KyleW707

So.....I needed a new damper due to a vibration. Started the car for maybe 10 seconds with only the under drive pulley to see if the vibe went away and it did so i got a damper and installed it today. When I started my car it made this loud knocking/ticking sound. It sounded like a massive exhaust leak at the block/header. I did have the headers off at the time so I thought maybe it was an exhaust leak. Well, I replaced the header gasket, bolted everything up and noise is still there. Is it possible that I damaged the engine internally when running the car without the damper and only the under drive pulley? ( only ran it for about 10 seconds with about 5 seconds in the 2k-3k rpm range) car only has 108k on it, what do y'all think? Thanks. -Kyle

casper's6liter

if you have a video of the noise it would better help everyone

KyleW707

I do have one, but it's inside a big shop so you can't hear it over the echo of the exhaust, can't put it outside because I have the granny out lol I will try to get a better video

KyleW707

Tranny*

93 LT1 Vette

Auto or 6 speed?

KyleW707

Automatic

93 LT1 Vette

without audio it is tough to help. Have you ever heard a motor with a bad lifter or a rod knock?.

stevo9389

i ran my engine for several minutes on a few occasions without a dampener pulley and once even the hub. there was no damage done. i didnt rev as high as you did but i doubt the absense of the pulley did anything. does it seem to idle a little lower than it used to?my money is on one or two bad plug plug wires or possibly even connected wrong.

KyleW707

Yeah, doesn't sound quit like either of those. But it didn't do this before having the headers off and the old damper on

KyleW707

No, it idles the same as before. It don't think it could be a wire, as I have them tied up to where they stay close to the right plug when disconnected, but it could be a plug I forgot to tighten

93 LT1 Vette

Yeah, I don't see it being deep inside the motor. A buddy built a 383 Gen I, I got the call to come look at. He forgot the snout bolt and the dampner departed on his first high RPM run. It tore up the water pump, hoses and radiator but left the rod and main bearings in tact. I don't see what you did damaging anything in the lower end. I'd connect up the exhaust make sure you don't have an interference issue in the serpentine belt area.

KyleW707

I forgot to mention, that I left the u/d pulley off and went with just the damper, and new belt.

F0x Slaughter

Check your plug wires for damage. You will get a ticking every spark because the spark is leaving the wire and literally sparking (arching) to anything metal which makes a ticking sound.

KyleW707

But it's LOUD. it sounds like if you combined a lifter tick with a knocking rod and it's pretty loud. At idle I can't hear it, but gets louder as rpms go up

KyleW707

So....I hate to admit my stupidity but after checking every bolt in my exhaust setup, and pondering what else it could be for about 10 minutes I realized about a week ago I took the front o2 sensors out, and well.....forgot to put them back in before starting my car.... On the bright side I was right that it sounded like a huge exhaust leak lol. What a relief! Thanks for all yalls feedback guys, feel free to make fun of me now haha.

IronOutlaw

iTrader: (4)

Ha, Ive had those moments to. One of my flywheel bolts came out once and made my car sound like a main bearing squeeling with it bouncing around in the dust pan.