metallic knocking from the drivers side

[eclipsegs-t92]

okay, i just started getting a metallic knocking from what sounds to be the drivers side of the motor right by the intake manifold. i also can hear it when im listening at the front of the motor. but it is louder at the back of the motor, right under the intake manifold. knowing this, i pulled the pan to find shavings of my main bearings, when i pulled off the main cap, it was obvious. i replaced the main and rod bearings. the crank looked fine, if not great on the rod side. the mains looked good as well with only little wear, when i say little wear, i mean i couldn't hardly feel any grooves with my finger nail. the grooves that were there were very small. the main bearings were worn, but never got past the bearing surface to the metal on the bearing. i put it back together, boom same knock as before. my main question is, could this be wrist pins, and if so , would a compression check do any justice? i also noticed my water pump is whining, would the pump knock almost to sound like rotating assembly? the knocking dosent seem to be coming from water pump area. the car immediately knocks upon free revving with the car sitting. when i drive, i can hear the car knock under acceleration. obviously, the knock sensor picks this up and the car runs like crap, so i dont drive it. any input would be greatly appreciated

 

[perley03]

I've experienced a few "weird knocks" over the past year. The first one was the timing belt tensioner. I pulled it off and replaced every component there, cost was about $160. The other "knock" I had was a bad harmonic balancer. The rubber was starting to pull apart, causing the outer part of the dampener to wobble, making the knocking noise. Check these out before you tear into the engine.
As far as the wrist pin, it could be those, or even a cracked piston skirt. Start the engine, let it idle, and pull one plug wire at a time. If the noise goes away, you know which cylinder it is, and probally a wrist pin since you said you replaced the bearings.
However, did you mic the crank main/rod journals using plastiguage? If your tolerances are too far out, it will still cause the knocking sound, and will spin the bearing, leaving you with a toasted crank/rod assembly.
Try what I mentioned and post back the results. I find it hard to believe it would be a rod bearing though.
Shawn

 

[drewvr4]

excellent suggestion on the harmonic balancer, they have been know to come apart and they will sound like that.

also you can look at something like your crank and it doesnt look bad, and in the end is...in my opinion if you start going threw bearings something is wrong, they really should last the whole life of the motor if nothing is wrong with them.

no compression will not tell you if your wrist pins are bad...you would only know this when they came apart and went flying.

 

[daren_p]

Just something else to check for the knocking noise is the crank sensor, it could possibly be coming in contact with the crank trigger plate.

 

[silver eclipse]

Check all the easy stuff that was suggested before.
But one un-official way ive been tought to check to see if there is slop in the wrist pin is to rotate the engine by had until the piston is on a downward stroke. Take a long screw driver or 3/8 extension and push down onto the piston (gently), You shouldn't be able to feel the piston move with out the crank moving.
-Chad

 

[eclipsegs-t92]

i guess i will find out what the problem is now, cause when my dad and i were listening to it, it locked up. i'll post the problem up when i tear it down. man, this thing has been nothing but a headache from day 1.