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Marbels??

mcnamaag

mcnamaag

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Red Lion, PA
Ok Im not new to XJ's but this one has me stumped. The weather in my part is getting cold and like always I change my oil to 5w30 from 10w40 for the winter. I did this about a month ago with no problems. Last night on my way home from work I noticed a strange noise while stopped at a red light. It sounds like I have marbles in the front of my engine. No knocking or piston slap but like a grinding or rattle out of the FRONT of the engine. I took a screwdriver and put it on various parts on the engine and to my ear but could not find a definite area where it is comming from. I did check my timming chain and it is nice and tight. Only about 40,000 miles on it since I last replaced it. Any ideas? I realy dont want to tear the front of the engine apart for nothing but I dont want to do any more damage if any.

87 Wagoneer Limited 4.0 auto 4x4. Basic, all stock, original engine and trans with 281,000 miles. This is my baby :loveu: and I plan on keeping it till I die so please give me any ideas you might have.
 
Good cal it seams fine and its not leaking. I replaced it when I did the last timming chain. It spins ok to but maybe the bearings?
 
bearings could be going, could also be something with the impeller. Did you do a coolant flush and fill that could have knocked some scale loose?
 
No and the bearings seem smooth. Its weird it litteraly sounds like marbels being rolled around inside a paint can. O also it comes and goes so its not constant. Only at idile.
 
That sounds like pinging to me. How many miles on your Jeep, what Octane are you running?

Step it up a grade, it might go away
 
281,000 and I run 87 oct fuel but I always have. Never a problem like this before
 
it at about half a tank now I will try topping it off with 89 or 92 and see what happens.
 
try some seafoam in the tb. My 95 had a horrible knock under acceleration and higher grade fuel and a can of seafoam fixed my problem.
 
I use Sea foam at every oil change. No it isnt a rod or bearing I know what you are saying but normally a rod or bearing has a very distintive sound more like a knock and it would get worse under a load mine doesnt. I only really only hear it at idle in or out of gear. I went and topped my tank off with 93 oct from a different station, drove it around for about 20 min. No difference. I also tried to pull spark plug wires off the front two cyliders to check for a main or rod bearing no difference in the noise. Anymore ideas.
 
Also my oil pressure is at 35 psi warm like always.
 
This may sound like something of a long shot, but check that the fan isn't hitting the fan shroud. We had a lot of fun tracking that one down on a buddy's '89...
 
casm said:
This may sound like something of a long shot, but check that the fan isn't hitting the fan shroud. We had a lot of fun tracking that one down on a buddy's '89...
Click to expand...

True to Jeep form my fan is rubbing a little. One of the clips had come loose I realy thought that was it but............ No. BUT I can hear the rattle better now and it seams to be coming from the Timing Chain cover. Now I have had this Jeep for about 250,000 of its miles and have changed the Timing Chain twice, once at 130,000 or so and the other at 250,000, give or take. But neither time did I have this problem, and for only having 40,000 miles on it what the hell. Could going to lighter weight oil cause this? Do you all think Im close in thinking Timing Chain? I have none of the usuall signs of a bad chain no popping out the TB, runs great, doesent overheat. WTF!!!:banghead:
 
mcnamaag said:
Now I have had this Jeep for about 250,000 of its miles and have changed the Timing Chain twice, once at 130,000 or so and the other at 250,000, give or take.
Click to expand...

Those seem like short intervals for timing chains - I'd typically expect them to go to 200,000 before expecting major wear.

Could going to lighter weight oil cause this?
Click to expand...

It's possible - but as I typically run either 10w40 or 20w50 (winters are a lot less harsh around here) and have no rattle at 115,000 miles I'm somewhat stumped.

Do you all think Im close in thinking Timing Chain? I have none of the usuall signs of a bad chain no popping out the TB, runs great, doesent overheat. WTF!!!:banghead:
Click to expand...

I'd make sure that it's being tensioned properly. I'm not overly-familiar with how the I-6 handles this having never had to do it myself, but from having done this on cars I've owned in the past, if it's an oil-squirt type of tensioner it's possible there's a blockage in there somewhere. I'd recommend trying an oil flush first (not just a drain and refill - a full flush, and replace the filter as well) and seeing what happens.

The relatively short replacement intervals have me a bit concerned, though. It's possible you've got a shot tensioner, but that's just supposition at this point without tearing off the cover and seeing what's going on in there.
 
Try some Marvel Mystery oil and or Lucas oil additives. Sounds like a sticking hydraulic lifter and or loose tapet. I have the exact same make and model. The two additives fixed the noise on mine.

Mike McGinness
South Houston, TX
 
What about the idler pulley have u checked it. You might try changing the belt to see what that does. Check the tensioner also.
 
Check the rubber isolator on your harmonic balancer. Mine started to slide out and hit the fan shroud. Made the same noise that you were talking about only did it at idle.
 
WATER PUMP!! What the hell its not that old but when I pulled it off the engine 1 of the impeller blades had broken off and that was the noise. Thanks to all for the help and MERRY CHRISTMAS.
 
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