Hands down, my favorite go to XJ channel. Your hard earned knowedge, friendliness, honesty and integrity make you an easy choice. Oh yeah, and you and your brother just seem like good dudes too. Thanks
Your videos are awesome. I'm 36 been wrenching for 20 years. I have one customer that's a dear friend has had the same 01 xj sport since almost new. I've been working on it since I was 16. I know those in and out lol. But I did a heater core on it a couple weeks ago. Your video was a good reference. I appreciate it.
For what it is worth dex, I watched the whole thing and really appreciate it. I like this format a lot. It felt like it was just hanging out with you guys while you did it and the commentary between you two was also helpful.
As I get ready to put my first round of refreshed engines back together, this video graces youtube! I can never thank you enough for all the hard work and dedication, and all youve learned me!
Been waiting a long time for a good complete video on changing pistons without removing the engine. You showed all the time saving tricks, so many Jeep 4.0s have this problem & get junked cause of bad pistons. Thanks Dex
Thanks Dex and Justin. I sat rite here and watched this entire video. I enjoy just hearing y’all talk back n forth on the fly. I respect and appreciate y’all’s experience. I learned a lot. Thanks guys.
Great video! My 97 Grand Cherokee is a bit noisey. Probably, after watching your videos, it’s the pistons. Thanks for your videos. The most informative I’ve seen.
Merry Christmas Dex, Meagan, Justin! Thanks for the long video, I like the long vids I usually use them to fall asleep dreaming about fixing up my ‘96 lol
Love this video! Appreciate you making it in an uncut version including keeping your mistakes in. We all learn way more that way. I bought an XJ with a rebuilt motor that mostly wont turn over. This video has given me ideas on what to check.
Wake up at 340 am couldn't sleep no more put this video and now I'm ready to work on mine 😅 great video I used to work on my uncle shop in PR and all we do was Jeep Cherokee great video also gonna subscribe
I got a comment , but it may be a two part comment. Cause this video is full of info. Plus Justin's video commentary is priceless, so I have to watch this again. and no you wont lose me as a subscriber. lol
Thank you for every video you have made I’ve been trying to figure out what my ticking and low oil pressure was on my 88 after watching your last video and all your oil pressure videos I dropped the pan to find out the rod bearings had no tappet material left just straight copper they are .001 under sized bearings so someone has been in the motor before I’ll slap some new .001 bearings in it and an oil pump and let it ride (cam bearings have no play)
Another banger of a video Dex. We watched your XJ heater core episode during my families Christmas Saturday, blew their minds dude!!! Merry Christmas to you and Justin and everybody!!!
I bought my 02 tj with a "noisey lifter". Turned out it was the number6 piston skirts were missing. New motor in now and I'll have it on the road in the spring. Can't wait. Thanks for the vid!
Take 2, 3 or 4 brake clean hoses, put them end to end, and join them together with small shrink tube to make a long one! Love your videos. 👍🏼👍🏼 "Merry Christmas!" 🎄
Love these styles of videos, the ones like I'm there helping you out. Just started watching this one and I know I liked the wagoneer video so I know I will with this one too. Keep it going😂
Your business is great and I appreciate you only or specializing on Jeeps! Where are you and your brother's business located!? I would like to come and throw you some business after a short discussion. Thanks for sharing this with me as always.
