Good day to all, I have a couple of vehicles that have had identical issues with this particular engine. Both have had an intense non typical knocking sound that is coming from the timing chain cover. The knock is intermittent and it is a hollow sound like something slapping on a steel can or maybe a cowbell kind of sound. Doesn't sound anything like a crank or rod knock. Also it doesn't time with the crank like a rod or crank knock would. I have searched the site for something that fit the problem, to no availe.
The first one is a (& Grand Am. My daughter in law was driving it to school and it started making a racket. Admittedly it was low on oil she said. but when it got filled up it did not fix the problem (of course it was too late). I have searched the internet and found all sorts of answers but nothing definitive.
The Second is one I boutght with the problem. Its a 97 Z24. Not sure how it got its problem but it make the same Identical sound. I bought it with the intentin of making an engine and tranny swap with a 2.2 L4 from a 97 Cav that was wrecked. In the middle of that swap now. Trust me I know what I am getting into and a lot of people on here will probably think I am nuts. (Truth be told I am) But I am trying to make an old woman happy. She had her cav for years and is 43K miles from half a million on the engine ad drive trane and we want to get it there. Told you I was nuts.
I am think of fixing the LD9 from the Cav and put it in the Grand Am but I am not sure where to start looking for the problem. On the GA I changed the timing set which was obviously worn and when all was said and done it started up made a lot of noise then died and won't start again. I am reasonably sure I set the timing right on the chain but the Haynes manual is a bit fuzzy on it so i guess I am as sure as the manual is. LOL I plan on using the set in the Cav LD9 and try again.
Any help in diagnosing this would be appreciated.
Jeff
I may be Crazy but I think this will work....Naw I'm just crazy.
I had the same type of noise in my 99z 5-6 years ago. Was in a pinch so I swapped the motor with one from the junk yard and left the other one on an engine stand until a couple months ago. My boss needed a motor for his GA that his son ran out of oil and continued to drive with the rods knocking.
When I tore mine apart, it turned out to be the tensioner went bad and was letting the chain slap on the housing. Did a complete rebuild with new crank, new pistons, and new rods(his money). Also changed the tensioner but left the chain and guides. There has been no indication of noise.
Chances are, you probably timed the car incorrectly which let a valve and piston contact.
Will the motor turn over at all? If not, thats probably the reason. If it will, the timing may be a couple teeth off and just needs to be adjusted. That happened with the motor I put in the GA, my boss was helping me and he couldn't get everything to line up with the 8mm bolts holding the cam gears so he pulled the exhaust one out and let it rotate about 2 teeth and everything lined up.
Its about a 3 hour job to correct the timing with the motor in the car providing you have the correct tools.
"Oil Leak ? What oil Leak ? Oh, Thats Just The Sweat From All The HorsePower!!"
Thanks for the reply. In response to you question about it turning over. Yes it does. It even ran for a few seconds again but seemed badly out of time and sounded awful. Plan on trying again with the motor from the Z as an easy (hopefully) fix.
Any pointers on getting the timing right the first time?
I may be Crazy but I think this will work....Naw I'm just crazy.
