UPDATE 4/28/05 My engine is ALIVE!!!!! It runs again!!!!!

[CAMAROBOY69]

Well as we all know I have been having some great luck this year with everything on my car. Unfortunatly the good luck is over and the bad luck season has begun.
On my way home from Woodward I head a loud knock that repeated about 3 times so I instantly pulled over. I turned it off and started it back up. The knock persisted. I bowed my head and just about cried.
I waited about 5 minutes started it again and it seemed to disappear. I drove all the way home and the engine is squeling pretty bad. I assumed it was a rod bearing or main bearing.
I drained the oil and didnt see any metal shavings. Tired and depressed I decided to come in for the night and ask for suggestions. Tomorrow I will disconnect the belts to the alternator and waterpump in desperate hope that its just that. If not what is the quickest way to tell if its a main or rod bearing? Just drop the pan? If anyone would like a sound clip of the horrible noise I can do that if it helps.

[MrQuick]

Sorry to hear about that Adam, I hope its an external problem...come on water pump!!! I like to use a stethescope or a long screw driver works too.You can also pull a plug wire one at a time to narrow down the sound location...if your running an MSD don't do it they don't like that...HEI be real carefull.Just get the RPMs to the point of knocking then test. You might want to pull your plugs and inspect them,I had a plug break on me and it sounded like a rod knock. good luck bro. Vince

[alky]

Remove the oil filter, drain, and cut it open. Inspect filter media for metal. My friend saved his crank by doing this. Found small golden particals in filter element. Bearing material. motor was not knocking before.

[68protouring454]

adam i would definetely have the oil filter cut open to inspect for particles, and to see what color they are, any engine shop should have the opener for the oil filter, it can be bought cheaply also. how many miles on motor?? you sure its a knock and not a lifter tick?? maybe a cam lobe got messed up?? but it probaly would have skipped or back fired if this were it, goodluck
jake

[Norwoodx55]

I have seen a harmonic balancer that started to come apart and sounded like a rod knock at different RPM's. The outer ring would move back into the timing cover and make the noise. Hope you find it is something as simple (and external) as this.
Good Luck
Brett

[jannes_z-28]

Well as we all know I have been having some great luck this year with everything on my car. Unfortunatly the good luck is over and the bad luck season has begun.
On my way home from Woodward I head a loud knock that repeated about 3 times so I instantly pulled over. I turned it off and started it back up. The knock persisted. I bowed my head and just about cried.
I waited about 5 minutes started it again and it seemed to disappear. I drove all the way home and the engine is squeling pretty bad. I assumed it was a rod bearing or main bearing.

OH NOOO!!!!

Adam I am sorry, as you know, I know your frustration.

You are a very energic person so I guess you will have it back together soon, that is if you have the funds for it. I remember some post that you have spent your budget. Same here.

My self I haven't looked at it since my disaster, but I am starting to feel a little more motivated.

I hope that it isn't as bad as mine, those noices can sometimes be from minor stuff, but you never know for sure.

Have you pulled the plugs and valve covers yet? That will usually tell a lot.

Feeling sorry for you my friend,


Jan

[CAMAROBOY69]

Thanks for all the support and feedback. I havent looked at the car since I looked at the oil. I wanted to mention some more specific information about the engine. Heres what happend in order.
1. Idle increased to about 1,000rpm by itself about 15 minutes before the knocking.
2. It only knocked for a few seconds then stalled out
3. knocking stopped
4. Started and drove it home running kinda weird. Loss in power. Louder thru exhaust like a slight miss.
5. Final noise is not a knock its a continuious metalic squeal.
In a few days ill give it a look to see what it could be. The engine has mabey around 5,000 miles on it. Hopefully at worst it is just something on the upper half of the engine or I might not make it to the Power tour or woodward next year. Well I could just take the engine out of my truck for now. Yes motivation is there but funds are as dry as they can get.

[yody]

sounds like you have an unusual problem, defienetly could be a water pump, but don't know if that woudl cause the enigne to run weird, doesn't soudn like a cam, coudl it be a broken valve spring or rocker stud? this can cause it to miss, but don't know about the weird noises, balancer sounds suspicious, but when the balancer ring comes off it usually runs fine, just makes a terrible racket, you wom't know until you start inspecting things, i one time had a terrible noise, my balancer flew off the crank snout and put a dent in the timing cover, the chain was knocking against the cover, everyone said i had a rod knock

[zbugger]

Might be a long shot, but check the clutch? Just throwing it out there...

