Alaska trip Busted!

[Bumala]

Well, I was towing my 25' Keystone Laredo 23RB, on my way to Alaska, when the engine blew in Pleasanton. We were going up the Senol grade, and the engine started to warm up, didn't get into the red, then the motor started making a loud diesel rattle, but there was no system indications of any problems. As we topped the summit, it stopped as we went down the other side, I kept scanning the dash, but once again no indications of problems. I started hearing a loud thumping sound, and thought I might have blown a tire on the trailer, so I started looking for a wide shoulder. I had my wide spot in sight when the low oil pressure warning flashed on the screen. I was heading for my spot, when the motor gave a last loud diesel rattle, and died. I managed to coast into the spot, off the road.
Fortunately two days before, I had signed up with Good Sam roadside assistance, they got a tow truck to haul both my Jeep and trailer to the nearest dealer.
According to the service manager, I need a new motor. Fortunately, I use a local mechanic to service the Jeep, so I had records of both oil changes. The bad news is that FCA insists on having tests done on the oil, water and fuel to see if they can pin it on me. Anyway my trip is delayed for at least a couple of weeks. May even need to be canceled, since it takes a couple of weeks each way, and my Wife needs a medical procedure mid August.
Don't know why the engine should have blown. The trailer is an ultra light, weighs only 5k empty, and has a GVWR of 7k, both well within the towing capacity of the Jeep (7.2k). I'm set up with a beefy load-leveling hitch with sway control. I have a proportional break controller. The Jeep is a Limited with the diesel, tow package, advanced technology package, air suspension, etc. I've towed the trailer with the Jeep several times before, up hill and down, never had a problem. I have been extremely happy with it up to now.
The one thing I hate about this is according to the service manager, I have to wait for FCA to make up their mind, so they can't tell me when it will be done. I can't make any plans.

meanwhile, my trailer is in Pleasanton, and my tow vehicle is short an engine. Does anyone have any ideas of how I can get my trailer back home (53 miles away)?

Thanks,
Bob.

[Desert185]

All I can think of is how lucky you are the engine didn't blow on the Alaska Highway while you were in Canada. 53 miles from home is nothing. Rent a pickup and tow the trailer home.

If I were closer, I'd volunteer to do it myself. I have some good memories of La Honda when I was a kid in the Bay Area.

[Murphsmom]

Trying to remember, but isn't that one of the perks of Good Sam membership?

[JRTJH]

I am no diesel mechanic, am 2500+ miles from your Jeep and am relying on about 15 lines on an internet forum to make this assumption, so take it for what it's worth.....

It sounds like you either had water in the fuel, blew a head gasket or had an internal engine failure. Even if it were from being "overloaded" or "over your GCWR" I don't think the engine would completely fail in 50 miles.

I'm guessing you filled the DEF and diesel fuel the night before departure. Is there any possibility that DEF got added to the fuel tank? or that you got a tank of "bad fuel" ??? Have you drained the fuel filter/water separator previously?

I don't think Good Sam will tow your RV home. The way my policy reads is "to a location near where they tow the vehicle for repairs. Maybe they will interpret "nearby" as being your home, but I wouldn't count on it.

As for getting the trailer home, most UHaul places rent pickup trucks for $19.99 a day. You might give them or any of the local car dealerships a call to see if they rent trucks. Otherwise, maybe your RV dealership has a "on call transporter" that can help you get it home. Even at $1 a mile, you're not talking much money.

Good Luck !!!!!

[chuckster57]

Only problem with UHaul here in Ca. Is they are very strict about weights. When a tech at my work blew a spark plug on his F150, UHaul wouldn't rent a trailer to my boss with a '97 F250 diesel. Said his truck wasn't rated for it.

When I rented a utility trailer to move my tool box, it was almost like pulling teeth even with a 1 ton Dually.

If you don't have any luck finding a way to get it home, PM me. I work in Livermore and we have a guy we use to deliver units.

[bill-e]

Bob,

Check in over here, http://www.ram1500diesel.com/forum/ram-1500-diesel-general-discussion/, you're likely going to need a lot of support dealing with FCA. Sounds like the connecting rod issue with some Ecodiesels.

Anyway, even though it's a Ram forum they talk about blown engines all the time. Might be of some help.

[LittleJoe]

There was a series of engines that had rod clearance issues because of a screwup at the factory. Some of the issues are only prevalent in the 1500 because of some differences in coolers etc, which doesn't seem to be working for you. Best of luck.

