hockeyman16

I recently found out that my 96 XJ has a cracked head and based on my research some of my options are to get another through alabamacylinderhead.com which seems to have postive reviews from other XJ owners or quite possibly from a 02+ TJ Wrangler because of the 0331 head, however i was hoping to gather some more insight on the situation and to see if there are any other less costly ways to go about fixing this or if its worth it to scour craigslist for a used one...just trying to get some feedback and im sorry if there is already a thread seeing that this is my first post

Gee oh Dee

What are your plans and budget for the truck?

Cherokees around your year are known for that issue, if I'm not mistaken, so I'd stay away from those if you go used.

Don't the H.O. motors have a different head with bigger intake and exhaust ports? If you can make those fit I'd try to pick one of them up and use it.

CAEMI

I don't know how much alabama costs but entire 4.0 engines are $500 all day long on craigslist all over the country.

I'd buy a used engine, pull the head, scrap the block, keep the accessories for spares.

TheJerm

or get a junk yard head for like $100, take it to a machine shop to get checked out for straightness, put new valve seals in it and slap it on. Call it good

rich

50/50 chance of getting the same problem like you already have,If you just want to throw money around and gamble we all will take some.Just get yourself a head off e-bay all those companys sell on e-bay for a cheaper price check into it.

5-90

You definitely have a 1996? That's the 0630 head, which usually is pretty good. Source your replacement from any 1996-1999 (XJ) or 1996-1998 (other models) Jeep, go through it to clean it up, and drop it on. Head cracking on the 0630s is agreeably rare.

What everyone else seems to be referring to is the 1999-up 0331 head - which is known for cracking (1999-2001ish) on the top between the #3 and #4 cylinders, right under the oil filler cap. In that case, I'd be telling you to look for a 2002-up #0331 head with "TUPY" as a foundry mark - it's a revised head that tends to not crack.

However, given that you don't have the 0331 head to deal with, you have less of a problem.

I won't swear to it, but the 1991-1995 #7120 head should also work (the difference, if present, would be in the exhaust ports lining up with the header primaries. I haven't had a chance to verify this yet.)

rich

Not everyone!.Also its all aftermarket heads that have repaired the weak casting on the 0331 that way everyone knows what to look for.For the price of a new head versus hunting for a used head then bringing to a shop I would just get a new head for the small price differance he will have,plus then he has a warrenty.

CAEMI

x2

No matter where you source the head...if it came off a running engine it is probably good and spending money to have a machine shop surface it is not necessary. In fact, I would not bother with valve seals, re-grinds, or anything else. You were not going to do this to the head you already have so why bother with a replacement?

Buy an 18" steel rule from a good office supply store. Check the rule's edge for trueness against the glass countertop at the store. The glass will be flat. If the rule is true, check the head with it. If not...pick another rule. But mostly steel rulers are straight and true - certainly enough so to check the head. Remember...the head gasket will absorb a wee bit of imperfection. If you search Google, you'll find a number for a "reasonable" amount of variation. Take your feeler gauges and if the head is too far out, keep looking. But it won't be unless the engine had been seriously overheated. The head was flat when the OEM installed it...it should still be flat.

If you don't find any valleys and mountains, buy it and buy a head gasket...preferably a Fel-Pro.

Put the head on...and follow the bolt tightening instructions. Raise the torque in three steps minimum or even four steps...it only takes an extra few minutes.

Plug everything back in and drive. Easy peasy Japanesy.

JeepLV96

I bought my 96 XJ with a cracked head with 180xxx miles and ended up getting a motor from a 99 with only 10k on it. My 99 motor has the same 0630 head on it but it doesnt have the temperature sender casted it like the 96 one did. If your looking for a new head check to see if there is a hole for a sender. I had to put the gauge sender in the block coolant drain hole.

5-90

I said "clean it up," not "put it in the shop." You're right - unless you're going to do the bottom end as well, no point in rebuilding the head. Merely go through and clean all of the carbon off, get any crud off of the top of the head and out of the drainback/pushrod holes, and make sure the welch plugs are in nice and tight and that gasket surfaces aren't pitted - takes an hour, tops. Do it on the workbench in your garage.

Fel-Pro gaskets are good, I commonly use them. Victor/Reinz is better, but they're harder to find.