2004 jeep grand cherokee 4.0 head gasket replacement

Has anyone done this ?? Im about too ... but no clue what im doin !!

Anyone have any tips ?

I know I can figures it out ... Im pretty good with a wrench .. Ill pick up a jeep repair manual for the torque specs...

Anyone with tip/tricks would be much appreciated ! Whats up with the lifters ?
should i mark the rods when they come out ??
:brickwall

Its easy enough... get all the hose's and junk outa the way, pop the cover off, clean all surface's for prep of new gasket. Your biggest prob./decission will be if ya want to use gasket seal or not... U can do it either way... that will be a matter of opinion and I'm sure some will chime in as to yea or nea. I did'nt and it sealed just fine. Not sure of the torque specs... I just did it good and snug... but that's not advice... so no flames! :laugh:

:2c:

WRM :cheers:

edit: I read "head" and thought valve cover... if not,... my bad. head would be a whole different animal. lol.

Just follow the procedure in the shop manual, you'll be fine

A few tips:

Pull the head in as big a piece as possible, with both manifolds attached along with anything else you can leave on. It's a whole lot easier to strip on the bench than in the jeep.

Take lots of pictures, since this is your first time. If you have a digital camera it'll cost you nothing and it could save you some real headaches and a few questions on this forum.

Use a bolt organizer ( a good stand-in is a silverware drawer insert) and lay your bolts out in groups. Along with the pictures, this will make it a lot easier to reassemble if something comes up and it's a while before you get a chance to put it together.

Most importantly, you need to take the head to a machine shop and get it tested and surfaced. This is important because head gaskets don't fail, heads do. When you overheat an engine the head can warp enough to allow water, oil or compression to leak past the head gasket. Having the machine shop check for cracks and machine a perfect mating surface on the head is cheap insurance against having to do the job all over again.

I don't think sealant is necessary on the head gasket, but some guys swear by it. I use Fel-Pro gaskets, which appear to be coated with a thin layer of some kind of dry sealant. Whatever it is it seems to work.

That's about it. When in doubt, follow the manual.

save your money on the manual. Heres alldata:

1993 Jeep Truck Wrangler L6-242 4.0L VIN S MFI Copyright © 2007, ALLDATA 9.40 Page 1
Cylinder Head Gasket: Service and Repair
Cylinder Head Removal
REMOVAL
NOTE: This procedure can be done with the engine in or out of the vehicle.
1. Disconnect negative cable from battery.
WARNING: DO NOT remove the cylinder block drain plugs or loosen the radiator draincock with the system hot and pressurized.
Serious burns from coolant can occur.
2. Drain the coolant and disconnect the hoses at the engine thermostat housing.
NOTE: DO NOT waste reusable coolant. If the solution is clean and is being drained only to service the engine or cooling system drain the
coolant into a clean container for reuse.
3. Remove the air cleaner assembly.
Fig. 1 Engine Cylinder Head Cover
4. Remove the engine cylinder head cover.
a Disconnect negative cable from battery.
b Disconnect the Crankcase Ventilation (CCV) vacuum hose from engine cylinder head cover Fig. 1.
c Disconnect the fresh air inlet hose from the engine cylinder head cover Fig. 1.
d Remove the engine cylinder head cover mounting bolts.
e Remove the engine cylinder head cover.
Fig. 2 Rocker Arm Assembly
1993 Jeep Truck Wrangler L6-242 4.0L VIN S MFI Copyright © 2007, ALLDATA 9.40 Page 2
5. Remove the capscrews, bridge and pivot assemblies and rocker arms Fig. 2.
6. Remove the push rods Fig. 2. Retain the push rods, bridges, pivots and rocker arms in the same order as removed.
7. Loosen the serpentine drive belt at the power steering pump, if equipped or at the idler pulley (refer to Cooling System for the proper procedure).
8. If equipped with air conditioning, perform the following:
a. Remove the bolts from the A/C compressor mounting bracket and set the compressor aside.
b. Remove the air conditioner compressor bracket bolts from the engine cylinder head.
c. Loosen the through bolt at the bottom of the bracket.
9. If equipped, disconnect the power steering pump bracket. Set the pump and bracket aside. DO NOT disconnect the hoses.
10. Perform the Fuel System Pressure Release procedure (refer to Fuel System section).
11. Remove the fuel lines and vacuum advance hose.
12. Remove the intake and engine exhaust manifolds from the engine cylinder head (refer to Exhaust System and Intake Manifold for the proper
procedures).
13. Disconnect the ignition wires and remove the spark plugs.
14. Disconnect the temperature sending unit wire connector.
15. Remove the ignition coil and bracket assembly.
Fig. 6 Engine Cylinder Head Assembly
16. Remove the engine cylinder head bolts. Bolt # 14 cannot be removed until the head is moved forward Fig. 6. Pull bolt # 14 out as far as it will go
and then suspend the bolt in this position (tape around the bolt).
17. Remove the engine cylinder head and gasket Fig. 6.
18. If this was the first time the bolts were removed, put a paint dab on the top of the bolt. If the bolts have a paint dab on the top of the bolt or it isn't
known if they were used before, discard the bolts.
19. Stuff clean lint free shop towels into the cylinder bores.
CLEANING
1. Thoroughly clean the engine cylinder head and cylinder block mating surfaces.
2. Clean the intake and engine exhaust manifold and engine cylinder head mating surfaces.
3. Remove all gasket material and carbon.
4. Check to ensure that no coolant or foreign material has fallen into the tappet bore area.
5. Remove the carbon deposits from the combustion chambers and top of the pistons.
INSPECTION
Use a straightedge and feeler gauge to check the flatness of the engine cylinder head and block mating surfaces.

