96 Lhs 3.5

[jase386]

Is the 3.5 the engine ive heard that you didnt want to buy? A friend was given a 96 LHS with a 3.5 and its making all kinds of noise. One mechanic says its the rocker arms and another one says it just needs a new engine, another says its just an oil pump going bad.

Can anyone give me some trouble shooting tips so i can help her pre-diagnose the problem so we are knowlegable when we do go to a shop. It will help her out greatly. Thanks in advance.

[AWP9521]

The 3.5 is a good engine and is the only engine available in the LHS. AS for the noise, it it is coming from the top of the motor the problem is most likely the lash adjusters are stuck, sometimes a simple oil change is enough to free them up again. These engines have some hefty oil pumps that are driven by the crankshaft, I supposed it can go bad but you really don't know unless you have it tested to see if the oil pressure is up to specs, but if the oil light on the speedo is not lit when the engine is warm and idling then chances are the pump should be fine.

Really you need to fine out with a mechanic's stethescope or a long screwdriver to see what area of the engine the noise is the loudest at.

[jase386]

Thanks for the reply.

I havent gotten to put my hands on it yet, she lives about 30 mins from me. However she told me that when you lay your hands on the engine cover, you feel vibration that coincides with the racket, but the vibration is only on the drivers side of the engine. Hopefully this weekend i can give it a listen and try to pinpoint where the noise is coming from.