cherokee ticking and oil pressure

[cj7chase]

hey there, i have a new 1994 I6 4.0 cherokee that i recently bought. i just ordered out and mounted new 35" BFG KM2's on her. i went wheeling pretty hard as soon as i got the tires on. i now have a ticking noise that seems to be only when i am moving. it sounds similar to what my locker sounds like when i turn. perfect description would be that it sounds like a ratchet. it gets faster depending on my speed. once i get going fast enough i can no longer hear it though. also developed is a whacky oil pressure. as soon as i got the tires on i noticed that the oil pressure was basically never below 60. and certainly not below 50. right at start up it will idle at 40 but as soon as i get going it goes to 60ish. i figured this was semi normal because of my larger tires and the increased work load. i did notice that at higher speeds the oil gauge seems to fluctuate (before offroading). i drove the freeway yesterday (after i went wheelin) and noticed that the oil pressure was at or past 80. i was going a normal maintained speed but the gauge was "jumping" up and down kinda going crazy. it would go as low as 70 and then it would jump back up past 80. it would then sometimes even out and maintain at 50-60. my rpms are not crazy either. does anybody have any ideas on what it could be!!?? if you do try to include how to fix the issue if you can. and also if you can please try not to abbreviate anything without saying the full word as well. i'm newer and still trying to learn everything. thank you all!


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[cj7chase]

also just noticed today that when i am going slow and i just barely touch the gas ever so slightly there is a kind of whirring almost a grinding sound. i will see if i can get videos of the noises when i get off of work and i will post them to give you a better understanding


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[k-2]

Hoping the ticking Is not from eng the Oil pressure would be my first concern - that's a lot of PSI for a stock 4.0, I would install a mechanical gauge to confirm true pressure. A loaner tool I am told at some parts stores.

Just tires - no suspension work recently done?

 

[cj7chase]

just drove home from work and the oil pressure was fine. only a 5 minute drive though. the tick was still very clearly there even in neutral and coasting i could hear/feel it. could the whacky oil pressure be caused by low oil? because yesterday i had checked the oil and seen that it was low. i added in about 1 1/2 quarts this morning. and so far the oil pressure has been doing okay. and correct just the tires. no suspension work was done so the drive line angles should be okay. i have a 5.5 lift with an slip yolk eliminator but i have never noticed the ticking before i went wheeling. also, there is the chance that the tick was there after i got the tires and before i went out. but i do not know because i was not paying attention to it. i was just focused on feeling my tires


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[cj7chase]

i will see if the oil pressure is better. if i notice it getting weird again i will pick up a tool as you say


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[cj7chase]

update: i tightened the flexplate bolts which i have read are a common cause of a light ticking in cherokees. the bolts were already tight and i drove it but the tick still remains any ideas?


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[RestorationRides]

OIL PRESSURE ISSUE:

There should be no noticeable correlation between tire size and/or load on the motor with respect to oil pressure AT ANY GIVEN RPM. Any given RPM, in any normal driving situation, should yield approx. same oil pressure. However, engine temperature and oil temperature will affect oil pressure. Colder engine temperatures and colder oil temperatures will typically yield higher oil pressures. Also, max. oil pressure will normally be limited by internal oil pressure relief valve if not by overall oil circuit clearances (the overall circuut clearances increase as an engine wears). Also, a LOW enough oil level in the oil pan can yield LOWER than normal oil pressures (not higher) and will likely result in fluctuating oil pressures independent of RPM's. In this situation, aggressive turns and braking would likely result in momentary partial aeration and/or complete loss of oil pump prime resulting in plummeting oil pressure before recovering as the oil returns to cover the oil pump pickup again...

Instead, sounds to me like the electrical connection to the oil pressure sending unit is faulty or the sending unit itself is faulty. As someone else already suggested, a mechanical gauge will tell you quickly whether that's true or not... Or, check the electrical connection at the sending unit and or replace the sending unit itself as they are not expensive... ;-)

(I will try to address the clicking noise noise issue separately...)

Regards,
RR



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[cj7chase]

hey there, so i always finally able to track down a sending unit. my orielly didn't have one, had to drive to the next town. did an oil and filter change, saw about 15 shavings of metal come out of the oil filter. there were no shavings stuck to the drain plug and none in the oil. there were just about 10-15 (i counted) in the filter. the oil was pretty dark but i've seen much worse. anyways, new sending unit is in and throughout driving and some decent wheeling today my oil pressure was great. it was a little high still in the beginning, about 50 idle and 60-70 while driving. but it evened out and is now at 40 on idle. and maybe 50 while hard accelerating. super relived that was the problem! thank you @restorationrides for that suggestion! now onto the ticking... i jacked up the jeep yesterday and spun the tires with my hands, i noticed that the rear driveshaft is slightly bent. i know that i did drop my drive shaft about a month ago due to the rear u joint breaking, in thinking it may have happened then. i am going to pick up a new driveshaft soon because that being bent obviously needs to be replaced, my question is: could that be what is causing the ticking? or maybe it could be the knuckle? i would love some help! thank you!


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[RestorationRides]

hey there, so i always finally able to track down a sending unit. my orielly didn't have one, had to drive to the next town. did an oil and filter change, saw about 15 shavings of metal come out of the oil filter. there were no shavings stuck to the drain plug and none in the oil. there were just about 10-15 (i counted) in the filter. the oil was pretty dark but i've seen much worse. anyways, new sending unit is in and throughout driving and some decent wheeling today my oil pressure was great. it was a little high still in the beginning, about 50 idle and 60-70 while driving. but it evened out and is now at 40 on idle. and maybe 50 while hard accelerating. super relived that was the problem! thank you @restorationrides for that suggestion! now onto the ticking... i jacked up the jeep yesterday and spun the tires with my hands, i noticed that the rear driveshaft is slightly bent. i know that i did drop my drive shaft about a month ago due to the rear u joint breaking, in thinking it may have happened then. i am going to pick up a new driveshaft soon because that being bent obviously needs to be replaced, my question is: could that be what is causing the ticking? or maybe it could be the knuckle? i would love some help! thank you!


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Hi. A bent drive shaft is never a good idea. It will cause vibration which will increase typically with Road speed. In addition, it will cause increased wear on Driveline components on either end of that drive shaft. But, having the drive shaft just fall out of the truck is probably not what caused it to bend as much as if it got stuck into the ground while the truck was still rolling that would most likely be the reason for the bend. The fact that the drive shaft fell out of the truck would indicate some problem with u joints??? Dry, damaged, and excessively worn U-joints will cause ticking/plinking noises especially when shifting from reverse to forward, or forward to reverse. Especially noticeable with an automatic. You can find a used one at a junkyard but you should go through it and make sure U joints are in good shape, properly greased and seals are good on the joints and it's not bent before you install it on your Jeep Alternatively, you can go to a driveline specialist shop... Most cities have at least one. They will go through your old driveshaft if they can save it and replace everything, and balance the assembly, and make sure it's ready to go, or you can give them the one that you buy and let them do the same thing before you put it back in your Jeep. It shouldn't be too terribly expensive and will give you a lot of Peace of Mind. And when you get a chance you can do the other drive shaft. And ask the shop to install U-joints that have zerk fittings so you can grease them from time to time. The fully sealed units are not a good idea especially for off roading because you won't be able to push the debris and water out of them after you go through deep water...

Regards,
RestorationRides

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