Hello everyone!
This is my first time on this forum! I've recently bought a jeep and seeing how smart you viewers as I've seen good results from these kinds of threads.

I have a 2017 Wrangler JK Chief edition... Only has 57k on it and today was the first time I've ever experienced an engine problem with any car. I have tons of info on how It happened, so here we go...
(I WILL CAPITALIZE EVERY SYMPTOM)

Driving home from Guitar Center and I felt a weird bump and my check engine light blinked and rang immediately. It turned off after the blinking but about 5 seconds later I see SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST. I immediately pull over and shut off the car and began to look at the engine bay, but I notice a STRONG SMELL OF FUEL in the engine bay and exhaust. I tried to start the car but it turned over and just wouldn't power up. I had a coworker bring an OBD-2 reader to see what popped up, there shows the P0300 code. He then tried to start the car once more and it SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE LOCKED, Like a loud *clank*. Now I can't even start the car and It won't attempt to. Battery and starter are still good though. I got it towed back and also noticed there was FUEL IN THE AIR BOX. Which means it was leaking out of the throttle body, but a not a ton of fuel.. Just splash had spreaded in the air box.

Anyone else had this problem and had it diagnosed? It has a 60k mile powertrain warranty, but that was purchased by the person I bought it from.. I also haven't switched the title over to my name so that warranty may be active still, but the dealership it was purchased in is in CT and Im in TN. I can probably get them to take it to a dealership here, but do you think they will honor it here? I'm kinda banking on it being an easy fix... But I never know.

 

Welcome.. To the warranty coverage, less said or volunteered to the local Jeep dealer about ownership. I'm sure you looked up the code; for all the JKF members.. P0300 indicates that one or more cylinders are experiencing misfires. A misfire occurs when an insufficient amount of fuel is burning in a cylinder. ... When P0300 occurs it should be fixed immediately as long term driving with engine misfires could cause consequential damage to the engine. Should this be a coil issue it would probably not be covered by powertrain. What is going on to cause fuel smell and leakage into the air box needs immediate repair.

 

Fuel mist in the air box sounds like maybe a valve is not closing completely.
A clank and engine lock-up sounds like maybe a valve stayed open far enough the be hit and bent by its piston.

 

Sure sounds like a mechanical problem. Take the spark plugs out and look at them carefully for any indications of cylinder damage and/or even damage to the plug. See if the engine turns over now and if so do a compression check.

 

Agree with ronjenx. What you describe sounds like something mechanically catastrophic happened to the valvetrain. I would not turn the engine. I would either take it to a dealer or pull the intake and valve cover and see if the timing chain, valves or camshaft snapped.

 

I had different symptoms, but when my 2014 jk hit 55,000 miles an exhaust valve spring broke inside the engine. It would crank and crank but not start.