When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I got this car as a project and I was told it had problems with overheating. It runs too rough to drive, and the temp gauge isn't working. I let it run for a bit and tried to rev it and it won't run over 3k. After I figured it was heated up, I turned it off and performed a block gas test. It came back clear. I started it back up and took
It was kinda rough in the first video. But just after I stopped filming, it sounded like something was bouncing around in the intake. So I shut it off, started it back up, and it started making the noises in this
I let it run for a bit and tried to rev it and it won't run over 3k.
Can’t help with the noise, but the 3k rev limit is normal when not in gear. It’s really tough on the wrist pins to run so fast with no load, so the computer shuts off the injectors at 3k for protection.
Hope you're able to track down the source of the noise. From my experience, this can be very tricky to do. Recently one of the cats broke apart internally on my '02, after several years of nursing it along. It was rattling like crazy and you'd swear it was coming from the front of the engine. It was really bizarre how the sound traveled.
You mentioned the car had overheating issues. Makes me wonder if the noise could be coming from the water pump. For a quick check, loosen the tension on the serpentine belt and see if the water pump pulley has any play. If so, the water pump bearings have failed. Kind of a long shot, but easy enough to rule out.
After that, some basic diagnostics may be in order before you pull the trigger on an engine swap. The combustion byproducts test came back clean, so that is good. As previously suggested, I'd do a compression test next.
Hope you're able to track down the source of the noise. From my experience, this can be very tricky to do. Recently one of the cats broke apart internally on my '02, after several years of nursing it along. It was rattling like crazy and you'd swear it was coming from the front of the engine. It was really bizarre how the sound traveled.
You mentioned the car had overheating issues. Makes me wonder if the noise could be coming from the water pump. For a quick check, loosen the tension on the serpentine belt and see if the water pump pulley has any play. If so, the water pump bearings have failed. Kind of a long shot, but easy enough to rule out.
After that, some basic diagnostics may be in order before you pull the trigger on an engine swap. The combustion byproducts test came back clean, so that is good. As previously suggested, I'd do a compression test next.
Actually not really a ling shot. Ive heard waterpumps sound like this befor. Get an engine stethoscope and thatll help pin point the source
The rough running could be caused by something entirely different, and not related to the noise. (A couple of bad coils, for example, or oil in the plug wells.) Don't automatically assume the noise and rough running are caused by the same problem. Watch out for troubleshooting tunnel vision.
I think they are around $75 on Amazon, etc. The microphone is highly directional, which is just what you want for isolating noise. I was even able to find a pinhole leak in my pickup's AC evaporator. The microphone picked up the noise when I couldn't find the tiny leak by any other method.
Steelman makes a different version with smaller Walkman style headphones, but I prefer the style shown above with the larger earpiece cups that help seal out ambient noise.
I think they are around $75 on Amazon, etc. The microphone is highly directional, which is just what you want for isolating noise. I was even able to find a pinhole leak in my pickup's AC evaporator. The microphone picked up the noise when I couldn't find the tiny leak by any other method.
Steelman makes a different version with smaller Walkman style headphones, but I prefer the style shown above with the larger earpiece cups that help seal out ambient noise.
Damn you
now how is an addict like me supposed to resist that tool! I am trying to break my amazon habit. I might have to start selling drugs to support mt amazon addiction
now how is an addict like me supposed to resist that tool! I am trying to break my amazon habit. I might have to start selling drugs to support mt amazon addiction
I use a trick shown to me by a mechanic about 55 years ago. Long screwdriver, handle against ear, blade as probe. It's never let me down!
I use a trick shown to me by a mechanic about 55 years ago. Long screwdriver, handle against ear, blade as probe. It's never let me down!
Or a length of dowel of a diameter that fits in a large plastic Coke bottle.
Cut the bottom out and it acts like a megaphone. It actually works. And is safer than a screwdriver to the ear.
I tracked down a front engine noise to the alternator using this.
Only after I replacing idler pulleys when I was absolutely convinced it was them.
Ah well.
Hello again! I have been digging into this beast and OH BOY does it have problems. Where to begin?
After taking it out and running it around a bit and trying to press it to overheat, which it never did, I performed a block gas test. The results were negative on block gas in the coolant system. So I performed a compression test on all 8 cylinders. That's where the fun started! First off, 3 or 4 of the 8 spark plugs had no gap, the others were burnt and oily. The Compression was good on the front half, but there's no compression on #s 6&7, and 8 is at about half. I put the plugs back in and performed a "leak-down test," and I'm getting a lot of noise/air from the intake. So I start on tearing down to the heads, top end first. I find a missing bolt on the intake, and I'm not going to go into the painful details of the rounded bolt in the back. I pull off the intake and find the intake is suspiciously oily and the ports look awful with heavy deposits like I'd expect on exhaust ports.. there are little bits of metal rattling around in it.
Here's a pic of the few I could get out.
Any clues as to what they are from? There's also a bunch more rattling around in there. Is there any way to pull that core assembly out of the manifold? I'd like to fully flush it out and clean that core off.
Next step is pulling the front cover. I'm waiting on getting a timing tool kit. Sadly, this is looking more and more like a parts car.
Hello again! I have been digging into this beast and OH BOY does it have problems. Where to begin?
After taking it out and running it around a bit and trying to press it to overheat, which it never did, I performed a block gas test. The results were negative on block gas in the coolant system. So I performed a compression test on all 8 cylinders. That's where the fun started! First off, 3 or 4 of the 8 spark plugs had no gap, the others were burnt and oily. The Compression was good on the front half, but there's no compression on #s 6&7, and 8 is at about half. I put the plugs back in and performed a "leak-down test," and I'm getting a lot of noise/air from the intake. So I start on tearing down to the heads, top end first. I find a missing bolt on the intake, and I'm not going to go into the painful details of the rounded bolt in the back. I pull off the intake and find the intake is suspiciously oily and the ports look awful with heavy deposits like I'd expect on exhaust ports.. there are little bits of metal rattling around in it.
Here's a pic of the few I could get out.
Any clues as to what they are from? There's also a bunch more rattling around in there. Is there any way to pull that core assembly out of the manifold? I'd like to fully flush it out and clean that core off.
Next step is pulling the front cover. I'm waiting on getting a timing tool kit. Sadly, this is looking more and more like a parts car.
Any better pics? Hard to see what it is But we can figure it out. Ya. That toasted some cylinders for sure. Looks like steel? Is it? Magnetic? I wonder where it came from. Was there an air filter installed?
Yeah, air filter and all installed. There's a bunch more in there. I'll get them out and get some better pics tomorrow night. I'm pretty stumped as to what they are off of, because all the valves look intact and I can't see any other parts in the intake path that would cause this or look broken. Is there a way to get those cap looking parts off the intake manifold or no? That would make cleaning this a breeze.
Yeah, air filter and all installed. There's a bunch more in there. I'll get them out and get some better pics tomorrow night. I'm pretty stumped as to what they are off of, because all the valves look intact and I can't see any other parts in the intake path that would cause this or look broken. Is there a way to get those cap looking parts off the intake manifold or no? That would make cleaning this a breeze.
Cant be a valve. It wouldnt run at all. Has to be from the intake tract but what on earth.....?
Cant be a valve. It wouldnt run at all. Has to be from the intake tract but what on earth.....?
Exactly my thought.
I'll get into it. Does anyone know if the intake manifold comes apart? There's these spots on the ends that look like caps and some sort of foam filter core in the center.