cylinder head is the infamous 0331. Know for cracking. Replace it with a TUPY head and send her on her way. The 4.0 will go for another 180k. My 87 4.0 has 312k on it and is still going strong.
Tim
4:50. Barking spiders?
I just figured Eric Swalwell was in the waiting room.
I found another way for coolant to disappear with no immediately obvious trace! 1986 Monte Carlo, 4.3L V6. My heater valve, on the heater hose up next to the firewall was leaking. Slow leak. The drops were running down the heater hose, and then falling onto the passenger side exhaust manifold. The vapor was then sucked up the air intake that drew pre-warmed air up into the air cleaner housing. My symptom was 1) slow coolant loss and 2) discovered much later - the air filter was sitting in a puddle of coolant! Dealer couldn’t figure it out. On a cold winter day I parked and saw a wisp of steam rise up from under the hood. I opened the hood and saw a drip travel down the heater hose and drip onto the hot exhaust manifold. That was my eureka moment! I realized that when the engine was running that wisp of vapor would condensate when it mixed with the cold air that was also in air cleaner housing. Hence the puddle of coolant the filter was sitting in.
Dang, what are the odds that the crack would be visible through the oil fill plug...
Higher than you think, when those 0331 heads go, it's right in the middle between cylinders 3 and 4.
@@litz13 interesting, guess me being based in Europe and mostly working on vw and BMW are not used to those kind of issues. (Misc sensor issues on the other hand..)
Jeep made several changes in 2000; they went to coil pack ignition, the 0331 head, and several emissions changes.
The 0331 head was a disaster. Very prone to cracking. Later heads fixed the issue and, of course, the older ones don't have it. But 2000/2001 you want to check the head casting # for sure