I need help with knocking sound from engine.

[95 gsturbo]

I recently bought my 95 gst, it has 133k miles, but oly head gasket leak is wrong with it. I recently have a knocking sound like if two hollow pieces of wood were hitting each other. It is coming from the motor. I was told that they were my pistons knocking and I needed a new motr. IS this true? Because I pulled off valve cover, and looked inside, pistons look fine, what are soe symptoms for that piston thing would I be able to tell from looking? COuld it be my crankshaft, or my knock sensor? I would like to know any help would help thanks.

 

[MilwaukeeGSX]

Probably a damaged rod bearing, possibly a damaged balance shaft bearing. Either way, engine rebuild time. ?

 

[95 gsturbo]

Yes, it could be but also a lot of other things I have heard. Crankshaft, oil to thin, non premium gas being used, pistons, what else could be problem, motor is kept up with, used gtx start up just week ago on oil change.

 

[ADrewzki]

Pistons knocking? That's a new one. It's probably a rod bearing. You can check it by dropping the oil pan and seeing if any of your caps wiggle. Also, when mine went bad, I didn't have any oil pressure.

 

[BluemeanieTSi]

dumb question but when you say you pulled off your valve cover and the pistons look fine...what the hell were you looking at?

 

[95 gsturbo]

I dont know, but Just need help, scared to drive need car boo hoo. It does have something to do with oil really, but knocking is just as explained

 

[doug]

It could just be lifter tick, although that's not really a hollow wooden sound. The one time I heard crankwalk it sounded hollow, though. Hope that's not it.

 

[ArticNemesis]

As already stated, pull the oil pan and check for excess play in the rod caps.. Sounds like a rod bearing to me..

Does frequency rise with RPM's? or get louder with RPM's..

 

[BluemeanieTSi]

yeah it's most likely rod knock

 

[Bastard1g]

Does your foot get kicked back when you press in the clutch pedal?

 

[ADrewzki]

Get under the car, drain the oil, and remove the oil pan. I find that putting a screw driver in the front passenger side of the pan is the easiest. Anyway, you'll be looking at something like the picture I posted. Check the circled areas. There will be 4 rod caps and one of them (hopefully one) will wiggle when you shake it a bit. You will need to use a 1/2" drive to rotate the crank to check them all I think. Good luck.

 

[95 gsturbo]

WOah thanks a lot guys, yeah the pics help, but this guy all into motors, said that it sounds like my valve is broken or cracked, and that my lifters are wrong, that I will need to change the head, and put new lifters on it, he said that if it were the rods or pistons, car wouldn't turn over, or idle for a while, plus knocking would be harder. What do yall think?
Oh and it is more of a tick, cluth doesn't kick, why what if it did? Crankshaft good, checked, whew. Oh he also said that once I fix it, I shouldn't race because eclipses are aluminum heads, and are prone to break, what can I do to stop this? I love racing. He said the head would be expensive!! since it is aluminum, should I just get new motor? Which one? From ebay? Can a 94 motor fit in mine, how? Thanks guys. Ill check the bearings and rods anyways.

 

[ADrewzki]

WOah thanks a lot guys, yeah the pics help, but this guy all into motors, said that it sounds like my valve is broken or cracked, and that my lifters are wrong, that I will need to change the head, and put new lifters on it, he said that if it were the rods or pistons, car wouldn't turn over, or idle for a while, plus knocking would be harder. What do yall think?
Oh and it is more of a tick, cluth doesn't kick, why what if it did? Crankshaft good, checked, whew. Oh he also said that once I fix it, I shouldn't race because eclipses are aluminum heads, and are prone to break, what can I do to stop this? I love racing. He said the head would be expensive!! since it is aluminum, should I just get new motor? Which one? From ebay? Can a 94 motor fit in mine, how? Thanks guys. Ill check the bearings and rods anyways.

A broken valve is not going to make noise whatsoever. It's just going to make your car idle like crap and your compression test be zero. Used heads are not expensive. I believe that almost all the newer engines coming out now use an aluminum head because it's lighter and they conduct heat better. Used ones are like $150 in the classified section. I'm not sure who you are talking to but he sounds like an idiot when it comes to these cars. If he's a friend of yours or whatever, sorry. I have had a rod bearing go on me and believe me, my engine ran. It ran crappily but IT RAN. Check the goddamn rod bearing and get back to me.

 

[ArticNemesis]

I agree with Adrewski. It's time to go else where for mechanical advice, because quite frankly, I believe your friend has his head up his ass..

Lifter tick is one of those things that plagues dsm's... It won't hurt anything. The only way to really get rid of it is to buy revised lifters...

I also limped my rod knocking engine 8 miles home. It's hard for us to diagnose a sound for you though over the internet. Perhaps you could get us a sound clip of it.?

And you haven't really stated whether the sound is definately coming from the head, or coming from the block. You should be able to tell.

