lifter noise

I have a 1988 jeep wrangler. After first use with high rpm's. The lifter noise started. So the noise doesnt start until i drive it a hig RPM"S for a little while. After engine cool's noise goes away. So i cant go 4WD now because of the lifter noise. should I have the top end of the engine re-built? Or should I just replace the whole motor?

How many miles on the engine ? Is the compression good on all cylinders ? These are factors to consider before you decide to do just a top end / lifter job or rebuild / replace the motor.

The Jeep has 136,000 MI on it... I have documentation of a re-build at 105,000 MI... the guy i bought it from just said it runs great, it has been re-built and I have all the proof. One mechanic said that it runs very stong and it is probably dirt or something getting stuck in the oil going to one lifter. It doesnt make the noise unless I drive it with high RPM's... so if i drive it leisurely around town it doesnt clack. My mechanic said not to bother with the compression test it runs as strong as any jeep he has seen.

If that's the case then I wouldn't worry about it. I would use a good motor flush treatment to clean the oil passages and then change the oil & filter. By all means go off roading but don't beat on it unnecessarily and keep the rpm's at a sane limit, I'm sure you'll be rewarded with thousands of trouble free miles. If the noise worsens you can always change the lifters but I would avoid that expense for now.

It is not very uncommon for lifters to be noisy. Do you happen to know if they are the stock style ones. I just rebuilt the head on my 88 wrangler, and they are noisy at idle.

I dont know if they are stock type lifters, it was re-built two oners ago. I have kept the RPM's well below 3,000 for the last two weeks, and no noise. so hopefully the problem is solved. Thanks for all of the input.
Happy Jeeping!

to clean the engine i have a really wierd wayt o clean the entire system but it has to be done right automatic tranny fluid is a powerful solvent that will dissolve the oil, carbon and other residue in the engine if you drain the oil and put auto tranny fluid run the engine to get it warm witht he tranny fluid DO NOT DO NOT ride far with the fluid in the engine you will seize it let it run to normal temperatures and then kill the engine and drain the tranny fluid repeat as long as u think u need to and then put fresh oil and a filter in that should clean out most of the engine for u i warn u to be careful I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE its is an old trick my ucle taught me