the 0331 head thread (help out if you have one!)

[vadrums]

Picked up a good used 0331 head that the rep said was from a 2003. It has the "WJ" at the place between #3 and #4 cylinders. Is this a supposed good head? My date says "210".

[Retlaw01XJ]

I'm looking at a late 2000 head and a 2004 head.
Both have 'WJ' at #6
Between #1 and #2, the 2000 head has 'NH2' and the 2004 head has '04 24'..... I'm guessing the 04 24 means 24th day of 2004.
Between #2 and #3, the 200 head has '00' and the 2004 head might have a partial '4' can't tell.
2000 head also has a '269' over the #5 exhaust port.... I believe that's 269th day of 2000.

Your 2003 head doesn't exactly match either of these. Do you see any indication of year similat to what I mentioned?

[SilverXJ]

Does your 2004 head have anything between #3 and #4?

[Gorillaxj]

My 2000 XJ head cracked 167K miles. was manga-fluxed and pressure checked at 156K miles, checked out ok. If you have this head off, REPLACE it with a updated casting or a different casting all together. Now tearing the motor apart again just to cover my butt in the long run. Wish I knew of the problems before I rebuilt my motor... I will take pics and list casting numbers once I remove it.

Cracked between cyl 3-4.

[Retlaw01XJ]

Here's a pic of the 2004 TUPY 0331 casting, between cyl 3 and 4:

[superstingray77]

The 0331 I have was my original 99 WJ 4.0 head which I transferred in good condition to the 96 Cherokee that had a cracked head. I swapped to a better casting/ported for the stroker. Well I sold the 96 to a buddy of mine and he called last week with an overheat issue. Went out checked it over and fired it up cylinders 1 and 2 were dead. We nursed it home to my shop. Pulled the head and founda hole through the #1 piston but thankfully no damage anyplace else in the lower end. Replaced the # 1 piston and rod with new bearings and rings honed cylinder etc. I had hoped the head was OK but alas cracked right between the #1 intake and exhaust valves. Even if it can be repaired as its an 0331 I wont chance it.

[Cerveja]

Okay, finally got around to pulling my valve cover to see what's really under the hood. Previous owner told me the motor was stroked, overbored and head replaced with a later model without the casting issue. I think he lied, but maybe you all can tell me differently. The vehicle is a 2000 XJ Cherokee with about 160,000 on the clock. It seems to have problem drinking coolant, but not sure where it's going. Engine seems to run fine, occasionally starts rough and idles rough but levels out and runs smooth after a few seconds. Oil pressure is fine at start up, but drops below ten at hot idle. So here are the pictures.

[Cerveja]

So I can only post three pics at a time, so here are the last three.

[Cerveja]

Okay, final one, probably the one you've all been waiting for....

It's obviously still in the truck. So I haven't had the heads off or had a chance to clean them really good or flip them over and check out the combustion chambers. Also haven't done an oil analysis or checked the exhaust gases for contamination. The oil looks clean, it's black as it's overdue for a change and I am running 15W40 to help compensate the low oil pressure. There was a little bit of brown milk on the inside of the valve cover, but not as much as I was expecting, more like condensation from the winter temperature change. It was also at the back of the cover at the fire wall, not at the middle and not dispersed throughout the cover like I would have expected.

[SilverXJ]

Which pic is of between the #3 and #4 cylinders, dead middle of the head?

[Cerveja]

I don't recall. I am putting the valve cover on tomorrow, so I will take another one tomorrow to be sure. Why do you ask? What am I looking for?

[SilverXJ]

Between the #3 and #4 piston there will be TUPY is you have the later head. As seen here:

[Cerveja]

Hmmm, yeah, not so sure I have anything like that. Took a snap of it this afternoon, but I don't recall seeing the TUPY.

By the way, nice red Engine there. Looks good!!!

[SilverXJ]

Unless the aftermarket strengthened heads lack the tupy mark then the PO lied to you. Might want to drop the oil pan and see what crank you have.

[Cerveja]

I don't want to get off topic as I think this is a great thread, but is there an easy way to tell one crank from the other? Is there a casting mark or ID Stamp or just tell by measuring the throw of the crank?