Knock/rattle After Rocker Gasket Change

Fill oil to proper level.
Start it up and idle with valve cover off.
Observe and listen for anything abnormal.
If the valve cover gasket was god quality, and intact, no problem to re-use.
Just my opinion.

 

Thank you. I wasn't sure about that--it's okay to run with the cover off? That would be ideal to investigate.

I've got it to full, but it took another quart so it was definitely low.

I'm using Shell Rotella 15-w40; could not find 10-w40 locally. Could the heavier oil and low fill have brought on the sound?

 

This is why we try to stay away from globs of permatex incase some breaks away it can clog an oil galley.

When you change the filter be sure to add some of the new oil to the filter housing. atleast 1/2way.

Thats the exact same oil that I use. Good for warmer climates. It'll take a bit longer to crank when cold though but it will help a bit with leaks haha. Just be sure to fill it up to full like PeteL said.

Also, jpflat2a mentioned you can start it with the cover removed to make sure oil is getting pumped up to the top end. If it were me, I would get a rag and carefullly wipe out all the gunk from the bottom of the rocker area BEFORE you start it. then it'll make seeing the new oil flow easier. then, dump a few cap-fulls of new oil over the rocker assy making sure to get some in all the areas that make contact or pivot etc and in the tips of the rods where they make contact with the rocker arms.

In the recent photos, it looks like its pretty dry in the bottom of the rocker floor.

Here's a good manual. We might have covered this before on another one of your recent threads. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://oljeep.com/53CjDj/53-71JeepCjDjServiceManual.pdf

For the future, I know you're going out of your way to work around the heater hose... You can loosen the rear hose clamp and most likely twist the hose so it doesn't sit directly over your rocker cover. maybe you can get it to twist so that it goes more behind the cover near the firewall without changing anything. just something to try.

 

x 100

 

As far as the gasket goes. I "glue" the gasket to the cover using either Permatex Aviation, or Permatex #2. No sealer on the bottom side of gasket, but I coat it with clean chassis / wheel bearing grease. This will keep it from leaking and avoids damaging the gasket next time the cover is removed to adjust the valves. I do the same thing on the tappet cover so I can adjust the exhaust valves without having to replace the gasket.

While you have the cover off is a good time to adjust the valves, as too much lash can create some noise.


Here is a simple way to do it, I call it my 12 step program.


1) Remove all spark plugs, disconnect the battery, and place transmission in neutral.


2) Mark the #1 position on the distributor body with a light colored Sharpie or chalk.


3) Rotate the engine clockwise with a socket wrench until the rotor is pointing at the mark, easier if you have a helper to watch this while you turn the crank. The distributor rotor will turn counter clockwise. When the rotor is pointed to the #1 firing position it is a few degrees BTDC but both valves will be closed.


4) Make a mark parallel to the ground on the passenger side of the crankshaft pulley.


5) Adjust the valves for #1


6) Rotate the engine 180 degrees until the mark made in step 4 is parallel to the ground on the driver side


7) Adjust the valves for #3


8) Rotate the engine 180 degrees until the mark is parallel to the ground on the passenger side


9) Adjust the valves for #4


10) Rotate the engine 180 degrees until the mark is parallel to the ground on the driver side


11) Adjust the valves for #2


12) Done. Replace the tappet cover, spark plugs, cap and wires then start the engine.

 

Take another video with the cover off and transmission in neutral.
Start the video with the starting of the engine, I want to see the oil light turn on with the key and turn off with it running, then move video with the device close to the engine and do a "scan" of the rockers, then move down to the lifter cover and bottom end. Go to the other side and repeat for accessories and to get a little cleaner audio of the bottom end all the way to the clutch in a scanning motion with the device orientation consistent because the microphone will not necessarily point the same as the camera.

 

If by "liquid gasket" you mean RTV (silicone) there is a chance it could have blocked a critical oil passage.

I hate that stuff. (My Harley dealer said that using it would invalidate my warranty.) I use the old fashioned #2 Permatex. It was okay when these Jeeps were built, and it still is.

 

Thank you, I took some of the suggestions above to do some more work at lunch. I was down working when you posted, so the videos aren't exactly what you asked for, but I can do that this evening.