 

[BluemeanieTSi]

put your ear on the valve cover if it sounds like a hammer is banging on the top of your motor it's a rod bearing, sound travels up the cyl so it's louder up top than it is down below

 

[DSMRevolution]

WOah thanks a lot guys, yeah the pics help, but this guy all into motors, said that it sounds like my valve is broken or cracked, and that my lifters are wrong, that I will need to change the head, and put new lifters on it, he said that if it were the rods or pistons, car wouldn't turn over, or idle for a while, plus knocking would be harder. What do yall think?
Oh and it is more of a tick, cluth doesn't kick, why what if it did? Crankshaft good, checked, whew. Oh he also said that once I fix it, I shouldn't race because eclipses are aluminum heads, and are prone to break, what can I do to stop this? I love racing. He said the head would be expensive!! since it is aluminum, should I just get new motor? Which one? From ebay? Can a 94 motor fit in mine, how? Thanks guys. Ill check the bearings and rods anyways.

To comment on another's suggestion first, how would too thin of oil have anything to do with that sound? Last time I checked I didn't see anything lower then 0w-whatever weight and that shouldn't make a single noise when you are driving the vehicle (idleling or not). Winter time that is going to have its advantages rather then drawbacks. I might have misinterperted that comment though.

A cracked valve really wouldn't sound like anything at all besides have problems with compression. Wrong lifters? Can't really fit much in there other then OEM (1g, 2g, 3g for that matter). Clutch kick? Not exactly sure what he means by that.

From my impression I wouldn't trust this individual as my mechanic. Don't take this wrong because the reason I am replying is to help YOU out, besides that I am just saying I would get a second opinion before doing this or that or whatever he/she suggests. Which is why you are here already right!

MANY many vehicles have aluminum heads. Also many engines have cast blocks with aluminum heads which is exactly what you have. I really do not know why you would have problems with the head. You might however have problems with a head gasket someday, but that might not happen either. The reason for this is because of the different materals (cast, aluminum) cool and heat at different rates which can actually cause the head to "walk". It isn't going to move really over 0.002 in. but it is more of a wear and tear item then anything (unless running high boost or different turbo).

Hope any of that helps! Also it sounds like you might just get lucky and have noisey lifters which is common on DSMs. Nothing to worry about, but cleaning/upgrading them might be a option.

 

[95 gsturbo]

Ok thanks a lot I will diagnose lifters, then replace, but motor has been chuggin its way on when I ignition it, sounds weak, what is normal idle? It is not rods caps or bearings checked. Thanks though. Hopefully just lifters, not crankwalk checked. Hopefully not rockers either you think so? Maybe I need tune up sparks aint hitting right maybe that is why car is weak to start up. How long should my car last. It does hae 133k already. Thanks a lot guys.

 

[95 gsturbo]

Also what are revised lifters to get rid of the knocking, I have heard that our engines will break from racing and do this again, how can i prevent? Thanks.

 

[DSMRevolution]

Ok thanks a lot I will diagnose lifters, then replace, but motor has been chuggin its way on when I ignition it, sounds weak, what is normal idle? It is not rods caps or bearings checked. Thanks though. Hopefully just lifters, not crankwalk checked. Hopefully not rockers either you think so? Maybe I need tune up sparks aint hitting right maybe that is why car is weak to start up. How long should my car last. It does hae 133k already. Thanks a lot guys.

Normal idle is 800RPM +/- 50RPM roughly. It should say exactly underneith your hood. If it sounds like it is starting up slow or taking awhile to turn over then test your battery. If you have Batteries Plus in your area then they will test it for free (most places will). Ask them to check alternator output also while you are at it. Its most likely not your rockers. I never really heard of anybody having problems with their rockers on these engines. If the engine starts slow but idles fine then it wouldn't be your spark. How long will the car last? Forever if you take care of it!

EDIT: Also any engine can break from racing it. Chaning your oil is the best thing you can do for it. For city driving I would recommend changing oil and filter every 1500 miles. The 4G63 is one of the strongest engines out there besides being a interference engine. Make sure you have your 60k maintance done (timing etc) and you will have nothing to worry about.

Revised lifters are lifters that come from 3rd GEN Eclipses. A dealer will be able to get them for you otherwise I know there was a guy awhile back on this forum selling them for roughly $8 each or less.

 

[95 gsturbo]

Thanks for the help, yeah I think it may be battery, it did die out 3 days ago and had to push start it. You think that might be it? How could that make it start slow though? Yeah idle is fine then it just jumps down and up every once in a while is that normal, from 650 to 850 all of a sudden or vice versa. oh and i jsut heard that our motors are weak, since they aare aluminum. Well thanks.

 

[doug]

Revised lifters are lifters that come from 3rd GEN Eclipses.

No, I'm pretty sure they're just called 3G lifters because they're the third version of them.