i just purchased a 86 Suzuki samurai  and it sounds like it has rod bearing noise so when i got it home i puled the rod caps off and found that they were new rod bearings.  looks like they were chasing the same noise.  any one have an idea if what it could be>

loose lifter? or a throwout bearing, or a clutch possibly

Thanks ill try the lifters next , there should be a new clutch in it i dont no if they replaced the throwout bearing or not so that will be my second thing to look at.

I'd thoroughly inspect the #4 rod and piston.  I bought my sammy with a motor that was thought to have had a rod knock (engine wasn't in vehicle and owner wasn't one who pulled it).  So I slapped it back together and there was a tapping towards the back.  After a couple of starts I reved it and cured the knock.  Of course thats because the rod exploded inside, bent 90 degrees, piston was split in half at the pin.  I bought it knowing I was going to put a 1.6 in it so it wasn't a big deal but proabably if I inspected it first I could have saved the engine.  I really think the piston is what went first and it went downhill from there.  1.3 is known for the #4 to have problems.  When I pulled the engine apart the water jackets around the #4 were clogged with sludge and I believe that it was the lack of cooling that causes premature issues with #4.