Snow plow on Liberty.

dntlkbak · **Posted:** Sat Sep 27, 2014 11:18 pm

So here's the deal, My Liberty has a cracked engine block, long story short it is far too expensive too replace with a new one and finding a used one is not working out very well, The current engine runs like a top except that it leaks out antifreeze too much to use for long drives. Iam thinking that I could put a snow plow on it and at least get some use out of it, dont care if it dies as it is essentially just a paper weight as it sits anyway, I have nothing to lose. Anyone have experience with installing a plow on a Liberty and what brands would be ok, I dont want to have the biggest or most expensive, just something that works. thanks.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 27, 2014 11:44 pm

Won't last but a couple of mins plowing as it places just as much and sometime more stress on the engine and if the engine if fubar'd You just spent $1000+ for a plow to be used maybe once.

mass-hole · **Posted:** Sun Sep 28, 2014 2:32 pm

If your gunna spend the money on a plow couldn't you scoop up a used engine?

dntlkbak · **Posted:** Sun Sep 28, 2014 5:39 pm

If I could find an engine for a decent price or one that is not completely pooched I would scoop it rather quickly, however I have been looking for quite sometime and there is just nothing within a reasonable distance from where I live. I have found a few in the US, but they are usually in the South and I'm sure the shipping would be a nightmare as well the logistics could be a witch if I had to return something. Anyone have a price for what they want for a new one in the US? Maybe its worth it for me to cross over the border and buy a replacement down there, I'm about 6 hrs from the border, would be buying it in MT or ND.

geordi · **Posted:** Sun Sep 28, 2014 7:34 pm

Why are you sure the block is cracked? That is a highly unusual problem for these, where a head gasket leak is much more common. What is the mileage? Has the timing belt been replaced, and what other service has been done to it?

If it runs - it is fixable. You may not need what you think you need, and if you are being told this by a mechanic that doesn't work on this design every day (or ever, really) then I wouldn't trust them to correctly predict a sunrise tomorrow.

sota · **Joined:** Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:44 pm **Posts:** 378

I can tell you a decent plow made by fisher (homesteader) or western (suburbanite) will run you $4000+ in USA money.

dntlkbak · **Posted:** Sun Sep 28, 2014 11:15 pm

I personally pulled the engine out of it last winter and found the engine block cracked across the flex plate flange and up both sides of the water jacket about 4 inches on each side, it is an ugly place to try and repair, as well I drilled the ends of the crack to prevent further cracking and found that the cast iron on these blocks is very thin and powdery (not a good quality cast iron). I have welded cast iron in the past but it was a much better quality cast, this would be very difficult to weld without a good possibility of burning through and making it even worse or even a complete right-off. I have found a few used engines out there but there are 3 very disturbing common problems (cracked heads, cracked blocks & piled up valve trains from the timing belts breaking) I am still looking for an engine to replace or repair it with, however I noticed that these are getting older now and the value is coming down on them, if it gets too low it will not even be worth the time or money to repair.

geordi · **Posted:** Mon Sep 29, 2014 12:09 am

If it is already written off, I'd say go for it with stitching the block across the crack. Yes, the block is a thin casting, but you know why? Because it is a sleeved block, so there really isn't that much pressure within the casting itself. The combustion chamber sleeve is a much higher grade of steel and contains the boom, so the rest should only need to deal with either 16psi water pressure or 100psi oil pressure (when the oil is cold) depending on what jacket is behind the damage. Since you say it is losing water, I'd say that narrows it down, and 16-20 psi is an EASY thing to patch against.

Now, about the engines you are finding - I'd take the chance on ANY that have had a timing belt break, the engine is DESIGNED to break in a specific way that doesn't hurt anything else when that happens. This is one of the only things about this design that seems to work every time.

