Ok, so I fell in love with this vehicle when I saw it despite the clanking noise under the hood. I bought it for $2,200 and it blue book’s for 4,600-5,200, so I figured even if it did need work that it was worth it.
I don’t regret my decision because this vehicle is so damn sexy. However I know that the fix is going to be expensive, and if it costs over $1,000 to fix, I may just resell it and get out of it. Note that I put a new alternator and battery in to be on the safe side.
Worst case scenario, the clanking sound is a rod knock that I’m hearing. We think it could be lifters, bearings, or something else. Either way, I think the engine is going to have to be hoisted out, so that’s expensive, but my brother works for a garage so I may get the labor done for cheap or next to nothing.
Can anyone tell me:
1. How much rods or whatever would cost, apart from labor.
2. If the clanking could be something else and how to tell if it is.
3. Replacement engines are expensive, and it seems the 2000 JGC is the most expensive of them all — is there any other engine that would be compatible with my Jeep?
I don’t really know what to do and I don’t want to sell it. It’s a sweet looking vehicle and being a chick, I’ll look so hott driving that thing. Speaking of which, it does drive great despite the sound.
Thanks!
There is no mistaking the difference between a "clanking sound" and a rod knock. A clanking noise is often what a sloppy timing chain makes when it slaps the cover or chain guide. What caught my attention is that you said it had the "clanking noise" in the engine when you bought it. If it was a rod knock you can be sure that it wouldn’t drive long before that rod lets go. I have heard stories of people who drove 1000 miles or more with a rod knock but in most rod knock experiences it is a lucky SOB who can drive 200 miles before the rod lets go. And even then the knock would be so loud that it would be deafening.
But determining whether or not you have a rod knock is a simple matter. Start the engine and raise the rpm just enough to hear the "clanking noise" and then one at a time pull the spark plug wire on each cylinder and then push it back on the plug. If there is a rod knock it will quiet some when you pull the wire on the cylinder which has the loose rod. Without the explosion of fuel in that cylinder the knock will be much quieter.
Also, I have repaired engines which had a knock that sounded exactly like a rod knock and found that the knock was caused by a loose crankshaft pulley.
Okay, I said all that to say this. I would not be one bit surprised if the clanking noise you hear is caused by one of the secondary timing chains being worn and sloppy. That 4.7L engine has 3 timing chains, a short primary chain which connects the crankshaft and the idler sprocket and 2 long secondary chains which connects the idler sprocket and the overhead camshaft on each cylinder head. If one of those long chains is badly worn and it’s tensioner is weak the chain will slap the chain guide. Sounds like a loud rattling or "clanking" noise. If that is the problem the repair is a labor intensive job but it does not require pulling the engine.
