Blown Up!!??!??

jeverett · #1 07-19-2004, 02:04 PM

Aight, heres the story.
I was out where we all hang out talking crap about our rides, and this guy in a dakota called me out. Well I had to run him, so I did, but lost b/c I didn't have my shift points right.

Anyhow,
after we ran, i noticed a slight knock i've never heard before, and lo and behold, it souned more and more like i'd spun a bearing. The knocking only starts around 1500 rpm, and continues until redline. I wasnt over-revving it, I only went up to about 5700.
It doesn't have a skip in it or anything, it runs good. Any ideas what the knock might be?

It sounds like its in the bottom end of the engine, but the sound seems to move w/the hood raised. Would it be possible for it to be a valve? ALthough it doesnt skip? I do know its on the driver side about halfway back and sounds like its in the bottom...

After driving it for a day with it acting like this, the oil pressure has started to drop..its consistant w/ 40 lbs for now, used to run 60. I'm going to check the pushrods and all first chance I get. I hope its nothing major. Im going to drive it regardless...If it's already messed up, It cant hurt to drive it as long as I can right?? Thankfully I have a secondary ride... a 77 F-150 LOL

chevytrucks92 · #2 07-19-2004, 02:55 PM

Yes, it can hurt to keep driving it man! You def. have a bearing going down if you have lost oil pressure. Basically, if you do'nt park it now and get the engine rebuilt, you risk throwing a rod. So yes, you can hurt it more by driving it.

I'm betting since you said before you had a blown head gasket, that your heads were either cracked or warped, and this has let water get into your oil, which is waht has caused the bearing to go down. Have you noticed any water in the oil??

gtmud · #3 07-20-2004, 06:50 AM

Agree with chevytrucks92! Stop driving it or you will have major issues to contend with. It sounds like a rod bearing could be bad, if your oil pressure is beginning to drop its affecting more of the lower end. If I were you I would drop the oil pan and inspect your crank mains and the rod journals. Depending on your milage, I would go and replace the bearings in the botom-end and replace the oil pump. I've heard good and bad about going to a high-volume oil pump, but you might want to look into it. Remember, if you do go with the bearings and all. EVERYTHING should be REPLACED(bearings, oil pump, pick-up screen/tube,oil pan gasket) Thoroughly clean out your oil pan too. This should give you many more miles of uninterrupted use. Oh, also if you go with the bearing job, take it easy on the truck for about 500 miles. This willl let everything break in. Good luck. By the way, what hae you got in that old Ford.

Thunderbolt · #4 07-20-2004, 10:28 AM

If it is knocking at all rpm's chances are it is toast. Replacing the bearings will do NO GOOD whatsoever. If a bearing is bad enough that the engine is knocking and the oil pressure dropped the journal on the crank is going to be bad for sure. You could pull the engine and put a crank and all the bearings in, However if the bearing actually spun the connecting rod is shot also in which case you would be better off buying a long block and replacing the engine.

Pewter'01SS · #5 07-20-2004, 12:54 PM

Not really, worst case scenario, you would have to have the rods reconditioned which would be a hell of a lot cheaper than a long block. If you don't know, reconditioning is when they mill a little off of the rod and the cap so the hole is slightly oval then the mill that out to true it up.

gtmud · #6 07-20-2004, 03:07 PM

Wth everything, unless you have to do machine work, you could probably get away with under $500! One thing about chevy's, parts are reasonably cheaper to others.This is all of course, doing the work your self.

jeverett · #7 07-20-2004, 04:30 PM

Well, I've stopped driving it for now.. Its starting to knock more, but only at idle and above 1500. The oil pressure is fluctuating w/the knock now at about 38 psi. I don't want to have to buy a new engine if I don't have to, so its parked. The cheapest crate engine I've found so far is like $3000. When the head gaskets cracked, it did get oil in the water, so I bet that caused it. that was over 20K miles ago and its only got 95K now. Oh well..keep the replies and opionins coming..I'm VERY open to suggestions at the point.

