dnuccio

Well guys i think i fried my engine. i was towing my grandpas small utility trailer this morning because i had to take a dead fridge to the scrapyard. on the way back to drop off the trailer, it started running a little hot. i knew the gauge was off by a bit, so i didnt think anything of it. then it got really hot. so hot that it started pinging. i pulled over and let it cool off. then i kept going and it started doing it again. this time when i pulled over, there was smoke coming out from under the hood. it wouldnt crank over, actually died going down the freeway and i coasted it to the side. it was pissing water out from the drivers side of the radiator, i think it got so hot that it either caused the tank to separate or actually cracked the tank. dumped some water in it and it leaked it right back out. let it cool a bit, got it fired (missing bad at this point) and limped it off the freeway and into a lowes parking lot. got it towed back to my house (luckily my grandpa has AAA and towing was free). pulled the plugs and they all looked normal. checked the compression and cylinders 1 and 3 both had only 80 psi. 5 had 100, 7 had 145. 2, 4, and 6 were around 100, and 8 had 150.

time for a 5.9 swap.

dave1123

Sounds like at least a head gasket and a set of rings.

dnuccio

tore it apart yesterday. passenger side head was warped in addition to the blown head gasket on the driver side. this motor has 176k on it, i think it would be silly to put any money in it.

is 500-550 for a 5.2 with 112k on it a good deal? comes with a 1 year warranty...

MrSchulz

Yes it's a deal. My orvis I could of had the same 318 swapped for 500 with 98,000 on it with all repairs to the engine covered for a year

dnuccio

im debating whether i should rebuild my engine or replace it. ill spend a little more rebuilding it, but it will be like a brand new engine. i dont know, my grandpa is checking with some of his suppliers thru work to see what he can get an engine for.

dnuccio

after having my grandpa look at it (who was a chrysler master tech for 30 years) ive decided to leave the bottom end alone. he says the cylinder walls are ok. after all, it didnt knock and it didnt use any oil. he fronted me the money for reman'd heads and he bought all the gaskets for me. he also bought me head and intake bolts and a new timing set. now i just have to come up with the 300 for the radiator and she'll be kickin again!

Willys55

I would have bought the 500 dollar engine, swapped it in and then build the hell out of the old one in my spare time while still being able to drive it around......just sayin'

dnuccio

if i had money, sure. but really, i just need to make the jeep last a few more years until i can afford something newer. i might consider keeping it around as a weekend wheeler. time will tell.

dave1123

IF it were my engine, I think I would pull a rod bearing and check it's condition. JMHO.

dnuccio

i would too, but to remove the oil pan, either the engine has to come out or the front axle has to come out neither of which i really have the means to do right now. im pretty sure the bearings are fine because it never knocked.

dave1123

After you toasted it, how was your base idle oil pressure? If it was good, likewise I wouldn't worry.

dnuccio

i dont remember exactly, but the oil pressure never dropped. i believe it was somewhere around 30-35

dave1123

When my wife toasted my Chevy, it was 0! I still drove it onto the trailer.

dnuccio

when i got towed home, it was on a flatbed so the guy dropped it in front of my house and i drove it into my driveway. that thing had to be missing on 3 cylinders if not more

dave1123

Your grandpa is probably right, you're good to go. I just would hate to see you get it all done and then spin a bearing.