How To

Is it worth rebuilding a Jeep that’s been disassembled for years?

John Paul, AAA Northeast's Car Doctor, answers a question from a reader trying to talk a family member out of putting a very old Jeep back together.

The Car Doctor answers a question from a reader trying to talk a family member out of putting a very old Jeep back together. AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File

By John Paul

August 6, 2024

Q. My brother has a 1980 Jeep he wants to rebuild that he started to disassemble in 2005. Since about 2009 or so he has had both the engine and transmission sitting under a two-story porch. I have tried to explain to him that because it has been sitting outside for so long, it is going to need a lot of work. I believe that the interior components of the engine and transmission have begun to rust. He seems to think that once he puts it all back together, with just a little tune up, he will be good to go. I believe the entire Jeep and all its parts should go to a junkyard. What are your thoughts and opinions about this situation?

A. Although it may start and run, there are likely to be problems. Piston rings can be stuck and never come around. Gaskets can dry out and the front and rear main seals can leak. Cylinder head gaskets can start to dissolve if what was left of the coolant was acidic. If this were my engine and transmission and I wanted a dependable vehicle, I would at a minimum do a simple rebuild. This would start with new gaskets and seals, including valve seals. Clean up any rust ridge on the cylinders and rings. The other issue is that you also don’t really know how good the engine was when it was parked. Yes, you could put the engine back in with fresh fluids and hope for the best, but in most cases, you are left with a poor running smoker of an engine that leaks oil.

Q. Some of my fuses in my car and toolbox have a nice hill shape in the middle, but some have a sideways S shape. Why?

A. The part in the middle of the fuse is designed to melt when the amperage is too high, to prevent fires and electrical damage. The different designs all do the same job, protecting these components. When replacing a fuse, always replace it with the same size and type.

Q. We are going on a three-week road trip in a couple of weeks that will encompass about 2,000 miles. I have a 2013 Hyundai Tucson with 120,000 miles (that just passed its inspection) and a 2017 Subaru Legacy with 15,000 miles. We’re planning on taking the Legacy because it gets better gas mileage and has less wear and tear, even though I have had no major issues with the Tucson. The Legacy has been lightly driven and only used locally, and she doesn’t even go on highways. Is there anything I can or need to do to prepare the Legacy for this trip?

A. Either car will be fine, but here are my concerns with the Subaru: If the tires are original at seven years old, I would look at them closely for age-related cracking. The battery, if original, may be at the end of its life. Other than that, if it has been a while, an oil change is a good idea. During the oil change the technician will check all the other vital fluids, and should give the car a basic safety check. I would also replace the wiper blades and check the spare tire. Once the car is ready, put together a little emergency kit (flares, flashlight, washer fluid, coolant, oil, jumper cables/jump pack, gloves, air compressor) and enjoy the trip.

Q. I recently purchased a battery impact wrench online (admittedly it was cheap) but it couldn’t even loosen up the lug-nuts on my car. I heard you mention one that you tested on your radio program. Can you give me a little more detail?

A. The wrench I mentioned was from the WORX company. It uses the same 20-volt battery as my lawn tools. This was the heavy-duty version with a claimed 1,500-foot pounds of torque. I’m not sure about the numbers, but it easily removed lug-nuts on both my rusty boat trailer and vehicles. My suggestion with any battery tools is when adding new tools, stay with the same brand. This way typically you will always have a spare and hopefully fully charged battery on hand when you need it.

John Paul is AAA Northeast’s Car Doctor. He has over 40 years of experience in the automotive business and is an ASE-certified master technician. E-mail your Car Doctor question to [email protected]. Listen to the Car Doctor podcast at johnfpaul.podbean.com.