[sourdough]

Man, when you set out on a trip you always worry about something bad happening; a blown tire or something like that...that can be repaired and you resume the trip. A blown engine is off the chart bad. I'm sorry to hear that it happened to you.

If it were me I would call Enterprise or another rental company and get a 1/2 ton, maybe 3/4 if they had it, with a towing package (hitch) and use it, along with your WD hitch, and take the trailer home. No need to go into great detail with the rental company; just rent the truck and get the trailer home and be done with it.

When you're finished with that you can then concentrate on getting your peas in a pod to deal with the warranty issues.

Edit: I said hitch above. I meant receiver.

[hankaye]

Bumala, Howdy;

Don't bother with U-Haul, their tow balls are only 1-7/8" and 2" .

hankaye

[Bumala]

and they weld the ball to the truck!

[Bumala]

All the truck rental companies we looked at, do not allow towing. We didn't try Enterprise because the nearest one was in Oakland.

[chuckster57]

All the truck rental companies we looked at, do not allow towing. We didn't try Enterprise because the nearest one was in Oakland.


I was afraid of that. PM sent.

[Bumala]

So, after looking for two days for a truck to haul our trailer, I called a tow truck company who also did long distance towing. I was concerned because the company Good Sam used charged $400.00 for the trailer, and $200.00 for the truck, just to get us off the freeway, a distance of ten miles or so. With 62 miles from Pleasanton to La Honda, I thought it would be thousands. Well it turned out to be $350.00 and my baby is home. He clearly hit several bumps at speed, and stopped very suddenly because everything was a mess. But it's home, and that's one less thing to worry about.
Bob.

[Bumala]

Unfortunately, this will probably end our Alaska attempt for this year. it's probably going to be three weeks or so for the truck to get fixed. My wife has a medical thing (they need to change her battery) middle of August, so there just isn't time to make it up there and back and have any time in Alaska. After August it gets snowy.
Bummed!
Bob.

[sourdough]

Bumala - the listed weight for your trailer is over 7500lbs. gvw. Over the weight for your Jeep. Tongue weight could be maybe 1000 lbs. Is the Jeep rated for that?? I hope you have good luck with the insurance; if it were me, I would dump the Jeep and get something that could tow the trailer OR dump the trailer and get something the Jeep could tow. One blown engine on any of my vehicles trying to pull a trailer warrants a "right now" change.

[chuckster57]

PM received and replied to.

[Bumala]

Bumala - the listed weight for your trailer is over 7500lbs. gvw. Over the weight for your Jeep. Tongue weight could be maybe 1000 lbs. Is the Jeep rated for that?? I hope you have good luck with the insurance; if it were me, I would dump the Jeep and get something that could tow the trailer OR dump the trailer and get something the Jeep could tow. One blown engine on any of my vehicles trying to pull a trailer warrants a "right now" change.

First of all, the empty weight of the 23 RB is 5k. The Maximum Weight for it is 7K. The rated tow weight of the Jeep Grand Cherokee with the EcoDiesel is 7.2k. I'm well within the rating of the vehicle. Engines don't usually blow because of load. Heat? Well, I was monitoring the temperature gage, and it got to the top of normal, but didn't get into the red. I had no indications what so ever of a problem until the low oil pressure warning came up, then it died. There were some funny noises that had me looking for a wide shoulder , but no messages, indications at all.
I know some on this board feel that everyone should have a 1 ton dually to tow an R-pod, but I chose the Jeep for a number of reasons, and it is perfectly adequate for the job, and has never had a problem towing the trailer before this.
Bob.

[Bumala]

Bumala - the listed weight for your trailer is over 7500lbs. gvw. Over the weight for your Jeep. Tongue weight could be maybe 1000 lbs. Is the Jeep rated for that?? I hope you have good luck with the insurance; if it were me, I would dump the Jeep and get something that could tow the trailer OR dump the trailer and get something the Jeep could tow. One blown engine on any of my vehicles trying to pull a trailer warrants a "right now" change.

One more thing. The trailer as it sits with a weeks worth of food and a couple of weeks worth of cloths, an empty grey and black tank and a half full water tank probably weighs about 6k to 6.5k.
Bob.

