couple questions for the masses

[Duster]

I have owned mine for a while now, just never joined up, but wanting to ask a few things of the masses made me go for it, so here I am!

OK, first question/observation.... I've never seen a vehicle have such clean looking oil so long? I run 5w20 Mobil 1 EP and Mobil 1 or Purolator filter. I have been working my drain interval upwards which is not the norm for me. But I am telling you, today I drained a 10,000 mile run and it looked like it had maybe 1,000 miles on it. Am I the only one noticing this? Or does this oil just not suspend and nastiness in it?

Second question/observation.... this motor has lifter noise on cold starts. Not real cold starts I am talking North Carolina... cool and sat a while is what I mean. I don't like this or understand it. Is there something I should do like a different oil viscosity or an additive? Can someone explain the mechanics to me as to why it does this?

Third question/observation.... I notice this thing is noisy at idle. Is it just the injectors?

 

[dude1116]

I have owned mine for a while now, just never joined up, but wanting to ask a few things of the masses made me go for it, so here I am!

OK, first question/observation.... I've never seen a vehicle have such clean looking oil so long? I run 5w20 Mobil 1 EP and Mobil 1 or Purolator filter. I have been working my drain interval upwards which is not the norm for me. But I am telling you, today I drained a 10,000 mile run and it looked like it had maybe 1,000 miles on it. Am I the only one noticing this? Or does this oil just not suspend and nastiness in it?

Second question/observation.... this motor has lifter noise on cold starts. Not real cold starts I am talking North Carolina... cool and sat a while is what I mean. I don't like this or understand it. Is there something I should do like a different oil viscosity or an additive? Can someone explain the mechanics to me as to why it does this?

Third question/observation.... I notice this thing is noisy at idle. Is it just the injectors?

1) Try running 5w30. That's the oil that the engine is meant to run! Might clean it out a little bit better!

2) Can't really explain why but mine does it at cold starts too. I baby my engine when it's cold because of this. It seems that every KJ does this (maybe KKs and other 3.7s too?) and that's why it never worries me or makes me feel uneasy.

3) Haven't noticed mine being THAT noisy. The exhaust is pretty loud but I find it's just inherent of the vehicle.

Sorry I don't have more info! Just figured I'd share my insight.

 

[tjkj2002]

I have owned mine for a while now, just never joined up, but wanting to ask a few things of the masses made me go for it, so here I am!

OK, first question/observation.... I've never seen a vehicle have such clean looking oil so long? I run 5w20 Mobil 1 EP and Mobil 1 or Purolator filter. I have been working my drain interval upwards which is not the norm for me. But I am telling you, today I drained a 10,000 mile run and it looked like it had maybe 1,000 miles on it. Am I the only one noticing this? Or does this oil just not suspend and nastiness in it?

Second question/observation.... this motor has lifter noise on cold starts. Not real cold starts I am talking North Carolina... cool and sat a while is what I mean. I don't like this or understand it. Is there something I should do like a different oil viscosity or an additive? Can someone explain the mechanics to me as to why it does this?

Third question/observation.... I notice this thing is noisy at idle. Is it just the injectors?

1st and 2nd problems are related,your building sludge in your engine reducing oil pressure.Drop down to 3k OCI's and use some BG44K before your oil change.

 

[Duster]

The startup noise was there before the longer OCI's.

Could have been an anti-drainback valve on the filter not working?

Ironically after I posted about it, most of it went away. I mean I can hear it sometimes when it is real cold as soon as I fire up... but it is very quick to go away. It is kind of confusing, but a lifter noise anyways.

Anyways, I have heard real bad lifter noise before in a friends 4 cylinder. It kept on and did not stop for a while. It would just get a little quieter and then in a bit go away. Scary sounding really. We put a bottle of Risoline in that thing and it shut right up. Drove it around a short loop and changed the oil. It's never made a sound since and I swear it sounded like something was going to jump out of the motor.