[jannes_z-28]

Adam,

You should at least pull the plug as soon as possible, if the worst have happened. I mean if it has caused a water leak (broken cylinder wall) it is not good to have it stand with water in it.

I had a similar thing a few years back when a exhaust spring broke and bent that valve. The valve stuck in open position but didn't hit anything so it was drivable. (It hit the piston initially but it got bent and stuck up in the head)

It sounded terrible and had weak power. I was far away from home and was able to drive it home.


Let us know what has happened.


Jan

[gmachinz]

I suddenly developed a knocing sound as I was cruising with my '70 Monte and it ran fine but had a slight loss of power and was missing a little bit until I got the RPM's up around 2,000 or so. It turned out to be a split rocker arm-it broke right out from around the fulcrum ball. Weirdest thing I ever seen. It broke in three cracks and one half was laying in the head-it was on the exhaust side #7. -G

[workbenchracer]

I've had a few instances of mysterious noise. Several times when running an automatic I had the flew plate crack/ break. Sounded like a rod but this would not affect your idle or power. Also had the crank break right at the front. Last thing was that I pulled a rocker stud out. Too much cam and spring for press in studs. Tried to adjust the backlash but the stud kept coming out but I didn't notice. Finally after a lot of adjusting I flattened the lobe on the cam. Wasn't using my head there. You might try checking the compression to see if you can find the troubled cylinder.

[dennis68]

I pulled an engine on a 90 GMC because another tech diaged it as being locked up. Got it out and realized the alt was seized and with the belts on the engine would not crank. Pulled the belts and reinstalled-ran fine. Check your accesories before anyhting else, they will drag the engine down and make lots of noise. Go ask a Caravan owner what a water pump going out sounds like, you would swear the engine was falling out.

[Matt@RFR]

I'm gonna guess that you either hung an exhaust valve or two, and/or the timing chain skipped a couple teeth.

[JMitch19]

I'm with Matt. My 67 camaro stuck an exhaust valve; piston then smacked the valve. No bottom end damage in my case. Hope the same for you. $400 and about six hours of work later she was running again. By the way I'm just up the road in Grand Rapids and I have an awsome head guy if that does end up being your problem.

[zbugger]

Well, that wouldn't account for the metalic squeal he's getting. I'd definitely check the accessories. The belts make a hideous squeal, and if they are tight enough, it can drag on your engine. The knock may have been from this dragging on your engine, and then stalling it out. This could also have caused the timing chain to jump too though. I've seen stranger things, but it's all possible.

[Jims78elky]

Oh..crap Adam!

Sorry about that news,just a thought,have you done a
comppresion check? Might give you a clue about whats
going on,if the readings are low on one cylinder,i would
search that over.

Iam buy no means a engine pro,but some of the basic
testing tools can tell allot ,i hope its not major,and you
get it going again,you have done such a great job on
the camaro...Please hang in there!

Best of luck to you!

[toofun]

Hello Adam,

How was the oil pressure? If it was a spun bearing I would think you would have lost pressure immediately. If I had to guess I would have to agree on it being something in the top part of the motor. My guess would be a busted spring or wiped out cam lobe. Definately would take the filter apart and check it. You will be amazed at what a filter will tell you. Secondly, take the valve covers off and have a good look at all of the rockers and springs. I had part of a dual spring break apart on a big block chevelle I had once. The spring looked fine until I took a real good look and found that a chunk had broken off. Motor knocked and missed just like you described. I later found the part in the pan!!! Good Luck.

P.S. If you ever want to sell that tire and rim combo you have, be sure to let me know. It looks killer!!!!

[CAMAROBOY69]

Well after I got home tonight I spent about an hour and a half and here are the results......

[68protouring454]

adam, thats a relief as long as no fragments of push rod ended up in bottom of pan. look like the stock push rods, they will always bend when using a big lift cam with stiff springs, get some comp cams magnums or something upgraded, hopefully that is all that is wrong,
let us know, did you do a compresion test before taking apart??
jake