[Bumala]

Bumala - the listed weight for your trailer is over 7500lbs. gvw. Over the weight for your Jeep. Tongue weight could be maybe 1000 lbs. Is the Jeep rated for that?? I hope you have good luck with the insurance; if it were me, I would dump the Jeep and get something that could tow the trailer OR dump the trailer and get something the Jeep could tow. One blown engine on any of my vehicles trying to pull a trailer warrants a "right now" change.

Specs for 23RB
Shipping Weight 5385
Carrying Capacity 2160
Hitch 545
Length 26' 7"
Height 11' 1"
Fresh Water 43
Waste Water 30
Gray Water 30
LPG 40
Tire Size ST205/75R14C

Hitch weight about 10% of total, so the hitch weight for 6k is about 600 lbs., not 1000. It would have to weigh 10k (3k over GVW) to have a 1k hitch weight. Your post got me thinking, so I did up a spread-sheet (I was an engineer before retiring) and I calculate the total weight at about 6.1k.
Bob.

[sourdough]

The intent of my message was to get you to think. You said it did. Mission accomplished.

You chose the Jeep for whatever reasons and you're happy; that's good. Just know that your tongue weight WILL be 750 or more; full propane bottles alone will put it over 600. Payload is another issue you have but you said your OK with it.

Just know that 27' and 7500 lbs is a lot to put behind a Jeep. You have already lost a trip due to blowing an engine; I don't want the next one to be ruined because the trailer (tail wagging the dog) pushed you over a cliff.

Hope you get the vehicle repaired and are able to reschedule your trip soon; I hope to make it one day.

[bill-e]

The Ecodiesel didn't throw any CEL's so it was not overloaded or overheated or whatever. That engine has had some failures with rods and bolt torque and that's what it sounds like to me, a catastrophic engine failure.

My Ecodiesel Ram pulls 7000+lbs like it wasn't there. The engine has 420pound feet of torque and can easily tow the load. This was mechanical engine failure if I were to bet.

I'd also bet the repair time is way longer than 3 weeks, months has been other's experiences...sometimes months just to get the parts.

[Steve S]

Well this sucks to hear! I was really looking forward to following your trip:)
I hope that you can make the time to try it again next year:)

[larry337]

I don't think your trailer had anything to do with your motor blowing up. Sorry you missed your vacation. Not just a vacation but a bucket list trip to Alaska. That's sucks.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[Ken / Claudia]

Advice no matter what you did or do in life. Go weight the trailer and jeep and only use a little math to learn what real weights are for them. Than no guessing and that is all your doing. Keystone says my tongue wt. is 540 as I recall. I weight stuff I travel with and it is easy to do maybe even free. So, my tongue wt was scaled when loaded for camping at 900 lbs. I am not saying weight was any cause for the failure, it may have been a factor, it may have had nothing to do with pulling that trailer. But, using paper listed wt.s on any vehicle weights is only a guess. Knowing each axle wt. on each vehicle is just a extra piece of mind when loading, towing or buying new tires etc.

[dcg9381]

All the truck rental companies we looked at, do not allow towing. We didn't try Enterprise because the nearest one was in Oakland.

I'm sorry about your trip. I really like that EcoDiesel motor, but it sounds like you're not on the lucky side this go around.

Last time I got stranded and had to tow (cargo trailer) - we got a good deal on the rental from the local Ford dealer via a Yukon. I towed with it anyway, largely because I didn't have any other choice short of a U-haul. Big rental agreement violation, but the Yukon had a factory hitch.

I need service on my 3500. I've been calling the local dealer for 2 weeks and can't even get a return call out of the service department. I finally escalated to the service manager today and asked what was going on. My particular dealer can't deal with the "volume" of calls related to the recent recalls and service is very much under-water, so I hope you have better luck...

[CaptnJohn]

If not for bad luck you had no luck at all. Sounds like you know your numbers and are within ratings. A 10% cushion on the weight too. Probably mechanical failure of some kind. Thankfully you were close to home and have your TT back to bed. No one was hurt so much to be thankful for. Good luck with the repair.

[Bumala]

Wow! Another guy from the the jeep forum

http://www.jeepgarage.org/f222/motor-bricked-at-19-600-miles-96778.html

had a similar failure. They're talking about September for a replacement motor! Holy guacamole!

[denverpilot]

Ouch. Very sorry to hear your trip got cancelled. Kinda happy it happened close to home for you, though.

[xcntrk]

Terrible story and sorry to hear of your misfortune.

