Knock, knock! Who's there? Rod bearings! Awww hell. Options

[bnr32celica]

So I just get my Celica back and now I have a nice little knock at certain RPMs. It's in the early stages, but I'm being proactive. I'm guessing standard size bearings should be ok, no? It's only at 2000-2300rpm, 3500-3800rpm, and over 5500rpm. The car has 281,000 miles and JUST had a head gasket done. This is a repair I can do, I did my head gasket in 4 hours. It just started today, and I maybe put 100 miles on the car (had to get her home).

If I do the bearings, should I just say to hell with it and do my pistons too? I wasn't comfortable using a graphite gasket, so I wouldn't mind getting the MLS gasket in there. I'm keeping her as long as I can so a budget rebuild wouldn't be throwing good money away.

TIA.

[Tigawoods]

that sucks that you literally just had the head off and now you have to tear it down again

[bnr32celica]

You're telling me. I don't want to, but if I can't find an engine in good nick, I will.

[BonzaiCelica]

mine ended up being that my spark plug shot up and melted to my coil pack. check that first. misfire was my issue since cylinder 3 was completely dead

[bnr32celica]

Definitely not a misfire, car runs like the proverbial raped ape. Can and will rev up high, chirp 2nd hard, and still get 30mpg. Just makes that little knocking noise.

I'm in talks with Fate right now about his parts car's engine.

[bnr32celica]

Well, something let go tonight. Tear down is tomorrow night. Funny thing is, there was no abnormal noises picked up from a stethoscope on the lower end. Every abnormal noise points to valve train, more than likely a maladjusted lifter, which the machine shop said they all checked, cleaned, and adjusted to spec. Hmmm. We'll find out. If I dropped a valve and chunked a piston, someone's gonna be paying for a nice new 5S block. Car doesn't even crank though, so something in the lower end is at fault as well.

Right before it happened, I lost power, and the noise got louder than it has been. Was doing 45mph in 5th, level ground, cruising. Twenty minutes prior, my dad and I stethoscoped the engine and he said that #2 intake lifters were abnormally loud and what sounded like #3 rod bearings (or the main bearing cap adjacent) were faintly louder than the others. This was at 2300rpm.

5S carnage pics to follow!