LambertLambert Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 I went out this morning to start my 87 Metric Ton - I last drove it a week ago with no problems. I keep it parked on the street because it's not my daily driver and there's no room in the driveway. I noticed my neighbors watching me and gathering in the front yard to watch. I thought it was odd, but couldn't figure out why they would want to watch me. I turned the engine over and it sounded like a garbage disposal with a metal spoon caught in the blades. I immediately shut the engine off and then looked at my neighbors who were smiling and watching. I opened the previously closed shut hood and saw that the oil filler cap was gone. I checked the fluids and everything seemed fine. I couldn't see anything in the oil filler opening, so I'm going to have to take it to Jeep Masters (I'm in Austin) to take a look at it. I'm sure I'll have to tow it. How could they have opened the hood from the outside? If they did put something in the engine, I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm so full of rage right now I can't see straight. I called the cops, and they came out. It was as I expected. No witnesses, no evidence, they can't do anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 It's really not that hard to break into an MJ... I would be suspecting that first over thinking someone got the hood open from the outside. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatslug87 Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 What were your neighbors doing? Did theirs also get hit? The older I get the more I hate people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LambertLambert Posted December 2, 2012 Author Share Posted December 2, 2012 Rob, do you mean they could just open the door and pop the hood? I didn't think about that. I have a club on the steering wheel, but nothing else. fiatslug one of my neighbors - and this house is 2 doors down, fyi - was sitting, possibly drunk, at his curb. When he saw me get into the truck, he got up quickly and it looked like he called to two other young men who came outside and stood in their driveway facing me and watching me. All three men just stood there watching. I'm pretty sure they knew what was about to happen. It doesn't look like their vehicles were hit at all. I'm so f-ing mad. I love my Comanche, but if the engine has to be disassembled I can't afford to do that and don't have the time or space (or expertise!) to do it myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 That's exactly where I was going with it. As for your noises... You said it sounded like metal on metal... Did you check the fan blades for anything goofy or debris? Was there a spray of oil on the underside of the hood that would say it was running with no cap for any length of time? Maybe it fell off before you last parked it. Your oil level, correct, with the right color? Not over filled or under filled? Anything underneath? Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 people suck. it is possible on some trucks with properly working part to reach up from underneath and yank on the connection rods for the hood latches and get the hood to pop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidoo_j Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Walk over to your neighbors and ask them if they know anything. if they're coy or otherwise seem like they are being dishonest when they respond, calmly say you just can't figure out what happened to your truck and thank them stating hopefully it's not someone vandalizing vehicles in the neighborhood. then return the favor. and unscrew the valve stems from their tires, while leaving them in just enough that it can be filled with air. Takes lots of people a really really long time to figure it out. It's not vandalization, could be considered mischief, but just don't get caught. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ftpiercecracker1 Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Put a small pebble in each of the valve stem caps, when they screw the caps on the pebble will depress the vavle, letting the air out. Sit back and laugh. Also, while it does seem self incriminating on their part to suddenly take interest in what you were doing with your truck when you went to mess with it. How sure are you they had anything to do with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LambertLambert Posted December 2, 2012 Author Share Posted December 2, 2012 I like the valve stem ideas! I went back out an hour ago to take the valve cover off to see if I could discover what they put in the engine, and when I did I discovered they had broken the fan shroud. They must have leaned in on it or something. That's what was making that noise! Anyway, after a quick trip to Autozone for the oil filler cap it seems like everything is back to normal. I'm thinking now they were waiting for the oil to start spraying out of the filler hole and getting all over the engine. B*stards! They must have been able to open the door somehow. I always keep it locked. On another note, anyone in the Austin area recommend an alarm installer? I tried a Bulldog alarm a year ago but never could get the sensitivity right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 I would recommend a security cam. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinkrun Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Years ago I installed one by myself quite simple and it did work I bet todays are much better than then. Of course a trail cam or similar camera or a baseball bat does wonders also. I feel for you we just got a house in the county with good neighbors after 5 years of living with punks drug users and or dealers next door on all 4 sides. I couldnt take it anymore house was paid off and we were at the bank the next day getting the loan for another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92tanMJ Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 People suck so much. I will have to remember the valve stem idea.. I've had people mess with my cherokee and it pisses me off so much. Glad it was nothing serious though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xjrev10 Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 NEVER screw with someones vehicle that could case significant damage. Just aint right. That said, I would find out who screwed with yer truck and make sure theirs never runs again! Revenge is okay in my book! