Oh [censored].........this is not good......

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I also wonder about coolant. I would want to check that.

If trapping maximum contaminant until it's thoroughly clean is a concern, an MC Fl1a will go on there and is a cheap, high capacity filter for that application.
 
I've learned my lesson about clicking on people's links to photographs of their sludged up engines. I don't do it no more; way too disturbing.
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
The 4.0L I6 isn't invincible in those newer years. They have piston skirt issues and I believe head issues. Miller88 should be able to let you know which years you don't want. You don't want a 99&newer I believe.


A 2000 Might have the porous 0331 head, and if so then the coolant level will be reduced over time and cause sludge so that's a concern. 2000 was also the year they fixed the issue so it depends on build date.

Agree with several oil changes in rapid succession, 1 month/1000 miles and make sure it gets good and hot. Glad to hear you'll be pulling the oil pan...I'm sure while you are there you will clean the oil pick up.


Oh......well that's not something I wanted to hear. Should I be concerned so it the head to the point of considering a replacement?
 
This slime does look like an oil and coolant cocktail.

99-02 will have the 0331 head. I have read a few later made 02's might have the Tupy though. The word Tupy will be cast in the head and is visible inside the oil fill hole.
 
Originally Posted By: Striker2237
So.....my daily driver is a 2000 Jeep grand Cherokee with the invincible 4.0L engine that i picked up a few months back when I had the engine out of my truck.

I decided to run some basic repairs (valve cover gasket and thermostat) and I got one [censored] of a shock when I took the cover off. It was gunked halfway to [censored] and by far was the worst example of gunk I have ever seen.

Thread on my usual forum has the details of what went on and how I fixed it.

http://www.ramforumz.com/showthread.php?t=215653 remove the space to go read what happened.


Quick question:

I went to your thread on the Ram forum, and you linked to a video of someone taking a high pressure power washer and hosing off the top end of the engine.

Did you actually do that to your truck, or was that just for comedy?

BC.
 
Originally Posted By: Bladecutter
Originally Posted By: Striker2237
So.....my daily driver is a 2000 Jeep grand Cherokee with the invincible 4.0L engine that i picked up a few months back when I had the engine out of my truck.

I decided to run some basic repairs (valve cover gasket and thermostat) and I got one [censored] of a shock when I took the cover off. It was gunked halfway to [censored] and by far was the worst example of gunk I have ever seen.

Thread on my usual forum has the details of what went on and how I fixed it.

http://www.ramforumz.com/showthread.php?t=215653 remove the space to go read what happened.


Quick question:

I went to your thread on the Ram forum, and you linked to a video of someone taking a high pressure power washer and hosing off the top end of the engine.

Did you actually do that to your truck, or was that just for comedy?

BC.


Yes.....that was me holding the washer, is there a problem?

Anyway I now have 15-40 rotella and a high cap fram and the engine seems to really like the heavier oil.
 
Originally Posted By: Striker2237
Originally Posted By: Bladecutter
Quick question:

I went to your thread on the Ram forum, and you linked to a video of someone taking a high pressure power washer and hosing off the top end of the engine.

Did you actually do that to your truck, or was that just for comedy?

BC.


Yes.....that was me holding the washer, is there a problem?

Anyway I now have 15-40 rotella and a high cap fram and the engine seems to really like the heavier oil.


Oh, nothing.

Just wanted to point out to everyone here that you used a high pressure water sprayer into the top end of your engine. I don't think that's usually a recommended way of cleaning sludge out of the top end of an engine.

You know, with the possibility of damaging parts like the valve stem seals, I might not have chosen that way to go about cleaning things.

BC.
 
Originally Posted By: Bladecutter
Originally Posted By: Striker2237
Originally Posted By: Bladecutter
Quick question:

I went to your thread on the Ram forum, and you linked to a video of someone taking a high pressure power washer and hosing off the top end of the engine.

Did you actually do that to your truck, or was that just for comedy?

BC.


Yes.....that was me holding the washer, is there a problem?

Anyway I now have 15-40 rotella and a high cap fram and the engine seems to really like the heavier oil.


Oh, nothing.

Just wanted to point out to everyone here that you used a high pressure water sprayer into the top end of your engine. I don't think that's usually a recommended way of cleaning sludge out of the top end of an engine.

You know, with the possibility of damaging parts like the valve stem seals, I might not have chosen that way to go about cleaning things.

BC.


I'm fully aware of that, however the way the valve stems are set up I would have to spray almost directly downward and intentionally under the rockers. Otherwise they are fairly well shielded by the rocker arms plus I did not have the pressure all that high.

Also in grand total if I fried a valve seal so what? It had 250k on so I'm sure that any damage done would have had very little effect on it at this point lol! Also I really did not feel like having to change the oil like crazy and stuff and just wanted all the sludge gone NOW. That's really it, I knew the engine could take it so I did it lol.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Striker2237
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
The 4.0L I6 isn't invincible in those newer years. They have piston skirt issues and I believe head issues. Miller88 should be able to let you know which years you don't want. You don't want a 99&newer I believe.


A 2000 Might have the porous 0331 head, and if so then the coolant level will be reduced over time and cause sludge so that's a concern. 2000 was also the year they fixed the issue so it depends on build date.

Agree with several oil changes in rapid succession, 1 month/1000 miles and make sure it gets good and hot. Glad to hear you'll be pulling the oil pan...I'm sure while you are there you will clean the oil pick up.


Oh......well that's not something I wanted to hear. Should I be concerned so it the head to the point of considering a replacement?


My 2000 GC had the porous head, I was always topping off the antifreeze and the UOA showed coolant. Blackstone suggested a 2000-2500 mile interval.

In your case IMO the sludge takes priority, and the coolant doesn't matter right now since you'll be doing very short intervals.

Once it is cleaned up however, in your place I would get a 2000 mile UOA, as well as keep an eye on coolant level.

Also, you will probably want to check the head itself; located behind the manifolds will be the casting number. If it says 0331 you will want to eventually replace it. This situation is not the "catastroohic failure" tyoe, so if you have the 0331 and do short OCIs there is little worry.
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
f; located behind the manifolds will be the casting number. If it says 0331 you will want to eventually replace it. This situation is not the "catastroohic failure" tyoe, so if you have the 0331 and do short OCIs there is little worry.



Ha ha ha phone call @ work + short editing time... "catastrophic failure type". And I should have put the 0331 information first.
 
So am I correct to assume that I have a failing head if my coolant is continuing to disappear?

Where is the casting number exactly?
 
Well it's a 0331 head as expected so I am going to assume that it's cracked and start sourcing a new head.
 
My '98 has a seeping heater core, that can also be a cause of slow coolant loss. Keep an eye on the coolant level, if it doesn't start sledging your oil, I wouldn't be super concerned.
 
Bar's Leak tablets should fix it - cheap & worth a try. The only coolant tablets I ever use - safe, effective and the same as the GM tablets available at your local Chevy dealer. Available at NAPA.

0427_3.JPG
 
Originally Posted By: Striker2237
Well it's a 0331 head as expected so I am going to assume that it's cracked and start sourcing a new head.


It's usually not a crack situation, it is more that a poor quality metal was used in the casting process and once it heats up it becomes porous.

thumbsup2.gif
on the new head, once installed your sludging days should be in the past (but still clean out the pan)


edit: Oh and Bar's Leak or other radiator "fixes" don't work in this situation. I did plenty of research for my '00.
 
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