Need help. (long post)

[Tarqueth]

Warning! Long post by a newbie with no mechanical experience.

Here goes, I have an 88 GW. About 2 years ago while driving down the road something in the engine sounded like it blew up and all of a sudden my engine started vibrating the entire vehicle. I made it about another mile before it stalled out on me and wouldn't restart. A CJ (5 or 7, take your pick cause I have no idea how to tell the difference) towed me the other half mile to my house. The next day I went out and turned the ignition for my cousin to listen to, he wanted to see if he could figure it out. It turned over and idled, but again, it was vibrating the entire vehicle very badly. He couldn't say for certain what he thought it may be. If anyone has any idea's where to start please chim in.

I have never worked on a vehicle before but I figured this was the one to start on. I LOVE this Jeep and want to get it running again. Also, be patient with me as I know little to nothing about vehicles.

I'm not sure if this will help but, my GW is holding oil fine.

[U.P.'er J-20]

what is your oil pressure? or did the check engine light come on? any lights come on on the dash?

[Tarqueth]

There is no battery in it right now so I couldn't tell you what it is at. No lights came on that I can remember (that was 2 years ago and I think I'm 5 years older now) I only know that it is holding oil because the dipstick shows it's there. I have kept air in the tires and have had to add some oil over the 2 years that it has sat.

[U.P.'er J-20]

check your harmonic balancer (behind the lower pulley on the lower front side of the motor) but your going to have to fire it up and see what your oil pressure is to get somewhat of a better idea. i guess it could have something to do with the flywheel/torque converter also.

[Tarqueth]

Thanks, I'll throw in a battery this weekend and see if it'll start up again.

[gsmikie]

also pull the spark plugs out and see if any of them are beaten up

[Tarqueth]

Will do, I have some new plugs that I had bought right before this happened and I never got to change them out. Guess now would be the prime time.

[Gwamp]

Check the motor and tranny mounts as well. One of them could have broken free.

[Smooshy]

welcome by the way smile.gif

[Rande]

Well, it seems to be obvious its a rotating problem. There are only a few things that can go wrong without really bad internal troubles.

The sound of something blowing up makes me wonder if something actually flew off something else cuasing an imbalance. The harmonic balancer could have partially disintegrated. If a chunk flew off, you'd have that imbalance.

If the flexplate tossed a counter weight, you got an imbalance. These flexplates have been kown to crack. If this has happened, and the crack is big enough, the troque converter (which is bolted to the flexplate) could flapping around inside the bellhousing and causing the vibration.

If something internal to the engine broke, you'd be hearing some god-awful noises coming from the engine and it wouldn't run very well, if at all.

[Tarqueth]

Thanks for all the input everyone, and thanks for the welcome Smooshy. I'll take a look at all of this and post an update. I was hoping to get to it this weekend but my wife came up with an unexpected "to do" list.