CAUTION: JEEP CONTENT

I've got a couple video links that I'll post to some cell phone videos I took earlier this evening of a sound that I've noticed my Jeep makes. The best way I can describe the sound is light clicking, borderline tapping (NOT knocking) that increases/decreases speed with rpms. I'm no good when it comes to engines, and the jeep forum folks aren't all that helpful since they're just a bunch of no-good-hicks. Anyway, I was wondering if this is just a timing issue or something more severe? Since I'm making payments on this vehicle, I'm a little more worried than if I owned it.

Anyway...the vids!

outside of the Jeep.
http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...t=MOV01421.flv

inside of the Jeep.
http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...t=MOV01422.flv

If the links don't work, let me know and I'll fix it.

But any input would be great, thanks.

 

Sounds like lifter or lash adjuster tapping. Can you determine if it on the right or left bank? Is that 71k on the clock and what oil do you have in it now? When did it happen and did it just start all at once or just get worse over time? Does it get louder the warmer it gets or stays about the same?

 

It's an inline 6 so it's right dead center. Yeah that's 71k on the clock and oil wise I'm using Castrol Sythetic. How long it's been making the sound exactly is unknown to me, I just noticed it when I had the window down one day when I was driving to work. And the sound does not get louder, in fact it goes away after time. I think in video #2 it goes away towards the end, but it came back shortly after I stopped recording it.

 

Regardless its coming from the top of the engine.

I would say its an exhaust leak. Or could be lifters pecking slightly.

What to do is, start the engine while cold, and listen, it should be really loud. As the jeep warms up, if it goes away then it means your exhaust manifold has heated up and sealed up.

I have the famous v6 mustang exhaust leak. Sounds like its exploding when you start it,, then it heats up and gets nice n quiet.

 

typical Chrysler product... Sorry man...

 

No offense or anything, but I don't know you enough to trust your mechanical advice. Nothing personal, but judging by some of your previous posts you seem like a forum lemming (someone who agrees with someone else for internet popularity). Again, no offense meant. I just don't trust your input.

Zig, yeah...I should've stuck with the Blue Oval. I know they've got problems too, but at least I know what to expect with those. If the problems keep adding up, I may go to the extreme of taking it back to the small mom & pop dealership I bought it from and ask if the guy is willing to buy it back out of the goodness of his heart because this thing has had nothing but problems. I've replaced the front right headlight twice, the battery, may have to replace the grill because it's loose, and then with the newly discovered tapping it's just getting to be a little bit much.

 

When did you change the oil Nick? If you switched it from synthetic blend or conventional to 100% synthetic that may be the issue.. Inside the truck it sounds like the intake sucking, but outside it sounds like an entirely different animal.

IDK man, if it was me I would take it back to the stealership, IMHO you should have done that the first week you got it with the initial issues you had.

 

Yeah...thing is it's not a big-time stealership like Chrysler, Ford, Jeep, Chevy, Dodge or anything like that. It's a small place called "Charlies Autos". I figure that I'll try to diagnose and solve the problem myself, and if all fails I'll contact Charlie and see if he'll be willing to buy it back out of the goodness in his heart. Because my wallet it getting thin from everything I've done with this hunk-o-junk. Gonna talk to the 'rents about it tomorrow and see what their advice for my current situation is...

All I know is that I can't keep dumping money that I don't have into this.

 

Nick, try all the free stuff first, take your belt off and start the motor and see it the sound changes. Check for anything loose, hoses, bolts, clamps, or anything that would suck air or rattle. If none of this helps then you can pretty much firure that the problem is internal and then you can proceed from there. Good Luck!

 

Thats a lifter pecking.. I'm positive.

My friends explorer had a lifter pecking for all the miles he had it and it never caused a problem other than annoying the **** out of us.. Except almost all of his lifters were doing it. You could hear the engine fire down the passenger side engine bank.

I wouldve said it was an exhaust leak if it were to make a tapping noise, but this is more of a tinny, metal peck.

Maybe it goes away when you rev it cause it shoots more oil on top the head.

Whats your oil pressure staying at?

 

Just fine. And in an interesting twist, the sound went away for the most part of today and only came back lightly towards the end of the day after I had let it sit for awhile. I'm not sure what it is exactly and I'll keep investigating as I hear it but it doesn't appear to be a big problem. I figure that I'll just ride it out, and hopefully everything holds. Next weekend is a test day for the local short-track around here, so I'll get one of my buddies who is more familiar with engines than I am take a look and we'll see what happens.

 

i would normaly say before watching the vid that it would be just normal 4.0L noise but that seems a bit more exessive. I would take it back to the stealership. Keep us informed on what you find out.

 

listening to the vid, I'm almost certain that it is lifter pecking. please answer these as best u can:
1.what weight castrol Syn u using?
2. outside temp vs. loudness of tap? (ie, colder/louder. warmer/ quieter)
3. engine temp vs. tap noise? (ie, colder/louder. warmer/ quieter)
4. level of noise compared to RPM's?
5. level of noise compared to oil pressure?

 

Since I've owned this for longer than the 30 or so days that the Lemon Law is able to be used, I think it would just be a waste of time to take it back to "Charlies Autos" mom & pop-like stealership. Plus, the guy is a dick so I'd like to avoid dealing with him if at all possible.

1. To be honest, I'm not sure. I felt lazy when the time came for the last oil change, so I just took it to a local Jiffy-Lube/Grease-Monkey type place and had them do it. I'll let you know for sure later on when/if I remember to check.

2. It had been warmer outside temp = quieter noise, but today was chilly and I didn't hear a thing.

3. There is no change in temp vs sound. It's weird, it makes the sound sometimes (unusually loud when I filmed the video for some reason) and other times it doesn't.

4. Stays the same, might get a little quieter as RPMs go up. Seems like it anyway, but that could just be because the engine is getting louder. The sound does speed up with RPMs if that matters any.

5. Sound stays the same.

Overall like I said it shows up and goes away when it wants to. I guess it's just a sound I'll learn to deal with because I'll just ride it out and run 'er until she blows.

 

I have to agree with the consensus here... I believe its a lifter also. Had a VW Jetta that sounded the same. Wasnt very loud but you could hear it, just like in your videos. Good luck with the Jeep King.

 

Them dumbasses at Jiffy Lube put Wesson oil in it. Does it smell like burnt french fries? Get off your sorry *** and change the oil yourself and be done with it!

 

Theres your problem...lol. Not sure on your model 4.0l on some the oil sending unit is sits right ontop of the oil filter and jackass lube techs like to brake them all day long.

Believe me from someone who has worked at a quick lube for 2.5years, NEVER NEVER EVER TAKE YOUR **** TO QUICKLUBES!!!!!!! PLEASE PEOPLE NEVER DO IT!! We have some dumb mother ******* working here i swear. I have to babysit ******* grown *** men to do the job correctly its retarded. My solution is to do it yourself or take it to a mechanic shop. We just had a claim for a blown head gasket on a hyundai because some jackass left the rad cap off and the poor little old lady didnt realize it was overheating and blew the headgasket and warped the head

 

Next time. But I really do trust these guys at our place (Oil Can Henry's)...one of the former workers there is currently racing in the Nascar truck series, so I feel totally safe about those guys doing it. Anyway, like I said it was cold, I was tired and didn't feel like messing with it that day.

 

Been there done that, I was just raggin' on you