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Old 03-27-2017, 12:23 PM   #1
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While Towing a 2000 Jeep Wrangler, threw a Rod in Jeep

To say the least this I hope this is a very rare Incident! Yesterday we were getting ready to head for the coast. I have a 2000 Jeep Wrangler 80K 4x4 (Standard shift 5-speed), just purchased it, before this incident it was operating fine. I hooked everything up per the manual and several directions on the forum. I first put the transfer case in Neutral position. I then pushed it forward and backwards about 4-5'. I then hooked the tow bar to our Beaver coach. I then shifted the transmission into 1st gear and turn the ignition to the first on position. We took off and drove about a mile at speeds up to about 45 mph. I looked in my rear camera and noticed smoke coming from the front of the Jeep. I stopped immediately and went back to see what had happened. I noticed grayish looking oil all over the ground and pouring out of the oil pan. I looked under the jeep and found a large hole in the Oil pan and checked the dip stick which showed no oil! I rechecked the position of the Trans case and it appeared to be still in Neutral. I had it towed to a local repair shop and after inspecting it, it appeared some how the transfer case had slipped out of Neutral back into 2wd in turn engaging the engine internals (crankshaft etc.) at which threw a rod through the bottom of the oil pan and obviously ruining the internals of the engine (2.5L 4cyl). We've no explanation at this point why/how this happened! Cost of a new engine is around $5,000.00 (parts and labor). I'm dealing with my insurance company to see if it's covered. What I would and will do different next time I suppose push it further back and forward after shifting the transfer case into Neutral and shifting the transmission into 5th gear. I just wanted to pass this on,, hopefully this never happens to any of my fellow RVers.
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Old 03-27-2017, 01:05 PM   #2
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Wow, sorry to hear. Never heard of this before. I have had multiple jeep TJ and YJ towing with no issues. I ensure transfer case in nuetral, then put transmission in gear and blip the throttle a bit to ensure it is disengaged. Travel with automatic in park or manual in any forward gear.

Lifted jeep? Transfer case linkage in good adjustment (loosen banjo nut, put transfer case lever all the way down, tighten banjo nut). Or is a aftermarket linkage fitted? I have a Novak cable setup, works great and one of the best mods done.

As for the engine, a rebuilt short block is usually the best route and have the head rebuilt locally. Or a used engine - but often hard to find low mileage ones. Either way should be much less than $5k I would think.

Good luck!
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Old 03-27-2017, 01:14 PM   #3
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Jeep tow

No lift on Jeep, completely stock! If the insurance doesn't come through I will be forced to look for a used engine. I will cross that bridge when I get to it. Thanks
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Old 03-27-2017, 01:14 PM   #4
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Hello Navion 24J; So sorry to hear about your Jeep Wrangler. I just can't think how many RPM's that little 4 cylinder engine was turning. I know this won't help much now, but this is how I hooked up my 1997 and 2011 Jeep Wranglers. I have a Roadmaster Sterling tow bar. I always hook the Jeep up with the bars are as far collapsed as possible. I then roll back a small distance while putting the transfer case in neutral. Then I put the transmission in gear and let out the clutch, or put the automatic in gear to make 100% sure the transfer case is in neutral. Sometimes I have heard, while the transmission is turning, a small amount of noise coming from the transfer case area. I have had a few occasion's that the transfer case was not 100% in neutral. Sometimes a small push one way or the other is needed to get in 100% neutral. The trouble nowadays there are no neutral indicator lights on the Wrangles for the neutral position. On your 2000 Wrangler, the linkage from the transfer case shift lever to the transfer case is adjustable. On my 2011 Rubicon, it has the stupid cable that shifts the transfer case. I don't yet know if the cable is adjustable. Hope this helps others to make sure that the transfer case is in neutral before heading down the road. I have towed my Wrangles tens of thousands of miles without any problems. Hope all turns out well in getting the little guy repaired.
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Old 03-27-2017, 05:19 PM   #5
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Jeep Wrangler throws Rod

Well I spoke to the Insurance adjuster today and good news he feels like there is no way without further cost to tell if the trans axle or the transmission are also damaged. Therefore they are planning on totaling the Jeep out and just pay me the replacement value. My Insurance Company (Farmers) doesn't really know how/why this all happened after inspecting it but it did! Thank God, that takes a big load off our shoulders. Thanks for all your thoughts and comments. God Speed
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Old 03-27-2017, 05:23 PM   #6
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Wow, that really is rare, never heard of it happening before. When putting my transfer case in neutral I always start the engine and put it in gear just to be sure.
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Old 03-27-2017, 05:26 PM   #7
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Good deal !

