Engine Dilema

[fastcarsspeed]

So now I have another 05 sitting in my driveway that my dad has found with a good trans. The older guy he bought it from said it has a cracked block but the thing runs. What is the likely hood of a crack block compared to headgasket or clogged radiator? It has 180k miles on this one so just wondering where I should start looking once I am home from travel. Figure I will get some coolant in it and see if she is leaking from anywhere. Was wondering if it could be freeze plugs?

We got this for the transmission but it has less mileage so my head is spinning on what the best way to go.

 

[rjkj2005]

Cracked blocks usually occurs when coolant freezes. So I'd pressurize the coolant system and look for leaks. But what are the symptoms?

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[JasonJ]

Cracked block but it runs? Check for leaks like rjkj said...

It's either going to leak oil, coolant, or combustion gases! Possibly none of those if it was misdiagnosed.

What would make you say head gasket or blocked radiator instead? Is something cooling related going on?

What year is your driveable KJ?

 

[fastcarsspeed]

Cracked block but it runs? Check for leaks like rjkj said...

It's either going to leak oil, coolant, or combustion gases! Possibly none of those if it was misdiagnosed.

What would make you say head gasket or blocked radiator instead? Is something cooling related going on?

What year is your driveable KJ?

Jason, My 72 year old father picked up this 05 from a gentleman about his age that has a small junkyard/shop. The guy told him the previous owner ran it with no coolant and cracked the block. I father dropped it to my house yesterday and it runs and drives from my understanding. We had picked up another 05 a couple weeks ago with a bad transmission. This new to us 05 has a 3 plug 42rle in it and the guy would only sell us the whole jeep so 400.00 I now have 2 Green Rocky Mountain Edition 05 Jeep Liberty's in my driveway lol.

 

[JasonJ]

$400 is a good deal, lots of parts can be sold to make that up even after you yank out the transmission.

If it was ran without coolant, I'd expect the heads to warp and head gaskets to blow long before a cast iron block cracks. But... I suppose anything is possible.

I guess the question then becomes, does it run and drive well?

 

[Logan Savage]

Fill it up with water & fire it up & see what happens . I wouldn't waste new coolant on it at this point . If the water doesn't leak out you can always drain it out . How does the oil look ?

 

[fastcarsspeed]

I will know tomorrow morning. I am going to check the oil first and probably pull the top rad hose and see what she looks like. I have some HOAT at the house so I will use it as the damn temps here in the east are going to be in the Teens and don't need to freeze it up if the motor is good.

 

[Logan Savage]

Get a catch pan & if the hoat starts running out maybe you can catch it . I just bought 2 gallons & it was $38 & change .

 

[fastcarsspeed]

Well got home and took a look this morning but it is too damn cold to do much. I can tell that the lower rad hose either blew or popped off as there is a brandnew hose clamp on it. Jeep starts right up and sounds ok. The oil looks good not even that dirty but again I can see a newer oil filter on it. I pulled the upper rad hose and I can see the tell tale signs of old coolant in the hose. It is supposed to warm up on Sunday so I may mess with it then. The damn thing is not bad at all other than a left rear bumper cover crack and tail light. Needs cleaning up.

 

[JasonJ]

That's actually a really nice looking KJ.

Honestly, if it were me... it's not leaking anything that you can tell, and runs great... I'm thinking someone misdiagnosed this with a cracked block. But I'll wait to see what else you find if/when it warms up outside.

 

[Logan Savage]

If the other one looks good too I'd fix them both . I'd look elsewhere for a transmission for the other one & either repair or replace the engine in this one .
Just looked at the pics again & I assume that's the other one in the background . I have 2 05's but 1 is wrecked , I bought the wrecked one for an engine for the one I had . I have an extra 05 transmission but I'm holding on to it in case I need it someday . If you determine the engine in the silver 1 is bad , you could yank the engine & transmission out of it , install the transmission in the other 1 & have 1 running .
Should be able to find a wrecked 1 & get an engine & transmission for the silver 1 .

