lifter ????????? help

i just bought a 98 xj with 97K it sounds like just one lifter is pecking bad at all rpm
with radio off you can here it at 55mph. oil is clean great pressure, took off valve cover & no crud at all very clean .any suggestions?? ATF & hope??? tony

Did you run the engine with the valve cover off? My 2000 was ticking and I wanted to make sure oil was flowing up the push rods. When I took the valve cover off and started the engine , oil spurted from one push rod like a slashed artery. The lifter under that push rod was worn concave on the bottom. According to the FSM, if the lifter is worn, so is the camshaft. I replace the lifter and haven't had any trouble. If it wears down again, I'll replace the camshaft. By that time, I'll be back in the military and have more income to afford it anyway.

Are you shure it's not comming from the EGR valve on the passenger side of the firewall.

I may be incorrect with the exact time, but I don't think 4.0's have had EGR valves since HO (1991+). My '92 doesn't have one. At about 90K mine was tapping- started when it was cold, later on almost always. Three years ago, at about 130K, I put in new lifters and rockers. I know I should have replaced the pushrods, but they were perfect. I was told that I should also have replaced the cam, but three years and more than 50K later, you couldn't ask for a sweeter running engine. My thought is, if you leave it tap too long, you will wear the cam, and you will need to replace it.

It's correct name is DUTY CYCLE EVAP CANISTER PURGE
SOLENOID. It in a sense does the same thing as an EGR valve.

thanks guys
djwright ran it tonight back push rod was spurting more than the others & noise is coming from one of the back two lifters. you said you replaced the lifter & it was ok?? do you have 2.5 or 4.0 ? i thought head had to come off on 4.0 or did they change that on the later ones? tony

evap canister and EGR are not the same thing..

The Evap canister stores fuel vapors

The EGR is a exhaust gas recirculation valve, by allowing exhaust gases into the intake it displaces some of the air fuel mix, which reduces combustion heat and reducing NOx

4.0 head does have to be removed to replace lifter.

I have a 4.0. Had to take the head off and used a long pair of needle nose pliers to get the lifters out and inspect each one. The one under the push rod spurting oil was really worn on the bottom. On mine, once I removed the valve cover and rockers, I was able to feel that lifter had collapsed. Hard to explain, but the lifter felt like it wanted to stick to the push rod as I pulled it out. It's not that hard to change out the lifters. I had the FSM to go by so it was no huge deal. It's a PITA, but not real hard. And once I replaced the lifters, the ticking went away and the oil flows instead of spurts.