install:

1993 Jeep Truck Wrangler L6-242 4.0L VIN S MFI Copyright © 2007, ALLDATA 9.40 Page 1
Cylinder Head Gasket: Service and Repair
Cylinder Head Installation
INSTALLATION
The engine cylinder head gasket is a composition gasket. The gasket is to be installed DRY. DO NOT use a gasket sealing compound on the gasket.
If the engine cylinder head is to be replaced and the original valves used, measure the valve stem diameter. Only standard size valves can be used with
a service replacement engine cylinder head unless the replacement head valve stem guide bores are reamed to accommodate oversize valve stems.
Remove all carbon buildup and reface the valves.
1. Remove the shop towels from the cylinder bores. Coat the bores with clean engine oil.
2. Position the engine cylinder head gasket (with the numbers facing up) onto the cylinder block.
CAUTION: Engine cylinder head bolts should be reused only once. Replace the head bolts if they were used before or it they have a paint dab on
the top of the bolt.
Fig. 6 Engine Cylinder Head Assembly
3. With bolt # 14 held in place (tape around bolt), install the engine cylinder head. Remove the tape from bolt # 14.
4. Coat the threads of stud bolt # 11 with Loctite (TM) 592 sealant, or equivalent.
Fig. 7 Engine Cylinder Head Bolt Tightening Sequence
5. Tighten the engine cylinder head bolts in sequence according to the following procedure Fig. 7:
a. Tighten all bolts in sequence (1 through 14) to 30 N.m (22 ft. lbs.) torque.
b. Tighten all bolts in sequence (# 1 through 14) to 61 N.m (45 ft. lbs.) torque.
c. Check all bolts to verify they are set to 61 N.m (45 ft. lbs.) torque.
d. Tighten bolts (in sequence):
^ Bolts # 1 through 10 to 149 N.m (110 ft. lbs.) torque.
^ Bolt # 11 to 13 N.m (100 ft. lbs.) torque.
^ Bolts # 12 through 14 to 149 N.m (110 ft. lbs.) torque.
CAUTION: During the final tightening sequence, bolt # 11 will be tightened to a lower torque than the rest of the bolts. DO NOT overtighten
bolt # 11.
e. Check all bolts in sequence to verify the correct torque.
f. If not already done, clean and mark each bolt with a dab of paint after tightening. Should you encounter bolts which were painted in an earlier
service operation, replace them.
6. Install the ignition coil and bracket assembly.
7. Connect the temperature sending unit wire connector.
1993 Jeep Truck Wrangler L6-242 4.0L VIN S MFI Copyright © 2007, ALLDATA 9.40 Page 2
8. Install the spark plugs and tighten to 37 N.m (27 ft. lbs.) torque. Connect the ignition wires.
9. Install the intake and engine exhaust manifolds. Refer to Engine/Intake Manifold/Service and Repair.
See: Cooling System/Service and Repair
10. Install the fuel lines and the vacuum advance hose.
11. If equipped, attach the power steering pump and bracket.
Fig. 2 Rocker Arm Assembly
12. Install the push rods, rocker arms, pivots and bridges in the order they were removed. Tighten the capscrews to 28 Nm (21 ft. lbs.).
13. Install the engine cylinder head cover.Tighten the
14. Attach the air conditioner compressor mounting bracket to the engine cylinder head and block. Tighten the bolts to 40 N.m (30 ft. lbs.) torque.
15. Attach the air conditioning compressor to the bracket. Tighten the bolts to 27 N.m (20 ft. lbs.) torque.
CAUTION: The serpentine drive belt must be routed correctly. Incorrect routing can cause the water pump to turn in the opposite direction
causing the engine to overheat.
16. Install the serpentine drive belt and correctly tension the belt. Refer to Engine/Drive Belts, Mounts, Brackets and Accessories /Drive
Belt/Service and Repair for the proper procedure.
See: Drive Belts, Mounts, Brackets and Accessories/Drive Belt/Service and Repair
17. Install the air cleaner and ducting.
18. Install the engine cylinder head cover. Tighten bolts to 13 Nm (115 in. lbs.).
19. Connect the hoses to the engine thermostat housing and fill the cooling system to the specified level. Refer to Cooling Systems/Service and
Repair for the proper procedure.
See: Cooling System/Service and Repair
20. The automatic transmission throttle linkage and cable must be adjusted after completing the engine cylinder head installation.
21. Install the temperature sending unit and connect the wire connector.
22. Connect the fuel line.
23. Connect negative cable to battery.
24. Connect the upper radiator hose and heater hose at the engine thermostat housing.
25. Fill the cooling system. Check for leaks.
WARNING: Use extreme caution when the engine is operating. DO NOT stand in direct line with the fan. DO NOT put hands near the
pulleys, belts or fan. DO NOT wear loose clothing .
26. Operate the engine with the radiator cap off. Inspect for leaks and continue operating the engine until the engine thermostat opens. Add coolant, if
required.

Sweeeeet ! Machine guy said she was dirty but good to go .. recommended Sea-Foam in the oild for the next 6000 miles ???
Ever hear of this ?

these rods are hard to get back in right ! ahhhhhh !

seafoam is the greatest....do a search on it!

What is the Torque spec for the Jeep Wrangler 2001 Sport 4.0L Valve Cover Head Gasket?

Thank you
Nas