Jeep Strokers

The tick is likely from the shim or the lack of oil pressure. It had good pressure when breaking in and then it dropped? Have you changed the oil yet? Still full?

Oil pressure was above 40~50 at the beginning of breakin. It got down to around 22 at the end of breakin. I have not changed the oil. It was a little low- I topped it off.

I think my pump screen is too close to the bottom of the pan. Also, I read that some people had an o-ring for where the pickup goes tube into the pump. My OEM Melling pump did not have an o-ring. It was a VERY tight fit, but no o-ring. Looks like I am dropping the pan to bend the pick up. I will go ahead and remove the pickup from the pump and put some RTV around it. I am tempted to install a high pressure pump since I am going through all of the work to drop the pan (and exhaust) in the vehicle- won't be fun.

As far as the ticking- I hope it is the shims and not more extensive damage to the cam/lifters during all the issues getting the jeep to run in the first place...

Scottr wrote:It idles great. AFR is good. Drove it for 10 or so miles tonight.
However, oil pressure goes down to 5 psi at a stop light. Even dropped to zero a couple times. At driving speed it is up more than 40. Any ideas?

Put a mechanical gauge on it first and see what true oil pressure is.
There is also a tick. I think I put too much shim under the rocker arm and there isn't enough preload. Thoughts?[/quote] COuld bee too much shim, not enough preload, could be an exhaust leak as well or something else. Could have misaligned that purge solenoid on the fire wall and that would cause a tick.

Scottr wrote:I think my pump screen is too close to the bottom of the pan.

How far is it form the pan?

Also, I read that some people had an o-ring for where the pickup goes tube into the pump. My OEM Melling pump did not have an o-ring.

no o-ring.

Looks like I am dropping the pan to bend the pick up.

Verify the oil pressure first then drop the pan. Inspect the bearings as well.

I will go ahead and remove the pickup from the pump and put some RTV around it.

Use a new pickup if you remove it. The press fit will be ruined and your asking for trouble if you try to reuse it.

As far as the ticking- I hope it is the shims and not more extensive damage to the cam/lifters during all the issues getting the jeep to run in the first place...

I doubt anything was damaged. Could also still be air in a lifter or a piece of dirt. Could be many things though.. even a lose bolt.

SilverXJ wrote:Use a new pickup if you remove it. The press fit will be ruined and your asking for trouble if you try to reuse it.

I've always reused them never had a reason to buy a new one... Never had a problem. Just make sure the fit is snug, the bolt will hold it in place. New or used.... I'd use about a a 1/4" wide swipe of oil resistant RTV next to the nub on the portion that inserts into the pump to keep air from getting drawn in and you're good to go.

Thanks to everyone for continuing to help. Trying to get this new engine working right. The plan is to take the Jeep to the Superlift park in Arkansas (14 hour trip from NC- will be trailering the jeep) in mid April. Definitely, want to get it running smooth before then.

SilverXJ wrote:How far is it form the pan?

I am almost certain it is resting on the bottom of the oil pan. I think there is even pressure on it from when I cinched down the pan on the gasket.

SilverXJ wrote:Verify the oil pressure first then drop the pan.

I picked up a mechanical oil pressure gauge at lunch today. Where is the best place to tie it in? Just remove the electrical pressure sensor and put it in place of that temporarily?

SilverXJ wrote:...could be an exhaust leak as well or something else.

I don't doubt you at all. How does an exhaust leak sound like a tick? It is just the way it sounds sometimes when air is escaping around the gasket? What is the best way to determine if there is an exhaust leak?

SilverXJ wrote:Could have misaligned that purge solenoid on the fire wall and that would cause a tick.

I am not sure I know what this is. Do I have one on a 97 TJ? If so, what does it look like- what is it hooked too?

6TIME wrote:I picked up a mechanical oil pressure gauge at lunch today. Where is the best place to tie it in? Just remove the electrical pressure sensor and put it in place of that temporarily?

This spot works for me. Use a 1/8 npt. tee. I always keep a small analog oil pressure gauge mounted on the motor.....The dash gauge/senders can be erratic/inaccurate at times. This one's been there for 4 years.



Closeup..

Scottr wrote:I am almost certain it is resting on the bottom of the oil pan. I think there is even pressure on it from when I cinched down the pan on the gasket.

That is definitely not good. Needs to be 1/2"-3/8" away from the bottom of the pan.

I picked up a mechanical oil pressure gauge at lunch today. Where is the best place to tie it in? Just remove the electrical pressure sensor and put it in place of that temporarily?

That would work for a temporary install.

I don't doubt you at all. How does an exhaust leak sound like a tick? It is just the way it sounds sometimes when air is escaping around the gasket? What is the best way to determine if there is an exhaust leak?

If it was an exhaust leak it would most likely be on the header gasket if its a tick.

I am not sure I know what this is. Do I have one on a 97 TJ? If so, what does it look like- what is it hooked too?

IIRC its in front of the brake master cylinder or behind the washer reservoir (XJ is on the firewall). Its a small cylinder with two vac lines and an electrical plug coming out of it. Like this:

SilverXJ wrote: IIRC its in front of the brake master cylinder or behind the washer reservoir (XJ is on the firewall). Its a small cylinder with two vac lines and an electrical plug coming out of it.

I moved that to my firewall several years ago (did not know what it was called) along with the canister when I highlined my front fenders. Should it be set a certain way? I will make certain that the vacuum lines/electrical are still hooked to it.

Thanks!

Yeah, the way the tick is the least noticeable. Make sure those rubber bushings are there and in good shape. I would unplug the electrical going to it and see if the tick goes away.

The pickup should not be on the bottom but I doubt that is your problem or you would have never gotten good pressure. It likely would have been worse cold as it would have been harder to suck the oil through whatever gap there is. I would do the mechanical gauge and if that confirms low pressure change the oil and filter. I wonder if your filter is full of moly etc. from the assembly lube and the bypass valve failed for some reason. It is easier than dropping the pan.

RenoF250 wrote:The pickup should not be on the bottom but I doubt that is your problem or you would have never gotten good pressure.

I don't think its his problem at idle. With the shield there is plenty of room still. However, if he did hit a high RPM where the pump was starved that could be an issue.

I wonder if your filter is full of moly etc. from the assembly lube and the bypass valve failed for some reason.

I doubt that. It would take a hell of a lot of moly to do that... most of that just gathers in the pan.

I installed a mechanical oil pressure gauge. Pressure was roughly the same as the gauge on the dash- lower than it should be.

I dropped the pan and installed a new HV oil pump. I really did not want to drop the pan twice. Plus withe the online coupons from Advance Auto I got an $85 pump for $55. Not sure if it is the new pump or the better location of the pickup or the fact that I put RTV around the pickup tube before I installed it- The pressure is a lot better now! 40-50 psi when cruising and around 10-20 at idle.

Plus the ticking is SO MUCH BETTER. Not sure if it just needed more oil or if a lifter had air in it, etc?? But, it is much better.

Drove it to work this morning. Seems to be doing good. Runs good, idles good, AFR is usually around 14.7. I have been taking it easy and not taking it above 3000 rpm. It sounds more powerful than before the stroker but does not seem much more powerful. I have not done WOT so maybe I need to get on the gas more to feel the power. I was expecting at cruising speed that the transmission would not have to down shift as often because of having more torque. However, it seems to need to downshift the same as before.

Did you check any bearings when you had the pan off?

SilverXJ wrote:Did you check any bearings when you had the pan off?

Yes- bearings and the cam lobes looked fine from what I could tell.

Did you confirm the pressure with the analog gauge?