Loud knocking noise

[CManT1914]

I was checking my oil the other day when my damn dipstick tube came completely out of the block. I swung back by work and put the stang on a lift and put the tube back in, using some black RTV to seal around it. I also bolted it down under one of the valve cover bolts (was loose before). On the way home, all of the sudden I heard this ticking sound. I thought it was an exhaust leak since one of my header bolts on my driver side rear primary is missing, but yesterday morning I noticed it's a damn knock! I can't pinpoint where it's coming from either. It's DEFINITELY on the driver side, near the rear, and it sounds like a rocker, but it's pretty loud from the underneath of the car too. I was wondering, is the dipstick tube at the right angle to hit the crankshaft if it's inserted too far? What about the dipstick itself? I don't wanna have to pull the stupid intake off to check the rockers and find out it's not them. Ideas?

 

[Pokageek]

I doubt it would be caused by the dipstick. How many miles are on your block? I noticed you have a home-made oil separator. Maybe check that? Just shooting outside the box on that one.

 

[CManT1914]

114k on the stock block. I can't see why the oil seperator would make noise, it never has before. It just seems strange that all of the sudden I get this knocking noise.

Oh yea, I could have sworn I saw some smoke coming up from my transmission tunnel yesterday, but I never smelled anything, and I only saw it a couple of times. I think it was the sun playing tricks on my eyes.

 

[HISSIN50]

Chris, ticking or knocking?

I would lightly move the dipstick around with your hand to see if it is an interferance issue with the stick. Or just yank it out and plug the hole with a plug and let it run in the shop and see if the noise goes away. If this happened right at the same time as having to mess with the dipstick, that is where I would start, even though that could have all been coincidence.

Good luck bud.

 

[CManT1914]

I found both problems.

Problem #1 - knocking: It was an exhaust leak, number 8 cylinder, one header bolt was backed halfway out, the other was gone completely. The primary was loose against the head.

Problem #2 - smoke from transmission tunnel: Coincidence, my PCV grommet had popped out of the intake, and oil was sprayed all over the back of the engine and the top of the tranny.

Time to order some new header bolts and loctite those bad boys!! It's just strange that all of the sudden the exhaust leak appeared. And it was LOUD!! I thought it was an exhaust leak at first, but it was SO LOUD! It seriously sounded like a knock! Anyway, thanks guys, I'm about to go out and tighten that one bolt, lol.

 

[HISSIN50]

Chris, can you swing locking header bolts? Threadlock will probably fail over time (heat is what is used to loosen it up).

Anyhow, glad to hear that you got it whipped.

 

[CManT1914]

JT, I was debating all day as to whether I should get lockings or regular bolts. I decided just to go with regular bolts and thread lock. My reasoning being, regular bolts are $6, lockings are $55! I'm only replacing the few that are missing, so I'll have plenty of extras. Over time, if others back out, I'll just throw in some new ones. I know that heat is used to take loctite off, but my EGR bung cap is held on with blue loctite, and it has yet to come loose. It's been like that for about 4 months now. So if I can go 6 months before they come loose, I don't mind tightening them every other oil change or so. Cool?

 

[HISSIN50]

Sounds like a plan to me - you have had good experience with your EGR already.

BTW, those decisions are easy for me - I cant afford locking header bolts anyhow.

Good luck with it!

 

[FlyBy763]

Buy some lock washers too...not too expensive, and they should work...

 

[CManT1914]

JT, yea I've had no more problems with my EGR cap since I loc-tited it. And FWIW, I also can't really afford $60 for some bolts. That's why I'm going with the cheaper $6 solution first to see if it will work, lol.

Jon, yea I was planning on grabbing some lock washers at the same time.

Hey, does anybody know if parts stores will carry header bolts? Or is that something I gotta order? I'm getting new brake pads tomorrow at Advanced Auto, I figured I'd see if they had header bolts too.

 

[mootang]

i thought you werent supposed to use locktite on aluminum heads

 

[GRGT1994]

i thought you werent supposed to use locktite on aluminum heads

Me too.

If you aren't using locking bolts, get some longer bolts. 1" is better than stock or what came with the headers - I believe. And that extra length makes a big difference.

I got the 1" Breslin locking bolts (you really should just go locking - but hey, your choice). Anyway, I think the difference between 1" and 3/4 makes a big difference here. One of my locking bolts lost the locking allen screw. It was the front driver's bolt to be exact. Well, even without the locking screw, it has held. And that position backed out on me twice when I was just using the crappy bolts that came from BBK - which were 3/4 inch. So by my logic, I would probably have been fine with 1" normal bolts all the way around.

Hope that helps. Oh and if you do go with 1" bolts, please measure for clearance. I'd hate to see you bust a bolt in there in case my headers had a thicker flange or whatever.