Hi all, I previously had my jeep in the shop looking for the source of what I thought was ping. The shop said it wasn't and that the noise was coming from the valve train. At the same time he told me he could see blue smoke coming from the tail pipe. I couldn't see what he was talking about and left it at that. I took it to a second shop where they do dyno testing etc on engines and he said I was chasing a ghost with the noise the other guy said was from the valve train.
Last weekend I put my jeep through the first 4 wheel drive "romp". The area was in a national forest and mostly used by trail riding bikes (in the Cleveland national park by lake Elsinore, Ca). It was a good ride and I was in 4 wheel low, climbing hills, going though water, and basically torquing out the engine as I have not done before.
I noticed on the trail I can now see blue smoke coming from the tail pipe and now, today, I can clearly see it coming out pretty well. It is most evident when I let it idle for a time and then hit the gas pedal.
I just changed the oil before I left last weekend with a new filter and new oil and I checked it today and the level is fine. There's no water in the oil. It looks pristine.
I have smog coming up in the next month and I'm planning a major cross country road trip.
Can anyone give me some ideas on how bad this might be and what tests I can do to determine the status of my baby.
If it's the valves then I have another head (4.0L) that I can replace it with sitting in the back yard. I don't want to do that though it it's the rings or another issue.
Thanks,
Bill