[Magnum_Man]

Well, after seventeen years of reliable service, I think my Maggie is having engine issues. What sucks is I think I caused it to happen. 😫

Yesterday, on my way home from work, I almost got into an accident as I foolishly pulled out into traffic lanes on a blind turn, so I had to gun it hard to avoid being hit from the back. I mashed the accelerator to the floor; however, it felt like it didn't accelerate more than when I usually drive. It made a hell of a lot of noise, though.

The next day, on my way to work, I started to hear a loud knocking coming from the engine. That night I checked the oil, and she was very low. It took four quarts to get it up to the safe line. It seemed to quiet down after that on the drive home, so I thought that may have been the issue. But this morning, on my way to work, it started happening again. By the time I got home tonight, I thought a piston would shoot through the hood. I rechecked the oil, and it was still at the safe level. What you hear in the video is mild compared to what it does driving, but I don't want to risk further damage if I've done any already. This is from a cold start after sitting for a few hours. The sound seems to be loudest from underneath the car.

Anyway, do any of you mechanical-savvy people here know what that might be? I'm thinking either I bent a rod or a lifter went bad. But I'm no rocket surgeon.

 

[punisher69]

Well, after seventeen years of reliable service, I think my Maggie is having engine issues. What sucks is I think I caused it to happen. 😫

Yesterday, on my way home from work, I almost got into an accident as I foolishly pulled out into traffic lanes on a blind turn, so I had to gun it hard to avoid being hit from the back. I mashed the accelerator to the floor; however, it felt like it didn't accelerate more than when I usually drive. It made a hell of a lot of noise, though.

The next day, on my way to work, I started to hear a loud knocking coming from the engine. That night I checked the oil, and she was very low. It took four quarts to get it up to the safe line. It seemed to quiet down after that on the drive home, so I thought that may have been the issue. But this morning, on my way to work, it started happening again. By the time I got home tonight, I thought a piston would shoot through the hood. I rechecked the oil, and it was still at the safe level. What you hear in the video is mild compared to what it does driving, but I don't want to risk further damage if I've done any already. This is from a cold start after sitting for a few hours. The sound seems to be loudest from underneath the car.

Anyway, do any of you mechanical-savvy people here know what that might be? I'm thinking either I bent a rod or a lifter went bad. But I'm no rocket surgeon.

Leave it off....don't crank or run it anymore. That sounds like a rod knock. If it is, you run a HUGE risk of opening a window in the block.

If you do your own wrenching. Drop the oil pan and check things out from underneath. If you don't wrench, get it to someone who does.

 

[Magnum_Man]

Leave it off....don't crank or run it anymore. Thay sounds like a rod knock. If it is, you run a HUGE risk of opening a window in the block.

If you do your own wrenching. Drop the oil pan and check things out from underneath. If you don't wrench, get it to someone who does.

Yeah, I thought so. F**K!
I'm not a mechanic, per se, but I know my way around a toolbox. I'll have to give it a look-see tomorrow. Thanks!

 

[Ultimagic5]

She's dead Jim. Rod knockin

Sent from my LE2117 using Tapatalk

 

[henry]

That sounds exactly like rod-knock from worn out bearings.
Your under-oiling issue probably (likely) caused this.
I would start searching for a wrecker-engine, or at least a short block (but my guess is that the valve train is compromised also)

 

[Magnum_Man]

Following up... The noise turned out to be a spun main bearing. Before I dropped the oil pan, my mechanic friend discovered it was a connecting rod bearing issue by tapping the tops of the pistons. # 2, 4, 6, 8, 1, 3, and 7 all sounded solid when he tapped them. But when he tapped on #5, it sounded hollow. As soon as he heard that, he said, "You have a blown bearing." And after dropping the oil pan, sure enough, the #5 bearing spun one half over the top of the other half.

This repair would have cost me only about $60 to purchase a new set of bearings. And being mechanically inclined, my own time is my labor charge. But after digging around in there, it was evident that running the engine on almost no oil caused more issues. There was caramelizing everywhere. The heads had some nasty oil sludge in them. The tops of the pistons were caked in carbon. There was a heavy oil leak on the passenger side. And the cooling system also had a nasty, orange sludge in it. Incredibly, the engine ran great before this happened. Never an indication of any problems.

After tearing it apart, the tops of the pistons were fine. The cylinders didn't have a scratch on them. The lifters and crankshaft were smooth. And the push rods were straight. Still, I determined going with a new engine was the best option and the one with the most longevity. So I purchased a Powertrain Products 5.7 Hemi. So far, I'm in this repair for about $7,000, and I'm not even mad. It was my fault. I neglected to provide proper maintenance and check the fluids. It was an expensive mistake, but because of it, I'm walking away with the experience of replacing an engine, dismantling it, and replacing parts on it. So I consider that $7K to be the fee I paid for an education. Because from now on, if something goes wrong up front, I'll know how to repair it. 😁👍

 

[pursuitlx]

Good job figuring it out!
When telling the story most refer to bearings on the connecting rods as "rod bearings"
The other bearings on the crank are usually referred to as "main bearings"
Don't forget to register your warranty.

 

[Magnum_Man]

Good job figuring it out!
When telling the story most refer to bearings on the connecting rods as "rod bearings"
The other bearings on the crank are usually referred to as "main bearings"
Don't forget to register your warranty.

You are correct. I misspoke. It was the connecting rod bearing. 👍

I purchased their seven-year warranty along with their Pure Care option, which means if this engine goes bad, no matter what the reason, they'll send me a new one.

 

[cleary524]

Ouch! Glad to hear you figured things out and are up and running once again. Dam, that situation is rough.