Jeep XJ 2.5 Turbo Diesel - Cracked Head

I stopped in front of the house and saw the coolant under the Jeep. When the engine warmed up, the coolant went out of the container. I suspected that the engine head had cracked and unfortunately, I was right.
1997 Jeep Cherokee XJ
2.5 turbo diesel engine
5 speed manual transmission
Dana 30 front and Dana 35 rear differential
NP231 Command Trac transfer case
4.25 inch lift kit - Rusty's 3 inch lift kit and 1.25 inch pucks
31x10.5x15 Cooper Discoverer STT PRO tires
Dragon Winch DWM 12000 HD with synthetic rope

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

This engine is notorious for cracking heads. The thing is with that engine, each cylinder has its own head and when one of them cracks, people usually only change that one. There are heads that are better than the factory ones and once when the head cracks, if all 4 are replaced there is no more problem. It's very expensive, but once it's done right, it's a permanent solution and more profitable in the long run. At this point, my Jeep is already fixed.

[@TopDjir]

Nisam stigao da pročitam sve komentare, pa možda ima taj podatak, koliko je prešao taj motor, koliko je kod tebe?
Ja sam 8 godina vozio VM 2.8 CRD (120kw, 400nm) u Liberty, nisam nikada imao problema, doduše prešao je bio samo oko 130-140K koliko se sećam, prodao sam ga 2016. pa sam zaboravio...

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

@TopDjir navodno 460000. 😁 Problem je to što kad se kupuje nešto s tim motorom, ne možeš znati što je netko prije radio. Najčešće kad nekome pukne glava, ljudi mijenjaju samo tu ili čak i vare. Npr. na drugim motorima kad zamijeniš glavu, obično je to za sve cilindre, dok je ovdje za svaki cilindar posebno. Sad sam stavio sve 4 nove i to one za koje je provjereno da traju i bolje su od tvorničkih tako da sam na miru. Moj tata vozi isti takav Jeep sa puno više km i nikad nikakvih problema, ali su prije dosta godina isto tako zamijenjene sve 4 glave.

[@TopDjir]

@@V8AmericanMuscleCar da ti kažem, i mi očekujemo da nešto traje milion kilometara :) :) :)

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

@@TopDjir a baš to! Ako sat ne krene ponovo iz nule, onda auto ne valja. 😅

[@Garrett053]

That is awesome! Good job.

[@andreavirgilio3843]

i am so sorry for you, i had the same problem on may 2023. it cost me too much, but i very love this car, damn!

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

It's the same with me and that's why I decided on 4 new heads. Very expensive and I would tell you exactly how much it cost me but my wife could read this. 😅

[@andreavirgilio3843]

@@V8AmericanMuscleCar you are lucky! my wife knows everything! 😆 she don't talk to me from may 2023 🤣

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

@@andreavirgilio3843 🤣🤣🤣

[@muddyjeepers5944]

That sucks that happened but glad you got it fixed. Keep on Jeepin buddy.

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

Thanks!

[@southcentralmontana2730]

Having biodiesel option is definitely a huge benefit over the 4.0 liter engine

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

This thin runs great on any type of wasted oils. 🙂

[@onefastcyclist]

sorry to find this - but I'm certain the new heads will be enjoyed for years to come

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

Thanks. Me too. 😄

[@D-LS-XJ]

Hello, love your vids. What brand heads did you buy and from where? I also saw that you have a 3” lift on your jeep. Did you have to change your driveshaft and something else or the lift kit was pretty much bolt on? Thank you.

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

Thanks man! The heads are AMC and were bought here in Croatia. I have a 3 inch Rusty's lift kit and 1.25 inch pucks. Total 4.25 and everything else is stock and there are no vibrations.

[@D-LS-XJ]

Thanks a lot🙌🏻

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

@D-LS-XJ no problem. I didn't mention one thing, rear brake lines are extended. 😉

[@D-LS-XJ]

@@V8AmericanMuscleCar I thought so. Did you put frame stiffeners on the jeep?

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

@@D-LS-XJ No, but now you've got me interested... 😁

[@796andy2]

is a 4.0 swap possible or is it too much work/$$ ?
glad it's fixed !!

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

Thanks. It is possible but too much work. There shouldn't be any more problems and I love this engine. It also saved me a lot of money because I mostly drive it on wasted oils. 🙂

[@613Builds]

🛠️😎👍🏽

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

It happens. 😁

[@lbalog6]

Bilo je pitanje vremena.. ako misliš da si rijesio problem čak ni nove glave nisu garancija. Treba eliminirati visko. Ja sam na mom xj ove god 2 puta skidao glave, prvi put dve puknute drugi put samo jedna. Troškovi su strasni, ja nisam našao opravdanje za nove glave.

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

Zato sam ja stavio sve 4 nove AMC glave. Vrlo skupo, ali kad se to napravi, traje. Tako kažu svi koji su to napravili, nikad vise nisu imali problema. Moj tata isto ima 2.5 TD kocku, to je napravljeno davno i nema nikakvih problema. Baš je kod mojeg mehaničara bio Patrol i X3 sa istim problemom. Što je najbolje, neće ni oni proći jeftinije a stvar je da na tim ostalim motorima kad promijene glavu, nova je za sve cilindre. Šta je ko prije mene radio, nemam pojma, ali bile su i varene glave. Sad vjerujem da bi trebao biti na miru...bar se nadam. 😁

[@lbalog6]

Držim ti fige! Nakon toliko novaca moraš vjerovati u nesto😂
Hidropodozace si isto promjenio sad? Klackalice i štangice su dobre? Nadam se da je majstor poštivao proceduru stiskanja glava..

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

@@lbalog6 😅👍 Iskreno nisam pitao, dobar je mehaničar i slagao je puno tih motora pa sam rekao da napravi što je potrebno. Nije nikako ugodno za novčanik, ali manje sam u strahu dok se vozim. 😅

[@lbalog6]

Evo ja dok vozim vise gledam na kazaljku temperature nego na cestu😅 Još nisam na čisto da li bi stavio neki kvalitetniji motor ili zamijenio xj za nešto drugo.
Ima li tko xj redizajn za dijelove u tvojoj okolici?

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

@@lbalog6 a da, pa to je normalno za VM-ovce! Od kad sam prvi put sjeo u njega, ne skidam pogled s temperature. 😅
Nemam pojma, ovi redizajnirani nisu tako česti za dijelove.

[@tartopom2669]

Do you have a link for where you found the heads ? Looks like mine are dead now 😭

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

I'm sorry to hear that. Unfortunately I don't have a link, my mechanic had someone where he bought them. The most important thing is that they are AMC, they are better than the factory ones and there are no more problems with them. I put all 4 new ones. Expensive but way to go if you don't want problems with heads.

[@tartopom2669]

@@V8AmericanMuscleCar oh ok np. Have fun with yours 👌

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

@@tartopom2669 thanks, you too and I wish you luck. Cheers!

[@JercCro]

Sta nisi nedavno novi motor ubacivao u njega?😅

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

"Novi" 😅

[@hermanerichsen5478]

Do you know why? Did it ever overheat?

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

I overheated it several times, even a couple of days before, so maybe that was the problem. But it probably would have happened anyway, it's old engine.

[@kmet2000]

Je si stavo nove bolje sve cetiri glave?

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

Jesam. Skupo, ali da nemam brige više oko toga.

[@wyattoneable]

Oh no.

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

It has already been fixed, but it was very expensive.

[@simundujic]

Bok troha

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

Bok! 🙋‍♂️