Look for a commercial rental company, both Enterprise and Hertz offer commercial lines with HD vans and trucks. Any 3/4 ton or better rig can drag that relatively light trailer home the 50 miles on a ball only without WD and Sway control. Might wag a little but when the truck weighs more than the trailer it's manageable.

PS: I've been considering the GoodSam roadside program, sounds like a winner in this example!?

[dcg9381]

Wow! Another guy from the the jeep forum

http://www.jeepgarage.org/f222/motor-bricked-at-19-600-miles-96778.html

had a similar failure. They're talking about September for a replacement motor! Holy guacamole!

In many states, a September time frame is well into "lemon" territory, so hopefully Chrysler will do something for you in the mean time. Let us know how it sorts out...


If they'd put that Eco-diesel in the Rubicon, I'd buy one tomorrow.. :-)

[Bumala]

Terrible story and sorry to hear of your misfortune.


PS: I've been considering the GoodSam roadside program, sounds like a winner in this example!?

They were very helpful in getting the truck and trailer off the freeway. Be aware though that they tow to the nearest repair facility, although since the dealership was about the same, they towed it there. For the trailer, they just get it off the freeway to a safe place, not all the way home.
Bob.

[B-O-B'03]

We have triple A +RV and it provides free towing for up to 100 miles.

Our van caught fire, 125 miles from home and we only had to pay for the last 25 miles to get both the camper and the van towed back to the house.

There was 5 of of us in the cab, + the driver :eek:

-Brian

[Bumala]

Bumala - the listed weight for your trailer is over 7500lbs. gvw. Over the weight for your Jeep. Tongue weight could be maybe 1000 lbs. Is the Jeep rated for that?? I hope you have good luck with the insurance; if it were me, I would dump the Jeep and get something that could tow the trailer OR dump the trailer and get something the Jeep could tow. One blown engine on any of my vehicles trying to pull a trailer warrants a "right now" change.

So out of curiosity I bought a trailer tongue scale and measured the tongue weight. It's probably high, since the trailer is backed into a hill, and more weight is on the back wheels, which equals more weight on the tongue. It measured a little less than 700 lbs. I would guess that on flat ground it's probably 650 or so. That's the best I can do until I get my tow vehicle back. The trailer is fully loaded, with full propane, all my gear on board.
Bob.

[dcg9381]

Bob,
What's Chrysler's policy on a warranty repair that runs well into the months time-frame? Can they provide you with a vehicle of similar capabilities that would allow you to continue your trip?

Surely, they don't make the thing unavailable for months....

You're in California, looks your state's lemon law protects you from repairs that take more than 30 days:
"... the vehicle is out of service because of the repair of any number of problems by the manufacturer or its agents for a cumulative total of more than 30 days since delivery of the vehicle."

Personally, if your trailer is 53 miles from home, I'd ask the dealer for a 1/2 ton loaner with a tow package capable of 8000lbs. Not a rental, a loaner.

[Bumala]

So Chrysler authorized a new motor and they ordered it today. They claim delivery in 5 to 7 days. I should get my Jeep back in a week or two. I hope it's true. I hope the guy from the JeepGarage forum is wrong. The trailer is home, everyone is safe.
Bob.

[sourdough]

So out of curiosity I bought a trailer tongue scale and measured the tongue weight. It's probably high, since the trailer is backed into a hill, and more weight is on the back wheels, which equals more weight on the tongue. It measured a little less than 700 lbs. I would guess that on flat ground it's probably 650 or so. That's the best I can do until I get my tow vehicle back. The trailer is fully loaded, with full propane, all my gear on board.
Bob.

It's great to hear that they think they can get the new engine to you so soon. Hope they can get it in just as quickly.

I'm not trying to be the weight police or harp at you. I'm just worried because the numbers don't sound right to me. I'm staying at a resort in FL this week and I was out walking around a new JGC today in the parking lot just looking it over thinking about your situation.

Why do I worry? Primarily because you're going to AK and pulling your trailer with a Jeep. Pulling up and down mountains isn't like flatlanding and puts a big strain on the suspension, brakes etc. The EcoDiesel, if it stays together, should be more than enough engine for that trailer. The Jeep on the other hand is pretty small.

