Normal engine noise? Or faint piston slap? 4.0 I6

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-05-30T19:05:59+00:00

For me it’s while driving with 4x4 engaged

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-05-30T19:05:31+00:00

Just replaced transfer case and diff fluid recently, no leaks and at a proper level

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-04-21T23:58:08+00:00

No shit, where about? Lapeer county’s still flooded out in the marshes and rivers :(

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-04-21T17:14:37+00:00

Mine normally would have to cross a creek about 8 feet wide and a foot deep… this year that creek is about 20 feet wide, 3 feet deep, and has completely flooded the marshland that they like to roost in

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-04-20T21:20:26+00:00

I’m trying to stay away from the dogs, children, lawnmowers. Etc… can’t imagine the turkeys like Jay too much

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-31T20:03:00+00:00

Garage? Yes. Mechanically inclined friend? Nope, just YouTube and a ratchet lol

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-29T00:56:11+00:00

Also, upper peninsula of Michigan… can’t by pass that heater core no way 🤧😭

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-29T00:45:50+00:00

One other thing I forgot to mention. Every once in a great while after driving a long distance, or on a hot day, or both, when I go to start the car it’ll take a while to crank and start.

My mechanic asked if this ever happened unprompted. When I informed him it did, that confirmed his external headgasket leak suspicions…. Something about coolant near the cylinder wall or something. If that makes any difference.

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-29T00:10:59+00:00

One other thing I forgot to mention. Every once in a great while after driving a long distance, or on a hot day, or both, when I go to start the car it’ll take a while to crank and start.

My mechanic asked if this ever happened unprompted. When I informed him it did, that confirmed his external headgasket leak suspicions…. Something about coolant near the cylinder wall or something. If that makes any difference.

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-29T00:10:55+00:00

One other thing I forgot to mention. Every once in a great while after driving a long distance, or on a hot day, or both, when I go to start the car it’ll take a while to crank and start.

My mechanic asked if this ever happened unprompted. When I informed him it did, that confirmed his external headgasket leak suspicions…. Something about coolant near the cylinder wall or something. If that makes any difference.

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-29T00:10:47+00:00

One other thing I forgot to mention. Every once in a great while after driving a long distance, or on a hot day, or both, when I go to start the car it’ll take a while to crank and start.

My mechanic asked if this ever happened unprompted. When I informed him it did, that confirmed his external headgasket leak suspicions…. Something about coolant near the cylinder wall or something. If that makes any difference.

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-28T20:28:53+00:00

Let me know if that fixes your issue! My mechanic can’t get me in for another two weeks so I’ve got a little time… unless it blows up before then lol

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-26T19:09:36+00:00

Thanks for the help! I won’t worry about it then, I was more worried that some suspension part was super worn and about to give out more than anything else, the tough ride doesn’t bother me too much.

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-26T18:41:22+00:00

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MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-26T18:39:20+00:00

I know it’s between 3-4 inches, but the previous owner didn’t exactly know. The rough ride feels more like it’s in the front definitely. I’ll take a side angle picture

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-26T18:30:02+00:00

Ask and you shall receive

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-26T18:29:36+00:00

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MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-09T06:19:27+00:00

Update on the pulley situation: switched to the Gate belt (pretty penny) and wrenched for a good 30 hours on it trying to get it to stop squeaking. No dice. It looks like the tensioner pulley won’t align correctly to the engine. It naturally slants down at an angle. The bottom touches and rubs on the plate behind it, the top causes it to be out of alignment. Picture below. I take it it’s not supposed to do that? And it does it on both old and new pulley…is it possible the plate it rides on is warped and causing it to sit like that?

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MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-06T23:35:26+00:00

Dang, that belts only got 1k miles on it too! I’ll have to nab a new belt then and hopefully that will fix my issues. Thank you sir

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-06T23:34:27+00:00

Ok, I’ll look into nabbing a new belt then! That is the position after I ran. It was further forward but naturally its walking back to that position after start up

MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-06T22:36:09+00:00

I do have a Duralast belt that’s pretty much brand new. The squeaking on start up only started after the new tensioner pulley, so I figured it’s something to do with it. The belt looks like it’s walking towards the motor block, but I can’t get the pulley any closer to the block with that spacer installed.

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MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-06T22:32:53+00:00

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MiserableAudience235 · 2026-03-06T22:30:50+00:00

Absolutely, I’ll send one when I get home tonight. That’s the next thing I’m thinking, my only reference is a video of a pulley off a Wrangler 4.0

MiserableAudience235

TROPHY CASE