I recently bought a used 01' cavalier with 220 engine and autmatic transmission. After a little driving it started to have a rattling noise that would get louder as i mashed the accelerator. Today I start the car and hear a pronounced knocking at idle that grows extremely loud and irrythmic as i accelerate, the more I drove the vehicle the louder it got; the idle started stuttering and the oil light would come on at idle ( or what I now call and idle) it sounded like it was going to explode while I was on the highway to get a repair manual. It also cut off at a stop light a few times, like it was struggling to idle. The transmission feels like it's going to explode before finally shiffting in an irregular pattern.

I know you're going to say put oil it in it, duh, but the dipstick reads full, I've got it right at the max mark and it stays there, the coolant looks fine too, although it's red, but I figured it was some sort of "special" coolant that they put in cavaliers.

It sounds like I've got a rod knock, which would totally blow since I've only had this chevy for 3 weeks.

It's getting progressively worse, to the point that I don't trust it to take me to work tomorrow.
It lacks more and more power every time I drive it and the knocking/rattling imakes this pile osund like it's going to explode.


SOMEONE PLEASE point me in the right direction, cause if it's a rod I'm going to set this thing on fire.

sounds like a rod bearring problem.

Sounds like time for that hi-performance re-buid !!




Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.

sound like it is time to do that quad 4 swap, or3400 swap u have always wanted




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Just a speculation -

Rods are the first to go bad whenever an engine

is low on oil....

The previous owner could have done this, then

"doped" the engine in order to sell to an unwary

buyer....

"Doping" includes some of those really thick

additives intended to stop oil burning...

One time I worked on an engine with main bearing

noise right after the new owner changed the oil ,,,,

There was sawdust that I found in the oil filter...

Nuff said....

Could be your valve hitting the piston. How it got there I dont know.


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Madjack wrote:Like I said before, building an engine like ours (2.2 or 2200) is a painstaking chore , since there is so few custom made parts. It's frustrating to me too, but that's what I like about doing this engine, it's the challenge.

this question isnt even related to a j-body, but a 92 chevy van. i have the same problem, the oil was burnt up by the previous owner and the engine ran with no oil. It was only driven with the loud knocking for a few miles, and it locked up once, but started again. I am wondering if just the main and rod bearings could be replaced to eliminate this knocking. I dont want to buy another engine or completely rebuild this one.

lol you engine is not going to last much longer, i garentee the einge was ran at hgher speeds with little or no oil and was @!#$ up, then the owner realiozed it and toped the thing off with oil and sold it. even if im wrong you engine will not last much longer, the damage is already done and cant be reversed without major engine work.

Off topic to Ryan Hoffman :


After pulling the pan and removing some of the rod and

main caps, a reasonable estimate can be made.


First, as to main bearings, they should NOT be galled,

especially the rearmost ones. The engine is hopeless

if the main crankshaft bearings are damaged.


If the rod journals are only slightly roughened, they may

be cleaned with mild crocus cloth using a 'shoe shine'

method to lightly polish.


Replacing the rod bearing inserts, reassembling and

testing may result in a re-usable engine. Albeit with

a limited life.