I had A Motor that sounded like that tried to see if I could find where the noise was coming from with out pulling the motor out !! checked the lifters not the problem !! give up trying to fix it and just chose to just run it tell it died 2 years later when it sent the piston through the block!! Note it all started after not changing the oil for a really long time( years) ! And then one day in December I chose to change the oil and drove home sounded fine but the next day I started the jeep up and it sounded like that!!. - The guy I got the jeep from said his kid did not change the oil for a long time before I got it for parts !! the motor run good in tell I changed the oil. Great video Dex thanks
My 91 XJ. It has 158k miles, low for a reason. It had ABS and the brakes failed on me like 12 years ago so it sat for years up until like 2015 when I finally got the brakes fixed. All good now. But that’s not my issue. So upon starting the XJ from cold start. Everything is good. When engine is at operating temp, driven for sometime you shut it off for a few minutes. Start it back up and it may or may not start ticking. The tick will continue or go away. If it continues to tick it will not go away until engine is shut off. The engine may tick for a sec and go away and will not come back. The engine never starts to tick when it’s running for how ever long it’s running. It holds 30 oil pressure at operating temp. Lifters pump good oil up to the rockers arms. Lifters sound like marbles when revving it up. I don’t hear any knock on piston slap. Had an oil analysis done and it showed no abnormal wear in any engine parts. So any suggestions on what the tick could be?
I believe the same thing is happening to my Jeep when I start it sounds like a rod knock when I’m driving under load you don’t hear it but come to find out my 4.0 has piston slap because I put 2 quart’s of Lucas in and the noise still happens lol even with 15w 40 diesel engine oil. That’s how I know it still has piston slap. But other than it still starts and runs lol and I do see steam coming from my valve cover so I know it’s has blow by and I let it vent to the ground.
And when I do my engine swap with another 4.0 I’m going to use power driven diesel 15w 40 diesel engine oil. In the 4.0 that I’ll be using because of the high zinc additive that they use in the oil
Excellent work! Perfect use of 3 hours on my Christmas break watching this masterpiece. My 1996 XJ has a broken #4 piston skirt and I have been wondering if i could fix it, since im just a hackjob youtube mechanic. After watching your videos I have a lot more knowledge and a little more confidence to attempt this repair. Is it common for the block to still be in good shape?
i use orings to wrap the cross on the socket it holds them better than tape try it you will like it have to play around until you find correct size oring
Good video! I was just on ebay last night look at pistons. I'll be in touch with you if I can't get them on my rods here locally. I'll call around Friday
i appreciate your videos. i have a question i changed my head-gasket and valve stems seals on my 94 jeep cherokee 4.0 but it smokes through the oil dip stick? can it be the piston rings?
My wj has 222k on the original 4.0 drivetrain. Doesnt leak or burn a drop of anything, no ticks, knocks, or rattles. Im not touching a single bolt on it over a 'what if' of broken pistons
This vid is what you do after developing a knock. Normally you wouldn't tear into a perfectly good 4.0. Got 270k on my 96 and it's quiet as a mouse. Leaks everywhere though.
I always do that putting a motor back together after working on it especially since my younger brother and my dad were gorilla's lol and i was changing a sbc water pump on my 78 Chevy c20 custom deluxe with 4 of the 6 bolts broke off in the block that was fun lol
Dingle ball hone would be my choice anyway because other than that and literally scotch Brite to try to clean up the cylinders if the hone wouldn't clean it up good enough to use it is more than likely gonna need bored anyway and if you can catch your fingernails in the imperfections or scarring it's gonna break a piston ring,so bore or sleeving it are what you are left with for options at that point..
The extension doesn’t give a good torque reading because it twist when torquing them down. They thought us at NECC how to rework the big end of the rods grind them till egged shape home to factory specifications.
lol gooyob ., i just happen to have an 04 gc with the 4l & its got the super high pitch sound, "like eeeeeeee" but only when off throttle + only when warm... was driving me crazy but my bet is its your crack now. liked & subbed for that clue.. it also has what sounds like an awful tap on start up., but under load or after its warms up it goes away completely . i do suspect somebody got it hot then parked it., ., but no smoke no leaks no loss no codes nada, doesn't overheat has ac and all., short of the noise no indication.,
This would drive me nuts to do. I'm more of a body guy. BTW my 4.0 in my tj has a tiny piston noise that stops about a quarter mile from home. It won't do it sgain till the next day. Only when it's cold OR oil pressure goes up.
