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Rocks in a can? Aliens? The sky is falling!!!

4K views 52 replies 12 participants last post by  JeepinInJackson 
#1 ·
Rocks in a can? Aliens? Edit: Water Pump was bad!!

it's the end of the world- or at least it sounds like it!!!!!

'96 4.0, AW4, 184,500 miles.

Watch the video and listen to the racket. You should be able to pick up a slight tick tick tick of the exhaust leak from the manifold- I am replacing it with an APN header this weekend.

What concerns me though, is the 'rocks in a can' LOUD rattle I hear. It happens as soon as the engine is started, keeps pace with rpm's.
I hastily pulled off the flexplate cover Saturday thinking for sure I'd find a loose bolt- they were all tight. I didn't see any cracks in the plate, but I wasn't looking for any, either- I was sure I'd find loose bolt(s). When I didn't, I thought it must be the exhaust leak making the sound. -But it has gotten louder and worse over the last few days. I poked around with a stethoscope, and the sound seems to be coming from (or at least is loudest thru the scope) the right side of the oil pan, where the pump is.

This was a completely stock Jeep until the last couple of months when I got it back form the in-laws after them having it for 10 years. So far I've rebuilt the rear brakes, changed rear axle lube, new leafs/bushings/u-bolts and shocks in the rear.
Magnaflow cat and Dynomax cat-back put on 2 weeks ago. Engine is Stock with the exception of the awesome Spectre cone filter and breather you'll see in the video. Changed the oil with Rotella 15-40 a couple weeks ago planning on dropping the pan this weekend to do rear main seal as well.
Last week changed the tranny and transfer case fluid. Both were nasty. Flushed and filled the coolant, new T-stat Saturday also.

So- tranny and transfer case fluids changed, new T-stat and coolant flush was done Saturday, which is when the rattling sound took off- :confused:

coincidence?

I'm trying to upload the video now...
 
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#8 ·
Change your oil. My fiancé's altima makes that noise when her oil gets kinda old. It has 260k on odometer and even when I check the oil it says it has plenty but when I drain it it only has a quart or two in it. Could possibly be bad oil pump to me it sounds like your not getting oil/proper lubrication to some important parts. Maybe even main bearings but I've never personally seen that in person so not so sure.
 
#11 ·
Catalytic converter falling apart and trapped in muffler ? The heavy oil is putting too much stress on the pump ? Take off belt and see if noise is still there .
 
#24 ·
Oil pump!!??



pulleys seem ok. AC kicks on and off as it should. Water pump spins free without any sounds, don't see/smell any coolant from it or the weep hole.

Ok- I'm into this thing right now- intake and exhaust manifold off. Doing rear main seal right now- oil pan is off. Pickup screen is clear. If I tap oon the pickup tube, the sound I heard sounds JUST like tapping against the tube with a wrench!! No marks inside the oil pan, pump looks ok.
Should I change the pump anyway while I'm in here?
 
#29 ·
sadly, no. I'm just quitting for the day, after starting back at it this morning....it wasn't too bad, but I could catch my fingernail on it...

I think it is possible I found the culprit of the sound. Reminder- when I went around with the stethascope, the sound was strongest and most focused on the right side of the oil pan, right where the pump is. The bracket that holds the pickup tube to the pump was juuuuust loose enough to let the tube swing out of place -which is over and down- about 3/8" inch. I tightened it up and I'm wondering about whether or not to replace the pump, but like I said, if I tapped the tube with a wrench, it duplicated the sound exactly. I think the pickup was hitting the pan!
Anybody ever come across this?!
 
#30 ·
sadly, no. I'm just quitting for the day, after starting back at it this morning....it wasn't too bad, but I could catch my fingernail on it...

I think it is possible I found the culprit of the sound. Reminder- when I went around with the stethascope, the sound was strongest and most focused on the right side of the oil pan, right where the pump is. The bracket that holds the pickup tube to the pump was juuuuust loose enough to let the tube swing out of place -which is over and down- about 3/8" inch. I tightened it up and I'm wondering about whether or not to replace the pump, but like I said, if I tapped the tube with a wrench, it duplicated the sound exactly. I think the pickup was hitting the pan!
Anybody ever come across this?!
It may have been discussed before ... funny how your oil pressure was fine .
 
#34 ·
last thing I did last night was put in the new oil pump. It was my wife's birthday, so I didn't get in the garage much.
I did find that both of the oil pump bolts were loose by a couple turns!
When I get out to work on it this morning I'll check the crank pulley. The belt is off, so what am I looking for? Just wobblyness?
 
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