Expressing my current hatred for Jeep (rant, edited)

"Jedidiah" (4barrel4speeddualexhaust) 03/15/2015 at 03:22 • Filed to: Rant, Jeep, Hatred

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Edit: I think most of this is shit luck and is likely piston slap.

How is it that one of "the most durable straight 6s ever made" always develops a rod knock before 130k?

Both of my parents Rubicons have cold knocks and they have been babied their entire lifes. The 360 in my dad's Wagoneer has started knocking and my Wagoneer is in a million pieces because I don't have enough time to work on the damn thing. That's 3 goddamn jeeps with rod knocks—only a small fraction out of the multitude of Jeeps my family has owned that have knocked.

It's times like these when I start to remember when my dad wrote an angry letter to the president of Jeep because he was dissapointed in his new (at the time) XJ Laredo because it was built so poorly.

Or when I remember that "durable and strong" motor in a different XJ that threw a rod going up a driveway. Or all those CJs that couldn't make it out of a mud hole and were always broken.

Or the "old faithful" Gladiator that burned more oil than gasoline.

Or the expensive snaps that Dana 30s make.

Jeeps are useless, expensive, small and so heinously uncomfortable that I don't see why people would even want to use them on pavement. They are only fragile toys and have never failed to let me down.

They are good for absolutely nothing. They are literally the Harley-Davidson of the car world. Even their owners wave at one another to show their collective misery.

Now I know why people put Chevrolet guts in these damn things.

MINISQL > Jedidiah 03/15/2015 at 05:04

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And yet.......you keep getting them. I've had 3 Cherokees (4.0), all past 130,000m, no knocks on any of them.

Tekamul > Jedidiah 03/15/2015 at 08:14

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They are literally the Harley-Davidson of the car world.

Well, that seems strikingly accurate. I never really thought about that before.

BunkyTheMelon > Jedidiah 03/15/2015 at 08:47

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The most reliable straight 6 ever? It's sitting in this puppy right here....

yamahog > MINISQL 03/15/2015 at 08:53

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Mine is past 250,000mi, burning a little oil but still kicking. I can appreciate the Harley analogy though, since a buddy of mine bought both a JK and a sportster within a year.

SpiritOfTheNight > Jedidiah 03/15/2015 at 09:51

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yeah jeeps sixes aren't really the best.at least there's a decent aftermarket for you. A guy I know is on his 3rd engine in a 01 wrangler. Hes got 3.73s with 35s. I told him to gear down to ease the strain on his engine and trans but he won't listen. Now he's onto engine 3. Only thing I don't get is the analogy to HD. Harleys are rock solid reliable, other than their current big twin, and neglected amf era bikes.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > Jedidiah 03/15/2015 at 09:54

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my 91 cherokee is a offroad beater, ( and i mean beater, oil hasnt been changed since 13 probably) and it has 165,xxx on it and runs like a champ) body is shit tho

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > BunkyTheMelon 03/15/2015 at 10:00

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Gas engine, maybe. Toyota has some strong competitors as well.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Jedidiah 03/15/2015 at 10:02

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It would never fail that my friends YJ would break when we took it somewhere to play. It was like clockwork. I've never understood the desire for them, when Toyota exists at the same price point.

Blake Noble > Jedidiah 03/15/2015 at 10:34

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That's actually piston slap, not rod knock. It's just the nature of the 4.0L straight-six. It's rarely detrimental to the engine. It's just annoying as hell to listen to on a cold morning. I doubt there's a single 4.0 left that doesn't clack its head off on a cold morning.

Signed,

The previous owner of four XJ Cherokees

1337HPMustang > Jedidiah 03/15/2015 at 10:48

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PWRandSPD > Jedidiah 03/15/2015 at 10:48

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I have had two YJ's and one TJ, all well over 150k, no knock. I had the TJ to 274k miles and was still running like a champ when I sold it. The only knock I had in any of them was anything that rattled, and the passenger seat when no one was in it.

BigBlock440 > Jedidiah 03/15/2015 at 11:00

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If you feel that way, why do you keep buying them?

Also, the 360 is a V8, not a straight 6, and not sure what Rubicons, but if newer, don't have a straight 6 either.

BunkyTheMelon > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 03/15/2015 at 11:10

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I had a Tacoma that was indestructible, butit was a V6. I should have never got rid of that thing.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > BunkyTheMelon 03/15/2015 at 11:15

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The 1FZ-FE in Land Cruisers was/is a legend. But credit where credit is due, the 300 has a legendary status of being indestructible, despite teenagers trying to kill them pre-more power swap.

Sweet Trav > BunkyTheMelon 03/15/2015 at 11:58

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psh.

When the world ends there will be a Dodge Dart with a slant six still puttering around with Keith Richards behind the wheel...

Jedidiah > BigBlock440 03/15/2015 at 17:57

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I'm well aware that the 360 is a V8, it's knockin in addition to the Rubicons.

The TJ Rubicons (pre-2006) have the 4.0 I6. With the introduction of the JK in 2007, they started using Chrysler's V6 that comes with many horror stories.

