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**nitehawkjcb** · 08-25-2009, 02:57 PM

Hello all. My brother has a '94 Grand Cherokee and it's been making a weird noise lately. It has the inline 6 cylinder motor, 4WD, all stock. Recently it started making a weird noise. It's a clicking sound that is coming from the front end of the Jeep, but I can't determine where or what the sound is coming from. It clicks rather loudly when in Drive, riding along or sitting at a stop light - however it only randomly makes the sound. Sometimes it doesn't. He just brought it to a shop to fix the problem and they charged him $350 for a "drag link", tie rod replacements and rear brakes. This did NOT fix the issue. I've done a fair amount of searching about this problem and cannot find anything that is the same as what is happening with my brother's Jeep. Could a bad transfer case make this noise? I really don't understand it. Please help.

Jeep95XJ · 08-25-2009, 05:00 PM

If it's ticking at idle and not moving it's most likely a sticky lifter. Have you checked your oil level? The 4.0 holds 6 quarts. 10W30 Make sure it's full.

**nitehawkjcb** · 08-25-2009, 05:39 PM

It doesn't just do it at idle. It does it at random points. The oil was just changed and yes, it has 6 quarts in it.

Jeep95XJ · 08-25-2009, 05:45 PM

OK if it does it while not moving it's not in the transfer case, driveshafts, axles, steering, it's in the engine. Im still saying a lazy lifter or rocker arm problem. Before your next oil change dump a half bottle of marvil mystery oil in the motor. Drive it for an hour or so then change the oil. That should clear it up if thats the problem. Does it get louder and/or more frequent with RPM?

**nitehawkjcb** · 08-26-2009, 12:06 AM

No, the frequency of it is absolutely random. To compare sounds - it sounds like the rear end going bad (I believe that's what went bad on his Jeep before, made constant clicking noises) only the noise is coming from the front end, and it has made the noise in park as well. To be honest, it sounds much too loud to be anything internal in the motor. The shop he took it to just charged him $350 to fix the problem, but they didn't even properly diagnose it. They replaced tie rods and some kind of drag joint (IDK exactly what they called it, but it works with the steering somehow). Would Seafoam do any good to help the sticky lifter/rocker? I've never used it in the crankcase, I've always used it as a top end clean through a vacuum line.

Jeep95XJ · 08-26-2009, 12:12 AM

NOOOOOOOOOO dont put that stuff in your oil. In park when it's ticking if you hit the gas does the tick get faster or stay the same speed. It's in the engine that i can guarantee you. No where else it can be. If your in park just sitting there it cant be an axle issue. A lifter tick can be very loud and seem to be external. Marvel mystery oil is the way to go just dont leave it in the motor for any extended period of time.

Jeep95XJ · 08-26-2009, 12:25 AM

Just thought of something. Well 2 things. 1 how old are your plug wires? A bad wire could allow your spark to jump to the head or block and cause a tick. You would think it would run rough when doing so but who knows. Try and make it happen at night in the dark with the hood open. Look around the plug wires for any sparks. 2 check to be sure all the spark plugs are tight in the head. I thought i had a tick once and it was actually a loose spark plug. Was allowing compression to piss out the past the plug and made a ticking sound. Keep us posted

**nitehawkjcb** · 08-26-2009, 03:20 PM

Thanks for all the help. I will tell my brother about the Marvel oil, and hopefully we'll get this whole thing figured out. The plug wires, I couldn't tell you how old them or the spark plug wires are, probably more than 3 years old. I did have another thought - if a harmonic balancer is going bad, would it make a clicking noise? Or maybe a crank snout going bad?

Jeep95XJ · 08-26-2009, 09:35 PM

Take the belt off and start it up. If you have no noise then that could be the problem. Just dont run it for very long because you have no alternator or water pump. a few mins wont hurt anything.

yankeedog · 09-03-2009, 06:59 PM

check your crankshaft end play .could be torque converter bolts hitting the inspection cover in front of the transmission.it would sound like automatic weapon fire baaaaarrrrapp.baaarrrrappp.barrrrraaapp.