i just bought my 85 trans am and it has a slight knock when u first start it but it gets very quiet after 1 or 2 mins of idling.i cant afford a new motor or a rebuild right now is there any actual additives that really work that may quiet it or stop it from getting louder ????????????

 

85,

Welcome aboard!

Some people report good success with a quart of automatic transmission oil in the engine sump, but I'm skeptical about the lubrication properties of the oil in an engine.

There is no such concern with synthetic oil, and syntheic will clean deposits away very well. Mobil 1 is my favorite.

If you have an oil presure problem, no oil or additive will cure that. If the bearings are worn, the same situation exists, but a higher viscosity oil can help. Try a change with Mobil 1 15W50 and an AC standard filter and allow the engine to warm thouroughly before loading it heavily.

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Later,
Vader
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"Let the bodies hit the floor!"
Adobe Acrobat Reader

[This message has been edited by Vader (edited May 28, 2001).]

 

i really dont like the fact that my motor could turn to crap anytime so i really want to fix it the right way.so i know how to determine which piston is knocking by pulling each plug wire until the knock stops but after ive determined that how hard is it to pull the pan and also what do i do once the pan is dropped do i replace the cap and bearing the whople rod ?? help me please i love this car more than life itself and i want to own it for a long time.

 

If it's a bearing, you will probably have to pull the engine. I don't think you can get the pan off while it's in the car, at least very easily. Pulling plug wire method doesn't always work. You might have a little piston slap, the piston rocking in the bore. If it is a bearing I wouldn't replace just one. Also, the crank might be slightly out of round or beat-up a little and the new bearing would be destroyed quickly. See if you can find a 'good' seasoned mechanic. I know a few around here that can tell what the noise is and where it's coming from very easily.
My advise is to use good oil and filters and monitor the noise and start saving for a rebuild if you find it's something terminal.


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82 camaro--original steering wheel, brake/gas pedals, seats--everything else modified
82camaro

 

Take Vader's advice and change the oil and start saving $$ for when it breaks.

It will then be upgrade time

Nothing like the feeling of MORE POWER

Change the oil...its a good start. It could end the knock for another few thousand miles.

Good luck....you'll need it.



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Mike L.


1987 IROC Z TPI 350 A4 3.27 Borg-Warner.

Mods: 2300-2500 Stall Converter, Shift Kit(GM parts), TPI Specialties Stage 3 PROM, Modified Airbox w/ K&N's, Relocated MAT sensor, Gutted MAF, Accel 8mm Wires, bypassed TB coolant, Flowmaster 3 chamber single 3" in/out muffler, airfoil, Random Tech Hi-Flow Converter (soon to go byebye!). ALL STOCK otherwise.
http://www.MichaelLasiuta.home.att.net

**BOYCOTT LAPEER DRAGWAY**

 

You'd pretty much have to pull the engine to change the bearings because the oil pan is so close to the front crossmember/frame.

 

how can i tell the difference between piston slap and rod knock?it gets quieter after it warms up.and how high do i have to lift the motor up do i have to completly lift it out or can i raise it just enuff?

 

while I'm an advocate of Synthetics(mobil 1 in particular), and I do think that going to a heavier oil may help buy you some time. I wouldn't advise you to make the switch to synthetic untill you get a new engine. If it has a lot of miles on it, and if it leaks ANY oil, the synthetic WILL find every leak, and proceed to flow freely from it. Try a mineral oil, 10w40, maybe if it's hot enough where you are 20w50, but I don't like oil additives at all. Tranny fluid does do a good job cleaning an engine out, but sometimes the grime in the engine is the only thing holding it together, I know this from experience, and have actually seen the cleaning power of ATF first hand. to prove a point the tech I used to work under pulled an engine we were gonna change after hours, had me pull the pan and a main cap, examine the grime and what not, put it back together, he put the engine back in the truck, put oil in it, and a quart of ATF, ran it for 5 min, and we pulled it for real, I won't say the diff. was big, but there was considerably less **** in the engine. Still keep the oil changed. hope she lasts.

Anthony

p.s if she does die, don't get discouraged, it doesn't cost as much as it seems to get'em back on the road.. the 87's engine took a **** in 2 weeks, under $1500 to get it back on the road. Mods listed in my sig... too bad I didn't save her the 2nd time around(wiring harness.. i'll change the one in the 92 at 100k miles, if it needs it or not.)



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previous ride: 87 Camaro LT
350, A4.Comp Cams 268H, Edelbrock Preformer intake, Hedman Headers and y-pipe, gutted cat, No AIR/smog pump. 14x3" Open element K&N, Q-jet w/ D hanger and DA rods, adjusted AV spring tension and quick can.

