88 Mustang Motor Knock

[JDRich]

trying to be hopeful but worried my motor is done.

I’m restoring my grandparents 88 mustang. The car only has 42k miles. Tonight I finished replacing the valve cover gasket and spark plugs. The car was idling good when I crunk it back up. I rev’d the car some and started hearing a knocking/clicking noise near cylinder 3. Any thoughts on what it may be? Right now my guess is the motor is done for.

 

[Noobz347]

trying to be hopeful but worried my motor is done.

I’m restoring my grandparents 88 mustang. The car only has 42k miles. Tonight I finished replacing the valve cover gasket and spark plugs. The car was idling good when I crunk it back up. I rev’d the car some and started hearing a knocking/clicking noise near cylinder 3. Any thoughts on what it may be? Right now my guess is the motor is done for.

What is your oil pressure?

What does the oil dipstick look like?

How about the plugs?

Pull codes.

Record a video, upload it to youtube, and post the link here.

 

[JDRich]

What is your oil pressure?

What does the oil dipstick look like?

How about the plugs?

Pull codes.

Record a video, upload it to youtube, and post the link here.

Oil pressure was reading fine according to my odometer cluster. I checked the oil before starting the car to make sure it was full. Just replaced the spark plugs and set them to about .047. I'll have to record it next time I'm at the shop

 

[limp]

Are you sure you used the correct plugs? Too long could be hitting pistons...
I always go back to the last thing I have done and double check it...

 

[keel]

How long did you let it run? Lifter might need to pump up

 

[JDRich]

Are you sure you used the correct plugs? Too long could be hitting pistons...
I always go back to the last thing I have done and double check it...

Pretty sure it was the right spark plugs. They were motorcraft ASF-42

 

[JDRich]

How long did you let it run? Lifter might need to pump up

We let it run for about a min after the knocking started. I started it a couple more times to let it run some to figure out where the noise was coming from. That's how we realized it was mostly coming from Cylinder 3

 

[keel]

Might want to check oil pressure with a mechanical gauge first to be extra careful (since the gauge in the instrument cluster is not accurate) but I have experienced really bad lifter noise that sounded like rod knock in my pickup. Took it out for a drive and it went away after about 10 minutes. It happened after the truck sat for a long time while I was replacing some parts, and for some reason it was only a one time occurrence.

Also if it is rod knock, you should be able to tell right away by changing your oil and/or cutting your oil filter open. There will be a bunch of bearing material present.

If the plugs are too long, it would be pretty easy to find out about that too, just pull the plugs again and if they have signs of contact then they're the wrong ones.

 

[Noobz347]

Another thought process is that it's a leaking exhaust manifold. An exhaust leak can sound like a knock too.

 

[Monkeybutt2000]

Where did you purchase plugs? Lotta' Amazon fake crap out there. Pull that plug wire while running and see what happens.

 

[JDRich]

Super late but wanted to give an update. I ended up taking the head off to look at the pistons. Looks like some kind of metal got into the piston while taking everything apart (no clue how it happen). The car did set outside for about 10 years. The oil filter and spark plugs were fine. The rods and rocker arms seem good also.

A had a guy look at the piston and said it should still be fine. In the process of cleaning everything up and putting in together now. Appreciate all the suggestions and advice

 

[Noobz347]

I would smooth that out a bit and get all the metal flash out of there, and clean, clean, clean.

 

[JDRich]

I would smooth that out a bit and get all the metal flash out of there, and clean, clean, clean.

Yep that's exactly what I'm doing