I run Quaker state. Always have. Throw a three dollar of STP in your oil every time you change it.

 

I bought my first Jeep one month ago. It's a 2000 Cherokee Limited and has 163K miles. At first I didn't know how to listen...and then I started hearing the sewing machine-like sounds, the knocking at idle etc. I was really worried until I started reading all this stuff about the I6.

I changed to a wix filter and Rotella T6 500 miles ago. It is amazing! Read SALAD's write up on oil...he convinced me to try it. The knock at idle is there but almost all other noise went away. The idle knock goes almost silent after a half-hour of driving. I get 23mpg on the highway and 17 in town. I got 19mpg driving in 4wd on the highway going to work in the snow last week. I feel loads better about the oil in my Jeep because it actually sounds better than the day I bought it. Just my two cents.

 

funny you mention that. I just read it earlier today and he has me convinced too! I will be switching to rotella t 6 in 1000 miles when it's due. A little more expensive but would be worth the extra cash.

 

Yea. "don't feed the bears!" (enough of that, here....

Because I'm down wind of the biggest "heat sink" on earth, (the Pacific ocean), I run Straight WT Castrol 30 W. In my opinion that stuff is amazing. It's polymer chains will not break down like multy weigh might. I've learned NOT to use it on hacksaws or drill bits. They won't cut well. (ATF works). Since I started using it over 15 years ago, not a single rod or piston has gone in anything. Generators, the mower, power washer, water pumps, all "immortal". The Jeep, at 278K needs a quart every 1,500 miles or so, and does drip a tad. (don't even know where), don't care. Btw it's late for it's annual February oil change. (I'll use that for my chainsaw bar oil for next years wood). The catch is I'm the only driver. If it's freezing, you bet I'll give it a minute for that syrup to make it up. Also freezing here is rare. With that oil, some kid in Minnesota, or anyone, could easily ruin the engine.

A last note, I swear it sounds LOUDER, right after it's oil change. Idk. The "HD" means "High Degernt" Btw. Maybe some krud that muffels some noise gets dissolved. Anyway, one day I will post, "she finally blew"......unless she is taken and crushed.

Crusier runs the Rotilla 15-40. That's solid enough for me. I myself couldn't say if that would be right for extreme cold.

 

Cruiser is in the heat. Got to run the thick stuff. My dumb **** brother bought a Texas ford with no rust. Took it to the great lakes and followed the oil sticker. Thick oil and cold weather doesn't mix. Had to explain the viscosity rating to him several times. After several attempts he understood.

 

6.9 Earthquake 50 miles West and about 80 South, just shook my house good. Might make the news. (it's all over my local). Yea, Oil. I just don't care if I'm doomed. After so many years, and so many miles on so many engines, I'm gonna just keep doing what I do. I've dealt with my share of bad rods and stuff blowing up. Smooth sailing now.

 

Someone earlier said it might be 'piston slap' I know center Ford trucks had this problem and factory said it's normal. I had a Ford work truck w/5.4 motor and it made similar noises as my XJ. I complained to dealer and he showed me a service notice saying noise wasn't detrimental to performance or longevity. It must have been true as I put about 100,000 miles on it and it never failed or used very much oil between changes. It sounded like an 8 cylinder version of my XJ, kind of like a lifter was bad, but even louder. Piston slap sounds good to me and I've gotten over the noise years ago. Just listen and don't over think it!

 

Dude I just put a motor from a 98 TJ into my 98 XJ. It only has 96k miles on it and it freaking knocks like this at 96K. Kinda ticks me off since it seems like something like this can put me right back in the same spot after spending weeks of my spare time to save my daily driver. Mine doesn't seem that loud, but its definitely prominent on the under side. cluck cluck cluck cluck cluck. Can barely hear it over the motor. Can't really hear it in the cab. Drives just fine. How's yours running these days? You can PM me.

 

Is she still running?

 

I don't think I've ever heard a 4.0 that doesn't do this to some degree. Mine has its days when it's louder than others. It's more prominent than it was when I bought it at around 96K, but it still runs like a champ at 158K.

One thing that seems to help mine is a brief run up to 3200K RPM or more to get the valves rotating at least once a day when the engine is good and warm. Doing a MMO soak to the lifters helps as well.

 

I remember way back when my dad bought a slightly used one from the dealership.. and it made a knocking and ticking noise. Almost like a train chugging... with a constant tick. Had it for years.. put a lot of miles on it, then traded it in and got another Cherokee (with less miles) that did the exact same thing. He said the dealer told him it was normal for all cherokees at the dealership to do(dad thought it was odd because this was in the 90s-2000 when most cars had a quiet v6). So if multiple slightly used ones did it back in the day I’d say it’s normal. Its a straight six. The first ones they used were back in 1952.. meaning amc i6s were probably designed in the 40s. About 20 years shy of 100 years ago 🍻
mine also makes some noise like that at about 300,000 miles

 

I bought a rust free '98 with a horrible rod knock.
Originally a Florida vehicle, it was sold to some kid who trashed the interior and destroyed the engine.

The rod knock was the same as the worst one on the Youtube videos posted.
I isolated it to the #5 cylinder, sure enough here is the connecting rod bearing from that cylinder;



The oil came out thin and brown, like a cafe latte.
Full rebuild with American made parts, new interior.
Nice ride.

 

i have a 98 Xj and it does the same thing, at idle in neutral or in park it makes the noise. When in gear it stops and with a lil bit pressure on the gas it stops immediately. Cant figure out what it is