Unidentifiable knocking

Hi folks. I've got a 88 Cherokee that I just drive from Minnesota to Austin, Texas without any problems. Before I left Minnesota, my mechanic told me that eventually I would have to do something about the oil leaks. When I arrived in Texas I took the jeep in to a local repair shop (I won't mention any names - yet). I had the rear main seal repaired, the head gasket replaced, and the oil pan gasket replaced. I also had new shocks and tires put on at a total cost of about $2,200 bucks (I love my Jeep!). These folks have had it for 4 days and now they are telling me that it is making some unidentifable knocking noise that goes away when the engine is given a little gas. I called my mechanic back in Minnesota and he says there was no noise coming from my Jeep other than some tapping from the lifters. In fact, that's why I paid for the head job. Does anyone have any idea about what this knocking noise could be? My mechanic back in Minnesota thinks they may have busted the flywheel when they were putting the tranny back after working on the rear main seal. He also said that they might might have done something to the torque converter. Please, anybody, HELP!!!

First, don't take the vehicle until they identify what the knock is! Be firm. Tell them that the knock was not there when you brought it in and that your machanic will verify this. Contact the corporate office if this is a national chain. Also, document everything..names, dates, who worked on it etc. Have them put everything in writing if they will, if not, then let the corporate office know that they refuse to assist. Also, they may try to get you to fold by telling you that you will have to pay storage charges if you refuse to take the vehicle. If they start that stuff, ask them to call the corporate office for you to confirm you have to pay storage. It may take some resolve on your part, but they will eventually have to work with you. Good luck.

First, don't take the vehicle until they identify what the knock is! Be firm. Tell them that the knock was not there when you brought it in and that your machanic will verify this. Contact the corporate office if this is a national chain. Also, document everything..names, dates, who worked on it etc. Have them put everything in writing if they will, if not, then let the corporate office know that they refuse to assist. Also, they may try to get you to fold by telling you that you will have to pay storage charges if you refuse to take the vehicle. If they start that stuff, ask them to call the corporate office for you to confirm you have to pay storage. It may take some resolve on your part, but they will eventually have to work with you. Good luck.

Thanks, Cherokeenation. That's great advice. I actually went down there today fully ready to behave badly, but the mechanic who was working on my Jeep was a really great guy. He learned to work on jeeps in the military while serving in Korea and Vietnam. He's worked on everything from Jeeps to tanks and received a presidential commendation for his work with tanks - bottom line is the guy knows what he's doing. Once I got past the manager and to the guy who's actually doing the work, I felt a lot better. A lot less bull involved. Not an hour later the mechanic called me and said that a plate behind the flywheel was loose and that was what was causing the noise. He said he would back out the tranny and tighten the plate and that that would solve the problem. I believe him. If he pulls this off, I swear I'm not gonna let anyone else in Texas touch my Jeep except him. Thanks again. I'll keep you posted.

RGSJeepie

Great! Glad to hear that you found a mechanic that you can trust. Let me know how it turns out.

Good Mudding!

always cool to find a mechanic with real experience.
my take is: ASE=Ask Someone Else