To drive it or not to drive it
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From: San Antonio, Texas
To drive it or not to drive it My LT1 developed a knock coming from the #3 on the drivers side about 5 months ago, so I parked it for the last 4 months. We pulled the push rods out on #3 and #5 and they are not bent, put them back in and adjusted them correctly. The only other possibility is a connecting rod issue. Now with that said, we decided to put thicker oil 20w-50 in it to help with the knock(loudness), and maybe drive the car 2-3 times a month. Is this okay to do? Or should I park it, instead of possibly destroying the motor? i know its a ticking time bomb.
I have heard of others driving LT1's with a knock normally and no racing, etc. Getting another 10-15,000 miles out of the motor.
What do ya'll think? I'm planning to do a 383 build soon as the funds are sufficient with the same block.
I have heard of others driving LT1's with a knock normally and no racing, etc. Getting another 10-15,000 miles out of the motor.
What do ya'll think? I'm planning to do a 383 build soon as the funds are sufficient with the same block.
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From: That Southern Fried Space City
Originally Posted by Greenfire
My LT1 developed a knock coming from the #3 on the drivers side about 5 months ago, so I parked it for the last 4 months. We pulled the push rods out on #3 and #5 and they are not bent, put them back in and adjusted them correctly. The only other possibility is a connecting rod issue. Now with that said, we decided to put thicker oil 20w-50 in it to help with the knock(loudness), and maybe drive the car 2-3 times a month. Is this okay to do? Or should I park it, instead of possibly destroying the motor? i know its a ticking time bomb.
I have heard of others driving LT1's with a knock normally and no racing, etc. Getting another 10-15,000 miles out of the motor.
What do ya'll think? I'm planning to do a 383 build soon as the funds are sufficient with the same block.
I have heard of others driving LT1's with a knock normally and no racing, etc. Getting another 10-15,000 miles out of the motor.
What do ya'll think? I'm planning to do a 383 build soon as the funds are sufficient with the same block.
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Well it maybe another 6 months before it gets torn down. Honestly today I didn't have another mode of transportation. I'm currently trying to fix our Jeep to drive, its got issues.
Staging Lane
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From: lockhart texas (30 min from austin)
I would be afraid to put a rod through the block. Then you are buying yourself another lt1 block to build your 383 cause your old one has a hole in the side. If you want to rig it, pull the pan unbolt the knocking rod, lightly polish the rod journol on the crank which was knocking and slap some new rod bearings in. About 50 bucks and your knock is no more. Worked for me atleast.
Yeah, putting on new rod bearings would buy you a little time. It would decrease the clearances, tightening up the rod on the crank. If you drove it real easy (who can do this with an fbody?) it will go a little further.
But it is still a time bomb. You do run the risk of putting that rod through the block, which will require another (non-matching numbers) block to build your new engine.
But it is still a time bomb. You do run the risk of putting that rod through the block, which will require another (non-matching numbers) block to build your new engine.
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From: San Antonio, Texas
Originally Posted by WONCAMARO
I would be afraid to put a rod through the block. Then you are buying yourself another lt1 block to build your 383 cause your old one has a hole in the side. If you want to rig it, pull the pan unbolt the knocking rod, lightly polish the rod journol on the crank which was knocking and slap some new rod bearings in. About 50 bucks and your knock is no more. Worked for me atleast.
I have thought about doing that just to buy time for parts and such. How long did it take you to do this on your car? Do you have to drop the K-member? I have long tubes on the car and they look to be sorta in the way?
I haven't done this before so I'm trying to gage the work involved, course on these cars its usually extensive.
I've pretty much decided to park the car, I don't want to risk putting a hole in the side of the block. I was nervous all day yestruday driving it around, and I drove it easy. But yeah it is hard not to just stomp the pedel to the floor but I don't feel like killing the motor right now. Thanks for all the advice!
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From: Chitown
Yea dont drive it. I spun 2 rod bearings a couple years ago and it pays to rebuild it right. Now I have many miles on my new motor, and didnt have to go buy a new block cause I beat on it till it stopped. I did just pick up a complete motor for $100 bucks mainly just wanted the block to build a stroker 
Staging Lane
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From: lockhart texas (30 min from austin)
Green fire, there are a few methods of dropping the pan, just run a search and you can find a few threads with a ton of people's input. I pulled a motor mount, lowered the k member a bit and wriggled it. Some say you don't have to touch the k member at all and other people seem to thing you have to pull both motor mounts and raise the motor. The headers will more than likely have to come of atleast on one side to give room for moving the pan around. My friend's car was what I worked on and he DOES NOT baby it. It's at 8 thousand miles and counting of pedal to the metal since we replaced the worn rod bearing on cylinder 6. Did it on my other buddy's 4X4 blazer also. Works well for me. 1" light emery cloth, rod bearings, pan gasket, oil, torque wrench, and go.
