Horrific metallic knocking noise

cowboy · Post by **cowboy** » Sun Feb 10, 2013 9:00 am

Hi all,

finally got the replacement ej22 into my lib. thanks to all ho helped out with that. ran a bit rough... coil pack changed... all good, purred like a kitten

Ran for 5 to 10 minutes whilst topping up radiator. all good.

Drive out of the shed grand total of 6 metres and the engine starts making horrific metallic knocking noise. sounds like its in the drivers side head. Its a really loud slapping noise. i know what the valve noise that old subas make is, and it certainly isnt that.

Changed oil and filter. still there.

Back into shed and changed timing tensioner and checked bearings and correct timing belt locations. re-did it twice to be sure. still doing the self destruct thing.

pulled off rocker cover and spark plugs to check cam and piston top for damage. clean as a whistle and no evident issues.... although did find a sliver of red plastic like a fingernail on one of the cam lobes... put it all back together. still doing it.

The motor has been sitting for a while. possibly up to a year or so.... really not sure what to do from here.
would appreciate any wisdom, thoughts, otherwise.

thanks.

cowboy · Post by **cowboy** » Sun Feb 10, 2013 9:04 am

what are HLA's???? reading a bit about them online, could be what the problem is... anyone done that before???

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Sun Feb 10, 2013 9:12 am

Was the engine running before it was pulled out from the donor car? Is it manual/automatic?

Does the noise improve when you accelerate gently?
Since you did engine swap - I would be thinking if theres something in the bellhousing or flywheel area possibly rough.
Get a long screw driver and have a listen on the right side and left side of the engine to narrow down the noise.

Another thing I would think of if timing is in incorrect position - even markers do line up, remove the rocker covers, take spark plug out, look in the hole and check the piston heads and watch the valve's positions. (ie. both valves closed & piston is closest to the heads for compression/ignition)

Last thing could be the ring failure scraping the bores.
Cheers
AP

Post by **TOONGA** » Sun Feb 10, 2013 9:14 am

Hydraulic lash adjusters, they sit between the cam and the valve and adjust the gap between both, so the valve opens and closes without lots of noise.

Normally when an engine sits for an extended period the HLA's drain and it takes a little while for them to fill again. The noise will be evident from start up and usually goes away after a little while. the other thing it could be is a spun big end bearing which is engine ending. (unless you split the block and put new bearings in)

Got a video with the noise?

heres a link to the liberty FSM (in parts) download the engine sections for the info on HLA's

showthread.php?t=20093

TOONGA

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sun Feb 10, 2013 11:31 am

So, only started when you put engine under load , load as opposed to idle etc, not excessive load ?? Odd tthat it did not do it initially. Have a look at its sump draining contents or cut the filter open ?

cowboy · Post by **cowboy** » Sun Feb 10, 2013 2:08 pm

thanks guys.... but i have just determined that the head gaskets are blown and the cooling system on this engine is also blowing up with exhaust gas and pushing all the water out.

time to look for ANOTHER donk.