fender
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Ypsilanti Mi
98 XJ just turned over 200K a few weeks back and has always been loud. It began to have a steady knock - cold/hot didn't matter that became very pronouced about 4 days ago. Oil pressure was good. Well last night about a 1/4 mile from my driveway the knocking became a sound like a chain rattling around for a few seconds and then the motor quit. Knock to a rattle - similar to bad detonation and then good bye. I coasted into the drive and then tried to see if she would turn over - click click - nothing. No holes anywhere, no loud bangs, no pile of oil. Just happy I didn't need a tow.
Drained the oil. No signs of metal or coolant.
This morning I tried to turn the engine over with a breaker bar on the HB but couldn't move it. Tried going backward and heard a clank and then she was freed up. Turning by hand gave a knock about every rotation of the engine and some other sounds of stuff moving that shouldn't. I pulled the valve cover and no bent pushrods and they all spun easy when not under load. All the valves were moving fine. Sound seemed to come from the front and so I thought maybe the timing chain had partially self destructed. Pulled the cover and the chain looks good. A little loose but 20 bars between the marks and no missing parts or bits of metal. I then began pulling plugs one at a time and check for suction/blowing. All good until I got to #6. Porcelain was gone, tip and electrode bent up. No suction no compression. Not sure why or what the sound from the front could be but I am pretty sure #6 piston is gone. Not sure if I am going to take the time to pull the head/pan.
I have already started looking for a junk yard motor to replace it as I don't have the time/money for a rebuild right now. I think I will put in a 99 engine to get the better intake and a year newer engine.
Anything I should look out for while doing this or using a 99 rather than an earlier engine?
Drained the oil. No signs of metal or coolant.
This morning I tried to turn the engine over with a breaker bar on the HB but couldn't move it. Tried going backward and heard a clank and then she was freed up. Turning by hand gave a knock about every rotation of the engine and some other sounds of stuff moving that shouldn't. I pulled the valve cover and no bent pushrods and they all spun easy when not under load. All the valves were moving fine. Sound seemed to come from the front and so I thought maybe the timing chain had partially self destructed. Pulled the cover and the chain looks good. A little loose but 20 bars between the marks and no missing parts or bits of metal. I then began pulling plugs one at a time and check for suction/blowing. All good until I got to #6. Porcelain was gone, tip and electrode bent up. No suction no compression. Not sure why or what the sound from the front could be but I am pretty sure #6 piston is gone. Not sure if I am going to take the time to pull the head/pan.
I have already started looking for a junk yard motor to replace it as I don't have the time/money for a rebuild right now. I think I will put in a 99 engine to get the better intake and a year newer engine.
Anything I should look out for while doing this or using a 99 rather than an earlier engine?