HELP!!! Engine Clattering only @ 10-15 ihg

[98spyderboost]

Well it started last week with a little sound that sounded like the alternator was going out. It has been getting louder ever sense. Today I took it out and noticed the noise was only happening when my vacum was from around 10-15. On my way home it began losing a little power. Now it idles a little rough and seems to have lost a noticable amount of HP. I opened the hood and listened to it while running and from under the hood. I rev it up and it sounds more like a knock or a very hard valve clatter. I'm not too smart on imports, in fact this is the only non-v8 I have ever owned. Any ideas?

 

[Defiant]

Get it to a shop. Stop driving it until repaired.

 

[I-luv-em-all]

I'm not too smart on imports, in fact this is the only non-v8 I have ever owned. Any ideas?

An engine is a engine, what is the difference if it has 4 cylinders or 8 cylinders, they all do the same thing. But you definatly should just stop driving it and take it to a shop and have it checked out.

P.S. These cars are not imports.

 

[steve]

These cars are not imports.

They are for you guys in Canada. Mine never left the state before I bought it.

Steve

 

[NeoStreamGSX]

check ur crank bolt. my have gotten loose. use a 1/2" drive torque wrench. torque spec is 80-94 ft lbs

 

[98spyderboost]

A. If you take your DSM to a track on import day they will let you run. Not so with a Camaro or Cuda. So DSM for all intents and purposes, it is an import. So if you want to be so nit-picky then let me just rephrase what I said about imports.---- I don't have a lot of experience with TURBO 4-Cylinders.

B. There is a huge difference between the engines I am used to working on and this little puppy. Uhm for starters the timing system is competely different. 2cams, no pushrods, 4 valves per cylinder, backpreasure=always bad, distributed vs. coilpack, etc.....

C. Why would I take my ride to a mechanic when half the time they dont know enough about dsms to make an accurate analysis. Is the purpose of this site not to help the people that like to actually work on their own cars themselves?

Anyways, after further experimentation my current theory is that the intake timing has skipped. And the intake valves are slapping the piston. 75k on the original belt BTW. I'm gunna try adjusting it tonight. If it shows in time then I guess I'll pull the head off and see what lies beneath...... I'll keep updating.

No offense Defiant but I am surprised you said that You usually inspire me to tear my whole car apart

 

[Defiant]

A. If you take your DSM to a track on import day they will let you run.

Those In Charge aren't there because of their college degrees.

Not so with a Camaro or Cuda.

That's so they don't get embarassed. Many of those people are armed, and have anger control issues.

So DSM for all intents and purposes, it is an import.

Not by Federal definition, which is the final word, and counts for more than racetrack bigotry. But we've done this. Many times.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92177

So if you want to be so nit-picky then let me just rephrase what I said about imports.---- I don't have a lot of experience with TURBO 4-Cylinders.

That's much better.

B. There is a huge difference between the engines I am used to working on and this little puppy. Uhm for starters the timing system is competely different. 2cams, no pushrods, 4 valves per cylinder, backpreasure=always bad, distributed vs. coilpack, etc.....

Much like a decent motorcycle.... since 1973. No, I can't explain pushrods either. It's shocking enough they're not made from stone.

C. Why would I take my ride to a mechanic when half the time they dont know enough about dsms to make an accurate analysis. Is the purpose of this site not to help the people that like to actually work on their own cars themselves?

Um... well, you don't seem to be scoring especially high on that particular exam yourself. And we just can't hear it from here.

Anyways, after further experimentation my current theory is that the intake timing has skipped. And the intake valves are slapping the piston.

Well, they won't do that without bending. You don't have those nice pushrods to flex out of the way. They tap once.

75k on the original belt BTW.

There's grounds for your trial-less execution right there.

I'm gunna try adjusting it tonight. If it shows in time then I guess I'll pull the head off and see what lies beneath...... I'll keep updating.

Um..... well.... Oh, nevermind.

No offense Defiant but I am surprised you said that You usually inspire me to tear my whole car apart

This post has changed my mind. I'm sending officials to get that car away from you while there's still something to recover.

 

[98spyderboost]

Jeez why the Hostillity?

I have a firm belief that if you follow Chrysler's heritige from the beginning you will see that it has influenced the technological growth of the industry more than any other American manufacturer. From the first design of the polyspherical head and its big brother the "Elephant Motor" to the Turbo Datonas that Carrol Shelby thought were bad ass enough to skip over the mustangs of that era for. I understand that these cars are by definition a completely American car. NOT AN IMPORT. I appologize if I offended anyone by somehow implying that track workers were especially brilliant, that our cars are "rice rockets" or otherwise. I think they are a beautiful peice of American engineering, kinda chincy, but great none the less. Hence me going from my Dak to this car. BTW that truck ran 7.80 in the 8th with only a $1000 rebuild on the engine, all built by yours truly. Now I want to learn about building an engine that IS a LOT different than a standard pushrod V-8 even by today's standards(AWD SRT8 300C, sweet ride ).

I am experiencing an issue that I have never delbt with before. I was simply asking for other's opinions on what the sound was even though I have my own theorys. Maybe even someone that experienced the same thing exactly and would then share with me their experience with the situation. A "furum" if you will....

BTW i found that a vacum hose going to the FPS was leaking so I replaced it. Now it doesnt idle rough at all. Hmmmmmm......

Look, I dont have anything to prove here. I just believed that the people on this forum might know a little more about my car than 99% of the mechanics in Tennessee. There are no shops that carry parts for my car that I can find on ebay. They say, "we dont do import crap." So I hope you understand why I posted this thread in the first place. If not, then I guess I was wrong about you guys.