[FeralCatKillr]

2002 Liberty with 96,000 original-owner miles. I've probably put $7,000 in it over the last five years, trying to keep her like new. Just put a new $2500 transmission in it last week and was thinking I should sell it before something else goes wrong.

Accelerated pretty hard away from a stop light this morning. Not crazy fast, just probably 4500 RPM or 5000 max. Was running fine but about four miles later it died at a stoplight.

Hard to start again and ran really rough like missing on a couple cylinders. Wouldn't idle without dying. Nursed it to my mechanic about a mile away and left it for him to look at monday. Wasn't overheating. Engine and everything in the engine compartment looks clean. Fluid levels all full. Oil doesn't appear milky as far as I can tell but I think there were a few gritty bits, although that could have been at the top of the dipstick. Exhaust maybe was a little white but hard to say since it's 15 degrees outside.

I'm thinking blown head gasket maybe. Hopefully nothing worse.

Stupid Jeeps.

And yet I'm still strangely sentimental about it and part of me wants to keep it.

 

[greg5857]

Stupid Jeeps.

And yet I'm still strangely sentimental about it and part of me wants to keep it.

Ok I'll bite, "It's a Jeep thing"...
A friend of mine helped his daughter pick out a car years ago, and she leased a new Liberty when they first came out.
It was in the shop all the time, and would break down and strand her a lot.
Fortunately she turned it in about the time the warranty expired.

Greg

 

[osprey]

Sadly, I learned early in life that Jeep was an acronym for Just Empty Every Pocket.

Hope that it is something relatively easy to repair, and not a cracked head or block.

 

[jeepnut711]

Have had several Wranglers and never any problems. All have had over 200,000 miles on them. I trust the Wrangler but not the other models.

 

[FeralCatKillr]

It was in the shop all the time, and would break down and strand her a lot.
Fortunately she turned it in about the time the warranty expired.

In all fairness, this one was fine until the warranty ran out. Then shortly thereafter I got my first big hit when the differential went out.

Hope that it is something relatively easy to repair, and not a cracked head or block.

Yikes. Wouldn't a head gasket be a lot more likely than a cracked block??

Ok..... Never mind that I asked that. Anything is a possibility with this thing.

 

[bwinters]

I sold jeep and chrysler for a while and had would not sell a liberty to any friends or relatives.

 

[FeralCatKillr]

And don't you know this is the way things usually go.... I was just about to buy myself a Wiley Clapp model SP101 this afternoon. Maybe I should get the repair bill first before I commit to any other big purchases.

Oh well, everything happens for a reason and is part of the Lord's plan. I'd much rather fix the engine and sell it with a good conscience, knowing that I've replaced or repaired ever major component. Better that than if I'd have sold her last week then I've got the buyer cursing me, or taking me to small claims court because it broke down as soon as he drove it away.

I'm such a nice guy I think I'll reward myself with that SP101 anyway.

 

[laidlerj]

Reminds me of a story.

A farmer from Vermont was sitting on a long airline flight next to a rancher from Texas who spent most of the time bragging about his cattle, his horses and his ranch in general. At one point he said "Why, my ranch is so big that it takes all day to drive the fence line."

At that point, the dour old Vermonter looked thoughtful and said "Yep, I had a truck like that once."


Good luck.


Jim

 

[cmospyder]

It does sound like a head gasket or something bent in the valve train.

 

[alayonruger]

And don't you know this is the way things usually go.... I was just about to buy myself a Wiley Clapp model SP101 this afternoon. Maybe I should get the repair bill first before I commit to any other big purchases.

Oh well, everything happens for a reason and is part of the Lord's plan. I'd much rather fix the engine and sell it with a good conscience, knowing that I've replaced or repaired ever major component. Better that than if I'd have sold her last week then I've got the buyer cursing me, or taking me to small claims court because it broke down as soon as he drove it away.

I'm such a nice guy I think I'll reward myself with that SP101 anyway.

Bless your heart.
I wasn't as lucky buying a used car back in 2002.

 

[DDelambre]

Impossible to diagnose without seeing it over the internet, but from your description, could be a headgasket or as simple as a fuel pump going out. Could also be a crank position sensor. Sometimes strange electrical problems can cause cylinders to drop. Usually (on Nissans) bad grounds can cause all sorts of strange problems.

 

[Nam Vet]

Have a 2014 Cherokee Limited. Had 3 recalls so far but never had a problem. It's a 4 banger. Seems the Cherokee 6 cyl is losing oil.

 

[lah2420]

Had 2 Wranglers. An 87 with a Peugeot tranny. Bought a newer model tranny, rebuilt it, and installed it. Played with different carbs and ignition setups. New suspension. Spent lots of time and money. Sold it and said Never Again. 1 year later, bought 95 4 banger wrangler. Guess what? Tranny lost 3rd and 4th. Rebuilt tranny and reinstalled. Did several other unnecessary things. Sold it last year. Said NEVER Again. It's been a year. Dang, but I miss my Jeep.

 

[Owly]

I'm an auto mechanic by trade. Without hands on diagnosis it's impossible to say for sure, but 3.7L Libertys are well know for throwing rocker arms off. Sometimes they can simply be reinstalled for very little expense, but often this indicates a much more sinister internal problem. 3.7L and 4.7L Chrysler engines tend to sludge up easily causing restricted oil passages resulting in oil starvation to the valve train. As simple as it sounds, regular oil changes are critical on these engines.

 

[Ken OCarbre]

My 2002 Liberty has 196K hard miles. 2 front differentials,2 water pumps,1 alternator. Starting to have electrical issues,some rust on the rocker panels,front driveshaft needs a CV joint. Starts right up,uses a quart of oil every 4K miles or so, Trans is good so far. It's paid for but the electrical issues bother me. I wanna keep it 'cause times are hard and my credit is crap these days as is income. Oh yeah needs a heater core. I do all my own work other than wheel alignments.

It's lifted w/31 inch tires and lockers. Don't play off road like I used to but it's never let me down except when the original battery died. No big deal I was 100 yards from an Advanced Auto store.

Unless awinning litto ticket comes my way it's likely I'll keep it. If I take half waht a new car payment would be and throw it at the Jeep I'll stay ahead of the game. Sorry if that's kinda rambling but I'm editing a video while surfing.

 

[MM53]

LOST JEEPS ? Index page I have a 05 Liberty CRD (diesel) and love it a little more maintenance and a lot more fun !!!

 

[FeralCatKillr]

Ken OCarbre, Maybe I'll have a parts car to sell you. Got a new tranny and all. LOL

 

[bigbill]

My 1980 wrangler cj7 was awesome, bought it in 1985. My 1955 jeep cj5 has been awesome for snow plowing for 25 years too. My brand new purchase in '99 Jeep Wrangler sport which needs some told today. I'm a left over jeep mechanic from the 1973 to 1977.
I love jeeps.

 

[SafetyJoe]

I heard the Jeep Liberty is prone to lots of problems. Maybe try a Subaru instead. I never hear anyone having problems with them.

 

[cragantler]

My 1980 wrangler cj7 was awesome, bought it in 1985. My 1955 jeep cj5 has been awesome for snow plowing for 25 years too. My brand new purchase in '99 Jeep Wrangler sport which needs some told today. I'm a left over jeep mechanic from the 1973 to 1977.
I love jeeps.

I've had my '10 Wrangler Sport for 3 months and love it. First Jeep and couldn't be happier. Wife learned to drive on a 48 Willys.