[youvegotwood]

I'm new to the forum but have been reading it for a long time figuring out how to fix things on my 1997 RR 4.0.

Recently, it overheated and started sucking up coolant faster then I could add it. I checked the oil and it was clean of water. It started running really rough with a loss of power and check engine light.

I read the check engine light codes and it said both knock sensors and misfiring. I removed the knock sensors and they disintegrated in my hand.

I replaced the knock sensors with the newer Bosch style knock sensors with a custom fabricated bolt / connector to make them work. This remedied the knock sensor code but the engine still ran really rough and was going through coolant like crazy.

So I purchased some radiator stop leak and replaced the spark plugs / wires. As per directions for the coolant stop leak I ran the car for 15 minutes. The car still runs really rough and throws a random misfire code. It has a loss of power as well and can barely move.

There is now water in the oil, should I bother with more radiator stop leak or just bite the bullet and tear the heads off? Is the blown head gasket (I assume thats what it is) related to the engine running so horribly or is that an entirely different issue? Will bosch knock sensors not work on the 1997 4.0?

 

[RRToadHall]

Tear it down. once you have water in the oil there is no easy fix.

 

[Urq]

Yes water in the oil is most likely a head gasket were you able to tell what side had the miss fire as this will tell you what side you should start with.
You might just be able to get away with changing 1 head gasket?

 

[onetime]

Compression test needed to tell which side. Good luck if you take it to agarage get them todo both sides at the same time, not a bad job to do if the weather is nice or have a large space to do it in under cover, allow about a weekend, replace all gaskets/bolts look on ebay for a kit and gasket seal each one or you will be leaks later. I took mine in to have done as the weather here in the uk has been bad, not a nice job on the drive in -1c.
onetime