2004 Jeep Liberty (current: Engine Swap)

[cpufreak101]

Well, Finally managed to get around to tearing into that Liberty. Story behind it was it was my aunt's, and she blew it up. the water pump pulley had come off, and she had ran it til it seized. anyway, so for $271 I managed to get another 2004 engine out of a Columbia edition at a junkyard with 13X,*** on it that had strong compression. it's not perfect, needs some valve cover gaskets, but that's easier to fix than warped heads.

As for mods, there were two my aunt had done to it. added a Trailer brake controller and a remote start system (I pray that was done right)

So for Day 1 progress, managed to get everything out of in front of the engine. not exactly a whole lot to talk about other than it was a lot easier than I expected.

 

[LibertyTC]

This thread will be interesting!
Swapping the 3.7 is a big job. I give you credits for finding a replacement engine, and taking this on yourself.
I hope you have all the tools necessary for this job, and most importantly be safe & take your time.
Do you have some friends to help ?

 

[cpufreak101]

This thread will be interesting!
Swapping the 3.7 is a big job. I give you credits for finding a replacement engine, and taking this on yourself.
I hope you have all the tools necessary for this job, and most importantly be safe & take your time.
Do you have some friends to help ?

Hello! Thank you for the reply and concerns!

As far as tools go, I *should* be all set. I have access to my grandfather's old garage (which even has an electric hoist!), Only real issue is a car hasn't been in there since '96. However there is a professional shop literally next door should anything be crucially needed.

As far as help goes, I have a relative that's also a professional mechanic willing to help me out on the weekends, and a Haynes manual has already been helpful lol.

And for time, I've got plenty of that. In no rush here, taking my time, and adding fluid film to as much as I can while I'm in there. It's already got some rust forming on the rockers and tailgate I need to get sorted sooner rather than later, but getting it drivable again is the important bit after it sat for a few years.

 

[LibertyTC]

With a hoist, tools & a relative mechanic, you are then well positioned for a successful replacement.
The Haynes manual is handy, but I will post an 05 Factory service manual for you as well.
http://www.colorado4wheel.com/manuals/Jeep/KJ/2005JeepKJServiceManual.pdf
Looking forward to hear & see how things progress. Best of luck ahead !

 

[daves06lrenegade]

Seams like you have a "logical" mind (CPU Freak) and if you buy a bunch of quart plastic bags and some magic markers ...mark the bags numerically as you tear down the engine and take lots of pictures you should be OK... By marking the bags progressively you will find by counting down to one that the bolts/nuts/fasteners will guide the reassembly... A load leveler from harbor freight really helps (i found) ...You can keep the engine at the right angle(s) to get it aligned with the ******... You said you have a hoist so a "cherry picker" should not be needed as long as you can move the car back after hoisting the engine but think it through about moving around the old/new engines as they really are heavy and tend to not be balanced the way you want them to be...

Because the engine is seized you may have problems with removing the torque converter to flex plate bolts and this may require removing the heads and possibly the piston push rods (lower end of the engine through the oil pan) to get the crank to move to gain access to the bolts to pull apart the engine from the ******... The key is to walk away from the job for a short while if you run into an "impossible" step and check out the Jeep forums for an answer... You will succeed and like yourself when you finally get your baby running...
Dave

 

[cpufreak101]

With a hoist, tools & a relative mechanic, you are then well positioned for a successful replacement.
The Haynes manual is handy, but I will post an 05 Factory service manual for you as well.
http://www.colorado4wheel.com/manuals/Jeep/KJ/2005JeepKJServiceManual.pdf
Looking forward to hear & see how things progress. Best of luck ahead !

although I already had access to proper service manuals through my mechanic relative, thank you, any little bit of information is Helpful!

and Dave, thank you for that quart plastic bag suggestion, I'll definitely have to use that! Photos are non-optional, how else do I keep the build updated here lmao. Anyways, for the Hoist it is inside the Garage on a flat concrete ground, so as long as the jeep has air in the tires it should be easy enough to push around, and for "Engine Juggling" it may be simplest to pull the engine first, drop it in the back of a pickup, then we can pick up the new one from there. Regarding the engine, we were able to get it to a point where it can spin over, so hopefully that shouldn't be a concern, but thank you anyways should it prove necessary. Between my relatives and this place things should go smoothly.

 

[renegade 04]

I would have dropped the cradle with the entire drivetrain instead of pulling the entire front end off.

 

[Phuc Nguyen]

although I already had access to proper service manuals through my mechanic relative, thank you, any little bit of information is Helpful!

and Dave, thank you for that quart plastic bag suggestion, I'll definitely have to use that! Photos are non-optional, how else do I keep the build updated here lmao. Anyways, for the Hoist it is inside the Garage on a flat concrete ground, so as long as the jeep has air in the tires it should be easy enough to push around, and for "Engine Juggling" it may be simplest to pull the engine first, drop it in the back of a pickup, then we can pick up the new one from there. Regarding the engine, we were able to get it to a point where it can spin over, so hopefully that shouldn't be a concern, but thank you anyways should it prove necessary. Between my relatives and this place things should go smoothly.

Hi cpufreak101.
Two months ago, I replaced a torque converter on my 04 Liberty via removing the engine instead of the ****** and all drive train below.
Most of you would think that I am crazy for doing that way. And here is the issue, I am 61 years of age and don't have an extra hands to work on the jack and tear down all the drive train including the ****** and I live in a development that you cannot work on your car on your driveway for more than a few days or you will receive a by-laws letter from home owner's association president.

