So an XJ Jeep...head gasket a total pain?

My buddy moved to Florida to his new job, and to celebrate that he bought a new car (a Suzuki SX4...really REALLY wish he would've consulted me first!). That means his mid-'90s XJ Jeep is just sitting at his parent's house. He said there's no point in selling it, because he wouldn't get anything for it.

For one thing, it has 201K miles. It's an auto, still shifts fine, though it doesn't go into 4WD. It has some slight rust of the rear fenders. The driver's door creaks terribly when opened, as it was tweaked by a cab while it was open. The stereo works, but none of the speakers do. The interior looks like it was attacked by cocaine-fueled ferrets.

But other than that, the thing runs like a freaking tank. He just gets it oil changed, and occasional wear items like shocks and belts, and it keeps starting. The only thing I noticed is some slightly brown coolant. When asked if it's ever overheated, he said, "Yea, like a few years ago, and if it sits in traffic for too long the temperature gauge goes way up."

So to sum up, we have a mostly mechanically-sound, beat up Jeep that refuses to die, despite having a blown head gasket for the last 50,000ish miles, that I could probably have for next to free. How hard is that head gasket to change? A snowy parking lot donut machine that could also lug all my audio gear around is awfully enticing when it costs less than my TV.

No worse than any modern fuel injected engine. You do have some good access to bolts as well. However, the head is heavy. Big and Heavy.

i think its one of the easiest ones out there except for the size/weight issue. being a pushrod inline that doesnt lay on its side the head just sits there until everything's undone. the most frustrating parts are going to be a couple small bolts at the back of the head/valve cover where a swivel or small wrenches help, and removing the intake and exhaust since theyre on the same side, but its more frustrating than difficult.

i'd look into radiators too, our challenge jeep looks like it may have had an issue like that in the past as it spews chocolatey brown crap every time we flush it and i suspect half the cooling passages are clogged up.

Didn't even read the post. Based on the question, there aren't many easier head gaskets to work on. The XJ as well as the short-wheel base Jeeps (CJ, YJ, TJ) are easy to work on. When you fill the coolant remove the bybass hose from the t-stat housing. When no more air comes out, the system is free of air.

i think its one of the easiest ones out there except for the size/weight issue.

x2.

do it and dont look back.

Check the vacuum disconnect for the front axle and see if they've failed. If so, that's why 4x4 doesn't work.

Twin_Cam wrote: The only thing I noticed is some slightly brown coolant. When asked if it's ever overheated, he said, "Yea, like a few years ago, and if it sits in traffic for too long the temperature gauge goes way up."

I too think this sounds more like a 15 year old radiator with 200k miles on it rather than a headgasket.

I'm looking forward to doing a heavy duty HG on the XJ-R so we can hold moarBOOOOST

Since it is an automatic, it could be the cooler in the radiator.

Definitely get the head checked out some years were prone to cracking.

If it won't go into four wheel drive, I'd suspect that the shift linkage is rusted up. Unbolt it, sandblast and paint it and then replace the bushings, which are cheap and available at the Jeep dealership. I had to do this on both of my Jeeps.

Well, it turns out his sister kind of adopted the car as her own, but isn't in love with it at all. She may need to be convinced to let it go (not that kind of convincing, you sick dog! Yes, she's attractive, no I don't have a picture of her, and even if she wasn't attractive, my fiancee wouldn't be too thrilled with that!).

So updates to come if the car becomes available and I pick it up. Have to look into parking and insurance costs as well.