 

[GunnerSchenck]

This is the route I'd go as well.
Shoot, why just use the silver one for its transmission.. I'd squeeze every drop of life it has left it in.
If the engine still runs decent, and you pressure test the coolant system and it holds.. keep the engine till she dies. If the engine actually does have a Crack in the block (which would be odd in my opinion) seems plenty other things would give before blowing a hole in a cast iron block without throwing a rod into it or something.. but if it does end up having a crack. Go get yourself a 3rd dead Libbey and take her engine and put it into the silver one. Then use the parts left over from the third to pay off the price of buying it.
Seems to me you have a decent opportunity lying in front of you, but if the silver one is decently rust free, seems a shame to send her to her death without a standing chance.

 

[fastcarsspeed]

lol these are all the same thoughts. My dad likes my 02 liberty so we bought the green one. I thought it would just be a stuck shifter cable or something stupid but instead the Shift arm was seized to the case and even trying to sand down and pull it out with the valve body did not work. Ended up killing the valvebody trying to get it out. Finding a 3 plug 42rle is a major challenge these days so when my dad found the silver one for 400 with a good trans and a possible bad engine it was a no brainer. I like the silver one but it does not have a sunroof but is very clean otherwise. The green one I ended up picking up a full grey leather interior and carpet for it a week ago so I really think we have two possible good libertys at this point. I am going to pull the Green ones trans and get it checked out to see if we just need a new whole valvebody for it.

Thanks for all of the thoughts on this.

 

[GunnerSchenck]

Good to hear you got a new carpet!! No offense, but never seen the inside of a liberty look so gross as the old pictures you posted lol. Naaassttyyy. Like someone was intentionally pulling the eh it's a jeep card, like it was a good enough excuse for trashing the interior.. my interior still looks brand new running up on its miles (except for the now ripping drivers seat) lol
Not trying to sound rude, just in all honesty, the liberties i pull parts from that have been sitting in a junkyard for years.. their interiors are even cleaner than that lol

 

[fastcarsspeed]

Good to hear you got a new carpet!! No offense, but never seen the inside of a liberty look so gross as the old pictures you posted lol. Naaassttyyy. Like someone was intentionally pulling the eh it's a jeep card, like it was a good enough excuse for trashing the interior.. my interior still looks brand new running up on its miles (except for the now ripping drivers seat) lol
Not trying to sound rude, just in all honesty, the liberties i pull parts from that have been sitting in a junkyard for years.. their interiors are even cleaner than that lol

Oh I totally agree. I really should have only paid 300 for the damn thing but the old man gave him 400. The guy lives on the Chesapeake Bay and under a ton of tree cover. It was like a recipe for Rust and mold. Wait till you see the new interior I got for a pretty decent price. I think we are going to have 3 really nice KJ's all said and done and for under 3k total lol. Either my youngest daughter or her brother are probably getting one of these for their very own.

 

[GunnerSchenck]

Attaboy! How much did you end up paying for the leather interior? Been wanting to switch mine over for years, but seems every dead liberty within 100 miles of me all have the same crappy charcoal cloth interior mine already has.
Gunna be one big happy KJ family!

 

[fastcarsspeed]

Attaboy! How much did you end up paying for the leather interior? Been wanting to switch mine over for years, but seems every dead liberty within 100 miles of me all have the same crappy charcoal cloth interior mine already has.
Gunna be one big happy KJ family!

300 for the entire interior including the shifter assemblies. It is the Grey leather power seats without heaters. The drivers of course shows some wear but no where near bad. The Carpet looked really good also. Funny thing is that it is an 05 silver jeep and I believe the tail lights and rear bumper cover is still on it and good so I may be making a trip back over to grab it lol.

 

[GunnerSchenck]

Might as well have just bought that jeep too then! But that's actually a pretty dang good deal

 

[Logan Savage]

Are you sure the 02 has the 42rle trans ? My 02 has the 45 .

 

[fastcarsspeed]

Are you sure the 02 has the 42rle trans ? My 02 has the 45 .

LOL no my 02 has a 45. I have two 05's now also.