Top End Noise and Oil Leak

[ShuggsRR]

So I picked up this 95 ATX SHO and this is the story I heard...

The previous owner was driving the car down the road when suddenly it lost compression and died. He added a couple quarts of oil and now there is a tick on the top end.
This story makes no sense to me...

Facts i do know now that i have the car.

- There is oil all over the engine.
- There is a loud ticking from the top end.
- It starts and runs great. From inside it seems great. It drives and is wonderful besides the loud ticking noise.

Any ideas for me?
Please be nice, I am brand new to the SHO world.

 

[NotSoSlowSHO]

First things first, find where that oil leak is.

Id soak the engine bay down GOOD with simple green, then hose it off. Clean the thing up as best you can, so you can pinpoint where the oil leak is actually located.

As for the "top end noise", can you describe the noise?
Is it fixed with RPMs? Does it speed up as revs increase, and lower when revs reduce?

If it did run dangerously low on oil, it may have starved a few bearings of oil, or even worse.

 

[TYSHO]

Probably the front cam seals leaking all over the CPS and the car died from that.

Is the noise a constant tick that varies with the rpms and is there throughout the entire rpm range? Or, does it tick/knock from idle up to around 2k rpms, then go away when above 2k?

 

[ShuggsRR]

Here is the "tick". Its 1.9MB

http://www.stunttrader.com/tick.MOV

 

[NotSoSlowSHO]

Yikes. That isnt good at all.

I wouldnt run the motor until you investigate further. Time to start tearing into it.

Normally I would (as would many others) say that the motor has spun one or more connecting rod bearings. But that sounds a bit different. The motor might have ejected a shim in the top end. Or you might get really lucky, and "just" have a completely failed timing chain tensioner.

Have you changed the oil at all, did you find any metal shavings or anything?

 

[ShuggsRR]

No, Im not running it, I picked it up on a trailer and brought it to my shop where its sitting in the garage. I only started it to take that video for you folks. I figured it try pulling off the top end and seeing what it looks like. Yet I dont know anything about these cars besides what I have read on here and some other sites. Only top end work I have ever done is on my motorcycles. Wish me luck! lol

Oh yeah, and I only paid $100 for the car with a clear title. heh heh

 

[TYSHO]

Here is the "tick". Its 1.9MB

http://www.stunttrader.com/tick.MOV

Grab you an 8mm socket and pull the upper timing belt cover off that's beside the battery. You might have to remove that crossover tube above it with the DIS Module. If you remove that, put it back on and start the car up and look for the timing belt to be jumping up and down everywhere. My money is on the timing belt tensioner, sounds exactly like my symptoms when it was bad!

 

[ShuggsRR]

Hmmm ill have to try that when i get back to the shop tomorrow.

Thanks for the help thus far!




Im thinking I could save alot of time and effort fixing a bunch of the crap on this car if I just go buy another one and take all the best parts and roll them into one! lol What do you guys think? I only have $100 into the one I have currently.

--------------------------------
New car... asking price is $800

DETAILS:
- 1993 FORD TAURUS SHO
- CLEAR TITLE
- THE VEHICLE NEEDS AN ELECTRONIC MODULE
- 203,806 miles
- 3.1 DOHC 24 VALVE MOTOR
- AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
- LEATHER SEATS THE FRONT ARE ROUGH AND THE BACK IS O.K.
- POWER LOCKS AND WINDOWS
- RIMS
- CLEAR IS PEELING
- HAS SUNROOF
- NO MAJOR BODY DAMAGE
- THE SIDE TRIM IS TORN ON BOTH SIDES WHERE THE FRONT DOORS OPEN

 

[ShuggsRR]

I figured it out. The easiest way to get rid of the noise and oil leak is to sell the car on eBay! hehe

 

[TYSHO]

I figured it out. The easiest way to get rid of the noise and oil leak is to sell the car on eBay! hehe

Dude, you're around. I went looking for you and found out you sold your business when I needed some work done.