TheGreatEscape

If its not one thing its another..... Apparently my rear main seal is leaking (all over my exhaust. I'm being told my XJ is going to catch fire any time) & I have a lifter knocking.

Am I screwed & gunna have to rebuild my motor? What do y'all think? Its a 91 Limited I6 4x4.

If anyones had their stock motor rebuilt - Do you recall the cost (roughly)? Or would it be cheaper to just buy a "new" motor. If buying "new" should I stick with the I6 or is there another better motor that will mount up to the stock tranny? (Automatic)

Thanks!

austinjoe13

What's your oil pressure sit at when it's all warmed up?

TheGreatEscape

Oil pressure is great. The temp will jump to close to 210 if I'm driving in town for more than 20-30 minutes, never gets above 180 when I'm on the bypass though.

sthon

Sounds like a normal i6 to me... If the rear main leak is that bad it's not that hard of a job to replace. I've had lifter noise on my 92 since I bought it, 36k miles ago.

DFlintstone

Hold on! Your cool. (probably). $8 worth of O rings in the oil filter adapter harden and do that! Oil blows straight back and to most it looks just like the RM seal. Clean it, then watch right away. In a minute oil will be everywhere again and you won't see where it's coming from.

Before I fixed mine I installed roof flashing! To keep oil off the pipe cuz I was afraid it might light. Embarrassing.

This is one of what must be many> https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/mec...ak-bad-122351/

Metmknice

If you are mech. inclined RMS is pretty straightforward.
As far as the lifter tick, my friend Chris has a method that works 99% of the time.
Basically, rev your XJ up to 3.5-4K RPM in 500rpm intervals, holding for 45s-1min per 500rpm.
Using seafoam ~500mi before oil change can help as well. I also use MMO with each oil change.

DFlintstone

Here's a good one...http://www.myjeepxj.com/cherokee-rep...filter-adapter

(you click on the pic for full screen)

TheGreatEscape

I changed my oil about 1300mi ago, so I wouldn't think I would be having any issue with my oil filter. I also ran seafoam in it for about 100mi before we changed the oil (ran it in the gas & sprayed it in my throttle body too).

Got a buddy who has a 95 XJ Sport (Its a Sport but no 4WD, wtf is that ****?) that he THINKS has a bad NSS, but otherwise runs like an ox he's willing to sell me for 600$. Thinking of just doing a motor swap & scrapping or selling the rest.

I'll be replacing the RMS in the next couple weeks. My hubs was saying I would have to drop the tranny & pull the motor to do it so I was getting a wee bit upset.

DFlintstone

Not the oil filter.

TheGreatEscape

Yea I just realized what you were talking about after I posted that. I'm thinking I'm going to pressure wash the hell out of the underneath & the motor & see what I can see. I'd hate to drain my oil to replace O rings to find out it was in fact the RMS & have to drain the oil again.

All I know is it stinks to high hell when I drive it. I'm having to add a quart of oil about every other week.

sthon

You don't have to drain the oil to replace the o-rings. Also you don't need to pull the engine or trans to replace the RMS, you can get to it buy dropping the oil pan.

TheGreatEscape

You have me so very discombobulated! From the photos http://www.myjeepxj.com/cherokee-rep...filter-adapter I'll have to take my oil filter off, which will spew oil everywhere.

sthon

You will lose some oil but probably less than a quart.

DFlintstone

I guess that adapter leak is pretty common. Also, lot's of times the NSS just get's gummy. If you hold the key turned to start then jiggle the shifter in neutral and park it might start. I guess it grounds the start relay to let you start it. here's a thing on that.

http://go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoNSSrebuild.htm

JeepCoMJ

make sure the valve cover gasket is perfect and non-leaking, and is torqued appropriately (I go through the sequence 3 times on vc's because the aluminum flexes and loosens up after you move to the next bolt). then do your oil filter adapter o-ring. if it still leaks, do the rear main.

valve cover gaskets MUST be the more expensive rubber fel-pro one. cork gaskets are garbage.


knocking is a bottom end issue. ticking is a lifter issue. they are two very distinct different noises.

I've fixed valve/lifter tick by removing the bridges and rockers, cleaning, and reinstalling them, torqued to proper specs.