Uh Oh!

Hi Jeepsters.
Last weekend, I was putting around town and all of a sudden, I heard a loud clanging sound and the engine died. I was able to coast to the curb. I tried to restart the engine and it was hard starting, but it started and the "clanging" sound was still there. I couldn't locate the exact noise location, but it sounded deep internally. I had a freind tow me home. Once we got it home, I tried starting it and it finaly started (it wouldn't stay started), but the noise was gone. All my freinds have their own diagnosis , but what do you experts think?

Thanks in advance

 

too many possibilites to list without actually hearing the noise
more info needed

 

I don't know exactly how to describe it , other than slapping a wrench on pavement in a fast manner. Also, when I got it home and tried to start it, there was no oil pressure.

 

any engine work performed recently ?
oil change?
distributor removed?

 

as far as jeep work, I got this jeep last fall and I'm no sure what the PO did to the engine. But when I got it, It had a edelbrock single plane intake, edelbrock 750 and I'm not sure but I think there was a HP cam installed. I put a dual plane on w/a 4bbl quadrajet, and about a month ago, I put on the Mallory Hei on. When I changed the distrubutor, I also put a new one-wire alternator on. I wish I knew more about the engine history, but I don't. One of my buddies said I could have thrown the timing chain, another said I threw a rod, and another said it was the crank.. I will have a chance to drop the oil pan this weekend.

 

if you can get it to run, pull the plug wires off one at time
good chance the bad cylinder will quiet up considerly when the spark is taken away from it.
If this occurs, it could be rod bearing or ? with that cylinder.
It's possible you have broken a rocker arm or rocker arm pivot and the push rod was bouncing around; this cylinder would be a dead miss.
A worn cam lobe or lifter could toss the push rod as well.
A valve spring could be broken as well.
Timing chain slack can be detected by removing dist cap, rotate/turn crankshaft by hand, and watch till rotor turns/ moves.
if you had oil pressure, but know you don't, a bearing in the lower end could be the culprit; or the oil pump gear shaft snapped, or the dist drive gear wore out; pulling the dist and inspecting the gear would reveal that problem.
Lots of things to check first before you tear the engine down. Good detective/diagnostic work now may save you some time and $$.

 

Thank you Jim for all of the advice. When I get a chance this weekend, I'll investigate what you have advised.
I'll let you know,
Thanks,
Todd