Yesterday while at work I turned my car on and I can hear a very loud tapping. I don't know where to start looking but i know I shouldn't run the car. Where should I start? I have tactrix. And evoscan If that helps.

 

After reading a bunch and hearing a couple of examples on youtube. I believe my car may have rod knock. Being a novice I have some questions. Is there a way to visually inspect within the engine while having the engine still in the car? I live at an apartment with limited space. What are my options and where should I start looking? I just don't want my car to start sitting and just end up like that permantly.

 

you can drain the oil, and take the pan off, and check each rod for excessive free-play...if it's a rod though, you're looking at a bottom end rebuild...are you boosted? what kind of oil do you use? and how often do you change it? also how many miles on the engine?

 

Crans, I always feel relieved when you pop into one of my posts. I've been depressed over the last couple of days since thus happened. But I run synthetic 10w30 and I've been doing my oil changes about every 2 to 3 months. No boost and it has a bit over 100k. I was looking at the fsm. And while in there I learned that the oil pan isn't just the back part where it drains from, but there is an upper portion to this. I assume you mean removing both? And upon removal what should I be looking for? In the manual it says that the black lower portion must be removed separately is this true?

 

the whole oil pan should come off in one piece, I don't think it's necessary to separate the lower oil pan...there is a long bolt near the flywheel that gets removed first...it's strange that you got rod knock with such low mileage, if you've kept the engine lubricated...either you're very unlucky, or at some point either it was oil starved, or some debris got into the oil/crank case somehow...

 

Sadly I believe it would be starvation. The oil filter was loose when I got under to check it out. Once the pan is off what should I be looking for?

 

I saw one video on YouTube where they wiggle the bottom of the connecting rods to see if they are loose. Is this my objective once the pan is off?

 

oil filter loose? what was your oil level at?

who changes your oil?

 

I tried to remove the pan today but I didn't realize the lower portion of the exhaust had to come down and after not being able too remove two nuts on that flange I moved up under the hood to try and remove the exhaust mani but could not do to the power steering bracket being in the way. I'm going to have to remove it tomorrow then try to remove the mani, push it down then try and shimmy the pan out

 

yes, exactly. however read below:





That sucks bro, was there evidence of a massive oil leak? so you'll want to inspect the crank shaft mostly...obviously a bearing is toast, but it may have cause damage to the crankshaft. so you would be checking rod play, and bearing wear, but also don't forget the main bearings on the crankshaft may be damaged as well...if there's damage it would be faster, easier and cheaper to just replace the motor...machine work can be expensive, and then the bearings would all need to be properly matched and fitted if the crankshaft needed to be re-worked. You would also be looking at a lot of down time.


Like I said, if you need this car on the road in a short time you could skip all the bull****, and replace the motor...

 

lucky my brother let me his car he isn't using and even then we still have my wife's car i may borrow. Today I'm going to attempt to remove the power steering pump and bracket so i can reach the bolt for the exhaust mani and then try to push down on it to give me more room under the car to remove the exhaust. Makes me wish being at my home town because I had plenty of help and places to go to work on the car but up here where I live to go to school I have to try and use my parking space at my apartment complex.
Thanks for your input Crans. hopefully the crank is good, lucky this is the first time I have ever heard rod knock from the car and as soon as it happened I swapped over cars.

 

I just don't want my car to become that car, the one that just sits in the parking lot forever for no reason.

 

I do have one question though. If I do have to remove the engine is it feasible to remove the head of the engine first, lift it out, then lift out the bottom end? any thoughts about this is much appreciated.

 

Something just came across my desk actually, i found a short block for 200 dollars, the lancer was in an accident. Would this be more cost effective then a bottom end rebuild?

 

Yeah, you'd be lucky to find a machine shop that will deck a cylinder head for $200. Rebuilding the bottom end will cost much more than $200.. and as far as pulling the head, the engine hosting hooks/loops are bolted to the head so leave it on.