I have a '96 Cherokee Classic 4.0 with 160K miles, and a 1995 Wrangler 4 cyl. with 150K miles, and both make a slight tapping sound. Depends on what degree of "tapping" your is exhibiting.

 

Its a Jeep. If it doesnt tick or tap or make some noise, something is wrong with it.

 

That 4.0L like said before is notorious for the tapping. I got a '99 cherokee sport the other day for $1500. Couldn't turn down that deal. It has a small tapping noise too. It's weird though cause I get on the gas, and it gets faster...but then...I get on the interstate going 70 and it goes away...and then...I get off and stop at a red light and it starts tapping again. Now that has me wondering what is going on under there haha. I just need this motor to go about 10k more miles though cause I'm getting a 5.0L stroker race engine after my lift. Just waiting on money.

 

X2
My Jeep has the same ticking noise I think you have. Its my DD and no issues yet (fingers crossed!) but I agree, if your Jeep doesnt have random noises, something might be broken.

 

Dang I finished the long post. And I still want to know what's going on with the Jeep... More updates. But I guess he moved on.... Lol...

 

I had a 89 xj limited and it was tapping but would come and go,I pulled the cover off and started the motor and notice I had two push rods that didn't have oil coming from them ..I pulled them out and cleaned them up and installed them in the correct holes..it helped.but still tapped,I then pulled all the rods and noticed one looked a little mushroomed so I pulled the head to check lifters and found #6 exhaust lifter had collapsed and ground the he'll out of the camshaft...I had only.had the jeep for 2 weeks at this point ...The sludge in the motor was horrible and made me think that this was caused by poor maintenance