clicking/ticking noise (lifters or exhaust manifold crack?)

hey trying to figure out a ticking/clicking on my 93. basically, when the rig is cold (and only when cold, maybe first 15 min of driving) i have a ticking/clicking noise coming from my engine. it is pretty loud, especially on the freeway and can easily be heard over my stereo on, etc.

i have heard that this could be coming from valve lifters or also from a crack in your exhaust manifold. now, i know i do have a crack in my exhaust manifold, but it doesnt seem to be real big. so essentially what im trying to figure out is if either one (lifters or crack) would go away after the engine heats up. or would both? or would one get worse? this way i can isolate the problem/noise.

thanks

Do you have any driveability issues?

jeepdeepfreak said:

Do you have any driveability issues?

Click to expand...

nope, jeep drives fine, seems smooth, etc. just you can hear the noise when the engine is cold.

Exhaust.

Start it at night on a dark street and pop the hood. You might see blue flames.

Also, when is the last time you changed your oil? Poor oil will sometimes manifest itself in that manner.

ping? check knock sensor....

I've got the same thing, and have had that on various cars in the past - tappets have always been mentioned on them, and adjucting them made it go away. Is there something about jeeps that make tappets a non-issue or am I missing something in translation and it's the same as knock?

Ticking is usually a good indicator of lifter noise but it's hard to tell without hearing it. A lot of times a sticky lifter will tick like that until the engine warms up and then it'll be fine.

It's not really something you have to worry about unless your engine isn't running right or if it's skipping. If thats the case, the lifter(s) are most likely collapsed and not just sticking. Also, if it gets that bad, it will do it all the time, not just when the engine is cold.

DDCxj said:

it's hard to tell without hearing it.

Click to expand...

That kinda sums it up, but the first thing Im thinking is lifters.

Id suggest, change your oil to 6 qts (For the 4.0 HO) of Castrol GTX 10W30 and put a Mobile1 or Purelator filter in.

Just for entertainement, I had a '89 S-10 Blazer with 4.3, I changed the oil at my bud's shop with econo oil. After I started it up, it ticked like a sewing machine. Damn, I drained it and dropped in GTX and problem solved. Only thing is, I had to pay for a lot of oil!

HTH,
Andrew

ok thanks guys for your help...ill guess ill just drive it and hope that it doesnt get a lot worse.

about the oil, dont think that is the cause cuz i do have mobil 1 oil in there as well as a mobil 1 filter so its not just cheap econo stuff...

Had similar problem, even weather-related like yours ('88, 4.0L). EVERYONE told me it was a lifter, even after I had the head rebuilt once the ticking got so loud I couldn't take it anymore. It turned out, as discovered by a different mechanic, that the fly-wheel was warped. Been click/tick-free since I had it swapped out with a junk yard replacement. Might be worth looking into...

Chancer said:

I've got the same thing, and have had that on various cars in the past - tappets have always been mentioned on them, and adjucting them made it go away. Is there something about jeeps that make tappets a non-issue or am I missing something in translation and it's the same as knock?

Click to expand...

I have read here that Jeep 4.0 tappets are not adjustable like they are on other engines. Most of us live with noisy tics in our jeeps as a result. Many say if it ain't ticking it ain't runnin. Some Jeep engine noises seem to mimic each other, including slightly loose flex plates, exhaust leaks and cracks (manifolds) bad rod bearings, stuck lifters.....