Is it the rod bearings?

[thebigbadsho]

I've had the car for over a year and I had not realized it had no Major maintenance. 170,000 miles on it. I already have to replace the timing belt and now there is a knock in I think the # 3 cylyder. I suspected it was the head gasket but the radiator and engine oil were clean. what else could it be besides the rod bearings and are they possible to replace w/o pulling the engine out like the manual says?

 

[gurucomputers]

It is probably due for rod bearings. Is it a Manual or Automatic? If it is an Auto you might want to check the hydraulic tensioner as they can make a knock sound when they go bad causing the timing belt to slap the cover.

I would be sure to change the rod bearings if I were you. Here is a how too.

http://www.shophoenixproject.com/rodbearings/rodbearings.htm

 

[itwonder]

You are due for rod bearings. RCM automotive sells a kit with everything needed for the job. It can indeed be dome with the engine in the car. The shophoenixproject.com guide is good, and a forum search will find numerous past threads on this subject.

 

[sho2see]

yea def. due for the bearings! Adumb just did his using the shophoenixproject guide and said it was good. Mine will be done next month hopefully

 

[thecrew2999]

i guess i gotta be nice since hes new or some crap...

you just probley killed the engine since you did not change rod bearings.
how many rod bearing failures we got now?
might be easier to say how many engines survived thus far.
20 - 30 maybe?

 

[Storm-Chaser]

I'm curious as to how you determined it was/is a rod bearing knock? I've never heard a rod bearing knock (or main bearing, or wrist-pin, or piston-shirt slap) that could be identified to the cylinder. Being that you feel the "knock" is coming from the #3 cylinder, I'd be more inclined to suspect the cam chain tensioner. Did you use a mechanics stethascope?

And what made you suspect a head gasket problem?

I've had the car for over a year and I had not realized it had no Major maintenance. 170,000 miles on it. I already have to replace the timing belt and now there is a knock in I think the # 3 cylyder. I suspected it was the head gasket but the radiator and engine oil were clean. what else could it be besides the rod bearings and are they possible to replace w/o pulling the engine out like the manual says?

 

[thebigbadsho]

a reply

to guru. thanx. to storm chaser: I heard the knock from the lower side of the driver side rear of the engine compartment and lower than the head. i seem to have loss of compression and I've had this happen to me before. I thought it was the head because when the knocking got worse there was a smell and light smoke comming from the rear of the engine compartment. However i still have oil pressure, which as the case was with my former vehicle (a 1987 Dodge Ram 50 Sport 2.6 Carb SOHC) there was none.