So upon driving to work yesterday, almost 3/4 there(its about 15 miles from my house) I noticed that the AFR gauge is at 17 and car starts to sputter. Let go of the gas pedal and set back to 13.8/14.3. Soon as I started to slow down, it died. Kept starting it but had a hard time starting it.
Next thing you know car is violently shaking and making loud noises. Sounded to me at the time rod knock. Let the car sit and added a quart of oil. Started the car and car is idling fine just still making a loud ticking noise. Had to tow that b*tch home.
Pulled the oil pan and valve cover this morning. The top of the head looks fine, I just kept rotating the cams and looking at the lifters and rocker arms. No side to side play and everything seems to be working like they should. Even when looking at the crankshaft and while looking at the oil I drained there was no evidence of metal on metal contact. So no idea what it could be. Hopefully you guys can help me out!

 

Anyone?

 

my busa sounded similar, had a bent valve. Is it coming from the head or the block?

 

sounds like the head

 

You are going to get a lot of different opinions to this. If I where you I'd skip a compression test and go straight to leak down. If the leak down test comes back good, pull the pan and check the rod bearings.

I hear metal on metal pinging going on. Before you do anymore damage than has happened already, don't run the car.

 

Sounds like rod knock to me. Does it get louder with RPM?

I'd agree with T/S steps Reaper posted

 

I'd say go for the most likely and start checking rod bearings. Also, when the rod cap is off, feel for any movement in the piston pin.

 

Thats knocking, which is bottom end. Usually head problems will be a faster tick/knock because the cam/crank rotation ratio is 2:1. Pull the pan and check for metal shavings, and look at bearings.

 

pulled the pan and no metal shavings. There is play from the connecting rod to the crankshaft. side to side play only. From flywheel to pulley.

 

Assuming it idles at stock rpms, that noise has twice the frequency of the cranck (spun bearing). Take the sump off and take a good look at balance shafts and check the belt.

Oh, and don't drive the car like this - you will damage engine - there are not many things inside that can spin and make such noise without adverse effects.

 

Take the sump off and see if the balance shaft has any slack to it. From side to side (axial) and also radial.

 

sorry for spamming, but it could also be the oil pump. If this boy dies...

 

I'd vote a rod/valve issue

 

UPDATE Changed out all my lifters and swapped them with 2g ones. Noise went away! I had a collapsed lifter -_-