As far as the other noise I have been hearing... I have a little spark knock at real casual top gear cruise barely touching the gas and I slowly roll back on. Like trying to do 35 or so after it's shifted out.

I run Shell 87 in it most of the time. But I have figured out that the other noise is a little spark knock and a little injector click sometimes at idle. I'll check the plugs and try a bit of injector stuff.

 

[Duster]

Another observation I have made is a few made in 4x4.

Once I was down a hill in a field with a trailer... long story short it was loaded. Had been raining before. Went to get it and it started again when I was hooking up. I put it in 4-low for that. Went just fine until it slipped. Then it was just like that whole fancy system got confused. It wouldn't go anywhere? I tried pressing the button on the column to turn off the ESP but it wouldn't go off. I shifted to 4-High and ESP went out and it came right out of there like nothing, even after spinning it up.

Another thing I have noticed is sometimes you can way tell it is in 4x4 when you are turning pretty good. It is almost like it don't slip? It makes a noise with it sometimes too. Not like a wow something is wrong sound. But more like the front and rear are in a bit of a rotational bind.

 

[02blue]

The startup noise was there before the longer OCI's.

Anyways, I have heard real bad lifter noise before in a friends 4 cylinder. It kept on and did not stop for a while. It would just get a little quieter and then in a bit go away. Scary sounding really. We put a bottle of Risoline in that thing and it shut right up. Drove it around a short loop and changed the oil. It's never made a sound since and I swear it sounded like something was going to jump out of the motor.

I've heard of people running stuff like Rislone with every oil change. Like TJKJ said try that BG44k it has a very good reputation. I like the short oil change interval too. I use conventional oil and Wix filters every 3-4k. I've run 20% Marvel's with my last oil change but I've got some major issues with top end noises. My heads are about to go. I cooked an HG almost three years ago and ever since the noise has gotten louder and louder. The MMO quieted it right down but it's just a band aid right now.

Wonder if anyone has any bored out lash adjusters available for this motor. Think that was a fix at some point for some of the DOHCs from the mid 90's. I think Dodge or Mitsubishi were prone to this ticking.

 

[tommudd]

Another observation I have made is a few made in 4x4.

Once I was down a hill in a field with a trailer... long story short it was loaded. Had been raining before. Went to get it and it started again when I was hooking up. I put it in 4-low for that. Went just fine until it slipped. Then it was just like that whole fancy system got confused. It wouldn't go anywhere? I tried pressing the button on the column to turn off the ESP but it wouldn't go off. I shifted to 4-High and ESP went out and it came right out of there like nothing, even after spinning it up.

Another thing I have noticed is sometimes you can way tell it is in 4x4 when you are turning pretty good. It is almost like it don't slip? It makes a noise with it sometimes too. Not like a wow something is wrong sound. But more like the front and rear are in a bit of a rotational bind.

Shouldn't turn tight when in 4 wheel drive anyways , if it feels like its in a rotational bind then more than likely it is
Good tires make all the difference as well, I hardly ever use 4 wheel drive and I take mine out on the farm all the time, back roads covered in snow etc

 

[Duster]

Yeah, mine seldom needs it either. I usually end up running it when I can just to keep it in use once in a while so it will work if I ever really need it to.

I notice this binding or whatever the other day in the snow. It is mountainous here and I was running the 4x4 in full snow on unplowed roads. Happened once on a right turn and once at a left turn. Both at intersections. And also once in a circle drive.

 

[Porkchop]

Dont know if you have Full or part time? Kinda normal in part time as when your turning the left and right are in two different rotations. The inside wheel needs less rotation then the outside wheel. And yes you can feel it in heavy snow, mud and even loose sand. This is why Tommodd said you shouldn't be making real tight turns in 4x4.

 

[Duster]

Yeah, I was using part-time 4x4 as I have always used hi usually unless crawling around in all my other 4x4's.

Sounds like it might have a real limited slip diff compared to some of the crap I have owned in the past.