Cracked Cylinder Head

[Polar728]

I recently purchased a used 2000 Grand Cherokee. A month after I bought it from my sister my coolant light came on. To make a long story short the coolant light would come on every three to four days after I would fill it. I thought it was the pump but I never saw any signs of a leak. After going through a few gallons of coolant I decided to take it to the dealer. To my suprise the dealer told me the cylinder head was cracked and it would cost $2,000 to replace. With no other options I told him to fix it. Being that I have 40,000 miles on the car it is over the warranty and is not covered. The dealer said he would call Chrysler and ask them to cover it under special circumstances or something like that. So I said it's worth a shot. Suprising in one less than one day Chrysler said they would split the cost with me. I was suprised how without a fight they were quick to offer help. My family has owned several Chrysler products and we have never had any supplemental help from Chrysler after a warranty has expired. My question is since they were so quick, are they trying to cover something up? Has anyone ever had this problem? The service foreman told me he sees atleast one cracked head a month. Is it worth trying to fight them and make them pick up the whole tab?

[dbj]

I have a 2000 Cherokee sport 4.0L I changed the oil this past weekend. I looked at the oil as it drained and at the oil i drained from the oil filter and noticed nothing out of the ordinary. However when I took off the oil cap to add the new oil the bottom of the cap was covered in a sludge that had the sweet smell of antifreeze, this got me quite nervous and I assummed it was something with the head gasket.

Tues I brought it to my local Jeep dealer and explained what I found. They inspected the oil and antifreeze and found nothing except the same sludge under the oil cap. They added a black light sensitive dye to the radiator and told me to come in on Friday (today) and they would look at it under the black light. Before I left one of the mechanics told me he thought it was a crack in the head, he also said that if it was it would be right under the oil cap. Well that had me jumping for joy :x. So I bring it in earlier today they open the hood and hook up a device to the radiator that builds pressure in the coolant system. He looked into the oil fill hole with the black light and then called me over. He had me put on special yellow glasses and then had me look for myself. I right away saw what looked like the blood of the predator. he then told me to keep watching and applied more pressure. I could see my cylinder head bleed out this glowing goo.

This seems to me to be a manufacturers defect. Just the fact that the mechanic called excactly where the crack would be before we knew for sure it was a crack tells me it's a well known problem.

I'm gathering as much info as possible from the web and will be calling chrysler on mon to see if I can get at least some of this covered by them.

I wish all with this problem the best of luck.
db

[dksob81]

There is a TSB out on the newer I6 heads cracking and warping. I ouwl dlook for it, i seen it b4 don't remember where it was.

Polar728, I wouldn't get to anti on getting them to cover it, should be lucky they decided to split it. if u start arguing w/ them they might have u pay the whole thing....lol.

I know how u feel tho $1,000 is alot of dough to put out. and if it was me I sure would like for them to pay it all as well.

[wilfie27]

I work at a engine rebuilding plant and one of my jobs is to inspect cylinder heads as they come in. Your particular head casting # 0331 (right above the manifold) is notorious for cracking in between the middle two rocker posts. Probably 7 out of 10 are cracked threre.

[dean1]

2000 jeep grand cherokee lerado, has inline 6 cyl. had cracked head at 55k miles. I sent copies of other identical problems and sent it to Daimler Chrysler and they reimburst me all except $200. Cyl. head casting # 0331 is bad. The new one is cracked now I believe.

[nick0750]

mopar sells a reman head for the 4.0 R5640494 $667.00 all you need is gaskets and swap over rocker arms. another $200.00. labor at a dealer aprox 7.0 hrs @ $82.00 = $574.00

[dean1]

dean1, I have a '96 Pontiac Grand AM 2.4L, 5 speed. When I take off it jerks like it's running out of fuel, or if someone see's me it may look like I don't know how to drive a stick. Many things could be the problem. Could someone narrow it down for me. So far I'm thinking the crankshaft position sensor. Has anyone had this problem? Thank you.

[Msilva56]

My 2000 Sport had a cracked head at about 80K, cost to fix about $1600, Chrysler gave me $800 back. Even after they fixed it, never ran right, oil pressure was always running low once it wamed up. Dumped it last year, I traded for a used Saturn SL for my daughter!!