I was working on the Jeep today and I noticed that the distributor is making a clicking noise. I'm wondering what it could be caused by and if it could be causing the Jeep to run rough. I took off the cap and inspected it and the rotor for any signs of a problem and couldn't find anything. Thanks for the help.

the bushing could be going bad
or the drive gear my be worn out and making the shaft bounce

Thanks. The main thing I'm wondering is could it be causing the engine to run rough? The noise doesn't bug me but the thing doesn't run like it should. And if it could be causing issues, how hard is it to replace?

Look at the Distributor cap and wires in the dark. The clicking sound could be the spark arcing from one terminal to another and you'll see it clearly in the dark. That would explain the rough running also. JMO

x2

I think I found the culprit. The shaft that the rotor sits on has a hell of a lot of play in it (probably about 4mm). I put the cap back on and the thing ran normal again for a little while, but then started acting up again. I'll check to see if i can see any acring when it gets dark out but I think the distributor needs to be replaced. How hard of a job is that to do?

is the slack side to side that would be bad and could defiantly be your problem

if you can rotate the rotor a little cus this is normal

you can get a rebuilt one to swap in it can be a Little difficult
depending on your skills

It's side to side. I found a remanufactured one online for $55. I'm new to working on cars but I'm mechanically inclined so I'll try to do it myself. Are there any good writeups on this anywhere or would it be in a repair manual?

there should be a writeup somewhere but I cant find it now maybe someone else will post

I don't have info on a '96. '95 &'97 yes, but no '95, are they the same?

I'm pretty sure that the 96 and 97 are the same.

Then I'll send you some info in a Private Message that I hope will help you.