BTW..the ford is a 77 F-150 running a built 351M turning 35/16/15 Boggers with only a 3" body lift.

chevytrucks92 · #8 07-20-2004, 06:03 PM

Well, you're pretty much going to have to replace MOST of the bottom end. You will for sure need bearings, and a crank (you can get the crank turned, but that cost almost as much as an entire new one, I think a shop around here charges $140 to turn, and $190 for new cast-iron crank, which is what you have). You will need the rods sized becuase like it was said before, some will be damaged, and yo'ud be stupid not to buy new pistons and rings and have the block checked since you woudl already have it down (just think, spend roughly $500 more now and save head aches and dollars later). Also, I'd highly suggest getting the heads pressure checked, becuase they may be warped or cracked, and I'm betting that is what has cuased a bearing to go down.

So, you coudl get by fairly cheep on this problem, but I honestly think you'd be better off completely overhaulin this engine or just getting a long block (short block woudl do if your heads aren't warped/cracked).

Thunderbolt · #9 07-21-2004, 08:43 AM

Here goes my 2 cents again. If you have 95,000 miles on this engine and have to pull it out and completly disassemble it, Why would you skimp at this point. Reconditioning the rods means removing the pistons having the wrist pins pressed to remove the rod and then paying to recondition them. If you are going to do that you might just as well buy reconditioned rods. My point is in this whole thing is it is not worth totally disassembling this engine, replacing the rods , crank and bearings without completly overhaulling it. Heads, rings, rods, cam the whole nine yards. It can be done, But is just a bandaid fix. If you are going to overhaul it you need to no how to check all the clearances when assembling (which isn't hard) and have all the tools. Even with these tools by the time you by the parts and have the machine work done it is just as cheap to buy a long block. I know because I just went through it with my 92. You can by a reman for 1,800 - 2,500 and a brand new engine from GM for between 2,500 and 3,000. If you add up valve job, rods, crank, rings, bearings, cam , lifters, oil pump, checking the block and all the gaskets you are spending a lot of money for a disassembled engine with no warranty. Most remans I looked at had at least a 24,000 mile warranty and the Gm has 36,000. I bought mine from a dealer in Ohio for 1,850 shipped to my door including a core charge, But the dealer no longer deals in bulk so their price went up. I am only making suggestions and it is up to you what to do. There is more than one way to make it run, But in your case none of them will be cheap. You will not get rods bearings,crank, have the rods installed and gaskets for 500 dollars.

huminski · #10 07-21-2004, 10:15 AM

Just went through this with my boat, GM 3.0 liter 4 cylinder. Bearing knocked, then it eventually threw the entire rod complete with wrist pin attached through the block into the bilge compartment. Good old GM block made it back to the dock on three cylinders and a severely damaged engine block.

Here's the evidence, don't let this happen to YOU!

Jimmiz71 · #11 07-21-2004, 10:42 AM

^ Same thing happend to my friends Saturn.(GM) it knocked for a couple of days then it ended up with a nice hole like the one pictured above.

-Jimmy

jeverett · #12 07-21-2004, 03:20 PM

Stopped by the Chevy dealer today and let the shop foreman take a listen and he said that I definately had a bearing gone somewhere..he said that it won't last much longer, so don't look forward to driving it much..

I called Bill Heard and they offer a complete ready to bolt in engine for $3,001...(yeah, 1 extra dollar??) So, thats an option..I kind of need to find a cheaper route, b/c money's been kinda tight here recently. I have no problem pulling/installing the engine myself..I've pulled and rebuilt several engines already, but its been awhile. But thanks for the opinions, y'all have been a great help..

chevytrucks92 · #13 07-21-2004, 04:03 PM

Well good luck man. $3001 is alot of money, but you would practically have a brand new truck (considering your truck is in good shape everywhere else) AND a 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty on the engine. So if you have 95,000 miles now, then your engine would be fully covered untill you had about 130,000 on the truck. Anyways, if you don't go with the complete engine, at the very least have your bottom end completely overhauled, or buy a short block.

Good luck though with whatever you decide man.

Thunderbolt · #14 07-21-2004, 08:41 PM

I have been there done that many times on the money situation so I feel for ya !! Another thing to try is a bonetard that deals in late model vehicles, Maybe you can find an engine from one that was totalaled from behind or the side. It is probably a long shot, But may be an option. Good luck !!

jeverett · #15 07-21-2004, 10:51 PM

Well, that was my next option.. I have a local mechanic on the hunt for one as well..
Alot of the farmers get their used engines form a place not far from here, and one of them actually placed a deposit on a 5.3, then never went to get it. He told me to go pick it up and pay te rest and it was mine.. Maybe I can escape for around $500...then installation..,..

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