The dry weight of the trailer is 5385 with a cargo capacity over 2000 lbs. Usually, in my experience, you need to have a tongue weight that is in the vicinity of 12 - 15% of the trailer weight for stable driving; that is my concern for you when you hit long, steep downgrades or other difficult situations. A tongue weight of 650 would indicate, to me, that your full trailer weight would be around 5500 or less (at 12%). That says you have about 100 lbs of cargo in the trailer which can't be right - the propane tanks alone will add more than 60 lbs. I've got a few hundred pounds of "stuff" in my pass through alone, it would appear you have nothing.

Looking at the layout of your trailer it appears it will load heavy to the rear. That may be your issue. When you get the trailer back I would strongly urge you to take it to a scale and get it sorted out. Work on getting that tongue weight solid and weights in the trailer sorted or it WILL take you for a ride in the mountains (don't ask how I know). Good luck!

[Desert185]

It's great to hear that they think they can get the new engine to you so soon. Hope they can get it in just as quickly.

I'm not trying to be the weight police or harp at you. I'm just worried because the numbers don't sound right to me. I'm staying at a resort in FL this week and I was out walking around a new JGC today in the parking lot just looking it over thinking about your situation.

Why do I worry? Primarily because you're going to AK and pulling your trailer with a Jeep. Pulling up and down mountains isn't like flatlanding and puts a big strain on the suspension, brakes etc. The EcoDiesel, if it stays together, should be more than enough engine for that trailer. The Jeep on the other hand is pretty small.

The dry weight of the trailer is 5385 with a cargo capacity over 2000 lbs. Usually, in my experience, you need to have a tongue weight that is in the vicinity of 12 - 15% of the trailer weight for stable driving; that is my concern for you when you hit long, steep downgrades or other difficult situations. A tongue weight of 650 would indicate, to me, that your full trailer weight would be around 5500 or less (at 12%). That says you have about 100 lbs of cargo in the trailer which can't be right - the propane tanks alone will add more than 60 lbs. I've got a few hundred pounds of "stuff" in my pass through alone, it would appear you have nothing.

Looking at the layout of your trailer it appears it will load heavy to the rear. That may be your issue. When you get the trailer back I would strongly urge you to take it to a scale and get it sorted out. Work on getting that tongue weight solid and weights in the trailer sorted or it WILL take you for a ride in the mountains (don't ask how I know). Good luck!

Actually the highest point on the AK Hwy is just over 4200' with grades less steep than normal mountain driving in the Lower 48. Having driven it, I think its a non-issue.

[sourdough]

Actually the highest point on the AK Hwy is just over 4200' with grades less steep than normal mountain driving in the Lower 48. Having driven it, I think its a non-issue.

I've not been there but was going by what my neighbor said, whose been there multiple times. He pulls his 5th wheel and has a new Chevy diesel every year. He said that he had to go down grades that he had to downshift to 1st or 2nd and went up grades where he was struggling by the time he got to the top. To me that sounds like an issue for a Jeep pulling a 27' trailer and would warrant consideration, but again, I've never been there. An elevation of 4200' is a pretty big climb coming from sea level.....if that is the case.

[Ken / Claudia]

I-5 in North CA. and Southern OR. There are some nice long steep up hill and back down that will test any vehicle pulling a TT or large load.

[Desert185]

I've not been there but was going by what my neighbor said, whose been there multiple times. He pulls his 5th wheel and has a new Chevy diesel every year. He said that he had to go down grades that he had to downshift to 1st or 2nd and went up grades where he was struggling by the time he got to the top. To me that sounds like an issue for a Jeep pulling a 27' trailer and would warrant consideration, but again, I've never been there. An elevation of 4200' is a pretty big climb coming from sea level.....if that is the case.

The highway undulates in elevation, but not to the degree, in my experience, characterized by your neighbor. Ft. St. John near the beginning of the AK Hwy is 2100' and some passes are 3500' then dropping to 1200' for a short while, but most of the highway is 2100'-3600' until you pass Eureka, AK and Tahneta Pass where it eventually drops to sea level at Anchorage.

If the OP can drive the Sierra without his TV breaking a big sweat, the AK Hwy will be a breeze.

[Bumala]

It's great to hear that they think they can get the new engine to you so soon. Hope they can get it in just as quickly.

I'm not trying to be the weight police or harp at you. I'm just worried because the numbers don't sound right to me. I'm staying at a resort in FL this week and I was out walking around a new JGC today in the parking lot just looking it over thinking about your situation.