Like others have said the jeep is ALMOST fool proof

Once I have everything hooked up I will jump in the jeep and put it in gear and try to move it...if it just revs up with no movement, the transfer case is doing it's job...
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Old 03-28-2017, 09:30 AM   #8
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Been there and done that, but with a different make vehicle. It somehow got into 1st gear (it was a stick shift), and from there it didn't take long to throw a rod when accelerating to highway speed. Odds are your problem was the same - the transfer case got out of neutral and the tranny gears began to turn and drive the engine crankshaft.

In my case it was operator error - I had knocked the gear shift into gear. In retrospect I know when it happened, but I didn't realize it when I did it.
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Old 03-28-2017, 11:01 AM   #9
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As others have mentioned it is necessary to start the toad and check the transfer has indeed firmly placed in neutral. Some transfers are a little tricky and the position indicator does not line up perfectly. When the transfer is verified so that there is no transmission engagement (no transmission position will move the vehicle) then normally the manufacturers want the transmission left in position to stop any unlubricated spinning while towing. (In automatics they typically say leave it in Park, which scares a lot of people but is the correct thing)
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Old 03-28-2017, 11:23 AM   #10
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I don't see how the t'case could have possibly gone from N to 2wd. All the way down in an NP231 t'case is 2wd. First click up is 4x4 Hi. Then N. Then 4x4 Low. So it would have had to travel from neutral, through 4x4, then to 4x2. Also, it can at times be hard to get the lever to move back into 4x2 when you WANT it to go back. I typically have to get the vehicle moving a little before I can get it to shift back out of 4x4.

Are you saying the lever was still in Neutral but the t'case moved to 4x2? If so, the linkage would have to be broken, as it is a mechanical lever, not electronic or vacuum. The lever is directly tied to the t'case for shifting. If that linkage breaks, the lever will simply fall back to the lowest position (2WD Low)

Now, on to the engine. For $5,000, there's no way I'd put back that lethargic 2.5. In the Jeep world, we label these things "Opportunity for Improvement". Now's the chance to look into an engine swap. A couple of years ago we put a 1996 Chevy 350 out of a truck into my friend's 1998 2.5l Wrangler. Howell makes a wiring harness that made it pretty easy, and adapters to use the existing drivetrain can be obtained from Advance Adapters. Or, you could find a wrecked TJ with a 4.0 and swap over the entire setup - trans, engine, t'case. The reason I mention that is because the transmission and t'case on the 4.0 are beefier than the 2.5's setup. The trans on a 2.5 is an AX-5, and the 4.0 has an AX-15. The t'case has a larger input shaft on the 4.0.

Another friend had a different issue. The rear axle in those Jeeps is a Dana 35, c-clip axle. Twice he has had something go wrong and broke the rear axle. When that happens, the inner axle slides out, tire and all, and you end up dragging the differential. After the second time, he found his opportunity for improvement, and installed a nice Ford 9" rear with 35 spline shafts.
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Old 03-28-2017, 02:34 PM   #11
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Jeep Wrangler

I agree that if one was going back with another engine, looking at a V8 would certainly be a option. As far as the Transfer case lever/linkage being broke, no it was fine. So far we have no explanation of why or how it would go back into 2wd but it did. There may of been some issues earlier with the transfer case which we are not aware of allowing it to shift back into 2wd but now that's someones else problem, the Insurance bought it back and its off to the salvage. Unknown what other damage was done to the transfer case and the transmission.
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Old 03-28-2017, 05:41 PM   #12
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Jeeps have an odd shift linkage to the TC. The shifter and linkage is mounted to the body which can flex in relationship to the TC. But being this is a stock Jeep I'd say that may not of been the issue. The best bet is to start the Jeep, put it in gear and let out the clutch or put it in drive and make sure you got it in neutral.
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Old 03-29-2017, 08:16 AM   #13
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Transfer case

Thanks for all the recommendations, if I would of restarted it, after pushing it to assure it was in Neutral, it may of saved me a lot of headaches! Have a great day.
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Old 03-29-2017, 08:26 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob1340 View Post
Jeeps have an odd shift linkage to the TC. The shifter and linkage is mounted to the body which can flex in relationship to the TC. But being this is a stock Jeep I'd say that may not of been the issue.
These typically only bind when someone does a 2" or more body lift, which changes the angle of the linkages. It becomes pretty apparent when you try to shift into 2 Lo for the first time, as the shifter hits the body.

I've had probably a dozen of these transfer cases apart performing upgrades to them, and I've been wrenching on TJ Wranglers since I got my first one in August 1, 1996. I currently own two of these t'cases, in two separate Jeeps. My TJ has an Atlas II now, so it doesn't count anymore. I can't imagine how this would happen, and it's never come up on any of the Jeep forums I frequent.

But, the most important thing, your insurance took care of it.
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