Joe Handley Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 My Little Sister overheated her 200k+ mile Cherokee so bad today that it locked the motor as she pulled in the driveway. She drove it for a few miles with the water pump locked up and a thrown belt. Dad chewed her out for not stopping someplace safe (plent of spots to do so) and calling him ASAP as well as not fixing it as soon as we noticed the noise and the puddles it was leaving behind. Once it cooled back down Dad was actually able to get it to start back up! He put a new pump and belt on hit while she and mom were inside hosting bachelorette party for a co worker of her's and she was able to drive it back to the apartment she shares with her boyfriend tonight. Dad and I followed her back home and Dad wondered why Mom wanted us to do so. We were wondering if mom didn't trust his repair or that the truck wasn't too badly damaged, but he said no to the later and added "It's a tough old block." It won't be the same it was before (it was already getting tired anyway), but atleast it's still driveable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LVZ2881 Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 must be a 4.0L six. those things are almost indestructible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george 53 Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 My best freind had a 82 Lincon Town car with a 302, an he ran that rascal DRY of OIL 5 different times. Each time it froze up an stalled, he just let it cool down, put some more oil in it , an it FIRED RIGHT UP! This happened to him AT LEAST 5 different times I was with him, an I started teasin him when we'd be out by tellin him to fill the oil an check the gas! It gave me a WHOLE new respect for the small block Ford.Still wouldn't own one if you GAVE it to me, But I got ALOT of respect for em! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrObsessive Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 AMC's (Rambler) old sixes out of the '50's-'60's were tough engines as well. I remember as a kid hearing stories about folks purposely trying to kill 'em but they wouldn't die! True tough engine story: Back in the late '80's I had a cousin call me one day saying that her Chevette (an '81) wouldn't go over 40 mph on the highway. I told her it may be a compression problem and she ought to get it checked at the dealer and soon. She then calls me back a few days later and says the car is running fine now------I asked her what was wrong with it? She says "I went to get gas and when they checked my oil, they saw nothing on the dipstick". They put in oil and the car ran like nothing was wrong. No smoke, no knocks, no tapping valves, nothing! I said whaaaaaat?? How did that car's engine NOT seize if you were running without oil?? She had made what would have been a 40 mile round trip where she was originally going when she had called me to complain about the car! Well since then, I've come to have a LOT of respect for those little four bangers. Too bad Pontiac didn't see fit to leave this engine alone when they made the Fiero. Pontiac "shortened" the height of the engine by giving the Fiero Iron Duke four a smaller oil pan. That's the reason you don't see many early (particularly 1984) Fiero's around today-----especially four cylinders as the engines self destructed from lack of oil (5 quart pan down to 3). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berk765 Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 My best freind had a 82 Lincon Town car with a 302, an he ran that rascal DRY of OIL 5 different times. Each time it froze up an stalled, he just let it cool down, put some more oil in it , an it FIRED RIGHT UP! This happened to him AT LEAST 5 different times I was with him, an I started teasin him when we'd be out by tellin him to fill the oil an check the gas! It gave me a WHOLE new respect for the small block Ford.Still wouldn't own one if you GAVE it to me, But I got ALOT of respect for em! My cousin said that he used to build up the top end of Ford 2.3 Liter 4 cylinder engines and he told me one of those engines was turning so many rpms that all the oil was blown out of the oil pan and it locked up during a race. When it cooled down they put some oil in it and it fired right up. My Mustang has the same type of engine in it so I guess I have nothing to worry about.!!! Try that with an engine made today and it's done for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george 53 Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 Nuther little story from my youths, My buddy Lari had a 66 Rambler American with a (I think) 235 six in it. Well , Lari wanted a new 442(this was in 68)an since he was an only child, chances were pretty good he'd get it.But his Pop said there was nothing wrong with the Rambler.Soooooo, one nite, me an ol Lari, took it out to the tracks near his house, DRAINED the OIL AND WATER out of it and started that rascal up. He put a cinder block on the gas pedal an let er rip. We left, only to come back about 45 min layer, an that bad boy was still runnin! Lari figgured he wasn't gonna kill it, so we shut it down, put a gollon of used anti freeze that was in my trunk, an about 2quarts of oil in it(also from MY trunk) and started on his way back home.About a block or so from his house, it FINALLY died! Wouldn't start ever again, an Lari got a new car(his Ma's 67 Cutlass 4-dr, which he turned into a 67 442 4-dr)But let me tell ya, I NEVER made jokes about Ramblers again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick F40 Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 AMC's are on the line with Toyotas and Hondas and VWs when they tach em out at the junkyard, man those Toyota engines can last for almost a couple of hours and keep on running! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dub Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 AMC's are on the line with Toyotas and Hondas and VWs when they tach em out at the junkyard, man those Toyota engines can last for almost a couple of hours and keep on running! What?!?! You FORGOT your favorite German engine?!? What about Audi's 5 banger? I had an 84 5000 wagon as a yard car when I worked in an import junkyard. I could not kill that thing. I never ran it out of oil, but then again I had all the used oil I could ever want in the cars coming in..... Ahh, fond memories. I remember doing a side-step clutch-action in that thing; that motor is so torquey that it just dug in and threw me back in the seat! Its a good thing the E-brake didn't work very well because I'm sure I would have taken out a couple of cars on the ends of the rows with that long behemoth! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick F40 Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 (edited) What?!?! You FORGOT your favorite German engine?!? What about Audi's 5 banger? I had an 84 5000 wagon as a yard car when I worked in an import junkyard. I could not kill that thing. I never ran it out of oil, but then again I had all the used oil I could ever want in the cars coming in..... Ahh, fond memories. I remember doing a side-step clutch-action in that thing; that motor is so torquey that it just dug in and threw me back in the seat! Its a good thing the E-brake didn't work very well because I'm sure I would have taken out a couple of cars on the ends of the rows with that long behemoth! DANG IT! Forgive me Dub, I knew I forgot one! sweet man, that sounded awsome, you know your gonna tell me more! heck yeah WHAT NOW PUNK!? for you Dub http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct1JgR-PFNY...feature=related this one is for you Chris! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve7OdUKC88I...feature=related and my personal favorite Edited August 19, 2008 by Nick F40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted August 19, 2008 Author Share Posted August 19, 2008 It is the Jeep 4.0l and from what I understand, it is the last engine from the Rambler engine family. Sounds like there was enough water in the jackets that as the engine overheated after the pump locked up it was able to build up some steam the cyliders and protect them! Dad's begining to think that by the time she got to the house that the steam was starting to get out of the engine and cause the electronics to freak out and stall the engine. Looks like it didn't hurt the motor, but only time will tell. I did read something on another forum from somebody who has a friend who works at a Jeep dealer. They had an '87 or '88 4.0l Comanche come in with 77k on the clock and the engine locked up solid. Turns out the truck was still running on the factory fill of motor oil! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dub Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 (edited) this one is for you Chris! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve7OdUKC88I...feature=related I love the surprise they get around 8:00 into it. Classic!!! :lol: Worth watching the whole way through! The first three were cool, also; especially the third one! Edited August 19, 2008 by dub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted August 19, 2008 Author Share Posted August 19, 2008 (edited) You know nick, it's not hard to a video of a rotory failing Now here is an engine failure! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g7_bHlQhd8...feature=related Edited August 19, 2008 by Joe Handley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick F40 Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 (edited) Dub-oh yes it is! "I think we blew the mufflers out!" I figured you were gonna say something about that! they just don't die though! Joe-oh yes, I seen plenty, I live somewhat near a tractor pull-mudbog place so they sure give out and when they do, POOF! Edited August 19, 2008 by Nick F40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAL Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 (edited) DANG IT! Forgive me Dub, I knew I forgot one! sweet man, that sounded awsome, you know your gonna tell me more! heck yeah WHAT NOW PUNK!? for you Dub http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct1JgR-PFNY...feature=related this one is for you Chris! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve7OdUKC88I...feature=related and my personal favorite Well here is one that actually does blow up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBd1xcOFXCc...feature=related This one bangs pretty good too. Edited August 19, 2008 by CAL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick F40 Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 (edited) Chris you never told me knew you had one of those, yeah I've seen that then, it's pretty sweet! ehh yours self destructing is close enough, post it on YouTube! Edited August 19, 2008 by Nick F40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAL Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 (edited) Chris you never told me knew you had one of those, yeah I've seen that then, it's pretty sweet! ehh yours self destructing is close enough, post it on YouTube! Yeah that was the first one I ever seen blow up. Yeah, much more stuff was flying around. Edited August 19, 2008 by CAL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAL Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Here this is a bit more dramatic... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obN1WJF82O8...feature=related Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick F40 Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 oh yeah, I have that one in my favorites, that's at the Silver State Classic and he was LUCKY! Dub's happy though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FactoryStock54 Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I remember being sooooo embarrassed by the family's 70 Rambler station wagon. . .seriously boring and totally uncool hunk of steel, but it was reliable as all heck and solid as a tank. . . Later on when my mom's 54 Chevy 210 clunker gave up the ghost we got a used 71 Matador which wasn't a bad car at all; certainly lasted a long time and gave them their money's worth! Eventually, IIRC, it was sold in about 1990 for $200. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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