Wrangler engine ruined by towing?

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john5079

john5079

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Oct 28, 2006
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A women ( she must be 80) a couple of campsites down from me just told me that she towed a 2000 Wrangler from PA to SC with the manual transmission in neutral and the transfer case in 2H. When the engine won't turn over, she called a mechanic who looked at the car and said the engine is shot. He could replace it for only $6500.00. I could see a problem with the transmission, but I'm not sure about the engine..Can you ruin the engine with this towing configuration?
 
john5079 said:
A women ( she must be 80) a couple of campsites down from me just told me that she towed a 2000 Wrangler from PA to SC with the manual transmission in neutral and the transfer case in 2H. When the engine won't turn over, she called a mechanic who looked at the car and said the engine is shot. He could replace it for only $6500.00. I could see a problem with the transmission, but I'm not sure about the engine..Can you ruin the engine with this towing configuration?
Click to expand...

IMHO since she did not follow the instructions provided in the owners manual for recreational towing I would not rule out that she may have had the transmission in gear too.  Proper proceedure would be to have the transfer case in neutral and the transmission in second if I recall correctly.  Self inflected damage in any case.
 
According to the 2005 Official Towing Ratings publicshed by Motorhome Magazine, the Jeep Wrangler can be towed with both manual and automatic transmission with no restrictions listed?  Other models, like the Suzuki XL-7 and other have footnotes indicating "1)Tow with transfer case in Neutral, transmission in 2nd gear" 

Although this is not a gurantee that she was towing correctly, I would suggest getting the owner's manual out and looking at the recommendations.  Also, get another opinion, there is too much information missing here???  "He looked at the car and said the engine was shot?"  That's like looking at my chest and saying I need a heart transplant?  There are too many service stations located next to really nice campgrounds that drive up and see an expensive rig and easy mark!  I'm not saying this is the case, but I have seen it several times. 

More info please...
How does he know it "WON'T" turn over?  Other issues could be battery, starter, ignition module, about 100 "computer" related items, timing belt.  Did he pull the oil pan, remove the radiator, fan, and water pump and manually turn the crankshaft to visually inspect the operation of each piston rod connected?  The only way he could look at an engine and determine it needed a new engine was to visually see a piston rod protruding out the side of a cracked block!  I doubt that happened. 

Find someone in the campground that knows a little about engines...get another opinion.  One more thing...you could probably buy an entire 2000 Jeep Wrangler for $6500!  A new engine and drivetrain should not cost more than $3500?

I smell a rat?

 
Has anyone checked the 'battery"?????  When you say it won't "turnover" does that mean that there is no noise from the starter trying to rotate the engine parts or that the engine parts rotate but does not start???
 
dsolberg said:
...you could probably buy an entire 2000 Jeep Wrangler for $6500!  A new engine and drivetrain should not cost more than $3500?
Click to expand...

Not even close... you'd be hard pressed to find a '95 Wrangler for that price :) 
In any case, based on the (limited) info given, that mechanic thinks he found an easy mark.
 
dsolberg said:
According to the 2005 Official Towing Ratings publicshed by Motorhome Magazine, the Jeep Wrangler can be towed with both manual and automatic transmission with no restrictions listed?  Other models, like the Suzuki XL-7 and other have footnotes indicating "1)Tow with transfer case in Neutral, transmission in 2nd gear" 

Although this is not a gurantee that she was towing correctly, I would suggest getting the owner's manual out and looking at the recommendations.  Also, get another opinion, there is too much information missing here???  "He looked at the car and said the engine was shot?"  That's like looking at my chest and saying I need a heart transplant?  There are too many service stations located next to really nice campgrounds that drive up and see an expensive rig and easy mark!  I'm not saying this is the case, but I have seen it several times. 

How does he know it "WON'T" turn over?  Other issues could be battery, starter, ignition module, about 100 "computer" related items, timing belt.  Did he pull the oil pan, remove the radiator, fan, and water pump and manually turn the crankshaft to visually inspect the operation of each piston rod connected?  The only way he could look at an engine and determine it needed a new engine was to visually see a piston rod protruding out the side of a cracked block!  I doubt that happened. 
Click to expand...

Good points. I think I also smell a rat. ;D
 
dsolberg said:
According to the 2005 Official Towing Ratings publicshed by Motorhome Magazine, the Jeep Wrangler can be towed with both manual and automatic transmission with no restrictions listed?  Other models, like the Suzuki XL-7 and other have footnotes indicating "1)Tow with transfer case in Neutral, transmission in 2nd gear" 

Although this is not a gurantee that she was towing correctly, I would suggest getting the owner's manual out and looking at the recommendations.  Also, get another opinion, there is too much information missing here???  "He looked at the car and said the engine was shot?"  That's like looking at my chest and saying I need a heart transplant?  There are too many service stations located next to really nice campgrounds that drive up and see an expensive rig and easy mark!  I'm not saying this is the case, but I have seen it several times. 

