Worth keeping the moter, and trans?

[scoobyxj]

I have a 2000 4.0 and Aw4 that has been setting for about 4 years outside in the vehicle. The last time I tried to start it it wouldn't turn over, and there is a considerable milkyness to the oil (from condensation). The motor had synthetic oil from about the 30k mark, and has roughly 115k on it now. The trans same mileage and got a full flush around the 90k mark. Both ran perfectly until the accident. I've picked up 99, and currently in the process of pulling all desirable parts off the 2000 and scrapping the rest. Should I keep the moter, and trans, or just scrap it after setting that long?

 

[xcm]

depends on your situation, if you can store them inside, for sure keep em, if you cant, someone in your chapter CAN.

to make sure ive got this right, they were bolted together complete, in the jeep, but sitting outside for 4 years? sounds like my jeeps powertrain.

 

[scoobyxj]

depends on your situation, if you can store them inside, for sure keep em, if you cant, someone in your chapter CAN.

to make sure ive got this right, they were bolted together complete, in the jeep, but sitting outside for 4 years? sounds like my jeeps powertrain.

Yes I do have a dry place to store them, and yes together complete in the Jeep. Front of the Jeep was even covered up until a few weeks ago when I started the tare down. Do you think they would need rebuilt to be reliably put in use? That's the whole reason for even thinking of just scrapping them. I do not have the skills or tools to do it, and I'm thinking I could find a scrap yard motor for less than I could have them rebuilt. However I do believe the motor would make a nice base for a stroker build.

 

[Matthew Currie]

If your head is good, I'd certainly keep that, since the later heads have a reputation for cracking.

 

[scoobyxj]

If your head is good, I'd certainly keep that, since the later heads have a reputation for cracking.

Yes the head is good, and past the mileage point I consider there needs to be a concern about it. The motor has never been overheated, but I have had it good and warm a few times. Probably up around 215/220*. However that's been where it idled for 30/40 min on a hot day with the A/C on. As soon as I started driving it cooled right back down to 210*.

 

[xcm]

ok then, pull the plugs and squirt a couple drips of engine oil in each cylender, change the oil and coolant, charge a battery up, and take it from there.


you say it wouldnt turn over, but thats not very descriptive, get her up to date, and take it from there.

only reason to trash perfectly good motors is.... well i cant think of any. worst case scenario, part it out for parts. thats usually what i do.

 

[ehall]

put a wrench on the crank bolt and see if you can turn it over by hand

 

[superdave]

Here's whatcha do. Mix up a batch of 50% acetone and 50% ATF. pull the spark plugs and fill each cylinder up with the home brew. Reinstall plugs. Let it set for a couple days. Pull the plugs and crank it over to force out the mixture. Yes, this will make a giant mess. Replace plugs, change oil and filter and drive it. You may want to consider pulling the pan and cleaning it and replacing the pickup screen too.

 

[scoobyxj]

Here's whatcha do. Mix up a batch of 50% acetone and 50% ATF. pull the spark plugs and fill each cylinder up with the home brew. Reinstall plugs. Let it set for a couple days. Pull the plugs and crank it over to force out the mixture. Yes, this will make a giant mess. Replace plugs, change oil and filter and drive it. You may want to consider pulling the pan and cleaning it and replacing the pickup screen too.

Got ya. I'm not going to to be using it anytime soon, but will save it for a back up to the 99 I picked up that has 214k.

 

[superdave]

If you're gonna store it for a long time, buy some fogging oil and spray the cylinders while rotating the engine. Back off the rocker pressure so there is no pressure on the springs and the valves are shut. Wrap with a blanket then bag it, and keep inside if possible. Plastic bag's let in moisture hence the blanket.
Another method is to buy a can of LPS3, remove the pan and the valve covers. Invert the engine, spray all surfaces liberally. Remove the plugs, spray some into the cylinders. Rotate the crank, spray more into the cyl. Replace the pan. Back off all of the rocker arms, so that there is no tension on the springs. Spray the springs with the lps3. Put the covers back on. Bag the engine, and seal it as well as you can. Store in a cool dry place.

The lps3 forms a waxy layer and will not run off. ever.

Also, make 100% sure you have a good seal on the intake manifold ports and exhaust ports to keep out moisture, bugs, and varmints.

 

[kastein]

I always seal over the ports by scraping the gasket surface clean and running strips of duct tape across it. I always break one of the plugs when I reinstall them after oiling the cylinders to remind myself that there is oil in there, and that I should pull the plugs, turn it over a bunch to force most of it out, and use new plugs when I install the engine.