I bought a 87 4x4 22r today and it has a horrible knock or clanging noise. I removed the head cover and didnt see anything unusual. I have removed all the bolts from the oil pan but I cant get the pan out. I think I have to loosen the motor mount bolts and jack up the motor and tranny. Is there anything I should be doing diferent or I should be looking for? I drained all the oil and didnt see any metal shavings or anything. Someone said it could be the timing chain clanking against the cover, if this was true, would the chain have a lot of slack in it, or how could I check it?

If you have the valve cover off you should be able to look down the chain and see chain guides there. If you don't, well then you could be in a little trouble. The chain will eat way at the aluminum cover into the water pump area, then you have more to replace. If you catch it early, then all you have to do is replace the guides. Same amount of work though, just one is spendier than the other. Also, the guide pieces fall into the oil pan, they could block oil flow and is therefor recommended that the oil pan is pulled to get the pieces out. There won't be any slack due to the chain tensioner. You will definitely have to jack the motor/tranny up the get the pan out, but I don't think this is were your problem is. you might want to check the valve clearances. If they loosen up it starts to sound like a small diesel and or clattery. Get a manual for the thing too it breaks it down for you.

A well know guy to get parts from is
www.engnbldr.com He shows up here every once and a while.

Hope this helps

Is it a knock(rod knock), a rattling(timing chain), or a diesel clank(valves).

The 22r/e's clank like a diesel when the valves are lose.

Is the T-chain lose at the T-gear, there shouldn't be any play at all in the T-chain.

You can either unbolt the engine from the mounts, or unbolt the front diff and lower it down, to remove the oil the pan. If there are pieces of plastic in the pan, it is likely the T-Chain.

When I pulled the cover off yesterday, I didnt know to look at the timing chain guides. I will check them out today. Since I have the oil pan bolts all off I will go ahead and pull that and check to see if there is plastic in there.

the first time my timming chain guides went i thought the motor blew till i started tearing into it, if the pasenger side guide breaks as well it will make one hell of a racket

horrible knock or clanging noise.

there is nothing in a 22re that should make that kind of sound.
the only time I have heard what you are saying. If you are being honest is the 3rd rod bearing.
the motor that I heard that from the rod bearing was pretty much gone.
spun on the crank. I am just getting ready to send it to the shop for a crank grind, maybe a new rod.

chain sounds just like a chain running over a corner a metallic buzzing sound.

valves... yep diesel motor under a load.

most any 22re ticks a bit.. but it is just a diesel clackity sound.


you can also pull all the belts off and start it and see if the sound is still there. maybe it is an accessory that is making the sound.


good luck,, but if I am reading what you wrote, correctly I think that you will find number 3 rod bearing bad or gone.

also do a compression check. you still can. you only turn the motor over 4 or 5 times for each cylinder. you can do that with no oil... just pull the coil wire so it doesnt start.

the only other thing that I can think of, and I am sure that you would have seen it with the valve cover off. is a dropped valve. the spring would be loose and the keepers gone.

Well I was trying to get the oil pan removed and still no luck. I am in the process of dropping the front differential. I moved the pan enough to where I could see up in there and get my hands in there. The 2nd and 3rd rod cap is loose, there is a little play in them.I could wiggle them and make them clank a little. Could this be what the noise is coming from? I couldnt reach the 4th rod so I am not sure about that. I think what I am left to do now is just remove the engine completely and just go through the whole thing and start from scratch. I found another motor for $350 turn key, I am thinking very hard about jumping on that as well, but I dont want to install it and have the same problem or something similiar. I could see pretty well into the oil pan, and I seen no sign of any plastic or any foreign materials at all.

First of all, here is the trick to getting that oil pan off.
Set it back on, maybe just 2 bolts holding into place.
Then remove the motor mounts and lift it about 2" - be careful b/c the back of the engine/front of tranny bellhousing will hit the firewall tunnel.
Now slide 2x4s under the mounts and lower it onto these.
You stil lwill need to unbolt the front diff from the crossmember, and lower it - this should give just enoug hroom to slip that pan out.
Profanity helps coerce it a little too.

Given what you said about the caps - you'll need to do this so you can get a good inspection.

Now for the noise - DEFINITELY the bearing caps being loose is bad news, and is probably teh source of your noise. Those are supposed to be like 70 ft lbs or something.
If they are loose, it means the rod bearings have been wiggling around in there. If so, the bearings are probably toast. And... possibly even the journals on teh crank, too.
Take the caps off and inspect them VERY CLOSELY. You may be lucky; they should be glass-smooth. If not, work is in order.
At the very least, I'd bet you're looking at gettin gnew bearings, probbaly oversized to match teh extra weat from knocking around.

If you can get a complete motor for $350, I'd seriously consider that, esp IF you knwo it's in good shape. Rebuilding thsi one will cost you alot more than that.

I think I am gonna unbolt the tranny and go ahead and pull the engine. I will inspect it and see if it would be best to repair it or get the other motor.