My earlier YJ 1993 has a noise which could well be piston slap, never changed in the years I've had it so never worried me, the XJ 1996 I have is real sweet and defo pulls stronger. Manifolds do crack, changed one on the YJ recently, few hours work, nice and quite again now.
I always use Mopar oil filters (from Lighhouse) worked in automotive filtration for ten years, would never fit cheap filters and American made ones have the by pass valve at the top, making them IMO better.
Hope this helps, cheers Maf