Rod Knock? RB25DET

[ninety1two40]

Confirmed to be lifter noise, don't be scared

Just started the engine today after sitting over the winter. Last year the engine ran great and I put about 4k miles on it. Late last fall I hit a deer and smashed up my driver headlight but the engine still ran good so I retired the car until better weather. This spring I pulled the engine out and installed a Greddy intake manifold/FMIC/BOV, new clutch disc and cleaned up my engine bay. When the engine was on the engine stand, I was trying to tilt the motor at about 20deg and it ended up tipping probably about 100-120deg for a minute or so as I struggled to bring it back upright. Now that the engine is all back in the car I started it today, it just sputtered and won't start until I used the gas pedal and then it idled smooth but high at ~1800-2000RPM, after about 40seconds I revved the engine to about 4000RPM, went back down to ~2000RPM and then I turned it off. The engine ran for no longer than 1 minute. Went over the engine and checked a few things, no leaks ect. Bolted up my exhaust and started the engine again (started every easily), this time I just let it idle at ~2000RPM, and I heard some kind of knocking from the engine. I turned it off right away, waited about 20minutes and started it again, still knocking. Then about an hour later I started it again just to record the sound on video. Also I have a picture of the oil on the dipstick, I don't know if I ever seen this before but there are little bubbles in the oil, they seem to disappear over a few seconds so maybe they're just air, but I need a second opinion.

So does this sound like rod knock , maybe a hydraulic lifter? I really don't have experience with engine internals so I could use some help troubleshooting this sound! Thanks in advance.

Video:http://www.kloptech.com/hostin...k.mpg



Modified by ninety1two40 at 10:19 PM 8/20/2008 Confirmed to be lifter noise, don't be scared
Modified by ninety1two40 at 10:26 PM 8/20/2008

[S13 240SX]

link does not work

[bmadd2402]

Maybe lifters when you tipped it? Did you do anything with the timing belt?

[bmadd2402]

link does not work

worked 4 me

[Shocker]

my guess would be lifters have air in them, your links not working for me though.

[ninety1two40]

No timing work done, last year when I swapped the engine in I replaced the timing belt/tensioner/idler, and timed the engine 15 BTDC, this year I did pull off the CAS to paint the upper timing belt over, the plastic notch in the CAS shaft looked good.

If the links aren't working you can try going to: http://www.kloptech.com/hosting/240sx/pics the two files are knock.mpg and dipstick.jpg

[ninety1two40]

Also, the oil light never came on but it did turn on before starting the car like it should. I don't understand how it happened so quickly, it ran fine for about a minute then I start it back up and it starts knocking right off the bat.

[cdorhout]

That just sounds like lifters. No big deal. Just let it idle for 10 minutes or so or until the clicking stops. The lifters just need to be pressurized with oil and thats typical for sitting all winter.

I just rebuilt my motor this winter, and that's how mine sounded with no oil in them. Took about 10 min for it to go away.

[ninety1two40]

That just sounds like lifters. No big deal. Just let it idle for 10 minutes or so or until the clicking stops. The lifters just need to be pressurized with oil and thats typical for sitting all winter.

I just rebuilt my motor this winter, and that's how mine sounded with no oil in them. Took about 10 min for it to go away.

I'll try that tomorrow, thanks!!

[gawdzilla]

sounds a little different than rod knock. do you have an oil pressure gauge? those bubbles are probably normal too. rod knock usually = metal shavings, not bubbles. it is most likely your lifters

[Cjmartz2k]

lifter

[ninety1two40]

sounds a little different than rod knock. do you have an oil pressure gauge? those bubbles are probably normal too. rod knock usually = metal shavings, not bubbles. it is most likely your lifters

No oilpressure gauge, just the stock dummy light. I'll add an oil pressure gauge to the list of upgrades soon to come.

[Neejay]

Any update? Tried it today yet?

[ninety1two40]

Haven't tried it yet, still at work..... this evening I'll give an update.