Here is how I get the job done. Day one, remove the engine, day two, remount the engine and day three, start up and test drive, all is completed with the help of a pneumatic tools and shop crane from Harborfreight, I use 1/2" heavy duty rope instead of chain, rope makes it easier to tilt the engine left/right up/down and follow the following steps:
1._ Disconnect the battery cables and remove the battery and battery tray.
2._ Disconnect the fuse block for ease of radiator removal.
3._ Drain the coolant, remove the radiator fan shroud, electic cooling fan and the radiator.
4._ Remove coolant reservoir.
5._ Remove A/C compressor and lay to the side, no need to discharge the system.
6._ Remove the power steering pump and lay to the side, no need to disconnect the system.
7._ Remove the alternator.
8._ Remove injector connectors.
9._ Remove intake manifold plenum, makes it easier to get top two bell housing bolts.
10._ Remove front drive shaft, starter and engine mounts.
10._ Loose both front catalytic exhaust pipes and ****** mount to cross bar.
11._ Jack the transfer case, temporary drop the cross bar and remove the front catalytic exhaust pipes and temporary remount the cross bar to hold the ****** in place.
12._ Put a sheet of 1/2" of plywood behind the A/C condensor just in case the engine run into it.
13._ Remove the rest of bell housing bolts and remove the engine.
14._ Install is the reverse direction.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[cpufreak101]

well finished with day 2 of work. as far as I can tell I got all the lines and wires disconnected from the engine, and I went forward with the steps in the Haynes manual, calling for the intake manifold to come off. it also calls for the starter to come off, which requires the exhaust manifold to be separated from the flange. (which of course has to happen anyways). however, I undid the bolt but can't quite figure out if I'm doing something wrong or not as it's still pretty well on there. the first 2 pics are the clamp. I had someone recommend hitting it with a hammer, though I'm not even sure where is best to hit it.

 

[ltd02]

It's probably just a bit crusty there. The clamp has to be removed from the joint as it is still holding the pipes together even without the bolt. I just pried at it with a long screwdriver. Start at the opening and it should slide up or down. Even with the bolt out like your's there is a good bit of tension on the v-clamp.

 

[cpufreak101]

Well I got the call from the junkyard, the engine is ready to be picked up. Hopefully tomorrow we can get the old one yanked out, not much is left holding it in now.

An important question I want to ask though is there anything that I should replace while the engine is out? If anything internal is needed now is the best time to do it after all

 

[LibertyTC]

With the shop next door, any chance they have an engine test run stand? Sure would great to see it run before installation.

 

[cpufreak101]

With the shop next door, any chance they have an engine test run stand? Sure would great to see it run before installation.

Sadly that is the one thing we cannot get access to. We have an engine stand but no way to run it out of the vehicle. Won't be able to hear it run until it's "in enough" at least

 

[renegade 04]

To get the exhaust flange to separate I just used an air hammer, but a chisel and hammer will work as well.

 

[daves06lrenegade]

well finished with day 2 of work. as far as I can tell I got all the lines and wires disconnected from the engine, and I went forward with the steps in the Haynes manual, calling for the intake manifold to come off. it also calls for the starter to come off, which requires the exhaust manifold to be separated from the flange. (which of course has to happen anyways). however, I undid the bolt but can't quite figure out if I'm doing something wrong or not as it's still pretty well on there. the first 2 pics are the clamp. I had someone recommend hitting it with a hammer, though I'm not even sure where is best to hit it.

Try some heat from a torch to loosen the rust...
I spent about $60 for a Oxi/Map gas torch at Menards to persuade rusted/frozen nuts and bolts and love the things it allows me to achieve...I had rusted nuts on my daughters 2008 Hyundai Sonata exhaust that by any other means would have not come off... The bolts were two sizes smaller than when they were new (15mm-13mm) and wouldn't budge... I used this torch to heat them red hot and a 13mm socket and they easily came off and saved the threaded studs... It creates high enough temperatures to also cut off bolts and brackets... The only negative is the cost of the O2 cylinders..
$10 for just 2oz and you may go through a couple on a job... But I gladly will buy them when looking at a bastard job with out them.... I'd like to have a oxy/acetylene set but it makes no sense to yearly rent tanks... I just turned 71, in good health and I'm still wrenching... So if I can do things like engine/****** R and R you can also... Just take time, and walk away from a problem for a while...
Sometimes just a good nights sleep helps me resolve a problem ... Many times I waken with an answer I didn't have the day before... I think that your removing the front end is/was a good choice but I would have pulled the engine and ****** as a set and split them when out of the jeep...

Looking forward to more pictures and logs..
Dave

 

[cpufreak101]

well had two more days of progress on it. got the exhaust manifold flange clamps off and flange separated, and the starter is also out (book called for front driveshaft to be removed but there was enough space to get it out). all that's left now is the torque converter bolts, bellhousing bolts, and the engine mounts as far as I can tell. However some problems have arisen. for one, a crappy repair job on the Y pipe resulted in the catalytic converter falling off. we're thinking of welding it back on if possible because it needs a whole new Y pipe otherwise. One Idea I had though is since it broke after the O2 sensor, I wonder if the cat still works if I could just then make myself a true dual system lol.

 

[cpufreak101]

To expand on the previous post, another issue has arisen. My state (NY) had a recent change to emission laws, only California spec converters can be sold here now, even if for a federal emissions vehicle. It made the price of a new Y pipe to be over $1,100 not even installed. The Jeep may sadly already be totalled before the job is done :/

 

[uss2defiant]

that blows. can you use one that's purchased out of state?

 

[cpufreak101]

that blows. can you use one that's purchased out of state?

It's something we thought of. As far as I can see nothing exactly prevents it. For the price though it'd seriously be cheaper to just use universals and make a true dual system. More than likely though I was able to ask my mechanic relative if they'd be able to weld it back on, they'll give it a try.

 

[renegade 04]

You just need to find a good shop to inspect the jeep. Just put the cheapest converters you can find and bolt them on. Most shops in New York won't check the converters.