M1009 died

[JSF01]

Well I was driving Back from visiting my father in NJ last night when something broke in the engine. As I was driving back I had thought the engine was making an odd noise, but when ever I would turn off my radio and try to listen to it there didn't seem to be any thing out of the ordinary. I chalked it up to my imagination, and me being tired. About 30 miles from home it something gave out and the engine gave out and the engine started making a bad grinding sound. I immediately pulled to the side of the road and then the engine shut down. I suspect a piston may have disintegrated, though I have not pulled any thing apart yet to check, though I am pretty sure the engine is pretty much toast. I cant think of many things that could break internally in the engine that would not lead to damage to the block.

So now I need to figure out what I am going to do with my truck. I suspect that even if the engine could be rebuilt it would be as expensive if not more so then swapping the engine. I am not even sure if I am going to fix it, as it may be best to buy a new car (I have been using my M1009 as my daily driver for the past 4 years), as my father has been suggestion for a while now.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Most catastrophic failures end up being crank shafts. Sorry to hear this!

 

[doghead]

Rip

 

[Skinny]

Sounds like you should spend some time investigating to find out the extent of the damage or just be done with it. Could be a broken flex plate which makes very bad sounds, is a common failure, and not super expensive to fix. At the other end the crankshaft may have snapped being a complete loss. You have to drop the pan, pull valve covers, and torque converter inspection cover in order to figure it out. If you don't know how, you either learn or pay someone to do it. If you can't afford it, chaulk it up to a lesson learned on owning an old vehicle.

 

[Warthog]

I was driving a M1009 down the interstate when I broke a crankshaft. It made more of clunking sound than a grinding sound. Funny thing is that I could start it and it would run. Although it sounded like washing machine full of nuts and bolts, a whole lot more than normal.

Before putting the nails in the coffin, you may want to make sure it is the engine and not the something else.

 

[frenchnavy]

Whishing you it's only minor damage.

 

[JSF01]

I am pretty sure it's not the flex plate due to the fact that the engine will still crank. One or two cylinders would touch off, though die pretty much as soon as let off the starter ( wasn't cranking more then 1-2 seconds nor giving it any gas, since I was not actually planning on trying to run it). It could very well be the crank shaft that went, as the piston disintegrating was just my initial WAG because I would have expected them to be the weak point in the system.

 

[Coffey1]

Sorry if it's that bad I would miss my truck a lot.
Now on the lite side you can always use it for a wheel chock for your new 5 ton..

 

[JSF01]

Does Any one have any experience doing engine swaps? About how much does a new 6.2 go for, or maybe a 6.5 (since if I decide to just swap out the engine it may make sense to go for an upgrade, though at the cost of fuel efficiency it might not be worth it) if it can be bolted straight up to the current transmission. I think I can manage an engine swap on my own, it probably just take a couple of days and a whole lot of swearing, I'd just need to find a place that I could do it. Any thing important I should know if I want to go that route?

I am just trying to consider all my options, since I really like my truck and rather not get rid of it. If I do get rid of it, I'll see about donating it to the Army Transportation Museum, since they don't have one, and that would prevent it from being scrapped.

 

[Coffey1]

Swapping it is just a lot of hard nasty work but very doable. You should be able to rent a motor lift.
Someone has bound to have a engine on here it's just a matter of how close they are to you.
See if you can pull the oil pan and see if anything looks broke. if it still runs start it and and get a pipe and put it to your ear and see if ton can hear and localized where it might be broke upper end or lower end.

 

[Keith_J]

Have you ever replaced the harmonic damper on the front of the crank? When these age, they lose damping which over stresses the crank. The damping element is rubber which hardens. Used engines are out there.

 

[JSF01]

A big issue is I live in an apartment complex and they would probably frown on me trying to do major work on my truck in the parking lot.

Looking around the web I found one site selling a 6.2 for $1700 with a 5 year unlimited miles full warranty, though I'd have to swap over pretty much every thing.

@Keith_J No, I had never had replaced the harmonic dampener.

 

[Coffey1]

Just remember if you get another engine the most important thing you can do. Don't use your water pump buy a new one and a new t stat.
Change it at a Buddy's house or rent a Large storeage that has out side entry.

 

[JSF01]

Not a bad idea to replace as many parts as I can while it's out of the truck. Probably never have a better opportunity.