Cheap '00 cherokee sport

So, i have an opportunity to pick up a 20k mile cherokee sport, it's in AWESOME condition, body is super clean, straight, but it was abandoned after what looks to be a river crossing. It was a pick up by the local tow yard, nobody claimed it and they have the lien on it now, it's for sale. i went down to fire it up and see what the deal was. the engine has a serious internal problem (broken piston, broken or disconnected rod, something along those line) and so it will either need a rebuild or an engine replacement. my question is, would it be better in some of your guys' opinions to rebuild the engine and have a "brand new" engine in this low mileage otherwise pristine cherokee, or would sourcing a used engine be a better route? or would you personally stay away from it all together not knowing the extent of damage to other parts of the vehicle (trans, radiator, electrical...?) i was able to start the vehicle, but it didn't run well enough or long enough to check out the trans or anything else really. it tried to explode, made a few REAL nasty noises outside of the violent knocking, and then decided it's life was over. would love to hear any and all inputs. Thanks for your time, sorry it's so lengthy!

Have a great evening,
Neil

You are not going to be able to rebuild that engine... almost certainly hydrolocked. I'd bet on severe cylinder wall damage, valve damage, piston damage, etc. It probably also has had coolant and water sitting in the crankcase for an extended period of time and will be badly pitted and rusted. Consider the engine a coffee table waiting to be built.

Pick up a new engine, throw it in, clean out the mud and water and have a party!

Water in the engine--water in the axles, water in the transmission, water in the transfer case. If the yard would let me check the condition of those fluids, plus really get under it and check for rust of the unibody, I might consider it if the price was ridiculously low.

One question I would ask MYSELF--why wouldn't the owner or an employee of the yard want to throw a $400 or less engine in for such a fine specimen?

im with joe... hell, why was it abandoned in the first place?

id be checking everything joe mentioned. id be pulling the carpets to see the floors too.

flooded cars always have serious electrical problems later in life. If you're prepared to rewire it and put a new drivetrain in it, go for it.

Could turn into a money pit with serious water damage.

Buyer beware. Go in with your eyes open to the pitfalls of water intrusion. If you do get it, should be very, very cheap as mentioned.

Buy a brand new engine from like rockauto quadratec etc you will have a new engine with a warrenty If you want to buy it I would also be ready to replace or have rebuilt all the electrical boxes ecm etc. g/l

You're kidding, right?

I'll buy 5 1-300 dollar engines from friends parting out their old rigs, or craigslist, or junkyards, FAR before I will spend 1-2k on a brand new engine.

The ECU is probably going to be fine, they're waterproof, any electronics in the interior (TCU, radio, airbag controller, etc) are likely hosed.

kastein said:

I'll buy 5 1-300 dollar engines from friends parting out their old rigs, or craigslist, or junkyards, FAR before I will spend 1-2k on a brand new engine.

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But we all know you are a cheap bastard! When mine gives up I am either gonna have a stroker built or order an ATK.

Yes, I am. I see no reason to dump that kind of money into a stock engine when plenty of perfectly fine ones are sitting around for way cheaper.

If I had any reason to do a stroker, it'd be completely different. Those cost money and if you want to do one, you want to do one, it's just the way it is.

Call me cheap too! The local salvage yards just smile and wave when I walk in.

I'd take it.

WE owned a salvage yard for nearly sixty years here in Wyoming. During my time working for the family I saw several nice rides come in after a drowning in the local lakes and I would not have tried to rebuild any of them. Like Joe said you can count on water in everything from electrical connectors to mechanical parts. None of these components were made for under water operation and will most certainly have issues unless someone immediatley took the time to get them dried out, and even then there is plenty of opportunity for problems down the road. Personally I would not bother with it unless they were giving it away.