Engitech gaskets and bearing sets i use also but I've caught myself accidentally putting the top half used bearing back in and have to pull the motor back apart so it happens when you get in a hurry dex sorry
Hey dex you should check out this company called “Bolster”, it’s one of my brothers friends company. Pretty great stuff to organize your hardware while your working on stuff or inbetween projects, I used mine for working at a body shop. Anyways I love your content man, I have an 01 xj that I’m 4x4 swapping soon and a 87 mj that I’ll do the same to after I finish the xj. Thankyou for all the knowledge brother!🤘
Whats the fix to the famous broken plastic speed sensor on the tail shaft of these 2wd trannys. You can't purchase them anywhere! No longer made or sourced. It won't pass inspection b/c the mileage doesn't change and the check engine light is on.
I have a set of cheap freaking Pittsburgh torque wrenches works good enough...i have recently bought a few different 1/2 inch Dr torque wrenches just because i wanted to try some of the other cheaper options available, and the icon i believe 250 ft pounds slip collar instead of the click type, and I'm liking the husky brand torque wrenches they have their grips like their screwdrivers on the torque wrench
I'm thinking about getting the rest of those but I'm really liking the slip collar icon snap on rip off style torque wrench mine is not digital or flex head or anything like that
I'm the guy if i just acquired a project vehicle I'm gonna use a torch and burn the gas off the plugs spraying the spark plugs out with brake kleen or wd 40, and i use a Napa kd gap guage key chain from the 90's and That's how i gap my spark plugs, but until i see how it runs or if clean and gapped plugs with a decent wire set doesn't improve the the condition of the motor I'm not spending money on a new set of spark plugs..
Why not replace the rod and main bearings while your there, they looked like they where into the copper. They would have to be loosing oil pressure and making some noise 🙃. I know everybody has there own ways of doing things but come on its just cheap insurance since they are showing copper!!!
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
love these step by step videos. if any one owns these jeeps 10-20 years from now they’ll be watching these videos to fix their 4.0s.
Hands down, my favorite go to XJ channel. Your hard earned knowedge, friendliness, honesty and integrity make you an easy choice. Oh yeah, and you and your brother just seem like good dudes too. Thanks
Your videos are awesome. I'm 36 been wrenching for 20 years. I have one customer that's a dear friend has had the same 01 xj sport since almost new. I've been working on it since I was 16. I know those in and out lol. But I did a heater core on it a couple weeks ago. Your video was a good reference. I appreciate it.
For what it is worth dex, I watched the whole thing and really appreciate it. I like this format a lot. It felt like it was just hanging out with you guys while you did it and the commentary between you two was also helpful.
As I get ready to put my first round of refreshed engines back together, this video graces youtube!
I can never thank you enough for all the hard work and dedication, and all youve learned me!
Been waiting a long time for a good complete video on changing pistons without removing the engine. You showed all the time saving tricks, so many Jeep 4.0s have this problem & get junked cause of bad pistons. Thanks Dex
Thanks Dex and Justin. I sat rite here and watched this entire video. I enjoy just hearing y’all talk back n forth on the fly. I respect and appreciate y’all’s experience. I learned a lot. Thanks guys.
Great video! My 97 Grand Cherokee is a bit noisey. Probably, after watching your videos, it’s the pistons. Thanks for your videos. The most informative I’ve seen.
Does your noise go away after about 10 minutes of driving?
Merry Christmas Dex, Meagan, Justin! Thanks for the long video, I like the long vids I usually use them to fall asleep dreaming about fixing up my ‘96 lol
Love this video! Appreciate you making it in an uncut version including keeping your mistakes in. We all learn way more that way. I bought an XJ with a rebuilt motor that mostly wont turn over. This video has given me ideas on what to check.
Wake up at 340 am couldn't sleep no more put this video and now I'm ready to work on mine 😅 great video I used to work on my uncle shop in PR and all we do was Jeep Cherokee great video also gonna subscribe
Wonderful
Once I started watching I was unable to break away. Please keep up your good work.