Why do I worry? Primarily because you're going to AK and pulling your trailer with a Jeep. Pulling up and down mountains isn't like flatlanding and puts a big strain on the suspension, brakes etc. The EcoDiesel, if it stays together, should be more than enough engine for that trailer. The Jeep on the other hand is pretty small.

The dry weight of the trailer is 5385 with a cargo capacity over 2000 lbs. Usually, in my experience, you need to have a tongue weight that is in the vicinity of 12 - 15% of the trailer weight for stable driving; that is my concern for you when you hit long, steep downgrades or other difficult situations. A tongue weight of 650 would indicate, to me, that your full trailer weight would be around 5500 or less (at 12%). That says you have about 100 lbs of cargo in the trailer which can't be right - the propane tanks alone will add more than 60 lbs. I've got a few hundred pounds of "stuff" in my pass through alone, it would appear you have nothing.

Looking at the layout of your trailer it appears it will load heavy to the rear. That may be your issue. When you get the trailer back I would strongly urge you to take it to a scale and get it sorted out. Work on getting that tongue weight solid and weights in the trailer sorted or it WILL take you for a ride in the mountains (don't ask how I know). Good luck!

Looking at the specs for the trailer, it appears it is designed for about 10% tongue weight (545/5385). The trailer might have 1000 lbs of stuff in it, but I don't think it's that much. That would make the weight at 10% (650/6500), which seems reasonable. One of the problems with the listed specs is that they don't give the conditions, except to say that is as it was delivered. The 23RB has almost nothing aft of the wheels. It's just the bathroom, and the outdoor kitchen (which I love by the way). The big weight in the outdoor kitchen is the refer, but that's a static load, and included in the 5385. Above that is the linen closet, which just has some towels and bathroom supplies. All the gear is stowed forward of the wheels. The black tank was 1/4 full, and the grey empty. The fresh had 3/4 in it, but that's also forward of the wheels.

So I did up a spread sheet with everything I could think of and came up with 6292. I know the weights of everything because I loaded it. Although i didn't do a weight and balance.

I tow with a weight stabilizer hitch with sway control, and a proportional break controller. The Jeep also has electronic sway control, large anti-lock disk breaks, continuous four wheel drive, and is very comfortable. The motor, before it blew up, was amazingly strong and coupled to an 8 speed transmission.

Why not buy a new Chevy Diesel every year? Aside from I can't afford it, a couple of items on the Jeep make it more convenient for my wife, who's disabled. I'm also not a big fan of Chevy, more of a Ram fan myself. (no offense to the Chevy fans out there)
Bob.

[sourdough]

I understand about the vehicle. I wouldn't suggest buying a new Chevy diesel every year either....and, I'm a Ram guy myself.

Just do the numbers and make sure the Jeep feels solid when pulling, especially over big bumps etc. A heavy, or light, tongue can make a smaller TV do weird stuff.

Again, I just want you to have a great trip when you get to go. You've already experienced the unthinkable and, I'm sure, the most unexpected, kind of failure. I just want you and your wife to have a super, uneventful trip when you get to go. When my wife and I get to go I know how ramped up we will be and how unhappy we would be if something happened to us like it did to you. Good luck and safe travels.

[bill-e]

So Chrysler authorized a new motor and they ordered it today. They claim delivery in 5 to 7 days. I should get my Jeep back in a week or two. I hope it's true. I hope the guy from the JeepGarage forum is wrong. The trailer is home, everyone is safe.
Bob.Are the getting you a long block or short block? Can you dig into what happened? Cam shift or rod bolt????

I have the same engine and it's a monster for towing within its limits.

[rnkburg]

Mimicking what someone else said the enterprise truck rental will rent 3/4 tons with hitches and one ton dually with gooseneck balls in them. As far as the weight police. You might have been wrong on the dually for an r pod. I think it should be a freight liner. [emoji41].

Yes u haul will drive you nuts IF you tell them your gonna tow.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bumala]

Are the getting you a long block or short block? Can you dig into what happened? Cam shift or rod bolt????

I have the same engine and it's a monster for towing within its limits.

I agree about the motor. They're ordering a long block. For those who don't know, which included me a week ago, a long block is a full-up engine, while a short block is just the bottom end.
I don't know what failed on mine, but this seems most likely:

http://www.carbuzz.com/m/article.aspx?Id=32734

I say this because they are replacing the full engine. What happens is that the cam slips, and the pistons hit the valves, destroying everything.