I confirmed the dipstick was at full, and also put a little fresh oil on to the rockers as HellaSlow suggested. I started it and this was the first result:



It ran for a few moments and I thought it sounded better, but I turned the camera off because I saw oil shooting out of the filter housing. Turned the jeep off and cleaned up the oil. Opened the housing and it looked like this:

I thought I might have just overfilled it, but the same thing happened the next time. I tried switching back to the old filter. Had lost some oil, so I got it back to full on the dipstick. These are the last two tests and the knocking sound had come back:





I was feeling around to see if anything was loose but I couldn't tell. By the end the filter housing was starting a slow leak again.

I'm sorry if the videos are unclear, I will definitely make one like you suggested unless something stands out here.

 

Thank you so much for posting these--it's so helpful to compare.

I did not see oil dripping from the rocker assembly. They did sound normal (like yours) at first, but then the knocking started back up, though I don't think it's coming from the rockers (could be wrong).

I'm not sure what's causing the pressure in the filter canister and causing it to leak.

 

"I'm not sure what's causing the pressure in the filter canister and causing it to leak."

I'd wager that there is something clogging the return line fitting, possibly a chunk of the sealant oozed out inside the rocker cover.

 

Listening to your videos, that rattling sound almost sounds like the flywheel is loose/wobbling, or some other rotating part loose in rubbing. Can you rev it a little higher? It doesn’t sound like a rod knock, but I need to hear it rev a little more, and return to idle to hear if its a rod.
Also, check the fan for rubbing the shroud, or the shroud loose and rattling.
-Donny

 

I am also a little puzzled about the knock. As Keys5a says, it doesn't really sound like a rod knock.

After clearing whatever is obstructing flow out of the filter, I would install a temporary oil gauge directly to the port in the engine. Oil pressure would tell something about condition of the bearings.

 

Thank you, and with your previous post that's what was on my mind too. Either chunk of sealant or a bit of the old crumbly gasket when I was cleaning it off.

Would that have made it to the out flow of the filter, though? I guess I'm not sure where to begin looking.

 

Thank you, I will take another video this evening. You might be right. It almost feels like the whole front end is wobbling, like something is not lined up.

The fan had been an issue in the past, so I'm fairly sure that is fixed. I tugged on the fan, shroud, and radiator and they all felt solid.

 

The F134 engines all use a bypass type filter. This means that only a small quantity of oil is filtered, as opposed to a full-flow system used on most vehicles. A clog on the filter of the F134 will not cause a fatal failure. What can be fatal is the oil pump strainer in the pan getting clogged with debris or sludge so the pump doesn’t get enough oil.
-Donny

 

That's helpful to know about the system, thank you. Does that mean if I'm looking for a blockage I should start by opening the pan?

 

Took another video this evening based on some earlier suggestions:



I still don't see oil being drawn up to the rockers, but it also doesn't seem like the noise is coming from there. The wobble seems to be down by the fan/alternator. Also did not seem to have power when I revved it.

Maybe there is more than one problem, a blockage in the oil and something misaligned elsewhere. Truly appreciate all the help today! Feeling a little overwhelmed but going to sleep on it.

 

Try playing with different torques on the top bolt. Just based on my experience, The gaskets on the filter canister tend to be real finnickey. For instance, Mine doesn't seal unless its torqued to EXACTLY 19 foot lbs. To little, or too much torque and it'll leak and spray on my firewall or slowly drip all over the place. Atleast it does on mine. It does get a good amount of pressure in the canister. The pressure is what gets the oil through the paper filter body.

To me it also sounds like the sound is coming from somewhere low on the passenger side. Something big and heavy rattling. Maybe near the starter motor?

Time to check the fasteners on things to make sure everything is bolted down correctly. Starting at the top just take a wrench to all the bits to make sure nothing is obviously loose. Check the oil bath filter to the firewall, the carb to engine, the generator mounts, the coil mount strap etc...

if anything is blatantly loose this should take all of 5 mins to find it.

It also sounds like your idle is a bit low. The factory spec is 600 rpms. Sounds like your engine is struggling to stay alive at your current setting.