I have a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee that keeps kicking the cyl.#3 exh. rocker off. It starts ticking first, then the rocker spits out. I think I might have a bad lifter? Is this a common problem? It only has 70,600 mi. on it.

You could try swapping that lifter with another one on that bank, and see which one gets tossed next time. Maybe the lifter is going away on you.

Bad lifter,valve sticking(stem with carbon on it)I would try a lifter first. Any wear on cam lobe?

...or a weak spring!!!

The cam looks good other than a few scrathes on it now. The springs are beehives and they take a lot of pressure to compress them to get the rocker back on. I am going to try to find a lifter tomorow because just before it does it you will hear it ticking.

Hopefully it's just a lifter problem, and not an oiling problem to that lifter. That could get involved. Is that roller spinning real nice on the follower?

I had a similar problem with a 2.2 4cyl. The valve guide had come loose and was sliding up and down in the head and every once in awhile it was cause the valve to stick open for just long enough for the cam to get down onto the base circle and out would come the rocker.

I put the new lifter in Wed. night along with a can of Valve Medic. The first three times I cranked it, it ticked for about five sec. I have cranked it about twenty times since and drove it to work last two days and so far so good. Keep your fingers crossed for me.