Thank you
Most of everything on this video i appreciate your honesty throughout the entire production. Keep it up
I got a comment , but it may be a two part comment. Cause this video is full of info. Plus Justin's video commentary is priceless, so I have to watch this again. and no you wont lose me as a subscriber. lol
I would like to see a video of some of the unibody patches you’ve seen over the years
Watched while wrapping last Christmas presents :) loved it.
This video was perfect. I'll be doing this on my Comanche this summer
Thank you for every video you have made I’ve been trying to figure out what my ticking and low oil pressure was on my 88 after watching your last video and all your oil pressure videos I dropped the pan to find out the rod bearings had no tappet material left just straight copper they are .001 under sized bearings so someone has been in the motor before I’ll slap some new .001 bearings in it and an oil pump and let it ride (cam bearings have no play)
Merry Christmas, Dex! Love your videos; keep them coming.
Another banger of a video Dex. We watched your XJ heater core episode during my families Christmas Saturday, blew their minds dude!!! Merry Christmas to you and Justin and everybody!!!
I bought my 02 tj with a "noisey lifter". Turned out it was the number6 piston skirts were missing. New motor in now and I'll have it on the road in the spring. Can't wait. Thanks for the vid!
Take 2, 3 or 4 brake clean hoses, put them end to end, and join them together with small shrink tube to make a long one! Love your videos. 👍🏼👍🏼 "Merry Christmas!" 🎄
Love these styles of videos, the ones like I'm there helping you out. Just started watching this one and I know I liked the wagoneer video so I know I will with this one too. Keep it going😂
Your business is great and I appreciate you only or specializing on Jeeps! Where are you and your brother's business located!? I would like to come and throw you some business after a short discussion. Thanks for sharing this with me as always.
im about 2 weeks away from doing this on my 97, great timing!
I had A Motor that sounded like that tried to see if I could find where the noise was coming from with out pulling the motor out !! checked the lifters not the problem !! give up trying to fix it and just chose to just run it tell it died 2 years later when it sent the piston through the block!! Note it all started after not changing the oil for a really long time( years) ! And then one day in December I chose to change the oil and drove home sounded fine but the next day I started the jeep up and it sounded like that!!. - The guy I got the jeep from said his kid did not change the oil for a long time before I got it for parts !! the motor run good in tell I changed the oil. Great video Dex thanks
This will be my spring/early summer job. I’m fairly good with tools but I enjoy your videos. Maybe someday I may need parts and make the trip from WV.
My 91 XJ. It has 158k miles, low for a reason. It had ABS and the brakes failed on me like 12 years ago so it sat for years up until like 2015 when I finally got the brakes fixed. All good now. But that’s not my issue. So upon starting the XJ from cold start. Everything is good. When engine is at operating temp, driven for sometime you shut it off for a few minutes. Start it back up and it may or may not start ticking. The tick will continue or go away. If it continues to tick it will not go away until engine is shut off. The engine may tick for a sec and go away and will not come back. The engine never starts to tick when it’s running for how ever long it’s running. It holds 30 oil pressure at operating temp. Lifters pump good oil up to the rockers arms. Lifters sound like marbles when revving it up. I don’t hear any knock on piston slap. Had an oil analysis done and it showed no abnormal wear in any engine parts. So any suggestions on what the tick could be?
Ill definitely be buying the piston set off your website in the future hopefully they stay on there for a long time lol
I believe the same thing is happening to my Jeep when I start it sounds like a rod knock when I’m driving under load you don’t hear it but come to find out my 4.0 has piston slap because I put 2 quart’s of Lucas in and the noise still happens lol even with 15w 40 diesel engine oil. That’s how I know it still has piston slap. But other than it still starts and runs lol and I do see steam coming from my valve cover so I know it’s has blow by and I let it vent to the ground.
Just wanted to say thank you for this video it's been extremely helpful
And when I do my engine swap with another 4.0 I’m going to use power driven diesel 15w 40 diesel engine oil. In the 4.0 that I’ll be using because of the high zinc additive that they use in the oil
You can use zinc additive with any oil. But in reality it doesn't matter much outside of breakin.
