Ok, I did a search on a number of topics and found nothing really to my liking, so here goes. I just had my car in my friends shop to replace a few things, the last thing being a freeze plug that was leaking, after he replaced it he revved the engine up a few times and told me I had a knock. I asked him a bit about it and he said it was in the lower engine, a bearing knock? That was really about all the time I had to talk with him, but he did mention having to rebuild the lower motor, but I could drive it so long as I didnt get on it too hard. My question is, what are my options? Ive never done anything like this, so im wondering should I just buy another engine, or would it be worth the time/effort to rip mine out and rebuild it? Any advice helps!! Thanks!

 

Get a second opinion, there are a number of things that can be confused as being knock.

 

AMEN!

 

Ok, well I was over at my uncles (he's a big car guy) and his friend that works in a shop was also there and they took it for a ride and listened to it and said the lower engine was gone. I honestly dont know many people that work in/around car shops, so I took it to the few I knew that I could trust and thats what they told me. Guess im in for a big learning experience then? Thanks for the advice too!

 

fI would first ask them to define "gone" and second, what is your oil pressure? That alone can tell you a lot. loss of power? does it have a "KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK" sound???

 

Wouldnt say theres a loss of power, still seems as strong as ever. When the guy at the shop pulled the TV cable a few times and let it go you could hear it go KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK and it was like the entire engine was movin with it. After it did this, he messed with a spark plug that was loose(no idea there) and the knocking sound was barely audible after that, but you could still hear it. The oil pressure is a tad on the funky side, above 30 when I first start it and go, after about 20 min it falls below 30 and if im idling at a stop light it falls to the red, but as soon as I accelerate it goes back up to 30 and kinda moves back and forth.

 

He moved the sparkplug wire??


Like SellmanB said on my thread

could it be spark knock??

My engines knockin' and Ive lost 80% of its power
If u says its better than ever, then I find it hard to believe that its your lower end

 

That would be nice if its not lol! I wanna rebuild it one day, but not real soon, although I would if I have too. The actual plug was loose and he tightened it, ill get out on it tomorrow and see if I can remake the problem just like he did, to see if it knocks. Funny thing though I noticed today, I was having starting then stalling problems and replaced the IAC, and it stopped, then found out my knock sensor was bad and unplugged, replaced the knock sensor and spliced a new wire to the plug and plugged it in, now its back to starting and stalling out. But thats another problem I guess lol.

 

I feel for ya .. uncertain about the cars furture


best thing is to rule everything else out besides the worst possible conclusion(bad low end) .. too bad thats not my case, Im certain


I just hope its not its demise

 

well, Ive been replacing alot of stuff lately lol, but Im going to give it a few more goes and see if I can isolate anything further, Mayhap take it to the dealer and see what they say to finalize it. I just try and keep a positive outlook, rebuilding the engine in the worst case scenario would give me alot of experience, plus make the car that much better. Id still rather hold off on it though

 

Ok, got out there today and started it, sounded fine from the inside, got up under the hood and revved it up pretty high and I can hear a "knocking" sound coming from inside/down in the engine itself. What this tells me I dunno. Help if you can please, thanks!

 

Forgot to add that the knocking is very low sounding almost like I couldnt hear it at first, dont know if that helps any. Thanks!

 

First thing -- STOP DRIVING THE CAR!!!!!!!!!

I cant emphasise this enough unless you REAAAALLY want get a whole new bottom end instead of just some machining... plus a nice hot tanking ofthe block to get the metal slivers out of it.

Now... your oil pressure should not drop to red zone when idling, it should be higher on start up. You've got atleast one spun bearing. The more you drive it the more will spin and wear. Ask me how I know! lol.

If your uncle is a big car guy then he might have a engine hoist, and engine stand. Take a weekend at your uncle's place, buy him a pizza or something, and take out your engine (much easier than taking the oil pan off with the engine in the car... ask me how i know )

Once you get the engine out, take the oil pan off and then remove the rod and main caps and inspect the bearings. Then take out your crank and take it to a machine shop and have them machine it to a safe spec and ask them what size bearings you need afterwards. Then buy the suggested bearings and have your uncle put them in, or teach you how to.

 

I was fearing for the worst. I havent driven the car since the guy at the shop told me I had a knock, even though he told me I could drive it, so long as I didnt get down on it, so I brought it home and parked it, I enjoy my car and refuse to take any chances hehe. My uncle wants to listen to the car again, this time with a stethoscope to get a more accurate reading. He has all the tools and supplies needed to remove engines and such (he has a 400 big block sittin on the stand now, looking for a 2nd Gen to drop it in). We got to talking and decided if the engine was coming out, it was going to get rebuilt, upgraded of course. If the bearing is spun like you said, will he be able to hear it with the stethoscope? Thanks for the help!

 

your engine wont knock if it has loose bearings (atleast i've never heard of them doing that)... so yeah he'll be able to hear the knock.

Also I forgot to mention, your car's knock sensor probably IS working correctly... when it hears the knocks it retards the timing, which is probably why you are getting very little driveability out of it, like it dieing at a stop and such....

it sounds like you are on a good path right now atleast. I hear you about loving to drive the car, I've been without my car for about 2 months now (due to spun bearings -- just going to get a 350 short block from junkyard) and I am always going through torque denials... sometimes I want to go into convulsions when driving my truck to work... just not enough TORQUE! VROOOOOOOM!!!!

 

Odd thing, I was having problems with it stalling after I started it, replaced the IAC and it stopped, started up every time, then I had to replace the knock sensor and wire and it started stalling out again after I start it. Its never stalled out at a stop or while driving though. But I hear ya, one reason im willing to do all this to the car is for that feeling of Torque, hehe. Thanks for the help!

 

Well, just an update, had the car checked out again, listened to it with a stethoscope and the lower end is gone, knockin real bad. Im gonna start to pull it this weekend, might be a month or 2 before I put it back in completely rebuilt and upgraded, Ill probably post back then hehe.