LOUD knocking...
Have you pulled the valvecovers off and looked at the valvetrain? I'm no expert on this but it sounds like its very possibly something in the valvetrain. Was the knocking RPM dependant or was it static all the way through the band?
Pulled drivers side valve cover I don't see anything wrong with the pushrods or springs. I am going to pull the passenger side tomorrow see if I see anything. I also am going to drain the oil see if there's metal in there or what. This SUCKS. Looks like I'll be pulling the motor out.
Before you do that, check and make sure that your header bolts are tightened. Exhaust leaks at the head make very strange noises. I tried chasing the noise and it was loose bolts the whole time.
If you remove all the pushrods and rockers it won't start or do anything. if you suspect one cylinder of having bent pushrods or a bad rocker you can remove the pushrods/rockers for that cylinder and unplug the injector and run it on 7 cyls, however this is a poor way to diagnose your clacking noise. Being that the car hadn't been driven in like... 3 months or whatever you said I'm willing to bet a lifter went bunk. Have you drained the oil yet to see if there's shavings or anything inside?
heres my guess first.check all your pushrods make sure they are straight.then check your lifters.might be a dead lifter.check for header leaks.if all is good go to the bottom and check all your rod bearings.good luck.
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No your lifter is what rolls on your cam which is connected to your pushrods than connected to your rockers. To check your lifters you have to take the heads off. But I would like to know how to check your lifters to make sure they are good/bad.
I would suspect lifter or rocker or valve spring as well. If the car sat for a month without driving, the lifter blead down for sure, and may not have pumped back up. Or you could have spilled needles bearings from the rocker arm, which drain the oil and check the drain plug for those needle bearings.
One thing you can do to help the lifters pump up is to drain a quart of oil and replace it with a quart of transmission fluid. Start the car and take it for a brief sping around the block keeping it under 2000 rpm. The trans fluid is much thinner, and will actually help to clean out oil 'sludge' that may have built up over time. It's an old school trick, but works pretty well. Just remember to keep your foot out of it and the rpms low. Now drain your oil and refill with clean good oil. This may help get rid of your ticking problem.
My brother-in-law reccomended this to me. He has been a master mechanic at a dealership for 20+years and does this when he gets a warranty complaint for engine noise. Typically the people never change the oil, and after 20-30k miles, it's in pretty bad shape. So he adds the trans fluid as a cleaner.
Try it and see what happens. If the rod bearings are toast, added a quart of trans fluid isn't going to magically kill the motor but could free up a clogged lifter.
One thing you can do to help the lifters pump up is to drain a quart of oil and replace it with a quart of transmission fluid. Start the car and take it for a brief sping around the block keeping it under 2000 rpm. The trans fluid is much thinner, and will actually help to clean out oil 'sludge' that may have built up over time. It's an old school trick, but works pretty well. Just remember to keep your foot out of it and the rpms low. Now drain your oil and refill with clean good oil. This may help get rid of your ticking problem.
My brother-in-law reccomended this to me. He has been a master mechanic at a dealership for 20+years and does this when he gets a warranty complaint for engine noise. Typically the people never change the oil, and after 20-30k miles, it's in pretty bad shape. So he adds the trans fluid as a cleaner.
Try it and see what happens. If the rod bearings are toast, added a quart of trans fluid isn't going to magically kill the motor but could free up a clogged lifter.
And if you never knew, trans fluid has a way of cleaning hydrocarbons. After working on the car and your hands get greasy and dirty, use a little bit of trans fluid and rub your hands together. You'll be amazed at how much dirt it cleans off your hands.
how can I tell for sure if its something bottom end? My neighbor says he's positive its a rod bearing burned out.
My oil pressure is fine. Its a clacking sound. I have a double roller timing chain on the car but have had it there for a while. Was thinking maybe its hitting front cover, but I would think the sound would have happened a long time ago not just recently.
The clacking sounds like its coming from passenger side. When I had my car running yesterday, the clacking did stop for a second, but started again. I don't see any leaks. What is something telltale to see for sure if it is something bottom end? No smoke coming from exhaust... I have Good oil pressure. Ask me anything you want to know.
right now, I have the passenger side valve cover/rockers/push rods out. I should be able to start the car running off the drivers side 4 cylinders right? I mean it'll run like crap but it should run right?
My oil pressure is fine. Its a clacking sound. I have a double roller timing chain on the car but have had it there for a while. Was thinking maybe its hitting front cover, but I would think the sound would have happened a long time ago not just recently.
