"NickT" <nickt.remove.hvc.rr.com> wrote in message
...
> Hi guys,
> My wife has a 2000 Cherokee 4.0L with 80k miles. For the past month or so
I
> have been refilling the coolant recovery tank weekly. No leak to be found
> anywhere. The oil looked fine, no hot chocolate look. I cleaned the oil
> filler cap and replaced it. One week later I examined it and there is a
> greenish-yellow sludge on it. It appears water soluble. I'm thinking this
is
> not good news. How common is this? Not much discussion of bad head gaskets
> or cracks with this engine.
>

Hi Nick,

Sounds like the problem I had with my '01 XJ. Coolant loss, no sign of it
anywhere. Lost an engine at 29K miles. Even after a new short block, still
lost coolant. Finally took it to dealer again and again...after each time
the overflow bottle went empty. Three times(in 3 weeks) and I had collected
enough documentation(eg Lemon law) to get the dealer to look into it more.
They pulled the head and sent it out to a machine shop. "They" found a micro
small crack in the head. New head installed 2 days later. Not a drop lost
since.

Luck,
Brian




> The next problem may be related. We have also been experiencing
intermittent
> check gauge light. The oil pressure at idle dips well below 10 lbs
sometimes
> under very hot conditions. I have verified this with a mechanical gauge. I
> have a 98 TJ, same engine and mileage. In extreme heat, my oil pressure
may
> hit a low of 10 at idle, but never lower, usually closer to 20 under less
> extreme temperatures. The 10lbs doesn't bother me, but the Cherokee
dipping
> down to 5lbs or lower does bother me. Pressure while driving seems normal.
> Now that I discovered possible coolant in the oil, I'm wondering if that
is
> affecting the idle oil pressure, either due to some frothing or just
> clogging the filter. Trade in time? My wife wants something different
> anyway. Thanks for any opinions. -Nick
>
>
>