If you decide to give up on it (yes, the values are coming down pretty hard, sadly, but it IS a 10 year old vehicle, this is about the point when ANY vehicle bottoms out for value, and the known problems don't help) - Please let us know here, I'm sure someone would be interested in giving it a try.

dntlkbak · **Posted:** Mon Sep 29, 2014 3:28 am

Thanks Geordi for the advice, Im planning on pulling it again soon, when I have it out I will clean it up and post pics of the cracked area and maybe get some ideas from everyone on what there thoughts are. Also if anyone knows of an engine with a good block let me know. Thanks.

mass-hole · **Posted:** Mon Sep 29, 2014 10:00 am

dntlkbak wrote:

If I could find an engine for a decent price or one that is not completely pooched I would scoop it rather quickly, however I have been looking for quite sometime and there is just nothing within a reasonable distance from where I live. I have found a few in the US, but they are usually in the South and I'm sure the shipping would be a nightmare as well the logistics could be a witch if I had to return something. Anyone have a price for what they want for a new one in the US? Maybe its worth it for me to cross over the border and buy a replacement down there, I'm about 6 hrs from the border, would be buying it in MT or ND.

Yeah, it also looks like you have like 3 other vehicles you could drive so its not necessary to keep the jeep alive. I think having a plow on this would be awesome since its so short and maneuverable. It could do a decent job on smaller driveways where a 20 ft long F350 might have trouble re positioning. Slap some OME HD Springs on the front and you would be good to go.

RockyMountainYote · **Joined:** Sun Oct 20, 2013 8:32 pm **Posts:** 77

I have a good engine down here in Denver. looks like one hell of a drive though

dennyb · **Joined:** Wed Aug 13, 2014 4:27 pm **Posts:** 110

Michigan Craigslist has a complete liberty for 1900. Was on CL in July for 1500, probably from another seller. Now has pictures of it on the listing. Original listing listed that one cylinder has a bad piston from fuel injector leaking. I called the seller then and he said the head and block are good just need the one cylinder repaired.

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/cto/4693325675.html

graycenphil · **Posted:** Wed Oct 01, 2014 9:41 pm

I have aSnowbear on my Liberty. Cost about $1,000, mounts to a front receiver. It's a fairly light duty setup. Electric winch for up and down, you have to get out and angleit manually. But it works.

There is a thread on here called "Snow plow for KJ?". If you search for that, you'll find pictures.

synthetic-oil · **Joined:** Tue Sep 24, 2013 8:03 pm **Posts:** 140

The way I would repair blocks that I didn't think I could weld is to drill a hole, tap it for a 1/4" brass pipe plug. Install it with a good sealer anmd mill it of flush with the block. Then when you drill the next hole you drill on the side of the treads taking out half of the plug you just installed. You get repeating the process till done.

Antique car owners would pretty much insist that this method was used. I can see there point as you can't run out and buy a straight 8 for a Packard.

Mountainman · **Posted:** Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:24 pm

or just cut into the whole length of the cracks 1/8" or so with a thin grinder wheel, add some dimples with a punch to make sure it has something to grab onto, clean it with brake cleaner, and work as much JB weld into it as you can (maybe get it good and warm first?), and I'd bet it would hold water forever. But man, what a lot of work if it doesn't... I'd find a good block :2cents:

toby · **Posted:** Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:36 pm

I have a good bare block sitting on a shelf in my garage I would let it go cheap but you will have to arrange shipping. I can mount it to a pallet and drop it at a local freight yard

sota · **Joined:** Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:44 pm **Posts:** 378

https://www.redhawkglobal.com/Services/LTL

I've dealt with these guys before for shipping big things. if you can get it on a pallet and on/off the truck at either end their pricing is pretty good. I had 2 pallets weighing 1000# each shipped from TN to NJ (about 900 miles) for $460, time not critical.

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Jan 13, 2015 12:23 am

You can do WAY better than that! Try out the ebay of shipping companies, ubid.com (I get nothing for this) and here is how it works:

You describe the load, and the services you are needing (liftgate, forklift, etc) and then LTL (Less Than Truckload) brokers will contact you with bids for the load. The shipping time for the engine I had shipped from Texas to South Florida was about 3 days from pickup (and that was within 4-5 days of agreeing to the deal) and it was (IIRC) about $175.

Good luck and make sure that the thing is well protected on the pallet!

sota · **Joined:** Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:44 pm **Posts:** 378

it wasn't THAT different a bid then. $460 was for 2 pallet. 1 pallet was only $230 (they only quoted me on one the first time.) point is shipping shouldn't be more than 2 bill or so. of course he's crossing into canadaland, so that might add to the cost. (customs?)

Snow plow on Liberty.

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