Hi just wondering if anyone has had issues with the oil pumps on the 3.5 motor before?

I have put my car (Sept '02 TJ with 71000kms) into get looked at for a tappet rattle on cold startup - if you turn off the engine as soon as you hear it rattle and then restart the rattle is gone.
The initial suggestion the service guys have made is that it could be oil pressure related, and to me that could only mean the oil pressure relief valve must be sticking or something i.e. pressure valve staying open so that the oil pressure does not build up and fill the tappets properly although why this only seems to target the rear tappets is a mystery to me.
I have changed the oil from 15/50 to 5w/30 back to 15/50 with no change in problem, so I don't think its related to oil viscosity...
They have pressure tested in whilst warm and are checking it again tomorrow morning for cold pressures.
Can't think of anything else that may be causing the problem other than dodgy rear tappets - any other ideas people?

Mine was doing it since my last oil change. I just put up with it. Yes its the rear bank. Its fixed now. 1 bottle of lifter free solved the problem Cant remember if its a wynns or Nulon product but its worked for me. Repco and Supercheap sell it. Mines not under warranty so im not really fussed at looking at the root cause but if yours is under warranty get them to check it out. There was another fella on here who had the same issues i think he ended up getting his lifters/tappets replaced under warranty and it sorted it out. Try a search it was a few months back.

Regards

Unfortunately the car is out of warranty. At the last oil change I ran through some Nulon engine flush and then put in the new oil then put in the Nulon upper cylinder lubr? (it said it was for tappets).
Should be hearing from the workshop in a couple of hours...

Mine was doing it since my last oil change.


Id say its your oil then..:P

I had the same problem in my 3.0L, rear bank too. I ended up changing the lifters, the noise is now gone. I'm thinking somthing is causing the rear lifters to clog over time (design flaw maybe?)...what that is I have no idea. :P

just picked up the car, turns out it is not an oil pressure issure like they initially thought. All oil pressures are within specs, they didn't have any numbers to give me.
They are saying there is noise coming from the cambelt/cambelt tensioner and so I now have a quote for $770 - new belt($160), tensioner assembly($255), pwer steering belt and labour.
now thinking about doing it myself, Repco have parts for $330~
Still think that there is an issue with tappets, I guess that is still to come...

Go to repco or super cheap. Look for a bottle thats called Lifter free. Believe my try it you have nothing to loose. May even save your ripping your car apart.. It worked for me it may work for you..

Regards

will go and have a look for this 'lifter free' stuff on weekend. worth a shot. thanks

I have put my car (Sept '02 TJ with 71000kms) into get looked at for a tappet rattle on cold startup - if you turn off the engine as soon as you hear it rattle and then restart the rattle is gone.
The initial suggestion the service guys have made is that it could be oil pressure related, and to me that could only mean the oil pressure relief valve must be sticking or something i.e. pressure valve staying open so that the oil pressure does not build up and fill the tappets properly although why this only seems to target the rear tappets is a mystery to me.
I have changed the oil from 15/50 to 5w/30 back to 15/50 with no change in problem, so I don't think its related to oil viscosity...
They have pressure tested in whilst warm and are checking it again tomorrow morning for cold pressures.
Can't think of anything else that may be causing the problem other than dodgy rear tappets - any other ideas people?

Hi All,

My 2001 TJ2 does exactly this also. After sitting overnight it rattles/knocks from the rear bank timing belt cover area on startup for about 2 minutes. turning ignition on/off once or twice makes the noise go away immediately. It does not make the noise every time, about half the time depending on engine stop position and seemingly worse when temperature is cold

I replaced the lifters 2 weeks ago and this did not fix the problem. 2 of the new lifters were not completely pumped up (I couldn't get the oil in) and they made a clackety clack noise for about 5 minutes, which was not as noisy as the startup engine noise

have tried all manner of oils with no particular difference

anyone experienced this and found the problem???? any help would be much appreciated

Had the car in at MRT rally in Sydney to check out the noise and perform oil pressure test

they discovered that the pressure was fine and that one of the pulley bearings for the timing belt (the one mounted to the rear bank) needed replacing and were fairly certain that this would fix the noise

whilst in there I had a new timing belt and tensioner fitted

the noise is now gone:D

total cost for diagnosis, bearing, belt and tensioner was $690. Quite reasonable I think

would have been 390 just for the bearing

I don't know if this bearing failure is common?? may be a good idea to replace this at the same time as regular belt replacement??

failure of this bearing could be fairly catastophic!!