Baystate Jeepers

I'm still available Thursday.
I can certainly bring my truck and car trailer to haul the LJ back to Salem.
Would only need someone with a tow rig to pull the boat back.

I'm free Thursday evening. Not sure how long it'd take me in traffic after 5pm from Littleton, MA however.

I appreciate all the offers of help everyone! I was able to find a Uhaul to tow the boat and AAA can tow the heep home. However, the help I could really use is diving into this engine to diagnose and then repair/swap/whatever needs to be done. Anyone available Thursday evening or Saturday/Sunday in Salem?

I should be available Saturday and/or Sunday to help.

Let me know if you need more hands. Might be able to get there one of those days. FjR68

Thanks Kurt and Franky. Let me see how bad it is and what parts/engine I need to order and that will dictate the schedule... Ugh.

Ouch!

Dude Maybe I should just STFU . Did you check oil pressure before taking the pan off ? Two options at this point are to put main and rod bearings in it and see what happens , Orrrr . Pull the pistons and rering it with bearings. The right way would be to have it bored just to clean it up or for HP. They need to deck the block and head and press in cam bearings. Then rebuild it with Clifford Performance parts to make her sing . Sorry bud , It sounded like bottom end when you said clacking went to banging . FjR68

The bottom end of #6 rod was dark indicating it got pretty hot. Part of the #6 rod bearing was just in mangled pieces in the bottom of the pan. The remaining bearing material was hammered to death and was "squirting" out between the rod & crank and was just paper thin and pitted on both sides. #6 spot on the crank has some light scoring around the crank that you can feel with your fingernail and was worn down about 0.015-.020". A piece of the piston skirt about the size of your thumbnail was broken off #6.

Wow That really sounds like an oiling issue due to the 6s being tilted backward youd think the front cylinders should take the abuse . Gonna speak with Ryan today on the phone and discuss options as painless as possible FjR68

Don't know what Ryan is up to, but I just saw on another forum that someone ordered this "high performance" 4.0 replacement after discovering a broken piston skirt.

http://www.titanengines.com/remanufactu ... 42-engine/

Gonna start ordering parts soon for the rebuild... and here's some good advice!

http://www.onallcylinders.com/2014/11/1 ... ak-engine/

Food for thought. Golen engine is probably less than an hour drive from you.

https://www.golenengineservice.com/

any interest in a 4.0L in good condition out of a 97? Starting to part out my 97 soon and just sold off the AX15.... LMK and make an offer. Want it gone to make room for my new Rubi....