More info please...
How does he know it "WON'T" turn over?  Other issues could be battery, starter, ignition module, about 100 "computer" related items, timing belt.  Did he pull the oil pan, remove the radiator, fan, and water pump and manually turn the crankshaft to visually inspect the operation of each piston rod connected?  The only way he could look at an engine and determine it needed a new engine was to visually see a piston rod protruding out the side of a cracked block!  I doubt that happened. 

Find someone in the campground that knows a little about engines...get another opinion.  One more thing...you could probably buy an entire 2000 Jeep Wrangler for $6500!  A new engine and drivetrain should not cost more than $3500?

I smell a rat?
Click to expand...

I've owned two Suzuki Grand Vitaras, shorter version of the XL7. Towing instructions are transfer case in neutral and transmission in park. Also required is stopping every 200 miles to run the engine with the transmission in drive. I doubt that is really necessary but I did it anyway. Towed the first one over 50,000 miles plus 82,000 miles driven!!! Never had a problem. Another requirement was never tow over 55mph which I ignored. ; :)
 
Jim Dick said:
I've owned two Suzuki Grand Vitaras, shorter version of the XL7. Towing instructions are transfer case in neutral and transmission in park. Also required is stopping every 200 miles to run the engine with the transmission in drive. I doubt that is really necessary but I did it anyway. Towed the first one over 50,000 miles plus 82,000 miles driven!!! Never had a problem. Another requirement was never tow over 55mph which I ignored. ; :)
Click to expand...


Towing a Wrangler is pretty much the same as our Grand Cherokee, Transfer case in neutral Tranny in park.  In the case of a Wrangler with manual I believe the tranny is placed in second if I recall correctly.
 
I haven't seen that poor lady since she stopped by to tell me her tale. I warned her to get a second opinion before spending anything on repairs and to call Jeep. I also told her that it may be an electrical problem. Oh well! hopes she made out ok..

Thanks for all the feedback..
 
Seems to me the lady has it backwards - shouldn't the transfer case be in neutral and the manual tranny in 2nd (or some gear, at any rate)?  If that is so, I can conceive of transmission/clutch damage that could prevent the engine from turning over. Unlikely, perhaps, but conceivable.  A second opinion is certainly called for in any case - or at least a more detailed description of the nature of the problem.

This is the Wrangler towing procedure, as reported on another site. It paraphrases the Jeep manual, so may not be the last word on the subject.

1. Start with the key in the "accessory" position.
2. Depress the brake pedal.
3. Shift the automatic transmission into NEUTRAL (N) or depress clutch pedal on manual transmission.
4. Shift the transfer case level into NEUTRAL (N).
5. Start the engine.
6. Shift the automatic transmission into DRIVE (D) or the manual transmission into gear.
7. Release the brake pedal and ensure that there is no vehicle movement.
8. IMPORTANT: Shut the engine off and place the ignition key into the unlocked OFF position.*
9. Shift the automatic transmission into PARK (P).
 
Ron said:
That procedure sounds pretty much like I remember it.
Click to expand...

John said in the original message that it was in 2h.  That means the transfer case was engaged in 2 wheel high.  Not the thing to do.  Wouldn't doubt that the engine was seized up.

 
Ron from Big D said:
John said in the original message that it was in 2h.  That means the transfer case was engaged in 2 wheel high.  Not the thing to do.  Wouldn't doubt that the engine was seized up.
Click to expand...

Good point Ron.  Obviously the correct procedure was not followed.  Think it would much cheaper to read the manual.
 
  I doubt it,even if it were in gear. However,if her rig was sitting on the side of the hi-way, with a long black skid mark leading to a rear tire when the mech. told her the engine was shot,all bets are off.
 
If the transmission/clutch assembly seized up or broke internally due to an improper towing procedure, it's hard to tell what damage may have been done. It seems unlikely that there would be any engine damage under those circumstances, but it is certainly not impossible.  I doubt if the mechanic who made the pronouncement would actually be able to tell what was damaged without tearing the drive train apart to see, but he may have quoted a price for a complete engine/tranny rebuild on the premise that he should over estimate rather the cost than under.  Since we are getting this story second hand and from a casual conversation with a distraught  owner rather than a repair estimate from a shop, I don't think we can make any judgments about how accurate or ethical the mechanic may have been. Might be a rip-off or might be right on or anywhere in between.
 
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