Maybe I'm wrong but it seems like engine troubleshooting type questions get shunned on this board - only newbies ask them and only other newbies answer them (with some exceptions, of course). I haven't asked any so I don't have any particualr bone to pick here, I was just wondering if engine repair is considered not-hard-core enough or not-off-road or something.

yep... you're wrong. :flipoff2:

Engine repair questions are far from shunned here.

What is shunned are the meaningless questions like:
Should I run synthetic oil or not?
Should I get the 3" or 4" tall K&N filter?

If you've got a legit engine question, ask away. Just make sure you can come at it with some background... not a "my engine is making a funny noise, what's wrong with it" attitude.

Know that pinging might be a lean condition...
Know that knocking may mean rebuilding the bottom end...
know that blue smoke means you're burning oil

Just like everything else here, do your homework, then ask an informed question.

Well, as I said, I don't have any particular questions myself as of yet, but I get a lot of info from reading these threads over on other unnamed forums. It just seems like the intelligent troubleshooting/repair questions I've seen over here don't get much attention. Case in point: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=39287 (okay, it's a tranny q, but same point). Sounds like a reasonable question, maybe it could be phrased better ("72 CJ5 hard going into gear, would it help to clean the shifter rails?"), but a reasonable question. That's just the first one I came on, if I searched back a few weeks I bet I could come up with 20 others.
I'm not trying to make anybody answer questions they're not interested in, just wondering what everybody thinks about this subject area and if there's a way to encourage more discussion along these lines. I mean, I like axle and suspension and wheelbase questions too, but there's a lot more to jeeps than just that.

Originally posted by 92xj
Well, as I said, I don't have any particular questions myself as of yet, but I get a lot of info from reading these threads over on other unnamed forums. It just seems like the intelligent troubleshooting/repair questions I've seen over here don't get much attention. Case in point: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=39287 (okay, it's a tranny q, but same point). Sounds like a reasonable question, maybe it could be phrased better ("72 CJ5 hard going into gear, would it help to clean the shifter rails?"), but a reasonable question. That's just the first one I came on, if I searched back a few weeks I bet I could come up with 20 others.
I'm not trying to make anybody answer questions they're not interested in, just wondering what everybody thinks about this subject area and if there's a way to encourage more discussion along these lines. I mean, I like axle and suspension and wheelbase questions too, but there's a lot more to jeeps than just that.

Using that example, fixing a T14 as a bandaid just seems counterproductive. Why do something just to re-do it in a month or three?

Also, not many people know much about the T14 around here.... they usually get swapped out in a hurry.

Legit questions about stock systems are definately acceptable.

Sorry it was kinda long, but I was wondering too, because nobody made fun of me but nobody really helped me either.

I think in some ways you are right. JU or ORC are much better boards for some types of questions. In many ways they get more technical about things this board doesn't. Not JUST newbie stuff. You aren't going to get a whole bunch of high tech electronic questions answered here. Such as will a such and such a combination of cam, headers, etc. etc. work with my MAF sensor.

In general I would have to say that this crowd is for the most part more concerned with suspension design than with engine stuff. As far as a 3 speed Jeep tranny goes, I look up parts for them all day. Though the only real world experience I have with them is the newfangled auto pickup garbage trucks can't tell that you threw one away because they can lift lot's more than a human.

I've found that the JeepWire board has a pretty good knowledge base if you're looking for advice on stock engine mods and fixes. Things like the 258 Nutter bypass (John Nutter is a moderator there), HEI conversions, general "older Jeep" engine tech, etc. are regular topics there

The old ORC Jeeptech mailing list at offroad.com was great for questions like that too, but I haven't subscribed for about a year now so I couldn't tell you how it is these days... I was a member of that list for years before I ever started coming here--It's a great place to pick up the basics and askgeneral troubleshooting questions.

Different boards, different slants.

HTH,
Jake Harsha