The clacking sounds like its coming from passenger side. When I had my car running yesterday, the clacking did stop for a second, but started again. I don't see any leaks. What is something telltale to see for sure if it is something bottom end? No smoke coming from exhaust... I have Good oil pressure. Ask me anything you want to know.
right now, I have the passenger side valve cover/rockers/push rods out. I should be able to start the car running off the drivers side 4 cylinders right? I mean it'll run like crap but it should run right?
To check if its a rod bearing or main bearing you'll have to pull the oil pan off and inspect the bearings. If its a rod usually the end of the rod that goes on the crankshaft will be discolored from a bearing spinning inside of it. If the bearings are just worn you'll see a spot in the bearing that will be copper in color, if its done this than the bearings are bad due to oil pressure issues. When you say you have good oil pressure what is it? Too high of an oil pressure can also spin a bearing. Did you even drain the oil yet? I honestly reccomend taking it to a shop to have them inspect the bearings if its in the budget, I've seen quite a few shadetree mechanics spin a bearing after inspecting one because the bearing shells got turned when they put it back together. Don't want to scare you but you must be sure of your ability to dig through a motor before you do this.
how can I tell for sure if its something bottom end? My neighbor says he's positive its a rod bearing burned out.
My oil pressure is fine. Its a clacking sound. I have a double roller timing chain on the car but have had it there for a while. Was thinking maybe its hitting front cover, but I would think the sound would have happened a long time ago not just recently.
The clacking sounds like its coming from passenger side. When I had my car running yesterday, the clacking did stop for a second, but started again. I don't see any leaks. What is something telltale to see for sure if it is something bottom end? No smoke coming from exhaust... I have Good oil pressure. Ask me anything you want to know.
right now, I have the passenger side valve cover/rockers/push rods out. I should be able to start the car running off the drivers side 4 cylinders right? I mean it'll run like crap but it should run right?
My oil pressure is fine. Its a clacking sound. I have a double roller timing chain on the car but have had it there for a while. Was thinking maybe its hitting front cover, but I would think the sound would have happened a long time ago not just recently.
The clacking sounds like its coming from passenger side. When I had my car running yesterday, the clacking did stop for a second, but started again. I don't see any leaks. What is something telltale to see for sure if it is something bottom end? No smoke coming from exhaust... I have Good oil pressure. Ask me anything you want to know.
right now, I have the passenger side valve cover/rockers/push rods out. I should be able to start the car running off the drivers side 4 cylinders right? I mean it'll run like crap but it should run right?
Like i said... Clacking is exactley what my motor is doing... bad rod knock... very possibly a bearing... I'm betting your problem is in your bottom end considering you've checked everything else...
Don't say he has bottom end issues yet, he may or may not. Probably not if he said the noise went away for a few minutes and came back. Rod knock doesn't just go away. Plus oil pressure would be different if it was rod knock. Its beyond hard to diagnose a car over the internet but we've barely even dug into it. All he has checked is pushrods and rockers on one side of the motor. I still have yet to hear anything about the oil being drained to see if there were shavings in it and what color they were (goldish copper or silver). If needle bearings from the rockers went through the motor or if its just a bad exhaust leak.
I don't see how it could be exhaust leak. Headers have been on the car for years. I don't see it being a sudden issue. Plus exhaust leaks sound like a tick. This is like a clack clack clack noise that gets faster as you rev the motor.
When I started it yesterday to pull in my garage it had a slight squeel to it too.
I will drain the oil within the next day or two tell you what I find in there.
When I started it yesterday to pull in my garage it had a slight squeel to it too.
I will drain the oil within the next day or two tell you what I find in there.
If it IS a bad bearing it seems cheap....
http://www.thunderracing.com/catalog...vid=3&pcid=115
Is that too good to be true? is there more involved than just replacing the bearings?
http://www.thunderracing.com/catalog...vid=3&pcid=115
Is that too good to be true? is there more involved than just replacing the bearings?
Don't say he has bottom end issues yet, he may or may not. Probably not if he said the noise went away for a few minutes and came back. Rod knock doesn't just go away. Plus oil pressure would be different if it was rod knock. Its beyond hard to diagnose a car over the internet but we've barely even dug into it. All he has checked is pushrods and rockers on one side of the motor. I still have yet to hear anything about the oil being drained to see if there were shavings in it and what color they were (goldish copper or silver). If needle bearings from the rockers went through the motor or if its just a bad exhaust leak.
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Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Bergen County, NJ
I seriously doubt you have a rod knock, spun bearing or anything like that. I would have suggested exhaust leak but if it went away for moment - lifter, and with the squeal you described sounds like it twisted. Step number one - pull the valve covers - I guarantee your problem is in the valve train, cam area.