hey, i have a 93 cherokee 4.0 h.o. with 73,000 miles, and when i start it cold, SOMETIMES it has a tick, and it stays in speed with the RPM's, but once i start moving it goes away for the most part, and it seems to happen more often when it is on a down hill encline (front end down), and like i said, if i get it on level ground, or up hill, it goes away. and it doesnt happen when its warm. I replaced one quart of oil with lucas oil treatmeant, as it says on the container. I have been very good about changing the oil and filter every 3,000 miles, and the one elderly lady that owned it before me changed it every 3 months, about every 1,200 miles for her. im using penzoil high milage conventional oil, and its oil level is good. I think i covered most of the information you should need....does anyone have any ideas of what it is or what i could do about this? I would appreciate any input, thanks guys

 

it could possibly be a valve lifter starting to go out, but i doubt it mine does the same thing and it gets worse when it is cold but i haven't had any troubles with it and i have had mine for about 4 years now so if u are really worried about it have someone check the lifters

 

Lifters. Dont worry about it, mine started ticking at 220K, there is no visible problem nor and others resulting from it. Cherokees have a loud valve train.

 

Plus it just might be the infamus 4.0 tick i wouldnt worry about it unless it is gets worse/ LOUD lol

 

X2 I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

Engines make noise when they run, a good 4.0 will sound like a sewing machine at a sweat shop in China.

 

 

I have a slight engine tick too... and come to think of it, it DOES sound like a sewing machine. I have 160K miles on mine and it's been doing it for about a year now. This is a common issue?

 

It is probably a sticky lifter, it does that when it is cold because the lifter is going dry when you park it and it takes a little bit for it to pump back up. If you are that worried about it you can try to run a quart of ATF to 4 quarts of oil in it for the next couple of oil changes. But that in itself can bring on a set of new problems. If I were you I would just run it as it is and not worry about it at all. These Jeeps start making a little more noise than most cars when they get up there in age, it is just letting you know that it is running.

 

i completely agree i have owned 4 cherokees with the 4.0 and they have all made the noise my latest is a 98 with 197000 miles and it runs better than my moms mazda 626 with less than 100000 miles