Have 04 liberty 3.7 litre, 4wd, 210k miles, and regularly serviced and fixed over years. also has had a secondary transmission cooler added when that was rebuilt at 13ok miles.
started with a no or little heat issue this winter, clogged heater core that was flushed, now it has turned in to three shop/mechanic people telling me i need a new head gasket plus i just had a radiator blow with small tiny leaks in upper right corner.
no oil/water mix, no overheating except as of late coming out of the holes in radiator, no smoke from exhaust, and no engine noises or shut downs.
asked a mechanic to do a compression test. said not losing by cylinder one at a time but when all six are firing, have to be losing some compression. in checking plugs, both rear plugs are wet or clean from being water blasted i suppose too. he advised that i definitely have a blown head gasket on both sides. might have blown both sides taking to a radiator shop but it didn't really overheat all the way to the "H" on the gauge, only went up 3/4 of the way.
mechanic friend also said and so did the radiator place that when they took the coolant cap off, could smell exhaust emissions in the cooling system.
so now i am thinking of trying blue devil and getting a cheap radiator put in but have heard mixed results with those sealers. some say it works or has worked, some say it clogs whole system up including possibly part of your engine too.
second option is have head gasket repaired and put new radiator in. bottom part of engine should be o.k. but it does have 210k miles on it. this will be about 1300 bucks.
next option is to rebuild whole engine at almost 2 grand including radiator. this kit includes pistons, fuel pump, water pump, timing chain and accessories besides gaskets and rings, etc. ... think i can get another 100k miles or more with this. person rebuilding will guarantee for a year.
other option is a used engine off of e-bay or junk yard at around same price as rebuilding installed. don't know what your getting with that and they all have at or over 100k miles or so on them.
Last option is a re-manufactured engine which is cost prohibitive but has better warranty.
oh, i am very tight, as in really broke on funds due to a job change and will have to borrow and scrounge to get any or most of this work done. so i am afraid of throwing good money after bad or for a losing cause.
i also do need to keep the jeep for the time being. it's paid off. i have had almost everything done over the years and even as of late. it's almost if you name it, its been done except for the engine and timing chain and engine cooling system. transmission rebuilt, rods, struts, brakes, a.c., water pump, fuel pumps, serpentine belts, control arms,- gosh almost everything over time and most recently the struts and shocks and rear brakes and new tires.
anyone have a recommendation, please let me know. thanks
started with a no or little heat issue this winter, clogged heater core that was flushed, now it has turned in to three shop/mechanic people telling me i need a new head gasket plus i just had a radiator blow with small tiny leaks in upper right corner.
no oil/water mix, no overheating except as of late coming out of the holes in radiator, no smoke from exhaust, and no engine noises or shut downs.
asked a mechanic to do a compression test. said not losing by cylinder one at a time but when all six are firing, have to be losing some compression. in checking plugs, both rear plugs are wet or clean from being water blasted i suppose too. he advised that i definitely have a blown head gasket on both sides. might have blown both sides taking to a radiator shop but it didn't really overheat all the way to the "H" on the gauge, only went up 3/4 of the way.
mechanic friend also said and so did the radiator place that when they took the coolant cap off, could smell exhaust emissions in the cooling system.
so now i am thinking of trying blue devil and getting a cheap radiator put in but have heard mixed results with those sealers. some say it works or has worked, some say it clogs whole system up including possibly part of your engine too.
second option is have head gasket repaired and put new radiator in. bottom part of engine should be o.k. but it does have 210k miles on it. this will be about 1300 bucks.
next option is to rebuild whole engine at almost 2 grand including radiator. this kit includes pistons, fuel pump, water pump, timing chain and accessories besides gaskets and rings, etc. ... think i can get another 100k miles or more with this. person rebuilding will guarantee for a year.
other option is a used engine off of e-bay or junk yard at around same price as rebuilding installed. don't know what your getting with that and they all have at or over 100k miles or so on them.
Last option is a re-manufactured engine which is cost prohibitive but has better warranty.
oh, i am very tight, as in really broke on funds due to a job change and will have to borrow and scrounge to get any or most of this work done. so i am afraid of throwing good money after bad or for a losing cause.
i also do need to keep the jeep for the time being. it's paid off. i have had almost everything done over the years and even as of late. it's almost if you name it, its been done except for the engine and timing chain and engine cooling system. transmission rebuilt, rods, struts, brakes, a.c., water pump, fuel pumps, serpentine belts, control arms,- gosh almost everything over time and most recently the struts and shocks and rear brakes and new tires.
anyone have a recommendation, please let me know. thanks
