With my engine build going on I've been neglecting the motor still in the car. I've been using the HLA ticking to know when to add oil. Well this time they never started ticking. Suddenly I've got a much louder ticking going on. I checked the oil and it was non existant on the dipstick. Arrgh.

Anyway the ticking/clacking/clanking noise is related to engine speed and only seems noticable under vacuum. Generally from 15-20 inches it rattles. Sounds like it's coming from the head and it's 3-4 times louder than the usual HLA noise. Engine runs strong though. No other symptoms other than the death rattle.

Stuck HLA? Piston slap? Broken whatsit? Any list of first and easy things to look at? Still have another couple weeks before I want to do the swap. Hoping to keep this one running a little longer.

 

I would start by putting some oil back in that engine.

 

Damn. Hadn't thought of that one. I hear radiator stopleak quiets noisy lifters. Give that a try too?

Filled with oil. Let it idle a long time, have run it easy, run it hard, sound is still there.

 

Should I have put an emoticon at the end of my statement to make sure you knew I was joking? There I did it that time.

Can an HLA collapse if the cam has been smacking it for a period of time with no oil in it? I know that a new engine will have ticking lifters for like 30 minutes or so.

 

I'm going to take a super shot in the dark and say that you either:

1. Damaged a bearing and you are hearing a rod rattle around.
or
2. You wrecked a wrist pin and the sound you are hearing is the piston slapping around in the bore.

 

It could, but it would make the sound all the time, not just on decel.

 

Good point. Sounds like something more serious then for sure.

 

I'm also going with something crank related, one of the rod bearings or piston pins. Change in momentum in the moving parts create it, so I wouldn't think it would be related to something that spins with a balanced load like the crank, or cam shafts.

Symptoms sound much like when I heard when I spun a rod bearing. Very loud clacking, seems like it was only under vacuum early on, but eventually got worse over a few days until it was all the time loud clacking.

 

I knew you were joking.

I also knew I was an idiot for not paying attention to the oil level closer. The idiocracy can run deep around here. Thus the stopleak reference in my reply.


Damn, I hate these doom and gloom replies. I may be swapping my motor sooner than I thought. I'm gonna pull the valve cover and look for anything obvious tonight.

 

In my younger and dumber days I ran my engine almost 2 quarts low. How it survived and continues to run strong I do not know.

This motor also sucked up some rocks and one got lodged in the throttle body which made the engine rev even off throttle. After shutting off the car and cleaning the debris the car still runs fine to this day.

I guess these motors are really strong, or I'm just lucky.

 

You doom and gloomers will be happy to know you were absolutely right. The commute this morning I notice I'm running less vacuum on the freeway than usual. Look in the mirror and I'm smoking pretty good. Keeps getting worse, more smoke, less power all the way in. Park it and I've got oil pouring out from somewhere. Something broke loose and it's a goner. Thankfully the motor I'm putting in is fully assembled with the exception of some accessories. Just hadn't planned on swapping it this weekend.

Damn. I had better things planned for Memorial day weekend.

 

Sorry dude, I hate being right about **** like that :(. At least you had an engine getting ready to go in.

 

Entirely my fault though. Should have paid closer attention to the oil levels. Had been ignoring this motor since I had the other going in. Was hoping to have a good motor to sell off though when I made the swap, not a boat anchor only good for the recycler

 

Check the trans too. I've seen lots of transmissions die recently from low oil.

 

*raises hand really high* Me! Me! Me!

 

Thankfully he's got a spare 6spd too. Did you ever get that engine hoist? I just disassembled mine and brought it back from the GF's, it's available if you need it.

 

I ended up having Eddie at Adrenaline Racing do the swap. Things were slow at the shop and he gave me a hell of a price when I called him this morning. That way I should have the car up and running tomorrow afternoon and ready for the weekend. I couldn't possibly get it done that quick myself.

Well worth the price he gave me.

 

Nice. In for results. We should go for a wine a cheese drive. And by that I mean beer and cheese sticks.

 

You need to go on drives up north and stop living in the 3rd world .

Seriously though, we need to organize something over the summer.

Oh, and I'm excited to see the results.

 

We really need all the NW guys to get together at Pacific once and also at the new track ORP. ORP is absolutely fantastic and with Palatov you get 6-7 30 minute sessions in one day for $200. At the very least we need to tear up PIR on a Friday HPDE and follow it up with Friday night drags. JayL can testify it's a pretty good crowd for the drags.

Now I'm hoping I didn't screw something up in my motor build. Miss torquing one bolt, one gap too small or large, one screwed up piston ring, etc and it's all for naught! How's that for a glass half empty attitude!

Now that I'm not installing the motor myself like I'd planned I'll be able to tear into the other projects. BBK, bushings, 3.63 install, diff mounts, aero.