Project Fix the Rod Knock, can we do it? Lets talk

Status
Not open for further replies.
Will be removing VC now and doing those tests, but here is a flex late noise on a 1995 Caprice with 4.3L V8.

Sounds very similar.
 
Put a mechanical gauge on the oil port above the oil filter and verify that you have oil pressure before you do any other diagnostic tests. If you don't have oil pressure, you're just trashing the engine further.
 
Going to mark things (?) with a Sharpie, then continue as per the advice in the Scotty Kilmer video to change out that unit for the new one. I bought a 27mm crescent wrench for it.

This is where I am at now, having shunned local shops to help me.

This will verify if I have oil pressure or not, and we can go from there.

934692_500568813343003_242951415_n.jpg
 
^^ I am having a lot of trouble getting at the bolt that appears to hold down the distributor. It is as if the distributor itself is not letting me access it from above.

Maybe a very very small 15mm wrench? I think the nut is 15mm..
 
Originally Posted By: Fleetmon
i crowsfoot on a 8" or so extension works best for me....or a distributor wrench.


Yes, cool. I can remove the hold-down bolt with this, I just got it.

942222_500595003340384_237233021_n.jpg


Then to take off the connectors, get the oil sender off with the 27mm crescent wrench I bought, put on new, reconnect, put back in, line up, and start her up!
smile.gif


It sounds like I will have oil pressure, that will tell the tale..
 
215281_500870463312838_1911024648_n.jpg

942581_500870836646134_53507013_n.jpg

37052_500871273312757_1061332409_n.jpg

303066_500871333312751_133472826_n.jpg

179524_500871579979393_308023071_n.jpg


That is what I fond when I went in there. Unfortunately, I think I did knock the distributor out of time.
frown.gif
I saw it move one notch when it went in/out of stab-in, so, I am not sure.. Then anther, when fighting with ti to get it up/out. May have earned myself a new timing job.

Who wants to see the distributor from the old engine?

395707_500874093312475_879585510_n.jpg


The new distributor is under the Ford sign, and I am holding the old distributor in my hand.

923125_500874459979105_229825271_n.jpg


Old OPSU, new OPSU.
 
255440_500875463312338_1011596087_n.jpg


525168_500876439978907_706645093_n.jpg


I pretty much "snugged" it in. Gave it three wrench-turns past finger-tight.

Now what worries me is this distributor timing.
smirk.gif


Will video document what it does when I get that distributor and cap back on there. May be out of time again.
 
And yes, as I somewhat suspected, a vacuum line WAS off. This is that pic of the line off, right by the distributor, on the back of the top of the engine.

255517_500878186645399_1431234909_n.jpg


I did my best to get it back in line with my timing mark. Made nit FINGER tight this time. I already lost a 15mm socket from this deal.

942511_500879233311961_1201357698_n.jpg


And I put that vacuum line back on, you can see it on the left hand side of the picture. Is it missing a clamp?

936329_500879296645288_1918044260_n.jpg


Am about ready to replace cap, fire her up, nd maybe video. Praying...
 
Well, even with the new unit on, there appears to still be only one line of oil pressure.
frown.gif





How about.. Put old block (no knocking) back in, change heads from this engine, new gaskets. Maybe?
 
First off, good for you for getting the tools and parts needed and getting that sending unit changed! It had to be done and you made it happen which is great toward gaining some mechanical knowledge.

Second, thats just a huge bummer that there isnt much oil pressure so I have less faith that the noise is something else other than internal engine noise. In that latest video you just posted it really does sound like something else and I am hoping others will chime in with some ideas.
 
Originally Posted By: morepwr
First off, good for you for getting the tools and parts needed and getting that sending unit changed! It had to be done and you made it happen which is great toward gaining some mechanical knowledge.

Second, thats just a huge bummer that there isnt much oil pressure so I have less faith that the noise is something else other than internal engine noise. In that latest video you just posted it really does sound like something else and I am hoping others will chime in with some ideas.


Thank you. And I somehow have the feeling that I have a spun bearing, AND a broken flex plate.. The stalling is more frequently now?? Weird.

I have limited options but I must weigh them. The first is to pay that shad mechanic the $890 for the bearings job; I am unsure I have the space, resources, or focus (if not time) to do the even simple of dropping the oil pan. This leaves me with less options. I was able to figure out the oil sender, but the noise remains and it looks like the issue is with the oil pressure, not the sender.
frown.gif


The second option is to buy another $350 EBay engine, pay for shipping (now we are at $500 to $550, maybe even like $600 due to that shipping) and get that put in..............

The third option is to have the bottom end of the old engine put back in due to no knock nise, and put the heads from this one on the block, bearings, rods, crank of the old.. with new gasketing.. time it.. and pray that it is ok?
 
I think you should try to get the oil pan off and see what is wrong and what the extent of damage is. Although the guy quoted you a price, if he tears it apart and it needs much more, he's still going to charge you a disassembly fee.....at least knocking out some of the grunt work is cheaper.
 
Glad you at least are making progress. Not sure how I'd proceed. You definitely have an oil pressure issue and not sure if that's because of a spun bearing or a bad oil pump. It still looks like you have 0 oil pressure. Not sure, but it never gets past the blinking bar. Not sure if in that cluster if that means 0 pressure and the blinking is to get you attention or some way to indicate low pressure.

My first thought would be to drop the pan and throw a new oil pump in it to see if you get pressure and if the knock goes away. I don't think it will but I'd hate to fix the knock and then find you have low oil pressure and have to tear it apart to fix that.
 
Last edited:
That more than likely indicates the cam bearings are wiped out as well.

You have a lot of discovery to do here... start disassembling that thing today!
 
If you're going to drop the oil pan to do an inspection, then you can take main and rod bearing caps off to inspect the bearing condition. If they are OK, you can just put them back on and retorque the caps.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top