Most say that after you hit 35k miles or so you're in the clear for this problem.

I truly love the Jeep. In a full size SUV, with all the bells and whistles, I get a solid 30 MPG at 70 MPH on the freeway, about 18 towing a trailer at 55. The acceleration is astounding. It tows 6k as though it's not there.

One thing to remember is that this has happened to a hundred or so motors out of the hundreds of thousands produced.
Lucky Me.
Bob.

[chuckster57]

Long block: Rotating assembly ( block, crank, pistons, cam) and assembled heads. does NOT include intake/exhaust manifolds, injectors and accessories such as alt, power steering pump and sometimes water pump.

Short block: just the rotating assembly NO heads or anything else. Sometimes the oil pump is included, most often the oil pan has to be swapped over.

This is based on 40+ years of operating my own auto repair business. Unless things have changed, thats been the long and short of it for years.

I am glad to hear your getting a new engine, hope you get your Jeep back real soon.

[Desert185]

Long block: Rotating assembly ( block, crank, pistons, cam) and assembled heads. does NOT include intake/exhaust manifolds, injectors and accessories such as alt, power steering pump and sometimes water pump.

Short block: just the rotating assembly NO heads or anything else. Sometimes the oil pump is included, most often the oil pan has to be swapped over.

This is based on 40+ years of operating my own auto repair business. Unless things have changed, thats been the long and short of it for years.

I am glad to hear your getting a new engine, hope you get your Jeep back real soon.

"The long and short of it." :) :thumbsup:

[Ram189]

Just curious.

Did it sound like a jet plane right before it quit?

That seems to be the #1 description of what fails. The dealers don't even take them apart to see what is wrong with them.

We check the fuel for contamination, check the oil and call with what we find.

I know of 3 Ecos that have failed in our 2 FCA dealerships. All 3 got motors no questions asked all were under 10000 miles on them.

[bill-e]

Just curious.

Did it sound like a jet plane right before it quit?

That seems to be the #1 description of what fails. The dealers don't even take them apart to see what is wrong with them.

We check the fuel for contamination, check the oil and call with what we find.

I know of 3 Ecos that have failed in our 2 FCA dealerships. All 3 got motors no questions asked all were under 10000 miles on them.

I'm at 14.5k now and love the truck. When I tow I often forget that I'm towing. It does downshift on hills but that's what the 8 speed is for. I get 14-15 towing what I think is around 7klbs.

[Bumala]

Just curious.

Did it sound like a jet plane right before it quit?

That seems to be the #1 description of what fails. The dealers don't even take them apart to see what is wrong with them.

We check the fuel for contamination, check the oil and call with what we find.

I know of 3 Ecos that have failed in our 2 FCA dealerships. All 3 got motors no questions asked all were under 10000 miles on them.

No it rattled like a tool box dropped down a flight of stairs, then died.
Bob.

[denverpilot]

Too late for Bob, but for those looking at Good Sam and AAA add on RV towing, don't forget to check with your usual insurer. Mine beat both handily and will tow both TV and trailer.

And did, when we tossed the Bosch fuel pump in Nebraska. Two local tow trucks, one grabbed a fifth wheel plate and dragged the fiver to the campground where we set up in comfort for a couple of days, the other took the Dodge to the diesel shop.

They have a mileage limit but it's generous and we'd pay their contracted rate if we had to go further.

Many people don't realize most auto insurance companies have add on towing options. That one tow paid for a number of years of additional premiums to have it, and I used it again for another fuel pump failure on my Yukon about two weeks ago.

[Bumala]

I picked up my Jeep today, so I can finally get on the road again. According to the dealer, the motor threw the #3 rod, and punched a couple of holes in the block.
It's too late in the season to try for Alaska, but we may go down the coast to Morro Bay for a week or so.
Bob.

[hankaye]

Bumala, Howdy;

Congratulations! Have they given you a full warranty for the new engine or
is it shortened to the remainder of the original?

hankaye

[Bumala]

Yes, according to FCA customer care, the motor has the full 5 year warranty.
Bob.

[Desert185]

Yes, according to FCA customer care, the motor has the full 5 year warranty.
Bob.

Excellent! Polaris could learn a lesson from this.

Which oil is recommended?

[bill-e]

Great news. That is one of the more common failures.

Also, next time you talk to the dealer Ram changed the oil requirement for the Ecodiesel to Shell Rotella T6. They are getting away from the Penzoil.