[WBN3]

This is a Felpro exhaust/intake manifold gasket for my '99 4.0. The holes in the gasket line up pretty well with the intake passages, but there is a noticeable overlap along the bottom of all of the exhaust ports. Is this something I should trim, or leave as is? I would assume because it's the exhaust, airflow patterns and the like aren't as critical, so I'm thinking it's no big deal. Of course, trimming to match the hole shouldn't be a big deal either unless it could cause some sort of defect in the gasket. Read this post on a different forum which sounds identical to my problem, and it looks like I may have an incorrect gasket. It came in the Felpro engine kit for a '99 Jeep, but I need to go look at the part number on the label. Apparently it could be that I have an earlier head casting...





Also - one side of the gasket is printed (shown facing out here), and the other side isn't. I have no instructions indicating that one side should face in or out, but this question and reply on a Felpro blog would lead me to believe the printed side (which is a bit more smooth/slick feeling) should go out.

Opinions on either of these issues?

 

[Digger84]

Looks like new head vs early head and wrong gasket

What is casting number on your head

 

[Digger84]

Look here

http://jeepexhaustadapter.com/exhaust-port-sketch/

 

[Digger84]

You have a gasket for a 0331 head that TJ did not use until 2000 or 2001

 

[WBN3]

Yep...

Looks like the gasket is the wrong one. The kit (which the shop that did the overhaul purchased) doesn't list the specific part numbers for all the contents, so I can't be sure. But I'd bet a cold Dr. Pepper on it...



This is the casting number, which corresponds to the 1996-98 years on that other forum.



This now makes me a little worried that the shop may have gotten other incorrect parts for this head since it was a "late '98" casting... guess I'll be going by there tomorrow to see what they say. The only thing they did besides deck it was replace exhaust valve seats, so hopefully that would've not been different.