help...just re did the front end all new and changed a gasket on the float bowl on the carb. Put the car down and took it for a drive around the block. about 1/2 mile it started sounding like metal hitting metal. Checked my work nothing dragging on the ground. Listened to engine sounded like in the front. Took off the belts to the water pump/ alt.still had problem,,took off belt to p/s pump still had prob. took fan and fan clutch off still had prob. So now I am stumped..any ideas????

how was the car jacked up when you redid the front end... was the jack placed anywhere on the pan that could've caved it in ?

if it's a knock... knock... knock, that's different than knock,knock,knock

trying to show difference between crank knock vs cam/lifter knock :rolleyes:

no the car was jacked up by the frame rails.....how do I tell if it is a bad bearing on the crank???

cheap easy way to look for a flat lobe on the cam would be to pull the valve covers and have someone turn over the engine... look at each rocker/valve spring and see if they're moving all the same distance...

the cam knock will be double fast as the crank knock.

if it's a crank/rod knock then i think i'd pull the pan and pull rod caps one at a time. if you can... might be a little tough with engine in the car :(


drain the oil and then drain bucket into another bucket and look for metal/material in bottom, cut open oil filter also and check for debris.

what's your oil pressure/oil level ?

Could be a cracked flex plate or loose convertor bolts. The noise can tavel through th crank ort block and make it hard to pinpoint.

Chased the noise in my sons Impala for about 40 minutes before I found this

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/64elcamino/02Impalaflexplate.jpg

Phillip, thats does not look like a crack :noway:, that looks like a total failure of the flex plate hub :yes:

I would pu the car back on stands and use a prybar. Meaning run the engine and place the prybar at different locations and put your ear up to the prybar to see if you can isolate where the noise is louder. Harbor freight sells a steathascope(spelling:hurray:) for mechanics. Of course pay close attention not to get anything caught in any moving parts of the engine:eek:. Leave the belt off and that will elimate most moving parts. If the noise seems louder on the oil pan vs to head/timing cover/dist housing. Then drain oil and look for debry. Sometime it might just be metal flake in the oil. Shine flash light at the oil when you drain it. If your flexplate is broken(auto) you should be able to see it once removing the inspection cover. Does it run rough at all? Or you could try canceling out cylinders while running to see if you can change the noise. Start the car and use a light tester attached to a good ground and eliminate one cylinder at a time by poking the light tester into the top of the wires at the dist cap. If you have a cylinder narrowed down you could do a compression test that should show a top end issue.

Phillip, thats does not look like a crack :noway:, that looks like a total failure of the flex plate hub :yes:

It still worked. He drove it 100 miles for me to listen to the noise, but I red tagged it and trailered it to a transmission shop for repair.

It still worked. He drove it 100 miles for me to listen to the noise, but I red tagged it and trailered it to a transmission shop for repair.

What, you didn't fix it for him :eek: :D

Front wheel drive and I do not mix. I did get to pay for it :D Out the door it was $350 and included a oil and filter change.

Front wheel drive and I do not mix. I did get to pay for it :D Out the door it was $350 and included a oil and filter change.

Well, that was nice of your son to allow dad to pay for it :yes:. Smart too :yes:.

Ed have you found the cause of your noise yet?

not yet....the engine is running a little rough. I think I attribute that to the float bowl gasket I changed on the carb but didn't get a chance to adjust as the banging noise got me first

If its running rough and metal banging noise:angry:. Its sounds as if you are going to has some hard part failure in the motor. I would start with grounding out the cylinders and which ever one dosent change how the engine is running is where your problem is:thumbsup:

and remember... if engine parts ARE failing, it's only going to get worse and cause more damage the longer you run the engine. best to find out what the issue is asap ;)

that's tonights job! I'm thinking it's a rod bearing from what I hear

If you find what cylinder and then do a compression test it should help direct you if it is top end or low end of the engine. Which would help determine what to tear apart first. How do your oil look? Hold a flsh light to it and look for glitter. Usually if you have a bearing failure it will put little particals through out. When I worked for GM some bearing use to "wash out" and we would just swap the bearing with larger ones. If you have a internal engine problem what is your next step?

Troph34 what did you find?