I can hear it loudest in the front / top. Could be 1, 2 or 3?

 

Could be a bent pushrod and a dislodged rocker arm. It ain't gonna heal itself.

To your friends who advocate you keep driving it:

Pool together enough money for a rebuilt engine for your Jeep. If the Jeep magically heals itself in a period of time, they get their money back......

 

I have had a tick on my '99 going on 3 years and 25k miles (at least). I had to replace the pistons due to a cracked piston skirt. After I was all done, I kept hearing a tick. Changed the timing gear, double checked all bearings and torques on the connecting rods. Still had the tick. Finally gave up hunting for it and and just drive it figuring it was headed for a rebuild soon anyway at 220k+ miles. Oil pressure is great, tick is louder at idle and much noticeable at speed. I don't even think about it anymore. Would love t know what it is, and wouldn't mind doing a rebuild but it just keeps going.
Taking the head off isn't that bad if you want to replace the lifters. Lesson learned, bleed the power steering pump ff air if you move it to the side. Hardest part is getting the middle nuts off from the exhaust manifold. Or, disconnect the downpipe from the exhaust and leave the manifolds in place when removing the head.

 

how much do those rebuilds cost??

 

Without labor about $2000. How many friends do you have?

 

Not many to get $2000 lol. I値l just take it step by step. If anything maybe I can get a shop to look at it.

 

Are you capable of removing a valve cover?

How about some of those friends offering free advice? Could they dive in and help?

Make a project out of it. Nothing to lose and lots to learn.......

 

I am very capable and I壇 say fairly handy. But this is my daily driver. So as a new xj owner I just don稚 know what I am up against. And so far everything I致e done to it, even the simple things don稚 ever go right the first time. I can ask some of those friends with xj痴 for help.

 

Do it before you do some totally unnecessary damage to a good motor. Bleepinjeep is your friend:
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...2495&FORM=VIRE

 

get at her, a tick doesn't usually get better, it gets worse.
one of my tj's got a tick when i started it up after sitting for a couple years, threw in some tranny fluid, didn't work. had to buy all new pushrods, lifters, gaskets, assembly lube, head bolts, etc. sold the jeep with all the parts, as i put this one on the back burner.

we can't buy marvels mystery oil up here, so i tried everything else, tranny fluid, lucas, liquid molly engine flush, etc, nothing worked. but it wasn't till after it had gotten much worse, these may work for you at this early stage, but removing the valve cover and checking for a loose rocker is your best bet. you can simply pull the rocker off, and remove the push rod to see if it's bent. if not, it's probably your lifter. and these ones won't fit through the head, so removal of the head is necessary.

 

I def don稚 have the skills or time to remove the head. I値l check them and see if anything is up with the rods etc. If it is In fact the lifter and needs new ones. How much is that repair? I壇 probably just do all the lifters at once

 

Huh? Just pull the valve cover!!!

Back away from the keyboard and get the valve cover off. We'll go from there.

All this "what if" stuff is making me crazier than I already am!!!!!

 

I知 just preparing for the worst man. I知 going to pull the cover and check everything. But If the lifter needs replacement after checking everything I just want to know how much I should expect the repair to be.

 

Cam and lifters. Or used motor. Or rebuilt motor.

Bent pushrods are NOT uncommon on sludgy motors. Do NOT start scraping, chiseling, digging, or anything else to the sludge when you get the cover off.

 

Ok. If a rod is clogged. Any good way to get the crap out? Or should I just get some rods and replace them even if the old ones look fine