Jedidiah > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time 03/15/2015 at 17:57

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You've had better luck with it than me or my dad can have with Jeeps.

Jedidiah > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 03/15/2015 at 17:58

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YJs are garbage on entirely different level. Around 87-89 YJs are some of the worst vehicles Jeep has ever made.

Jedidiah > Blake Noble 03/15/2015 at 18:00

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It sure sounds like a rod knock.

Doesn't sound healthy whatever it is.

It would definitely cheer me up if it was piston slap because ever single damn AMC six I've ever seen makes that noise when it is cold and past 100k.

Jedidiah > MINISQL 03/15/2015 at 18:07

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Another commenter said it is most likely piston slap. It's a scary noise and Jeeps have always made it.

My family has always had shit luck with Jeeps and Buicks (another rant for another day).

Jeeps (of certain years and models) possess qualities that I like in a vehicle and they are fun. It's hard not like a vehicle with a boxed frame, dana 44s, and either a V8 or I6. Put a nice t-case and tranny in there and you got a recipe for a winner that Jeep somehow manages to screw up. Jeeps financial history should be a good indication of how much of a screw up they are.

Unfortunately, my love/hate for them introduces a lot of stress in my weekends when I am stuck fixing these damn things.

Jedidiah > BunkyTheMelon 03/15/2015 at 18:09

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I like the Ford big six, but I don't know much about it.

Every motor has got it's problems, and it seems like I get stuck with the lemons from Toledo, Ohio instead of a rugged offroader.

Jedidiah > Sweet Trav 03/15/2015 at 18:10

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Slant 6s like to vapor lock and will annoy and strand you.

It is a very strong block though and you can mitigate the vapor locking.

I like these motors a lot.

Blake Noble > Jedidiah 03/15/2015 at 19:07

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Oh, I agree with you that it doesn't sound pleasant. I'll be honest, having to listen to that racket in three out of the four Cherokees I had helped to convince me to wash my hands of them for a long time.

Again, it's unlikely the engine will die anytime soon and you're just working your way towards owning just another noisy 300,000 mile 4.0L Jeep. But if you really want to get rid of the famous 4.0 piston slap, the only way you'll do it is by rebuilding the engine with oversized pistons. If you ever wanted to do a 4.7 stroker build, here's your excuse. ;)

BigBlock440 > Jedidiah 03/16/2015 at 15:45

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Do any of these with "rod knock" still run? I've had an engine that developed a rod knock and it blew a hole in the block less than 30 miles later. If they truly do have a rod knock at 130k, and there are tons of examples with over 250k on them, I'd say it's pretty damn reliable being able to go over 100k miles with a rod knocking.

Jedidiah > BigBlock440 03/16/2015 at 16:09

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Out of all the Jeeps I've known, none of them have lasted as long as what the bullshit on the internet says. They are USED THE FUCK UP by 150k if they have ever seen any kind of wheeling and are ready to be chopped up into bits so that they can be reincarnated into a variety of redneck machines. Just because it is barely clinging to life, doesn't mean it is "reliable" or "durable" especially when it starts coming unglued around 120k.

It's probably piston slap instead of rod knock, but I've seen plenty of well cared for Jeeps just decide to go pop.

AMC V8s and 6s run at stupidly low oil pressure, around 13 psi at idle on 10w30. The sixes are not fitted with any kind of oil control besides a little baffle at the front of the pan to prevent oil from sloshing around on a hill. The V8's oiling is horrible, dreadful, and just poorly engineered with more 90 degree turns than a box full of carpenter's squares. The 6 isn't inadequate, but could have been a hell of a lot better.

Everybody has heard the tall tales of the 300k mile Jeep, but I'll be damned if I have ever seen one in real life that could have been considered suitable transportation.

Sure every motor has it's flaws, but I get real aggravated when every one of these damn things starts making terrifying noises around the same mileage when I always maintain them fastidiously.

NavyMercedes > Jedidiah 03/17/2015 at 06:48

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I stopped reading halfway through the post. Anybody that had so many persistent problems with a vehicle, yet continued to amass them like some kind of Jeep hoarder, is clearly an idiot of epic proportions. Are we supposed to feel bad for you?

We do, but most likely for the wrong reasons...

Jedidiah > NavyMercedes 03/17/2015 at 14:39

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The constant problems are not why I buy the them—I buy them because they are fun. Pretty novel idea right? Their constant problems are unique to Jeep vehicles and, with enough experience, you can learn how to deal with them. Wow, who would have thought?

Someone who visits this website surely can understand these sentiments if they prioritize enjoyment over problem free ownership.

These Jeeps are bit like the final straw in that metaphor with the camel.

Rather than dwell on these things and become angry, I decided to post to Oppo where I was informed it is likely piston slap, which was helpful advice.

This is not a cry out for sypathy nor is it a lash out that looks for an excuse to call people an idiot over their tastes and frustrations.

Now if you stopped reading like you said, did you really have to comment? You could have done something much more useful like get the fuck off this site. Cheers, have a nice day.