Current ride: 1992 Camaro RS, K&N, Flowmaster, 305, T5, Black, T-tops, 76k miles.

 

No, none of them work. the only thing you can do is just add some realy thick oil. It will lubracate your engine the best.It won't do much for your gas milage but, it will help your engine.

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www.geocities.com/camaro1j/myz28.html


406
accel supper ram
6000 rpm Hyd roller cam
afr heads
spohn torque arm and crossmember
t-56 trans, [wier racing bellhousing and hydrolic throwout bearing]
9" ME rearend 3.91 Gears

 

Well I use SLICK 50 and I never had a bad problem with it......I had a 79 chevy truck with 250,000 on it and a rod was hammering away BAD....but I added 2 qts of SLICK 50 and 3 qt of castrol 20\50 and the knock went away for around 15,000 miles.....I use it in everything I own......


Hope I helped


I drag 2

 

So what you did was run 2 quarts of straight 50 weight oil (that is the base slick 50 is in) and 3 quarts of 20W50...the teflon isn't what made your knock go away.

 

Ive seen Duralube perform miracles... no it wont fix your problem but it will help prolong what you have until you can afford to rebuild... I had an old 305 that was knocking bad.. changed the oil.. added 1 quart of Duralube and it sounded great for another 20,000 miles.

 

Basically, no. Mechanic in a bottle does not work. But a heavier oil will cover up your problem for awhile, however it does put a strain on all the other parts of the engine. If you are going to build an engine for the car, than it really does not matter all that much. It just needs to keep limping along until you have the money for the engine build. Keep in mind that if you try to run the engine too long you may grenade it big time and end up with a completely unusable block and/or heads. That may not matter either if you plan on doing a full build-up with all new componants.

I would say that all the guys telling you to use some heavier oil for now and save your money for the build, are right on. That is all you can really do - not a whole lot of options in your situation.

Also, like some others have stated, you cannot replace any lower end components while the engine is in the car. The pan is too close to the crossmember. I have heard of some people sneaking some bearings in and out, but I do not see how they could have done it properly.

My theory about pulling the engine 'just enough' to replace lower end components is why not just pull it all the way? You are 90% there at that point anyways and that way you can do it properly. I just hate rigging $hit and using ghetto-a$$ed methods. Sometimes they are all that will work, but in your case there is a proper way to repair it. Keep in mind that if you do it too half-a$$ed, you will be doing atleast twice .

Good luck, and just remember that most of us have been there too .

Laterzzzzzzzzz

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1987 GTA L98 MD8 GH3
355 '97 Vortec 4-bolt block, TRW(suck) forged pistons 10:1 CR, TFS 23*, LT4 Hot Cam, Ported plenum and intake, SLP Siam Runners, Edelbrock TES, gutted Cat, Flowmaster, Home-made cold air system w/ K+N cone and AFPR, TB bypass, AirFoil, !AIR, !A/C, 2300 stall.

"Stop Lights timed for 35Mph are also timed for 140Mph"

 

you will have to fix it properly one day,,i would buy a junkyard motor,,,,& put a set of rings and bearings in it,till you can pull yours out,,if oil preasure, and compresion is down,,,check it first,,,BUT i would change the filter and the oil, As soon as you can,,,put some 40w70 in it preferably a reasonable brand,,and some NULON,,,worn engine treatment,,it works,,,if you cant get it,,,get some lucas oil addative,,,its a quick fix,,,,i have had cars like this before,,,most go for ever,,some dont,,,unless its real bad,,

 

WELL GOOD NEWS GUYS WELL NOT REALLY ITS NOT A ROD KNOCK I PUT IT ON LIFT AT MY SCHOOL AND RAN IT THE KNOCK ISNT COMMING FROM THE PAN ITS COMMING FROM WHERE THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS LOCATED.SO THEY ARE GOING TO DROP THE TRANNY ON MONDAY AND SEE IF ITS THE FLEXPLATE OR CONVERTER OR BOTH AND IF IT IS THE CONVERTER THEN THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THE SHAKING I GET WHEN I ACCECLERATE.AND I FOUND A OIL LEAK ALSO I THINK ITS COMMING FROM THE REAR MAIN SEAL SO IT OK SINCE THE TRANNYS GOTTA GET DROPPED ANYWAYS.WELL I THANK ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT REPLYED TO MY EMERGENCY POST I APPRICIATE THE HELP ALOT.THANK YOU