2003 Jeep Gr Cherokee - 4.7L Head Gasket FIXED

[nickscarcare]

I have a 03 grand cherokee that has a customer complains of overheating, perform block test and combustion gasses in cooling system. I see lots of other posts in here on these things, is there anything I should look out for as this is my first dive into a 4.7L. Or is it just routine crap like anything else? I seen a post about 10.3 hrs not enough, how much is a fair add on? I know every circumstance varies.

[Tim Martin]

Your post bring back memories of one I did not so long ago. So far as I am concerned, yes, the labor estimate is off by about 35%. Be prepared for scraped knuckles and battle scars by the time you are finished. Would I do another one? Absolutely. They are good money. But as I say, the labor time needs to be marked up considerably to cover yourself. Do you have the tools needed to reset the timing chain arrangment? You'll be needing it. Couple hundred dollars for that. Be careful of the plastic emissions lines. They break rather easily.

Good Luck on the job.

[nickscarcare]

No I do not have the tool. Thats what I was wondering, sometimes a person can get by without the tools. How about lifters and the keepers falling off???? I will buy the tool if need be, have no problem with that.

[liljoe]

I will buy the tool if need be, have no problem with that.

And that is why I am broke......

[steven kiser]

take the hood off, remove front tires, lower to ground. makes it all so much easier. there are no real tricks or short cuts. a little tip here (as on any quest we take) organization is the key here. i have a few old plastic soda crates that i sectioned off and put the removed parts into. i use one for each side and one for the front removed parts. i can throw them into the pats cleaner and when i assemble it makes it so much easier. if the heads are questionable at all replace them. i prefer alabama cylinder heads myself.

[Tim Martin]

steve, you make mention of several good points on a project of this proportion. "Organization is the key", to use your words. I couldn't agree more. This is one of them engines that by the time you got the cylinder heads off, you got a nice long row of parts and lots a fasteners. So, yes, take the time and effort to have your job organized. It makes installation lots easier.

Regarding the post on being broke because of constantly purchasing what seems vehicle specific tools. I have to agree. If I had what I have tied up in tools that are engine specific, I could operate for a long time. But what do you do? You get into a job and all of a sudden you need a tool that you don't have. Now what? Quit, call the customer and tell him that you ain't got the tools to do the job? No ya don't. Ya call the tool truck and get the tool and do the job and take a loss. That seems to be what we specialize in. I have no idea how the timing chains can be set up without the proper tools.

[nickscarcare]

As far as being broke by buying tool, well if you are committing yourself to this line of work then there is no way around it. I have been doing this for 16 years and have accumulated lots of tools, some that help, and some that are a paperweight. if you don't want to buy anything besides the basics, then as far as I am concerned you are in the wrong line of work. The last shop I worked at had 4 other "techs", but none that wanted to buy any tools. They all started getting mad because I quit loaning mine out! The owner even said let them borrow them, and I said I will rent them out at a $1 a minute, they quit asking and one started buying his own, one quit, problem solved. Once is ok, but if you have to ask again, I give them the tool guys number, I was in the same position once, but always was willing to buy tools. I use plastic tubs here from a meatmarket, they hold alot and are really nice for taking things apart, and they hold fluids if I happen to put in a intake or something and want to carry it across the shop to the parts washer, so I am not leaving a trail. Once the customer gives the ok on this one, I will be purchasing some new tools, its like Christmas all the time, I keep giving myself gifts!! HA HA

[steven kiser]

ring, ring, steve do you have the special tool to run a new timing chain and set it for a mercedes? you do, that's great, can i borrow it? what do you mean no, what do you mean you'll come to my shop and run the chain for 200 bucks.

can i borrow your portable king pin press? what do you mean no


can i borrow your truck transmission jack, or cam set tools, or tech 2, ford scan tool, otc scanner, ate scanner, what about your pressure bleeder, or yadda, yadda, yadda.

i also have tools that are paper weights. some have been modified for other applications. there are some applications where you can slide by without the "required" tool but securing a new chain to an old one with bailing wire and using pliers to secure the link isn't a prudent move. get my meaning...........i get some jobs strictly because i have the correct tool.

[Tim Martin]

i get some jobs strictly because i have the correct tool.

Same here.

Steve, I been there done that. Been through all of the above you mentioned. I had one guy that wanted to borrow my tools to set the timing chains on a 4.0L Ford engine where the one chain is on the rear of the one head. Ya know which one i mean? Well, he finally got the message that he ain't leaving with my tools. Before he left my shop, I had him agreeing to bring the engine to my shop for repairs cause my shop had the tools to do the job.

Da da da. Are we having fun yet?

[nickscarcare]

Tim do you have the tool numbers needed for this? I would appreciate them, as if the customer don't fix this I may purchase it, so one way or another I may need the tool, unless they take it and trade it off the way it is. Or is it just the tool listed in the repair section (8515).

[Tim Martin]

MAC1000 is the set I got from the MAC Tool truck. I forget the cost but I have certainly gotten my moneys worth out of it already. It is a cam tool set for the Chrysler Jeep vehicles.

[nickscarcare]

This may be a dumb question, but are all the marks supposed to line up after 2 revolutions? Or does it take more than that??

[Tim Martin]

This may be a dumb question, but are all the marks supposed to line up after 2 revolutions? Or does it take more than that??

As I recall, the timing marks for the cam sprockets and the crank sprocket should line up after all is set right although the colored links on the chains will not coincide with them after 2 revolutions. I usually check the timing marks several times after I set it up just to make sure all is well with them.

[nickscarcare]

Thats what I was wondering, I used the tool to hold everything, and when turned 2 revolutions, the links and marks don't all line up. I think subaru did the same, and I think if it was turned enough they would all line up eventually. Guess just need to quit second guessing!

[Tim Martin]

Yea, took me a time or two till I got it figured out. I also got the tool to hold the crankshaft solid while I am connecting the chains. But no, the colored links and the marks on the sprockets only line up for initial setting. If they are not colored then you have to count the links and mark them. That is what I do.

[nickscarcare]

By the way the jeep is gone and customer is happy!! I had one of those tools that hold the crank solid once, one that screw in the plug hole, put it in doing a timing belt, all done went to remove, and the little brass end stayed in the cylinder. Now try to get that out without removing the head. Luckily it was a ranger that had 8 spark plugs, well long story short, borescope and lots of praying and it came out with a piece of gum on a wire!!!

[steven kiser]

that's great news. i love reading about a cave man technique that works. just a tip here. when i work on situations like this head gasket job i pt on a pair of my old weigh lifting gloves. it has great padding for the hand, protects my knuckles and the wrist wrap really gives my added strength. along with all that my hands aren't like loose, sore, stiff, fillet, pieces of meat when i'm done. another point here. when i need to purchase a specialty tool i may grumble a bit but i hate to have to send a customer anywhere else for the fear of loosing them. i have a budget i work with so many of these items are absorbed without drawing blood. i have a few customer that have cars that normally i would never see. older jags and fiats. if (and i do) need specialy tools for these vehicles the customer buys them. i'm up front and they have no issue with it. i've had a few that when they sell the car and i offer them the tool they tell me to keep it. i've also had a few that have come looking for it. whatever the case may be it has to be dealt with. i have a person coming in on monday because she's given up on her mechanic. he keeps fixing an abs issue and after she drives for 50 miles it comes back. her ex mechanic told her he didn't have the scan tool to properly repair it. this is what i try to avoid happening to me. he lost a customer and when i work on this car and talk to this person will decide if i want to try to get them as a new customer.