Truck is knocking, need help.

[zsrc]

My 1998 Ranger has 138,000 miles on it and I got it stuck in a mudhole and tried starting it in the mudhole after it cut off on me. I changed the oil, filter, and cleaned it all up. There is a loud knock in the motor, truck has same power it always has had just gets louder with higher RPMs. I need information to figure out what you guys think it might be.

My friend thinks it might be a rocker arm?

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

So the engine stalled on your in the hole? Sounds like you got some water in it and hydrolocked the engine. Water won't compress, so when you started it after you probably bent a rod in it.

 

[straycat]

Water in the motor is not good. Most likely it is time for a rebuild or swap out the motor if it will be cheaper. Hydrolock it the worst, Bro!!!

 

[LearjetMinako]

Yep, sounds like hydrolock. It is time for a new or rebuilt engine.

 

[zsrc]

Truck runs fine and everything drives like always, just has a ticking sound to it. Friend told me it might be a Rocker Arm. And if it is just to get it replaced?

 

[feellnfroggy]

Is it a ticking or a knocking, theres a big different in mechanic speak. It could be a rocker arm, it could be a lifter, it could be a rod knocking, it could be your main bearings going bad. See if you can get a video with the sound, it will help, but a mechanic who can hear it real close would give you the best assesment.

 

[adsm08]

And make sure you didn't crush the oil pan. I saw one once, kid put an exhaust manifold on a truck, had to jack up the engine a bit to get it out, jacked in the wrong spot and had a bad knock when he was done. He'd crushed the pan and the crank weights were hitting it.

 

[zsrc]

I will try and get a video and put it up, but its not the oil filter cause i changed oil and filter so its all good. Just has a knock to one side of the motor, most likely the rocker arm or lifter my friend told me. I should be taking it to a mechanic to get it looked at in the next couple of days.

 

[The_Dealer]

i hydro locked my 00 ranger 2.5, pulled the plugs cranked it over(water shot about 10 ft in the air), reinstalled the plugs, replaced the MAF, a coil pack, and the tps and it was all good. no funny noises but i had a slight rear main leak. oil stayed clean pressure was good and was running better then ever. well comming back from atlanta one day it slung a rod completely out of the block. never found the rod when i took off the rest of the pan

the parts i did find sitting on the frame

my vote is find another motor now before its too late. water in a motor is a ticking time bomb, and just when u think u got lucky...POOOOWWWW, smoke smoke, pow, smoke

 

[adsm08]

I will try and get a video and put it up, but its not the oil filter cause i changed oil and filter so its all good. Just has a knock to one side of the motor, most likely the rocker arm or lifter my friend told me. I should be taking it to a mechanic to get it looked at in the next couple of days.

Yeah, I didn't say anything about the filter. A filter won't cause knock.

I said PAN.

 

[zsrc]

How long was it till it threw the rod? How many miles did you have on yours? I haven't tried to take out the plugs yet to try it. I will do that tomorrow, just take all the spark plugs out and crank it?

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

i had a damaged rod on my car, it had the same power as always, but it had a loud knock. so just because it has power it doesnt mean it couldnt be a rod.
valves and vale parts will tick, it would be loud, but noticeable as a tick,and ticks generally come of off the valve covers.
rods and bigger internals always knock, and if its on the side, well it could be a rod.

 

[CHKNFKR]

could be a bent rod as everyone else has suggested but in my experience hydrolocking only causes serious long term damage if it happens repeatedly or if there is already significant damage. i had a fullsize that i drove the hell out of, 40,000 a year, and hydrolocked it on more than one occasion, usually didn't even bother changing the oil or replacing the plugs afterward.

*edit* looking back that had a 300 I-6 in it and they're near impossible to break, still though, i wouldn't jump the gun and assume its a bent rod.

 

[shane96ranger]

i wouldn't jump the gun and assume its a bent rod.

^ I agree. I've read through this and don't see where anyone has asked, but was your air filter wet? Muddy?

Is the 3.0 susceptible to the knocking/chattering that a 4.0 can get after an oil change? My Explorer used to do this for a good 100-150 miles after an oil change.

I would think a *little* bit of water could have just given you a good "steam cleaning", and possibly be making some racket because of that. IMHO, I'd drive the thing and see if it goes away. But, everything said above is VERY possible, I'm just trying to give a best case scenario. I wouldn't take it too far from home either.

 

[adsm08]

I haven't tried to take out the plugs yet to try it. I will do that tomorrow, just take all the spark plugs out and crank it?

If you had water in the cylinders and you ran it, odds are that you don't have water in there anymore. Running the engine will eventually get the water out through the exhaust.