Lifter Knock??

Nuke427 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 10:59 AM

Okay, I finally get my car out after swapping intakes and getting my awesome BIGS carburetor on. Car runs excellent. But now I hear something new. After some spirited driving, when I pulled into a gas station I hear a "knock". Kinda quiet, but noticeable. If I rev the car you can't really hear it anymore, but these things are so loud, I believe it's just speeding up the knock. The knock is definitely louder right after I rev the car up, then it kinda fades away but is still there. I do not notice it at all when the car is first started cold, actually I don't notice it until I do some spirited driving or after a little bit of use. Could this be a lifter? It's definitely deeper than right below my valve covers. Also seems to be more pronounced on the passenger side. I don't really want to tear off the carb and intake again if this may be able to be solved with a rocker adjustment or something. Please reply asap b/c I'm letting the car cool off in the garage right now and plan to start "digging in" to find the problem.

Nuke427 · #2 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 12:09 PM

Okay, now this is weird but using a screw driver as a hearing aid, the loudest knock noise is coming from the water pump. What do you think about that? Cam noise? I'm an idiot, I don't know, water pump?

rdorman · #3 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 01:26 PM

Remove the fan belt and see if it goes away. Water pump failure usually makes a whirling or grinding noise. Of course while the belt is off you can check the water pump for smooth operation. It should turn smoothly with a minimal amount of slop. Look at the 'weep' hole below the impeller shaft for signs of coolant.

There is an issue with the cam sprocket and a short or long dowel causing wobble and premature chain failure. Just some thing to keep in mind.

Get an engine stethoscope. They are cheap and work so much better than a screw driver (you can imagine how I know that

)

Doesn't sound like a water pump from your description but at least you will be able to eleminate it as a possibility.

Rick

Nuke427 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 02:21 PM

Thanks for the reply rdorman, and after furthre investigation, it does seem like it's coming from the front passenger side of the motor. Waterpump may be just taking in some noise from the real problem. Do lifters knock like this? If it's not a lifter or an easy fix, I'm just going to go ahead and roll it off the cliff.

Cracker · #5 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 02:32 PM

Unlikely but it could be a spun rod bearing. Have you made sure your oil lines are plumbed correctly? If you're using adjustable rockers arms the nut can come off and loosen the adjustment screw (for FE's anyway). Either way, you want to pull the valve cover to make sure it isn't obvious. The other thing to look for is a cam bolt retainer backing out which would be near the water pump and bumping the front timing cover. Most of these are unlikely but just to consider. And... I'm sorry but my contributions are usually only good for BB motors. Best wishes!

rdorman · #6 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 02:33 PM

Get a stethoscope and narrow it done! I thought I had a valve train problem because a noise that sounded like a knock coming from that area. I got the stethoscope (after trying the screwdriver) and found the valve train to be purring along just fine. Turns out it was a exhaust least between the header and the head. Without the stethoscope, I would have wasted a lot of time and energy. Besides, they are only about $20.
Rick

Nuke427 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 02:54 PM

Rolled the pump by hand, smooth as silk. I'm going to go pull the valve cover and check for the obvious, which normally in my case there won't be anything obvious. Then I'll drink a couple beers and by morning my engine will be in pieces and I'll have a new one on order. I can't stand this!!!!!!!!!

maxrpm · #8 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 03:09 PM

Hows your oil pressure? Has it dropped since hearing the noise? Is it a rather slow knock or fast? Don't forget crank noises are at half the speed of valvetrain noises. Some ford oil pumps can make noises that sound eeriliy like bearing death knell. I would go over the whole valvetrain, hopefully it's just loose clearances. But if I'm wrong let me know which cliff you're gonna send it off so I can film it!

Nuke427 · #9 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 03:18 PM

Actually oil pressure was down, but I attributed that to my oil temp being up. I'm running 10-30 and when oil temp is up to 100C my pressure drops to less than 10 at idle, and is only up to 25 or so around 3k. But oil temp seems to be running higher than normal, with coolant running what it normally does ~ 90C. By no means is my oil temp too high, but my gauge is now reading higher than it used to and it's colder out. Highest oil temp I've had is 105C right after a spirited run and pulling into the drive.
I had a screw fall into the intake track of my FFR and this noise is about the same speed as that screw hitting the piston.

Nuke427 · #10 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 03:34 PM

Okay all you big heads. When I pulled the valve cover I couldn't find anything wrong, but the light shining on the oil made it look kinda "copper". Well, I got a paper towel and along with soaking up oil, the paper towel has what looks like copper dust in it. And my oil does look mighty copper. I have never seen this on any other motors I messed with, so give me the bad news, WHAT IS IT? WHY IS IT IN MY OIL?

Mike Simard · #11 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 03:37 PM

Do you have a mechanical fuel pump? They can make suspicious noises.

Hotfingrs · #12 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 03:38 PM

Bearings....something wearing Not Good

Nuke427 · #13 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 03:44 PM

This really pisses me off, this motor only has 1,100 miles and I have never got to use my nitrous. Which I guess now is a good thing b/c it probably would have blown up! What the crap! I'm not happy.

Mike Simard · #14 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 03:46 PM

Whoa! I'm sure it's ok, about the oil color, do you have a bronze dist gear?

blykins · #15 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 04:13 PM

Good idea Mike about the dist gear.....

Nuke427 · #16 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 04:23 PM

Not the distributor gear. It's not bronze. Must be a bearing. Get the cameras out cause it's going off the cliff!

Bruce Edwards · #17 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 04:24 PM

Sounds like you lost a rod bearing and may be on your way to more damage. You should always have 10 psi per 1,000 rpm the engine will turn. If you have less than 30 psi at 3,000 you have a problem. The bearing in most cars are a three step process. One of them, the last one, is copper.
The oil pan is easy to drop in a Cobra and it is my feeling that you need to do that before you run it any more. You could also pull your oil filter and cut it open to see what it has trapped.
Sorry you are having a problem. Who did the engine for you?

Nuke427 · #18 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 04:30 PM

The engine was done in Fla. I bought the car complete from Backdraft. I've called them and they'll know in the morning if they can help out or not. Right now I'm told that the motor came with a 2 month 2,000 mile warranty. I'm passed the 2 months, but well below the 2,000 miles. Oh well, time for a stroker.

Bruce Edwards · #19 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 04:35 PM

That sucks big time. You need to look into a 12/12 warrenty for that baby.
Let me know what you see when you pull the pan.

Nuke427 · #20 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 04:38 PM

Okay Bruce, thanks for your replies. By the way, I'm sure you read it but the BIGS carburetor kicked butt! Time to go pull the pan and sift through the shavings.