Worthy of fixing?

I got a notion to get a Jeep and found one on Craig’s list. The guy said he had it for sale for $4k originally. It’s a 2006. Has 155k. In actually really nice shape. He had it priced down to $2250. Said it was fine on Sunday and then Monday it wouldn’t do anything. He had it towed to the mechanics shop and they said likely a starter or solenoid but didn’t want to put any more time/money into it would just rather sell it at the cheaper price. I got there to pick it up and when we popped the hood the serpentine belt was off. I grabbed hold of the balancer to see if I could budge the engine by hand but was unable to. He said they told him they were able to turn it over using a wrench. I turned the ignition switch and it just clicked like it had a bad starter. It is in really nice shape so we pushed it on my trailer and brought it home. Just to make sure the engine wasn’t stuck I put my big breaker bar on it and man that engine is frozen solid! Blatent lier! Kinda ***** because the car seems pretty nice otherwise. The guy said all the 4x4 stuff, transmission etc worked fine but clearly his word isn’t worth anything.

Are these things worthy of dropping a remanufactured engine into? I can either do that or probably make my money back just parting it out.

Let’s hear some thoughts from those of you with some experience.

At 155k, I'd say it'd be worth it if you remanned the engine yourself. Mines at 200k and I haven't had any transmission issues yet, but starting to wonder about the torque converter.

But yeah, I mean it depends on the cost. I personally wouldn't spend more than $1000 putting a new engine in. That's just my thoughts considering risk and so forth.

Had my 2002Jeep Liberty LTD for awhile and the engine blew. I put a O’Reily engine in. Then replaced the radiator hoses. Then suspension and odds and ends. I think it’s worth it so far.


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Well you have it now
so drop a remanned motor in and be good for a while
Of course from the photo the suspension is toast, could also need some more suspension pieces
Just depends on how much you have to put into it and if body is solid and no rust. Of course it is silver ....:favorites68::favorites68::favorites68:but........

What makes you think the suspension is bad? I mean I have it tied down in that pic. I literally bounced it up and down to make sure it was not free-bouncing.

Also do these things have a known issue with dropping valve seats? My buddy is telling me the 3.7’s are notorious for it.

tommudd said:

Well you have it now
so drop a remanned motor in and be good for a while
Of course from the photo the suspension is toast, could also need some more suspension pieces
Just depends on how much you have to put into it and if body is solid and no rust. Of course it is silver ....:favorites68::favorites68::favorites68:but........

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What's wrong with silver???

Cerino2000 said:

What makes you think the suspension is bad? I mean I have it tied down in that pic. I literally bounced it up and down to make sure it was free-bouncing.

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The stock suspension on these are garbage and sag pretty quick. Stock new UNsagged height should be 19 inches from center of front wheel hub to bottom of flare.

Cerino2000 said:

What makes you think the suspension is bad? I mean I have it tied down in that pic. I literally bounced it up and down to make sure it was free-bouncing.

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over 14 years working on KJs plus from the sound of the previous owner..........he did just enough to keep it running
Free bouncing....springs sag by 60-65,000 alomg with shocks giving out about same mileage

Cerino2000 said:

Also do these things have a known issue with dropping valve seats? My buddy is telling me the 3.7’s are notorious for it.

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When overheated ,...yes at times
But if you can not even get yours to turn over there would be bigger issues

Sorry I meant to say “make sure it WASN’T free bouncing”.

Anyways, the fact that it won’t turn either way...maybe that’s a good thing? I mean there are no holes in the pan. No water in the oil. If there was something that dropped into a cylinder I could see it causing it to pop a piston but that shouldn’t make it lock up solid in both directions. What kind of things could lock it solid no matter which way you try to turn it?

never trust a seller... ever.

sota said:

never trust a seller... ever.

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Lol...

I actually would tell someone but ya I know many people lie.

I might crack into it and see what’s going on, just a little more than I bargained for. My gut is that the Jeep is worthy.

Cerino2000 said:

Lol...

I actually would tell someone but ya I know many people lie.

I might crack into it and see what’s going on, just a little more than I bargained for. My gut is that the Jeep is worthy.

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Any Jeep is worthy in my book ,.......almost, Wranglers aren't but ............LOL

Cerino2000 said:

My gut is that the Jeep is worthy.

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Definitely worthy. I'll even accept the Wrangler :happy175:

Unworthy starts with the Patriot/Compass and similar FWD/AWD, IRS, Fiat crapola that followed them...

Might be worth putting in a used motor out of a wrecked jeep.

kage860 said:

Might be worth putting in a used motor out of a wrecked jeep.

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Been looking around. Have found nothing local so been looking on eBay. These bone yards want almost as much for a used one with more miles than this Jeep has than a rebuilt one.

I haven’t cracked into the engine yet. Can’t wait to see what in the world killed it.

Find a local pull-a-part yard and a Liberty that was hit bad in an accident (side/back)...Then look for an oil change sticker on the windshield with mileage and showing that the car's oil was changed before the accident... Take your breaker bar and socket and turn the engine over...Look under the engine for damage to oil pan... Chances are you found a good engine that was maintained...

I got my 2006 Liberty Renegade from an IAAI.com auction with 120k on it for $1009.00... It had a fire under the tunnel... got a harness/transmission sensors/switches from a PAP donor and she started right up.... I live in the "rust belt" (Canton, Ohio) so the passenger doors and swing gate were rusted through... I also bought good rust free doors at PAP cheap (under $60 each)... I have added stainless steel door plates... brushed shift and radio bezels... an assortment of under the hood parts...
I added LED headlights (wow what a difference) and LED interior dome and under the dash LED lights... as an added touch (yes they do stay on just slightly)...

PAP made this car worth putting back together and I have under $500 over the $1009 in it...

Yesterday I found a newly rebuilt alternator (CarQuest) for on the shelf for $28 out the door on a newlyy wrecked Liberty...

I bought a 2.7L Hyundai V6 for my wife's 2008 Tiburon that was salvaged because the original engine was hydro-locked... used the same procedure as above and got a good low mileage one from a 2004 Hyundai Sonata with all the accessories (alternator/PS pump/starter) for $280...

Pull-A-Part yards are a great source for parts cheap.... They sell what they can off of the cars (EXTRA PROFIT) and crush the rest for salvage steel... Both you and they make out !

I now have a reliable Jeep Liberty That should last me for many miles...
Dave

I also "see" you are in Charlotte N.C. ....N.C. is the home of "Pull-A-Part" and you probably have a rust free Liberty...
I believe you have a good candidate for some rebuilding fun...

An engine hoist and a load leveller from Harbor Freight figured into the cost will only add $200+ to the costs....

I'm 69 and If I can do it you can...
Dave

I’m going to try to go with rebuilding this one if it’s not destroyed. I actually talked to the mechanics shop today and they confirmed that they told the guy it was locked up. Big surprise. Hope he likes karma.