Jeep engine help needed........

[riz]

I'm looking to buy a 96 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 4.0 Inline 6 under the hood. I don't know much about the Jeep enigines but I do know that those 4.0s can usually go forever. I'm going to go look at it in the morning and the guy said it has the typical lifter ticks while it's cold until it warms up then you never hear it............. Is that true? Is it a common thing for the 4.0 Jeep engines? If not, what could it mean by way of problems or whatnot?

Thanks in advance.

RIZ

[Restrorob]

Don't know about "typical" lifter ticks, That may be his way of saying the engine isn't worn out because they all do it. My 93 is fix'n to click 200,000 and makes no noise. I'd be looking out for issues as with any engine, Like low oil pressure (how long it takes to move the needle when cold) worn main bearings (knocking/hammering when cold) and worn lifters bleeding down after sitting.

Their nice vehicles, Just find one that's been taken care of instead of ran in the ground.....

[domeier]

Yeah... That would make me a little suspicious. I'm no Jeep expert, but engines are engines and lifters are lifters. If the lifters make noise cold, I'd assume they're bleeding down when it sits, so they're beating up the cam at every startup.

I helped a buddy who was trying to get his 90-something Jeep six to pass smog, and I gotta tell you, I wasn't impressed with that engine. It makes about the same power as a Toyota 22R, but sucks gas like a Chevy big block.

[68shortstep]

I had a 96 Grand Cherokee 4.0 inline 6, with the selectable 2 WD / shift into 4WD anytime trans. I forget whether that was called Command Trak or Selec-Trak. Anyhow, mostly 2WD. It was slow (it's a six cylinder !!!), but it always averaged about 18 - 20 MPG. Not great, but not unacceptable either -- I didn't buy it for a hot rod powerhouse vehicle. The full-time 4WD's get about 14 MPG or less, I hear.

I bought it new & took it to 250K-plus miles. I took care of it: Oil changes faithfully every 3 - 4000 miles & whenever ANYTHING needed fixed, it got it. Tires, brakes, AC repairs (twice), cracked exhaust header, fuel pump (twice), cracked leather upholstery on the driver's seat ----- these are all "Jeep-typical" repairs.

Lifter noise was non-existant when I gave it to my son, & he ran it another 50K-plus miles, before he went to sleep driving late one night & totalled it out. Was running quiet then, because I saw/heard it running the day before he wrecked it.

Noisy lifters = neglected oil changes or other motor abuse, to me.

Look further --- there's probably a better example out there. They built LOTS of these great rigs.

[68C15]

isn't that about the age group where they have heads cracking leaking coolant into the oil? get a bottle of coolant dye, pour it in, run it for 30 minutes, pull oil cap and look to the driver's side rear of opening. with a flashlight you will be able to see a bright green line showing the crack right near the spring pocket. machine shops we deal with refuse to fix them. new head is the only repair assuming the contaminated oil hasn't already damaged the engine.

[cdowns]

i wouldn't let a customer do that to a vehicle i was selling

[Restrorob]

Originally Posted by domeier

I wasn't impressed with that engine. It makes about the same power as a Toyota 22R, but sucks gas like a Chevy big block.

Maybe you wasn't impressed because obviously your buddy was having issues with his ?

My 4.0 HO has 190hp, A same year 22R only has 112hp. I've packed many peoples lunch in both V8 trucks and cars, But of course I didn't buy mine for racing.....

I'm pull'n 19 mpg mixed in mine, Best I ever got in my bone stock SB 74 C10 is 10.5 mpg and my BB 97 tops out at 12 mpg gran-paw driving.

Different strokes for different folks but I like my little Jeep.....

[truckdude239]

i've known a few that tick but it shouldn;t i wonder what weight oil he got in it

[domeier]

Originally Posted by Restrorob

Different strokes for different folks but I like my little Jeep.....

Different strokes. Yep, that's true. What I didn't like was that it's a little fuel injected engine that only got 13 MPG. I also didn't like the noise from all them zippers flapping in the wind, and tires loud enough to drown out the radio. I guess I'm just not a Jeep kind of person.

[fakerwade]

The ticking is probably a lifter, could also be too much wear in the timing chain and gears. Also pull out the air filter and look for an oil spot on the filter or oil in the air cleaner, if it's there, beware (oil burner). My 4.0 went 213,000 miles, which is about normal. I permanently cured my 4 liter problems. (see pics)

[fakerwade]

[fakerwade]