Rod Knock

[Southernfarmer]

I got an 1985 Ranger 2.3 and its got a knock it, its sounds like a rod knocking, it gets worse when you give it gas, was wondering was there anyway to make it quit other then a rebuild.

 

[Mosinguy]

Use thick oil. Use high milage 10W-30 mixed in with some Lucas Oil Stabilizer. That stuff is thicker than honey in January.

 

[Southernfarmer]

Thats what I use anyway is 10W-30 cause I think that the 5W-30 is too thin for the motor I think so anyway and I've heard using oil stabilizer in the winter ain't good is that true?

 

[bmerr98]

Thats what I use anyway is 10W-30 cause I think that the 5W-30 is too thin for the motor I think so anyway and I've heard using oil stabilizer in the winter ain't good is that true?

Well, it's already got a rod knocking...how much worse do you think it'll get?

 

[adsm08]

You might be able to make it quiet. You won't be able to make it right.

 

[GentleRF]

I'll agree with that adsm08. Just to get a truck I'd bought to a shop I once had, I poured 90W into the crankcase since the rods were all but hanging out the bottom of the oil pan. The truck was a 1957 GMC.

 

[RonD]

With engine idling, unplug one spark plug wire at a time, if you have a rod knock it will quiet down when that cylinder isn't firing.
That is what the "knock" is the rod slapping the crank journal when cylinder fires.
Running the 4 cylinder engine on 3 cylinders will allow you longer drive time, with less chance of rod breaking.
I drove 50 miles out of the desert with a bad rod, but that was a V8, so losing a cylinder was not great but could still make it up hills.


If knock stays no matter what cylinder is not firing then pull the valve cover, you have a rocker issue.

Once you hear a rod knock that's pretty much it, thicker oil will just thin out when rod heats up, the slapping also generates heat, next stage is the rod breaking, that can take out the block so fixing in now is actually a best case scenario since you don't have to buy a new block

 

[Mikel89us]

With engine idling, unplug one spark plug wire at a time, if you have a rod knock it will quiet down when that cylinder isn't firing.
That is what the "knock" is the rod slapping the crank journal when cylinder fires.
Running the 4 cylinder engine on 3 cylinders will allow you longer drive time, with less chance of rod breaking.
I drove 50 miles out of the desert with a bad rod, but that was a V8, so losing a cylinder was not great but could still make it up hills.


If knock stays no matter what cylinder is not firing then pull the valve cover, you have a rocker issue.

Once you hear a rod knock that's pretty much it, thicker oil will just thin out when rod heats up, the slapping also generates heat, next stage is the rod breaking, that can take out the block so fixing in now is actually a best case scenario since you don't have to buy a new block

+1

 

[snake]

Instead of a total rebuild just drop the pan and replace the bearings, or at least take a look to see how bad it is. If the crank is hosed replacing the bearings won't last ten seconds tho.

 

[Southernfarmer]

Well, it's already got a rod knocking...how much worse do you think it'll get?

Well it throwing a rod right through the oil pan was just a thought

 

[RonD]

Well it throwing a rod right through the oil pan was just a thought

That would actually be a best case outcome if rod were to break, usually the rod breaks and the crank comes back around hits it, which pushes it into the block, not the oil pan, cracking the block.