Jeep 4.0L engine issues - your feedback

[Mudderoy]

A couple of weeks ago, maybe 3, a lifter started ticking on me. I was really surprised as I only have about 24k miles on this engine.

Seems to run just as strong as it did before, no noticeable miss. Lifter tick changes as the engine heats up, but never goes away.

I have already tried the quart of dex/merc in it for 100 miles and an oil change. It was a little better.

Now I am faced with the possibility of not only a bad lifter but a bad lobe on the Crane cam. I was considering popping the head and just removing the crane cam and replacing the lifters and cam with a stock cam. I really don't have the time to do everything I'm doing already and dismantle my engine so I was thinking about taking it to a local shop and have them do it.

I was going to provide them with lifters, cam, and I was thinking a new oil pump. The idea is they would change what needs to be changed and anything that was marginal while they had it open. Having the parts they need there (and the PARTS I want in there not what they just find locally) should speed up the process. I'm guessing they'd have it a week at least.

I had the pan off about 6 months ago and everything looked great in there, at least from the bottom, so I suspect it's probably just a bad lifter, but at this point all the lifters are suspect.

Just want to get your feedback as to what parts do you think I should have on hand for them?

Keep in mind I have 3 Jeeps and 4 4.0l engines, so a spare cam or oil pump will eventually get used. ;o)

[4.3LXJ]

Just for giggles try some heavier oil in it an see if it helps

[Mudderoy]

Just for giggles try some heavier oil in it an see if it helps

10w30 is what I'm using now, it was Pensoil which people seem to hate but switched to mobile 1 synthetic high mileage a week or so ago.

I was thinking about putting in an additive to increase the viscosity and see what that did before taking it to the shop and dropping $600 to $1000 for the repair.

[4.3LXJ]

Try some 20W50 in it. If it goes away, it is probably clearance issues between the lifter and block

[Mudderoy]

Try some 20W50 in it. If it goes away, it is probably clearance issues between the lifter and block

Do you mean the hole the lifter goes in?

[4.3LXJ]

More than likely since it is the one thing no one addresses when rebuilding an engine. But it also could be a defective lifter too. But an engine with lots of milage on it has to have some wear on the lifter galleys

[Mudderoy]

More than likely since it is the one thing no one addresses when rebuilding an engine. But it also could be a defective lifter too. But an engine with lots of milage on it has to have some wear on the lifter galleys

Interesting. I didn't think a lifter would "tick", oh unless it's slapping the hole. Hmmm....

[4.3LXJ]

A hydraulic lifter relies on oil pressure to fill the inside and pump up the center section. It has enough slop in the whole system to not allow it to lift a valve. If there is insufficient pressure to the inside of a lifter the center part will collapse and it will bottom out when lifting the valve. When it does, it ticks

[Mudderoy]

A hydraulic lifter relies on oil pressure to fill the inside and pump up the center section. It has enough slop in the whole system to not allow it to lift a valve. If there is insufficient pressure to the inside of a lifter the center part will collapse and it will bottom out when lifting the valve. When it does, it ticks

So the oil is running down the side of the lifter instead of being on top, filling and pushing the piston up. Just a block wear issue and I'm assuming one that cannot be repaired.

[4.3LXJ]

I don't think so, which is why no one does. But try the heavier oil next oil change and see what happens

[XJ Wheeler]

I'm guessing my issue was different than yours since yours is a low mileage rebuild but I had what I assumed to be a sticky lifter for years, and it tapped. I started running a lighter weight oil in the winter and oddly enough it cleared it up.

[cpttuna]

how about adding a bottle of marvel mystery oil?

[Mudderoy]

I've done some online research and "Engine Restorer" seems to come up time and time again as being the thing to use. I'm going to try it since I just changed the oil, then I'll try a heavier oil. I ran straight 30 weight in my prior motor and everything that we could see without tearing it down looked really good after 170k miles.

[autotech98]

hey mudderoy,i always put in a quart of lucas oil stabilizer when i chang my oil.226,000 and still going strong!

[msmoorenburg]

Well to answer the questions about the lifter galley it was checked during the block inspection. I was told it is a weak area on the 4.0 and can crack. Just a gut feeling is Tony has a failing lifter.

[Joliet Johnny]

I've done some online research and "Engine Restorer" seems to come up time and time again as being the thing to use. I'm going to try it since I just changed the oil, then I'll try a heavier oil. I ran straight 30 weight in my prior motor and everything that we could see without tearing it down looked really good after 170k miles.

My dad would typically go 10-15k past the recommended intervals for oil changes in his 98 Grand Caravan. Around 150k the lifter noise was really bad. I dumped in a can of "Engine Restorer" and it didnt silence the motor, but it took 75% of the noise away. He never did get better about changing oil and I would add a can when it got loud. When he sold it a couple years ago it almost had 300k on the original motor. I have noticed very little if and change in my XJ's lifter noise when using that product.

[abebehrmann]

My dad would typically go 10-15k past the recommended intervals for oil changes in his 98 Grand Caravan. Around 150k the lifter noise was really bad. I dumped in a can of "Engine Restorer" and it didnt silence the motor, but it took 75% of the noise away. He never did get better about changing oil and I would add a can when it got loud. When he sold it a couple years ago it almost had 300k on the original motor. I have noticed very little if and change in my XJ's lifter noise when using that product.

Original transmission too?

[Joliet Johnny]

Original transmission too?

Ha ha ha, nope. We sold it right before it wanted its 4th trans.

[Mudderoy]

Lets say the lifter failed. Why would it die after 24ish thousand miles? No over heat and with the oil leak I had a new quart of oil in it 2 times a week.

[Brasscatz]

Just throwing this out there, and is just a guess.... that rebuilt motor wasn't originally in a red Jeep, was it.