2002 SL2 bad sounds from engine

[Cdubb]

Hi all,

Friend of mine picked up a 2002 SL2 with 253,000 on the DOHC engine. Bought the car with a crank but no start condition, changed the CPS but it ended up being the PCM2 fuse was blown. PO stated it got ran low on oil and had a tick for about 5-10 miles, parked it for the weekend and it wouldn’t restart so they parked it and eventually sold it. The tick to me doesn’t sound like a rod knock sounds more like a lifter, the video makes it sound deeper in tone than what it is in person, sounds higher pitched, almost plastic in nature in person. It has quieted down a lot at idle and is only occasional at idle but as you hear in the second video (sorry for the raw links) it ticks bad coming back to idle from 2k. The rod knocks I’ve been around were constant and this one is not, also the car seems to run pretty smoothly unlike the other rod knocks I’ve been around. Links are at the bottom take a listen and tell me what you think. I might tackle a lifter or a timing tensioner but a rod knock is not something I think is worth fixing on this car.

Note: since I’ve been working on it I’ve only had it running for a few minutes. Long enough to hear what’s going on and try to listen to it. Oil (5-30) is topped off also, oil on valve cover/plug wires is from me adding oil without a funnel.

Vid 1
https://youtube.com/shorts/PWysvzeKcFI?feature=share

Vid 2
https://youtube.com/shorts/quAZOf6KTn4?feature=share

[billr]

That noise on decel (tick coming back to idle from 2K) is typical of a rod bearing before it gets very bad.

Running smooth means nothing, I have had two fatally-damage engines "run smooth" (and get me home), one with a broken crank, and the other had half of a piston come out through the crankcase, I scooped up the pieces, put them in my pocket, and rode the rest of the way home.

Don't waste any time fussing with valve stuff. The PO admits that it ran low on oil, who knows how bad the damage is. A JY engine is probably the most practical fix.

PS: didn't listen to videos yet. No sound on this computer.

[Cdubb]

Originally Posted by billr

That noise on decel (tick coming back to idle from 2K) is typical of a rod bearing before it gets very bad.

Running smooth means nothing, I have had two fatally-damage engines "run smooth" (and get me home), one with a broken crank, and the other had half of a piston come out through the crankcase, I scooped up the pieces, put them in my pocket, and rode the rest of the way home.

Don't waste any time fussing with valve stuff. The PO admits that it ran low on oil, who knows how bad the damage is. A JY engine is probably the most practical fix.

PS: didn't listen to videos yet. No sound on this computer.

Had a chance to listen with sound?

[billr]

No, I haven't bothered to listen to it. Sorry if you have been patiently waiting for me to post again. I didn't bother to listen because:

1) Noises are notoriously hard to identify as to their cause or even physical location

2) You said the noise didn't sound quite the same in the video as it does in-person

3) An engine that has been run with low/no oil pressure needs to be checked internally to determine extent of damage, no matter what the immediate cause of noise may be.

4) Got it? My advice would not be changed by listening to the video.

[C52]

I'm not sure why there have been no other posts, perhaps because people in general don't like to be the bearer of bad news?

Vid #2 sounds just like a bad engine on a car I bought that I was told also had run low on oil, I think the person added some things to the oil to make the sale, sadly then I didn't know any better and was soon parted with my money. Not long after the car went to the scrap yard.

I have in the past removed the oil pan in a situation such as this, found the bad rod bearing, used emery cloth to remove the fused parts of the bearing from the crank shaft, polished the crank and installed a new bearing. Put over 10K miles on the car after without any further problems.

Certainly not the right way to do things, and I'm not sure if such a repair would be possible on a more modern engine, but may be worth a try if you don't want to spend big bucks and/or much labor fixing it the right way.

[cgg17]

Sounds like some bearing damage. Time for a teardown and evaluation.

[Greg1]

Yes, the noise sounds like bad news.