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaquaro Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 :???: By any chance , did you piss off one of these nieghbors ? Not to say that kind of vandalism is warranted under any conditions . FWIW Hot wire fencing circuit is cheap, relatively harmless and gets the point across :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaquaro Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 What were your neighbors doing? Did theirs also get hit? The older I get the more I hate people. Seems thou doth protest too much ,,,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellaheep Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 If you've got bucket seats.......... Leave the door unlocked. Get another lower seat cushion that matches. Then go to the drug store and get a pack of hypodermic syringes. Remove needles from the syringes. Disassemble seat cushion from metal base. Insert needles into the bottom of the seat foam all along the lowest/center part. Re-assemble the seat cushion. Without bolting the cushion assembly back to the seat frame, you've just made yourself one wicked booby-trap for any would-be thief or tampering crook. Put smaller, shorter bolts in place of the others to work as placement pins to keep the seat cushion from moving around when you need to drive it. Just be sure to keep the good cushion in the house with your keys so you don't forget when the booby-trap is set..... Just think of the satisfaction of being awakened from a peaceful sleep by the blood-curdling screams of some asshat that entered your truck....... and now has his rectal seal perforated. :yes: :thumbsup: You could also get another hood release cable assembly. Glue some thumbtacks to the back side of the release handle....... You'd just need to keep a sturdy length of rope with a loop on one end to put around the handle so you can pull it open when you need to. I'm all in favor of making crooks bleed. Makes them easy to identify. If it is indeed your neighbors, you'll be looking for the one that doesn't sit on the porch..... or has bandaged up fingers. "Hello, Hospital? Yeah, can you tell me if you had anyone come to the E.R. who's keester looked like it'd been worked over by an angry woodpecker?" :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyzj Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 If you've got bucket seats.......... Leave the door unlocked. Get another lower seat cushion that matches. Then go to the drug store and get a pack of hypodermic syringes. Remove needles from the syringes. Disassemble seat cushion from metal base. Insert needles into the bottom of the seat foam all along the lowest/center part. Re-assemble the seat cushion. Without bolting the cushion assembly back to the seat frame, you've just made yourself one wicked booby-trap for any would-be thief or tampering crook. Put smaller, shorter bolts in place of the others to work as placement pins to keep the seat cushion from moving around when you need to drive it. Just be sure to keep the good cushion in the house with your keys so you don't forget when the booby-trap is set..... Just think of the satisfaction of being awakened from a peaceful sleep by the blood-curdling screams of some asshat that entered your truck....... and now has his rectal seal perforated. :yes: :thumbsup: You could also get another hood release cable assembly. Glue some thumbtacks to the back side of the release handle....... You'd just need to keep a sturdy length of rope with a loop on one end to put around the handle so you can pull it open when you need to. I'm all in favor of making crooks bleed. Makes them easy to identify. If it is indeed your neighbors, you'll be looking for the one that doesn't sit on the porch..... or has bandaged up fingers. "Hello, Hospital? Yeah, can you tell me if you had anyone come to the E.R. who's keester looked like it'd been worked over by an angry woodpecker?" :D something that good you almost wanna be there too see the look on his face :rotf: :rotf: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 The trouble with revenge is now they want to get even by doing something even worse back at you. And it just escalates. So just shoot 'em and get it over with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ftpiercecracker1 Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Old cowboy wisdom "An eye for an eye leaves everybody blind" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue88Comanche Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 The trouble with revenge is now they want to get even by doing something even worse back at you. And it just escalates. So just shoot 'em and get it over with. But thats when you find out their brother is a mob boss, and it all goes down hill from there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Sometimes it takes a little imagination to hook one up but an electric fence charger can do wonders to discourage trespassing, vandalism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMCJeepMJ Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Don't retaliate, this isn't middle school and as stated above it just escalates. Get a security camera and video recording system and if/when this happens again you will hopefully be able to identify the person(s) responsible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 If you've got bucket seats.......... Leave the door unlocked. Get another lower seat cushion that matches. Then go to the drug store and get a pack of hypodermic syringes. Remove needles from the syringes. Disassemble seat cushion from metal base. Insert needles into the bottom of the seat foam all along the lowest/center part. Re-assemble the seat cushion. Without bolting the cushion assembly back to the seat frame, you've just made yourself one wicked booby-trap for any would-be thief or tampering crook. Put smaller, shorter bolts in place of the others to work as placement pins to keep the seat cushion from moving around when you need to drive it. Just be sure to keep the good cushion in the house with your keys so you don't forget when the booby-trap is set..... Just think of the satisfaction of being awakened from a peaceful sleep by the blood-curdling screams of some asshat that entered your truck....... and now has his rectal seal perforated. :yes: :thumbsup: You could also get another hood release cable assembly. Glue some thumbtacks to the back side of the release handle....... You'd just need to keep a sturdy length of rope with a loop on one end to put around the handle so you can pull it open when you need to. I'm all in favor of making crooks bleed. Makes them easy to identify. If it is indeed your neighbors, you'll be looking for the one that doesn't sit on the porch..... or has bandaged up fingers. "Hello, Hospital? Yeah, can you tell me if you had anyone come to the E.R. who's keester looked like it'd been worked over by an angry woodpecker?" :D Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 Electric fences are a no go in urban areas, they're for farm use only...they can kill toddlers and small children. There's usually a city ordinance against their use anyway. You can get a manslaughter charge, a hefty lawsuit, and a tattooed cell mate named Cleetus who will ask you to do things you don't want to do. First just check under the valve cover, look for debris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbear Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 The trouble with revenge is now they want to get even by doing something even worse back at you. And it just escalates. So just shoot 'em and get it over with. I'm leaning toward this. This being Texas, and deadly force being authorized to prevent the commission of a felony. Click clack. Old cowboy wisdom "An eye for an eye leaves everybody blind" Smart cowboys aim center mass. Eyeballs are too small a target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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