Thanks

[ninety1two40]

Ok just ran the car for about 5 minutes or so, my temp was up to 185 and I didn't have my electric fans connected yet and there is still some air trapped in my coolant system so I shut it down. The sound was there from the start and it didn't change at all when running. I put a long screwdriver to my ear and touched different areas of the block to hear the sound better and it sounds like a lifter on the intake side near cylinder 6. Everything else on the engine sounds good.

So I'm going to let the engine cool down and try and get my coolant squared away and then run it for a little bit again. Or should I just pull the valve cover off now and take a peak inside?

Also to note, when the engine tipped, it was towards the intake side.

[ninety1two40]

Update!

I fixed my cooling and wired my fans up and let the car run for about 20minutes. I had to rev the engine (get some more oil pressure) a bit and after a while the noise went away! Thanks for all the help guys! After it went away I turned the car off to put some new gas in it as it was almost empty and now it doesn't start... lol It just cranks, not even sputtering. I didn't do much troubleshooting, but I'll look into it tomorrow. There is fuel pressure at the rail, but the way it's acting either there is no spark at all or all the injectors aren't working, I think it might be related to electrical. Not a big deal, I should be able to get it working in no time

[fast_s14]

glad to hear that it wasn't a rod knock. Now that u have one problem fixed you have 10 others. That seems to be how it always works out

[ninety1two40]

Yeah there is always something... lol

Ok so I got the car started today, ran it for about 2 minutes, kinda rough idle and high (~1800 RPM). Shut it down, connected my timing light, checked for boost leaks with "Snoop" (I'll swear by it). Found a very small leak coming from my BOV flange gasket and a good sized leak from my just installed Q45 TB (shaft seal).... Can you get a rebuild gasket for them? Installed a new set of copper v-power spark plugs (replaced the iridiums, they smelled like gas) pre-gapped at 0.8mm.

Anyway, I went to start the car again and it was a rough start, had to give it some gas, ran it for about 5 minutes, checking timing (around 20deg at 1800RPM). It was still running rough, I think it's running to rich at idle. I did some searching on here and will have to set my TPS, I know I have to but I haven't done it yet.

I shut the car down and now it won't start, so either it has some warm start issue or it's just flooded. I'll set the TPS tomorrow afternoon and try starting it again.

[Neejay]

Damn, threads like this make me nerves...

[ErnGotti]

Can you get a rebuild gasket for them? Installed a new set of copper v-power spark plugs (replaced the iridiums, they smelled like gas) pre-gapped at 0.8mm.

Did you ever get a gasket for the TB? I can price you one from Napa (I am a parts guy now!!) at cost.

Also, Why did you choose copper over Iridium? Just cuz they were cheap and available?

[ninety1two40]

Did you ever get a gasket for the TB? I can price you one from Napa (I am a parts guy now!!) at cost.

Also, Why did you choose copper over Iridium? Just cuz they were cheap and available?

They are special "shaft seals", I ordered some from Mcmaster Carr but I'm having a hard time removing the old press-in sealed part. Supposedly the seals are no replaceable. But where I come from everything is fixable. We'll see what I can do.

I had Iridiums and still do (not in the engine though), they were good, but I was having a loss of power in the top end last year. Switched them out for copper (people on NICO run Iridiums and copper NGKs and both get good results). The copper plugs didn't change how the car ran. It must o fbeen a boost leak or something weird. After my addition of new parts over the winter it runs much better, on new coppers too.

[SullivanRacing06]

They are special "shaft seals", I ordered some from Mcmaster Carr but I'm having a hard time removing the old press-in sealed part. Supposedly the seals are no replaceable. But where I come from everything is fixable. We'll see what I can do.

I had Iridiums and still do (not in the engine though), they were good, but I was having a loss of power in the top end last year. Switched them out for copper (people on NICO run Iridiums and copper NGKs and both get good results). The copper plugs didn't change how the car ran. It must o fbeen a boost leak or something weird. After my addition of new parts over the winter it runs much better, on new coppers too.

i hate t say it but ngk bkr7e are the only plugs ill ever use in any of my turo cars!

[ErnGotti]