Excellent work! Perfect use of 3 hours on my Christmas break watching this masterpiece. My 1996 XJ has a broken #4 piston skirt and I have been wondering if i could fix it, since im just a hackjob youtube mechanic. After watching your videos I have a lot more knowledge and a little more confidence to attempt this repair. Is it common for the block to still be in good shape?
1:30. Love ya man. Thats awesome. Thanks.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing the wealth! Merry Christmas y’all!
Awesome info this makes a great guide to do it yourself. This would also apply to yj’s and Tj wranglers with the 4.0
Dex at it again!
Mann I found out I live 55 minutes away from your shop I’d love to come out and take a look
i use orings to wrap the cross on the socket it holds them better than tape try it you will like it have to play around until you find correct size oring
Is it worth it to swap 3:73 axles into my 4.0 wj? I have stocks off a sport jl wrangler and I want my 42re to live as long as I can
Good video! I was just on ebay last night look at pistons. I'll be in touch with you if I can't get them on my rods here locally. I'll call around Friday
Great video, do you check bore size to see if it’s got a taper , and plasti gauge the rod bearings and the Franck?
Thank you for this. 🙏🏻
What is the part # on you oil pump gasket? Oreillys couldn’t find one and the said they can’t get it. I had to make one for my tj . Just curious.
i appreciate your videos. i have a question i changed my head-gasket and valve stems seals on my 94 jeep cherokee 4.0 but it smokes through the oil dip stick? can it be the piston rings?
Expert level. Thank you guys so much
My wj has 222k on the original 4.0 drivetrain. Doesnt leak or burn a drop of anything, no ticks, knocks, or rattles. Im not touching a single bolt on it over a 'what if' of broken pistons
This vid is what you do after developing a knock. Normally you wouldn't tear into a perfectly good 4.0. Got 270k on my 96 and it's quiet as a mouse. Leaks everywhere though.
P.S., I hope you two had a great Christmas 🎄🎁 and I hope you have a great New Year also!
The oil pump issue is where i use a tap and die set cleaning up blind holes and bolts and nuts and associated hardware..
I always do that putting a motor back together after working on it especially since my younger brother and my dad were gorilla's lol and i was changing a sbc water pump on my 78 Chevy c20 custom deluxe with 4 of the 6 bolts broke off in the block that was fun lol
So after that i always clean up my bolts and chase threads with wd 40 and taps
How do we contact Justin for reman heads?
Ok, found him on Facebook.
Dingle ball hone would be my choice anyway because other than that and literally scotch Brite to try to clean up the cylinders if the hone wouldn't clean it up good enough to use it is more than likely gonna need bored anyway and if you can catch your fingernails in the imperfections or scarring it's gonna break a piston ring,so bore or sleeving it are what you are left with for options at that point..
Hey Dex Do you ever fool around with the Liberty's ??? I'm thinkin Maybe a Straight Axle Conversion ??? Might Not be worth the time Just a Thought !!!
You need a carbide scraper it’s a game changer
The extension doesn’t give a good torque reading because it twist when torquing them down. They thought us at NECC how to rework the big end of the rods grind them till egged shape home to factory specifications.
Very very nice video! I’m pretty sure my rubicon needs new pistons. I think I’d rather sale it and put money in my wj
Is there any performance gain over OEM pistons.
lol gooyob ., i just happen to have an 04 gc with the 4l & its got the super high pitch sound, "like eeeeeeee" but only when off throttle + only when warm... was driving me crazy but my bet is its your crack now. liked & subbed for that clue.. it also has what sounds like an awful tap on start up., but under load or after its warms up it goes away completely . i do suspect somebody got it hot then parked it., ., but no smoke no leaks no loss no codes nada, doesn't overheat has ac and all., short of the noise no indication.,
Good video, guys
This would drive me nuts to do. I'm more of a body guy. BTW my 4.0 in my tj has a tiny piston noise that stops about a quarter mile from home. It won't do it sgain till the next day. Only when it's cold OR oil pressure goes up.
