Let's play the game "What's that shredded mess in your oil pan?!"

[SoCalManche]

I've got a TJ that I recently replaced the head gasket on. Once I fired her up for the first time since the replacement, she was EXTREMELY chattery, well beyond the typical lifter tick. Everyone told me it was an exhaust leak, but wasn't so sure. Dropped the oil pan just now and this is sitting at the bottom. 

 

What's it look like to you? It's both metal and plastic material absolutely wrecked. She drove like a bat out of hell before I dropped the pan. She was just so damn loud I needed peace of mind before I continued to try to solve the problem, but of course, a new can of worms has opened up!

 

So whatcha think?

[SoCalManche]

This is also the source of the main chatter when I was rotating the crank to TDC before checking rockers/pushrods/lifters. Normal?

 

https://gopro.com/v/72GDpNdwanmXz

[Big_Mark]

Is it a charm bracelet?

Other than that I have no idea

[Pete M]

  

[Htchevyii]

It looks like the 2.5 has a spring loaded tensioner for the timing chain. I'm guessing that it exploded.

 

 

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/what-is-wrong-in-this-99-tj-2-5-timing-case.67296/

 

[fiatslug87]

^^^Winner

[Andy in Pa]

Wow!!!  Never knew there was such a thing on the 4cyl.  Well played htchevyii

[SoCalManche]

Forgot I posted this on Comanche Club!

 

After I sent the post, I went outside and got under the engine, and just turned around so I was facing the timing chain. Saw another elongated piece of black plastic sticking out from where you can see the timing chain, and I knew immediately. I have no idea why it grenaded itself, but I'm more impressed the chain held without snapping because she was pretty loose and I should have totally grenaded my motor. Got a new timing chain and tensioner and she's good as new. Now off to the next issue...an exhaust rattle!

 

Merry Christmas!

[pizzaman09]

Sometimes you just luck out!

Are the 2.5L engines interference engines?  

[Salvagedcircuit]

You sir, should play the $2 lotto, buy some cracker jacks or open a chinese fortune cookie or something....

That's a major win all around!

 

[AZJeff]

On 12/25/2023 at 8:07 PM, pizzaman09 said:

Sometimes you just luck out!

Are the 2.5L engines interference engines?  

Engines if the 2.5 and 4.0 era are virtually NEVER “interference engines”.