Well, my last thread was about considering maybe selling my D2. As Murphy would have it-- last week, I developed an issue.

Here's what happened-
I threw a code as soon as started driving home from work. Ran rough, but not terrible.
Got home popped the hood and thought, yeah it's not idling right.
Ran RPMS up, threw up in mouth a bit when I heard the noise it made. At over 2k, not a nice noise in the upper end. No noise at idle that would raise any concern.

Shut hood, and recited every swear word I know and called it a day.

Code was misfire on #5. Cleared codes.
Confirmed issue, no codes triggered again but rough idle and noise still there over 2k. Noise is def in the upper engine.

Wondering if I have/had a stuck valve??? It's definitely in the upper end. I ran some seafoam through it and some AFT in oil just for the hell of it. The noise is less, but something isn't right.

Maintenance is great on it and using 92/93 oct fuel. However, an 01 with only 71k on it it's safe to say me and previous owner do more short trips with it. Never been hot. Have ultra gage and alarms set. Napa Gold filters and Rotella 15/40 oil.

From here I'm going try and get some readings on oil pressure, compression test and a leak down test. I might skip the compression and just do a leak down. Thoughts?

On a D2- What is the best way to roll the engine over and to find TDC? Any write ups on a leak down test on 4.0L rover? I have a kit but last time I did one it was close to 10yrs ago on my CJ5.

If these tests come out Ok and don't raise more concern beyond valves. I think I'm going to start working my way into the engine and see what I can find. I'm almost sure I need valve work, but I want to make sure I rule some other issue that caused this to happen. Which leads me to my next question..... If I'm that far into it, should I just pull BOTH heads and do the head gaskets?

Obviously, I'll report back on the results and what I find if/when I start tearing into it.

Also interested if there's anything else I should check before I start wrenching on it.

How exciting...now I'll either decide I'm married to it or I'll be selling one with bunch of work that was just done.

 

what is the noise? Valves, a ticking noise, does it sound like lack of oil, valve train rattle?

 

A compression test for each cylinder is easy if you think something may be off with number #5. Doesnt remove any gaskets etc...just take out the plugs.
you can buy a spark wire tester, they are cheap.
swap in some new plugs...

 

Nothing at all unusual below about 2k. I'm 99% sure it is valve train noise, same side/area as number #5. Noises are always hard to describe. Not a bang, but worse than a tick by far. Not a backfire at all. Mechanical knock or severe rattle I guess. I didn't like to make it do it too much....it's not a good noise at all. I was worried if it was a stuck valve and piston slap or if something broke that it would become catastrophic.
After the seafoam (which is the only time I drove it since) and AFT flush.....with new oil and filter it is quieter, but again, something is still wrong. I think I'm running at 210 or so on the UG. Sorry I can't better describe the noise. It's bad enough it does NOT seem like a drive it and see what happens kinda noise. Thankfully, I can drive my truck while I sort this out.

FYI: AFT flush didn't come out very dirty at all. I did the let it run for 20 at temp. Off for 10. Run for 10 more. Drain. Refill with oil

Have you ever seen or heard of the paper on the tailpipe test? New to me, but I was trying to find a youtube video with the same noise to post here and came across it. I did it yesterday....it does appear that it is sucking the paper back in which the video claims is confirmation of a valve issue. Seemed a bit weird but I get the theory and I did same test on my wife's 2015 Subaru and it's completely different result....just blows it like a fan.

 

Air, Fuel, Spark the 3 basic needs...
Don't panic, It could be a bad wire or bad plug. If you have a timing light (an ancient tool used when engines had distributors) you can check to see if the wire is good. If so, look at the plug. Clean it, check the gap, reinstall it and see if that fixes it. Look on You Tube under "leak down test" to see videos on how they determine TDC on any cylinder. You don't need a leak down tester, just the hose and an air chuck/ball valve. You want to pressurize the cylinder when it is at TDC on the compression stroke, then listen at the dipstick tube, air intake on throttle body, and coolant. I wouldn't trust listening to the pressure tank - I would remove a radiator hose. If you don't hear anything I would suspect weak lifters or messed up rocker arms. It could be a bad injector, but unlikely.

 

Would you say it sounds like an engine with no oil?

 

Pulled the plug. Looks fine. Did not test or test wire, but will do.


Here's a audio file. A bit too much engine noise, but I think you can hear it. Best I can do

 

Sounds like a broken rocker arm or shaft. Really not that hard to inspect, unbolt the upper intake and set to the side, then take the valve cover off. No coolant lost, no major gasket items (I reuse the upper intake and valve cover gaskets usually). My personal bar for the hg job is once the lower intake comes off, it gets hg. Why? because that is coolant drain and accessory bracket removal anyway.

Good luck.

 

You would think if a rocker arm was broke or a shaft that he'd be missing all over the place. To me it kind of sounds like there's no oil up there maybe is oil pump cracked

 

Appreciate the perspective. I will be putting together the pieces to do and oil pressure test before I take anything apart.

On that note....Glow shift plate thing or make one? Isn't the sensor a PITA to get to?