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97 4.0 head gasket problems

3K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  gmiller0737 
#1 ·
As I started my jeep this morning I noticed a slight clicking noise with the motor that went away within a minute or two. After work I started it and noticed the same thing so I checked the oil. My oil was way overfilled and looked like water spots towards the upper end of the stick. I drove 35 minutes back home and the jeeps oil pressure and temp gage were fine it never overheated or even ran slightly hot. I put bars stop leak in the radiator when I got home and let it run for 15 minutes and drove it for another 20. Then I changed the oil and added Lucas stabilizer hoping to get rid of the what sounds like lifter noise ?(slight clicking not a knocking noise yet). Then I started the jeep and let it run for 5 minutes then checked the oil again. The oil appeared thin and a little on the high side and the noise in the engine continues. Is this a blown head gasket or something worse? Any help will be greatly appreciated it's my daily driver and I have to drive to work.
 
#2 ·
Could be an exhaust leak or a lifter tick. I doubt it's a bad head gasket because it would be noticeably running different. I've heard adding marvel mystery oil helps with a lifter tick. Me personally though if it goes away after 5 min I wouldn't stress it that much
 
#5 ·
if you start it up cold and it makes a tick for about five minutes before it goes away then it's your cracked header. a knock would be sort of a dull sound most of the time, whereas a tick is high pitched, indicative of an exhaust leak.

as for the dipstick, you may be seeing air bubbles on it though. if it is contaminated with coolant, you can see the different colors at times and it wouldn't run all that well either. the way these engines operate on a blown head gasket are to overheat right away from cold (in my experience) and the obvious white smoke coming from the tail pipe as well. or if you start it up for a couple minutes and shut it off, you should be able to hear bubbling in the overflow tank. if you're still not sure it's a blown head gasket, simply pull all your spark plugs and look for any significant differences in color or wear. or, pop the rad cap (when cold of course) and just crank it over without allowing it to start up. if the coolant displaces itself very dramatically then the compression in the combustion chamber is getting into the water passages and forcing the coolant out. however, your block could be cracked somewhere at, or near, one of the water passages, so that might explain any water in the oil. and for the love of god, get that stop leak out of there before it causes all kinds of hell LOL
 
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