Replacement OE Camshaft and Lifters & has anyone R&R while in the engine bay?

Hello,

1. I was wondering if anyone has removed the cam and lifters while in the engine bay, etc, or if it would just be easier to pull the engine?

2. Does anyone have a OEM replacement part source/preferred brand for an '01 XJ regarding cams and lifters? (I can locate the lifters, a cam seems to be hard to find that isn't a "comp cam") I am not looking to upgrade, just keep it stock. Happy with OEM performance with towing a small boat, and the occasional 4x4 through a muddy field.


P.S., on a side note, I had a ticking/tapping/knocking sound for quite a while now (30,000 miles+) and after watching these videos, I'm convinced that it is a lifter/worn cam issue. Same exact sound including the rattle on rev-down on the first video. I picked up my XJ on the cheap as the PO had the head rebuilt, it had a cracked radiator, etc, and it always had a ticking noise. Within the first month after I bought it, the rebuilt head had a valve spring that broke. I'm 99% sure it all has to be lifter related. I've posted some videos below to help others that may have something similar.

My Sound:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vDOyZwH1Fjc


Lifter Replacement Video with sound just like mine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=29I5fNAv-8M


This Gentlemen has similar sound/crushed lifter(video has some language):

What his lifter looked like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZeSyE276r2g


What his engine sounded like(exactly like mine):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sh151kZXqVo

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Re: Replacement OE Camshaft and Lifters & has anyone R&R while in the engine bay?

If you are going to replace the cam, you can do so in the vehicle but you'll need to remove the radiator and AC condensor, etc, for space to pull the cam out.
I'd look up the specs for the stock cam and look around at Crane, Isky, whoever else sells them for the 4.0. Or go to the dealer and see what they've got.
Be very careful about how you break in the new cam when you are done. Follow directions exactly. It seems all too common for new cams to fail in the first couple months on these engines and you probably don't want to do the job again this spring.

Re: Replacement OE Camshaft and Lifters & has anyone R&R while in the engine bay?

Its fine to do in the engine bay, but you have to pull the head to get the lifters out. Remove the radiator and all accessories that are bolted to/in front of the timing cover. Prop up the AC condenser with a piece of 2x4 or something. I recommend using and engine hoist and pulling the head and manifolds as a unit. A lot easier than putting the manifolds back on while in the bay and better for your back.

When installing new cam make sure its very clean. Put cam lube on the lobes (grey high moly lube) and standard engine assembly lube on the bearing journals. One the lifters put the cam lube on the bottom, assembly lube on the sides. When installing the camshaft you want to have a good grip on it. Use the cam bolt and a very good pair of vise grips to lock onto the bold. Then slide the cam in. If it won't go, do not force it as the bearings are very soft and easily damaged. If it is stuck try to rotate it gently.

Button it back up and run teh camshaft break in procedure with a brea in oil for flat tappet camshafts.

As for lifter and cam choices, since you want to keep it stock I would go with the Melling stock replacement shaft and a set of Hylift/Johnson lifters (Pn 2011). The Melling can be found at various places and the lifters can be ordered directly from hylift http://www.toplineauto.com/about-us.asp

Re: Replacement OE Camshaft and Lifters & has anyone R&R while in the engine bay?

Melling Cam MC1377, Lifters JB-2011.

Cam/lifter kit CL-MC1377.

http://www.omnitek.co/mellingweb/

"Within the first month after I bought it, the rebuilt head had a valve spring that broke."

With a broken spring I would suspect the head rebuild was butchered and wouldn't be too quick to blame the cam/lifters.

Pull the head, then pull the lifters (keep pushrods. rocker sets, and lifters in order that they were removed) and examine the lifter faces closely. If they are conave, badley pitted, or otherwise chewed up, the respective cam lobe is also shot. If the lifter faces are okay the cam may be in good shape as well. Examine the rocker pivot/rocker contact surfaces for excessive wear or other damage.

I would send the head to a good head rebuild shop and have them tear it down and inspect everything (essentially rebuild it).

When the rebuilt head was installed I'll bet that the lifter preloads weren't checked. If the head was milled at rebuild it will affect preload. Different pushrods or the rocker pivots may have needed shimming to get the required .020"-.060" preload.

If you do decide to replace the cam while in the Jeep, keep in mind that the cam bearings may be worn if you have a high mileage short block. Complete bearings removal requires the engine to be removed inorder to remove the rear cam bearing plug out of the block.

Re: Replacement OE Camshaft and Lifters & has anyone R&R while in the engine bay?

srpope80 said:

P.S., on a side note, I had a ticking/tapping/knocking sound for quite a while now (30,000 miles+) and after watching these videos, I'm convinced that it is a lifter/worn cam issue. Same exact sound including the rattle on rev-down on the first video.

Click to expand...

My 01 had a very similar set of noises. Some days it was loud, other days, less so. Tried several flushes in the recommended amounts and it made no difference.
After going through dozens of searches and watching many You-Tube videos, I was convinced that I had a bad lifter and/or cam lobe.
Came out one morning last October to find a puddle of anti-freeze leaking from the rear of the engine...Oh s...t!
The rusted freeze plugs forced me to pull the engine. This is my DD and, not having the immediate time to rebuild it, I picked an ATK engine up at Napa and threw it in. I'm not happy with it and it will come out in the future.
Before dissasembing the old engine (with 120K), I did a leak-down test and found all the valves had leakage, with two moderately burnt ones.
When the ports were plugged, there was next to no leakage through the rings.

On dissasembly, The bottom end looked great as well as the valve train. The clearances all measured inside the Factory optimum range and, other than needing a timing set, the bottom end was in good shape.

So you might want to try a little more diagnostics before assuming you have found the problem. I was expecting lifter problems when it was burned valves all along. The mechanist told me that the valve noise can vary as the valve rotates, one reason why revving to high RPMs, for several seconds, can often quiet things down for a while.

As aside note, the 0331 head was hot tanked, magnafluxed and found to be free of cracks. Evidently my XJ had one of the better castings, other than having guides that wear out quickly.