Rod knock: do you reckon this is it? [RESOLVED]

[soldave]

Started the car up today and noticed a tiny noise at idle. Opened up the engine bay and there was a knocking noise, not too loud, but noticeable. It is loudest around the timing belt area. Have done a bit of research and read that it could be rod knock, although usually it seems to be much louder than this. Note that the movie below actually makes the knocking sound louder than it is.

Car still drives fine and hasn't been starved of oil or anything, but am fearing the worst possible start to 2009. Can anyone give any thoughts on what it could be?

YouTube - Rod knock?

 

[Jeff99GS]

No I think it's your harmonic dampener (crankshaft Pulley) It has separated and is wobbling. Check that out first before suspecting the rod bearings.

How is your oil pressure?

 

[soldave]

Oil pressure has been about -10 psi for about 3 months, although that's assuming my crappy Autometer gauge didn't stop working completely after about a month of use! (That is a joke, the gauge did stop working and needs to be replaced).

Am gonna sound dumb but that means take the right hand side (looking at the car from the front) wheel off and the liner down there and check it? Is it easy to see if it's come apart?

 

[Jeff99GS]

Yeah, jack the car up take the driver side wheel off, then remove the plastic splash gaurd. Now you should be able to see the pulley with two belts on it. Take a screwdriver and gently pry between the pulley and the timing belt case. If the pulley seperates into an inner and outer piece it is NO good anymore.

Another way to check is to start the car, and watch the pulley spin. If it looks like it's wobbling then it is NO good and will need replaced.

Here is what one looks like when it has seperated. Have you had any belt squeeling?

EDIT: Oops...you're in Okinawa so you would take off the passenger wheel . But for future reference that's the LEFT side of the car.

 

[soldave]

Well I've just done a bit of problem hunting myself. Jacked the car up and had a look at the crank pulley. Now unless Mitsubishi decided they'd go the weight-saving route by not including all the rubber in the crank pulley, then I may have found the problem. Started the engine and took a look at it and it looked to be vibrating a little too.

So I need to put a new pulley on my shopping list. Am I right in assuming that the car should not be driven until the pulley is fitted? If that's the case, how difficult is it to change a pulley as the tools and mechanical expertise I have are very limited at my place.

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[housegsx]

Wow, That's in bad shape.

It's easy to replace. You just need to loose the belts and then remove those 4 bolts on the pulley. No need to remove the large crank bolt.

 

[soldave]

The belts? I know how to loosen the alternator belt but which is the other belt and how do I go about loosening that? Sorry, I'm realising how little I know about my car but I am keen to learn.

 

[housegsx]

The belts?

A/C. You may not have it.

 

[spooln4fun]

Not sure how bad you need one, but just found this in the classifieds
Message - DSM Classifieds

 

[cbrfrenzie]

Deff do NOT drive this until its fixed. If it comes appart then your valves will meet your pistons in an unpleasant manner. Sorry man, time to get a Fluidampr! I run one of these and Love it!

EXTREME PSI : Your #1 Source for In Stock Performance Parts - Fluidampr Harmonic Damper: Mitsubishi Eclipse 90-99

 

[soldave]

A/C. You may not have it.

I have a/c in my car so it might be that one. It looked like 2 belts at first glance but I'll have another look tomorrow and see how I actually loosen the a/c one.

Not sure how bad you need one, but just found this in the classifieds
Message - DSM Classifieds

Thanks, but I'm in Okinawa, Japan. I'll order one direct from Mitsubishi on the mainland

 

[soldave]

Deff do NOT drive this until its fixed. If it comes appart then your valves will meet your pistons in an unpleasant manner. Sorry man, time to get a Fluidampr! I run one of these and Love it!

EXTREME PSI : Your #1 Source for In Stock Performance Parts - Fluidampr Harmonic Damper: Mitsubishi Eclipse 90-99

I would look at the aftermarket ones but I can get an OEM one for about $100. Plus there's the fact in my mind that I might have to leave Japan in 7 months when my work contract runs out, and it would be tough to take the car with me. Until I sort out my work situation I want to spend as little on upgrading and fixing my car as possible.

 

[soldave]

Quick question. Have got the belts off now. Is it ok if the pulley rotates a little from its position when I'm trying to get the pulley bolts off? At the moment, trying to loosen the pulley bolts is just making the pulley rotate. Have sprayed a bunch of WD-40 on it to try and get the bolts free.

 

[need2boostpsi]

Put the car in gear first i shouldn't need to say it but i will...WITH THE CAR OFF!!!

 

[1stGenTSi]

Deff do NOT drive this until its fixed. If it comes appart then your valves will meet your pistons in an unpleasant manner.

Having the crank pulley come apart will not result in pistons hitting valves.

 

[Jeff99GS]

Right. ^

I have heard of the pulley wobbling and cutting into the timing cover and shreding the t-belt though.

 

[soldave]

Well I defeated my inner retardedness and lack of any strength whatsoever to get those bolts off. Now, you've probably realised that my mechanical knowhow is marginally below that of someone like Evil Eagle, but I'm assuming that the crankshaft pulley looking like this isn't a good thing:

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And typically, Mitsubishi Parts Centre in Okinawa isn't open until Monday at the earliest

Put the car in gear first i shouldn't need to say it but i will...WITH THE CAR OFF!!!

Thanks. I am dumb but not that dumb Or maybe I am...

 

[Jeff99GS]

Well I defeated my inner retardedness and lack of any strength whatsoever to get those bolts off. Now, you've probably realised that my mechanical knowhow is marginally below that of someone like Evil Eagle, but I'm assuming that the crankshaft pulley looking like this isn't a good thing:


And typically, Mitsubishi Parts Centre in Okinawa isn't open until Monday at the earliest



Thanks. I am dumb but not that dumb Or maybe I am...

Haha yeah that was the source of your knocking for sure!

That's A LOT cheaper than a bottom end rebuild.

 

[soldave]

Haha yeah that was the source of your knocking for sure!

That's A LOT cheaper than a bottom end rebuild.

Thanks man. You were the first to suggest it could be the crankshaft pulley. I guess this winter has just hardened the rubber a little too much, combined with the excess power I'm making has made it separate.

 

[Jeff99GS]

Thanks man. You were the first to suggest it could be the crankshaft pulley. I guess this winter has just hardened the rubber a little too much, combined with the excess power I'm making has made it separate.

No problem. It's actually a quite common problem with the 4g63 engine. Make sure you do not overtighten the belts when you get the new Harmonic dampener. The extra stress can cause the rubber to wear faster causing seperation.

 

[soldave]

The belts should have about 1/2" of flex in them when tight, right? And I read that the 4 bolts have to be set to a certain torque. I don't have a torque wrench so am I ok just making sure they are nice & tight?

 

[soldave]

Also, when I put the new pulley on, do I need to put Loctite on the bolts? Have been told my some I do and some that I don't. Only asking as it's not the easiest thing in the world to get hold of where I am.

 

[soldave]

Well a bit of good news. Called Mitsu this morning and was shocked to find that the crankshaft pulley is one of the very small number of parts that they actually stock here in Okinawa! Decent price too, costing me just under Y10,000 ($107). Took me about 30 minutes to fit the new one, using a bit of threadlock and including tightening the belts up. Fired up first time which is almost unprecedented for any mechanical work I do on my car and the noise has gone.

So another crisis averted for the time being. Thanks to everyone who offered advice on this one