Great Video.
Your that guy pal.
I am gonna to order some and do my 99 and the under sized rb to.
Dex would you say the 4.0 is one of the most reliable engines made ?
Engitech gaskets and bearing sets i use also but I've caught myself accidentally putting the top half used bearing back in and have to pull the motor back apart so it happens when you get in a hurry dex sorry
Hey dex you should check out this company called “Bolster”, it’s one of my brothers friends company. Pretty great stuff to organize your hardware while your working on stuff or inbetween projects, I used mine for working at a body shop. Anyways I love your content man, I have an 01 xj that I’m 4x4 swapping soon and a 87 mj that I’ll do the same to after I finish the xj. Thankyou for all the knowledge brother!🤘
Mine was 5&6, but my other one is need to do could be any cylinders.
Whats the fix to the famous broken plastic speed sensor on the tail shaft of these 2wd trannys. You can't purchase them anywhere! No longer made or sourced. It won't pass inspection b/c the mileage doesn't change and the check engine light is on.
What is the water sound when turn off?
Use an air powered gasket scraper! They work ..
How do you lift your trail rigs?
Thank you
Can cali emissions be ‘deleted’ on 99 wj?
DeX I need your help gotta 93 Cherokee slung a rod and put a 4.0 out of a 96 got it running but it’s running super rough any idea what it could be
the ecm is different on 96 you may have to bypass some sensors
Maybe you should use a paint marker of different colors and mark all six caps with a different color
Wait did he gap the rings ?
XJ TJ RULE 👌🇦🇺✌️.
Hot shots secret stiction eliminator would probably free up that lifter faster.
outstanding !!
I can't believe he never mentioned the NEW tool box not 1 time lol.
Hi dex what Brand pistons are you using in this clip
Looks like Sealed Power, that what he lists for sale on his website as well
I have a 98 wrangler 2.5 and my # 2 piston broke and I got just the # 2 piston fixed
Whats the best way to contact you for parts?
You have 👍🏻👍🏻
I have a set of cheap freaking Pittsburgh torque wrenches works good enough...i have recently bought a few different 1/2 inch Dr torque wrenches just because i wanted to try some of the other cheaper options available, and the icon i believe 250 ft pounds slip collar instead of the click type, and I'm liking the husky brand torque wrenches they have their grips like their screwdrivers on the torque wrench
I'm thinking about getting the rest of those but I'm really liking the slip collar icon snap on rip off style torque wrench mine is not digital or flex head or anything like that
I'm the guy if i just acquired a project vehicle I'm gonna use a torch and burn the gas off the plugs spraying the spark plugs out with brake kleen or wd 40, and i use a Napa kd gap guage key chain from the 90's and That's how i gap my spark plugs, but until i see how it runs or if clean and gapped plugs with a decent wire set doesn't improve the the condition of the motor I'm not spending money on a new set of spark plugs..
Not that it matters but I'm almost 46 lol
Holding back my comment, put that engine is short lived.
Fuel Injectors?
Who has em,?
XJ?
3 hours???? how long did it take to upload?? 😆
That grounding strap if it not hooked up on a 90 cherokee it will not run. Ask me how I know lmao.
great video, too much work for a back yard mechanic.
I still think the zj is better than xj bigger radiator bigger fan clutch already 4link rear
Thems is hypeuteftic pistons.
Said like "hyper-you-tec-tic"
Have you checked the compression on your mom's car on all cylinders a year later
Why not replace the rod and main bearings while your there, they looked like they where into the copper. They would have to be loosing oil pressure and making some noise 🙃. I know everybody has there own ways of doing things but come on its just cheap insurance since they are showing copper!!!
He did the rod bearings...His main issue is most likely worn cam bearings. I'm curious how he's gonna do the rear-most bearing with it in the jeep...
I’m 17 and got a 96 2 door xj I wanna throw a new motor sometime this summer if y’all start selling reman engine I’m buying from y’all for sure