Hello,

Today i finished putting my 97 jeep xj back together after replacing the Timing chain. Well before i put the front end back on I started it up and it sounded good. Well i put everything back together and now it sounds like its knocking on the bottom end. When laying under the jeep its coming right from the oil pump location. I double checked chain/gear location before i put cover back on.

I have a new Distributor, and Harmonic/Timing chain. My questions are what to check first? Flexplate bolts? Timing on Distributor? (maybe its 180" off?). If it is a bearing , how do i replace "them"?

 

Definitely check the flexplate bolts & area around the bolts. Xj are known for cracked flexplates & sound like knocking. Does it knock at all rpms or just around idle? If its throughout rpm its probably bearing, just idle its probably flexplate.

 

someone said maybe my timing chain is off? heres a picture...hope its not...

 

no this is right and if it was 180 out it would no start

 

i found a flex bolt a little loose. I'm putting some thread locker on them all and then going to try in start it up and hope! that the sounds gone.