While waiting for my leak down tester to arrive I rechecked my valve seals on #2 and the were installed correctly and in perfect condition. When I did this I used the air compressor as before to hold the valve up while I took the keepers and spring off and inspected the seal. For each valve I also placed a strip of rubber matting around the valve stem and attached a long nosed vice grip firmly to the valve stem. Then I released the air in the cylinder and allow the valve to drop down a bit. I can then move the stem back and forth and feel for play. On one of them I felt some noticeable play and the other I didn't. I don't know which is intake and which is exhaust but the one closer to the front on the 4.2L head had play. The one to the rear did not.
Anyway, I put it back together seeing nothing wrong with the work I had done on this valve.
However, I did notice one thing which I will confirm when the leak down tester arrives and that is when I released the air from #2 I heard only a small release of built up air (a slight psst ). I checked #1 with the same method (apply air to a cylinder where the rocker arms have been released so the valves are closed) and I got a very long hwooooooooosssshhhhhssssst. Much different response. I'm going to confirm this with the leak down tester but I'm getting that sinking feeling now.
In anticipation I have several options to remedy this situation if #2 leak down is bad.
Option 1. If the leak down tests on the remaining 5 cylinders are good, replace the rings on the problem cylinder and be done with it. A lot of work for just one cylinder but I'm becoming up against the wall on time. The only problem with this scenario is if I get in there and find some worse problem. Since I can't pull the engine (no space or equipment or might get kicked out of my appt) I'll have to end up having it towed and go to option #2.
Option 2. There's a place in town that will put the engine, clean it, bore it once over, rebuild it and put it back in for 2k installed. Turn around is a week. Warranty is 12 months.
Option 3. Buy a remanufactured engine from
I don't know why Jasper is double the price of rebuilt-jeep-engines. Perhaps RJE does only jeep engines and because of the narrower scope of product line they can offer a better price. Has anyone ever dealt with RJE or Jasper?
Any advice or comments on this or other I have written above are welcome.
Thanks,
Bill