Clanking...uh oh. New engine?

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07/24/2011, 08:18 PM
spaceCADETzoom

Clanking...uh oh. New engine?

About 1/2 mile from home, slowing to a stop, I realize the vx is clanking. Like a nut being rattled in a coffee can. I pull into my driveway and see nothing outside the engine broken, at first I thought something was hitting the fan or something. Noise is actually from the engine, at idle and load, all rpm. It increases with rpm. It's not like the sound of lifters when you have no oil. Im assuming it started when i accelerated onto an onramp about 3 miles before i noticed it when slowing down. Rod bearings crankshaft, etc,? Getting a tow truck either sometime this week if I can get a few hrs from work, or it may wait til a weekend. 130k miles. Burned oil. Time for a new engine? Obviously, not really looking for answers from vague unspecific forum posts by me, a non mechanic, but I'm really just displaying my Internet sad face....:(

Eh.
07/24/2011, 09:20 PM
Triathlete

Man, that sucks! Hope its something simple. Good luck!
07/25/2011, 02:48 AM
Bob Barker

There is a thread about a rattle/clunk that moves with engine speed, and it was a pulley bearing or something or another that's behind the timing chain. Worth a little research before you shell out heavy dough for a replacement engine.
07/25/2011, 05:06 AM
Riff Raff

By your description of symptoms, my guess is a crankshaft issue. Let us know what the mechanic discovers.

:luck:
07/25/2011, 05:33 AM
samneil2000

I'm with Bob. Seems like our English brother (crotchrocket) had a similar sound. Ended up being an idler pully with bad bearings or something along those lines.
Fingers crossed for you man.
07/25/2011, 12:29 PM
SilverBullet75

Hope it's the same issue...

It fixed mine!

http://vehicross.info/forums/showthr...ight=tensioner
07/30/2011, 08:27 AM
spaceCADETzoom

...well...it's a rod bearing :(

My shop's calling around for new engine options now. Mentioned the timing belt tensioner, but they spent the morning and have confidently diagnosed my needing a new engine... Expenses with no benefit suck. Maybe the vx will drive with a newness I didn't know I was missing, after all this. :/
07/30/2011, 08:31 AM
Ebenezr

Look at the bright side. You will come out of this knowing you have a new engine which means less worry.:grino:
07/30/2011, 09:23 PM
Cobrajet

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaceCADETzoom

...well...it's a rod bearing...diagnosed my needing a new engine...

What happened to the good old days when a machine shop would just grind the crank and install oversized bearings? Couple hundred bucks, and you were back on the road. Nowadays, you have a lifter tapping and need to buy a new engine. My '70 Torino still has the original block, original crank (turned), one original head (the other ruined by a bad machine shop hack), original rods, etc. The car is worth more because it's "number matching", and this motor is bullet proof! If I turn a bearing I fully intend to have it rebuilt at the local speed shop.