98 XJ 4.0L Engine tick

[XJJordan]

Hi all,

Still fairly new to the forum, I've read many great and very helpful posts that have helped me trouble shoot issues in the past but haven't yet posted a question of my own. I hope I'm posting it in the right place?? Thanks in advance for any help that can be offered and any great where to now advice.

Just had a rather severe sounding engine tick start this afternoon while checking the jeep over...and/or dreaming of upgrades I could do. It's a 98 XJ 4.0L with about 260,000km on the clock. Oils are changed every 5000km and I use Nulon Full Synthetic 10w-40. Oil was changed roughly 800km ago. Up to the point that I started it this afternoon I had noticed general jeep engine noises but they didn't seem to be anything to write home about. This one just doesn't sound right. I have taken a video, though not yet sure how to post that on here? (UPDATE: I can't seem to post a video here?)

From the research I've done so far, listening to other posts/youtube vids of jeep engine ticks, I think lifters may be part of the problem. But then there is a load of other possibilities as well apparently from what I have read.

Thanks again for any help/suggestions that can be offered.

[Goneagain]

Hi Jason, does it sound cycinder specific? Regards Adrian.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

[XJJordan]

Hi Adrian,

Thanks for the reply mate. I'm not sure how best to tell. I read on a few other forums about placing a long screw driver along different parts of the block and listening against it for more specific sounds/locations, though I haven't had a chance to do so yet. Is this a good way of listening for more specific locations or do you know of another way that would be more effective to use? The sound seems more prominent from the drivers side of the block though, however this may just be due to interference from other sounds from the intake and exhaust side?

Is there a way to post videos to show what the sound is at all?

Cheers mate,
Peter

[It'sBigAl]

Best way is to post a YouTube video and then link to here.

I'd be curious to know what the noise is. Does it sound like it's coming from within in the engine block itself or above the head?

[Goneagain]

Hi Peter and Jason,
I have been through this with my XJ, after replacing head gasket I heard the noise, so pulled it off again and changed all the lifters with no change in sound they were not sticking (sounded like cyclinder 2 as close as I could tell). I used both the long screw driver and engine stithoscope. While the head was off the seconded time I checked the cam and it looked fine. Push rod lengths fine, rocker arms had some wear not much. Oh and I did a video of it and got one of the forum guys that rebuilts engines to listen to it and it was confusing as it also records the echos and it sounds more on the driver side as the lifters are on the driver's side.
In the end I took 2 to 3 thousand of a inch off the bottom of the # 2 rocker pillers (just a smidge to see what would happen) on number 2 cyclinder and it cured the main source of noise and then did the next loadest one until it was acceptable noise level. Worked like a charm. Drove it for many more thousands of kms. It was the rocker arms pivot holes were worn slightly, enlarged, extending the length of the push rod travel just enough NOT to let them work properly. I have 12 good second hand lifters if needed.
I hope this helps?

Regards Adrian

[XJJordan]

Cheers guys,

I've got to take the family into town today so I might not get to reply again until later tonight or tomorrow. As soon as I get a chance I'll try and use the long screw driver method to see if I can better locate the source of the noise, though it sounds like a noise higher in the block to my very untrained ears. But I'll repost ASAP and let you know what I find. Thanks for the tip Adrian, I don't suppose you had a write-up or vid that you made/watched to do this? Sorry, haha, I've learnt a lot about cars since owning a jeep but a lot of that has been electrical, so the block itself is still fairly new, especially going further under then taking the rocker off cover. If it is lifters, is it better to have new lifters in or second hand ones like you have Adrian? Sorry again mate, this is pretty new to me.

Just as another method of trying to identify the source of the sound, would it be worth putting some of that Nulon 'Lifter-Free and Tune-Up' stuff in it? If that changes the sound or quietens it, would that help to pinpoint if it's lifters vs something else like the worn rocker pivot holes as on yours Adrian? Assuming that is that the 'Lifter-Free' type things actually work?? I would definitely like to fix it right and replace what needs to be replaced, but just want to try and find the exact cause as best as possible, cause I don't have loads of $ to throw at it haha.

Thanks for the tip on Vids BigAl, I'll try and sign up to YouTube so I can upload the vid and any findings.

Thanks for the help guys!

[Goneagain]

Hi Jordan, I just about to get on a plane to come home from Italy so won't be online again Monday.
The Nulon stuff is good and I also at the time used it put it had no effect as in my case it was not the lifters or rod. Yes if you can see that the rocker arms are oval change them rather than removing 2-3 thou. For my I was running out of time and put a piece of 320 grit on a piece of glass and honed the pillars, measure with a vernier to see what was removed. Rockauto have rockers.
Best regards Adrian.