This is a friend's $300 junkyard car. I can't seem to find much googling around about this engine as to what would be considered "normal" noise or not.
This car was bought cheap on CL because it didn't run. Turns out someone overheated it so bad that it warped the head and blew the gasket - and would just fill all 4 cylinders with coolant and foul the plugs immediately.
Once it was back together, we drained about 9 quarts of coolant-y oil out. Surprisingly no sludge, so I don't believe it was run too long like this.
It has a horrible knock when cold- from the bottom end, not head. The oil pressure light was originally coming on only at warm idle, but it got to the point that it was on all the time.
After doing some research, it seems that the switch activates at 2PSI. It seemed that, less than 2PSI at 3000RPM would cause it to scatter parts.
We replaced the oil pressure switch and tested that it would detect low pressure (started car with it plugged in, grounded to block, but not in the engine) and it lit up. The light doesn't come on - so oil pressure is "good". No mechanical gauge to verify.
The knock would go away slightly when the engine would warm up. Monday night, we got some snow and sleet. After playing around in the car a bit in the snow ... there was a bit of red line, car was really beat on that night ... the knock was completely gone by the time we were done.
But as soon as it was sitting overnight it was knocking on cold start.
The engine itself runs really smooth. Once it warms up or gets beat on it's quiet.
Are these engines known for being a piston slapper? Or could it be something line a wrist pin worn out. Would lighter oil be called for?
The pistons look good from the top as do the bores (not melted down or scored).
This car was bought cheap on CL because it didn't run. Turns out someone overheated it so bad that it warped the head and blew the gasket - and would just fill all 4 cylinders with coolant and foul the plugs immediately.
Once it was back together, we drained about 9 quarts of coolant-y oil out. Surprisingly no sludge, so I don't believe it was run too long like this.
It has a horrible knock when cold- from the bottom end, not head. The oil pressure light was originally coming on only at warm idle, but it got to the point that it was on all the time.
After doing some research, it seems that the switch activates at 2PSI. It seemed that, less than 2PSI at 3000RPM would cause it to scatter parts.
We replaced the oil pressure switch and tested that it would detect low pressure (started car with it plugged in, grounded to block, but not in the engine) and it lit up. The light doesn't come on - so oil pressure is "good". No mechanical gauge to verify.
The knock would go away slightly when the engine would warm up. Monday night, we got some snow and sleet. After playing around in the car a bit in the snow ... there was a bit of red line, car was really beat on that night ... the knock was completely gone by the time we were done.
But as soon as it was sitting overnight it was knocking on cold start.
The engine itself runs really smooth. Once it warms up or gets beat on it's quiet.
Are these engines known for being a piston slapper? Or could it be something line a wrist pin worn out. Would lighter oil be called for?
The pistons look good from the top as do the bores (not melted down or scored).
