blew it up

[Kidcamaro98]

Re: blew it up

yah what kind of noise...tapping, knocking or grinding???

[99camaro-3.8]

Re: blew it up

louder than a tap, not quite as loud as a bottom end knock. im working on it now ill let you know

[99camaro-3.8]

Re: blew it up

ok well i removed everything i could but im stuck on the lower intake manifold. i removed a total of 13 bolts and cant see anywhere else. i took off all the ones up top, the three torx bolts everything i could see and it wont budge. it seems like its really stuck in place. i took the water pump completely off and was prying up on the manifold with a crowbar and it wouldnt budge. is the something im missing or is it just really stuck to the heads?

oh and everything is fine electrically so its definitely something in the engine just so i dont get yelled at for taking it apart.

[slow6]

Re: blew it up

could you record the noise? you could always get a stethoscope or some kind of tube or hose then stick it to your ear and move the hose around the engine bay so you can hear where exactly the noise is coming from!

You must've missed a bolt. The lower intake manifold has just 4 little dabs of rtv/silicone thats it. Let me go count the bolts..

[slow6]

Re: blew it up

BTW, you didnt need to take off the water pump at all!
I dont know what torx bolts you are talking about? The only torx bolts i can think of are the 2 map sensor bolts

I only count 12 bolts holding the lower intake manifold down. Maybe you missed takeing the coolant elbow off? its connected to the metal coolant passage (the one that has the heater core lines)

[NOS2006]

Re: blew it up

Sounds like what happened to me when I blew a rod bearing.. Suddenly there was a knocking sound.. then the car wouldn't start again after shutting it down.

[AZ3.8Camaro]

Re: blew it up

Why are you tearing into the motor that far if you think its a top end problem?
Did you try running it with the valve covers off? You can get to everything but the lifters with the manifolds still on.

[99camaro-3.8]

Re: blew it up

im tearing it apart that far because im gonna do some performance mods while its all taken apart any way and im going to port and polish my heads so the intake manifold has to come off.

i tried running it with the valve covers off and it shut down on me by the time i got to the front of the car and then it wouldnt start up again. im gonna try turning it by hand tomorrow from the crank and ill see what happens. any advice on getting the intake manifold off?

[Mogobs30th]

Re: blew it up

im tearing it apart that far because im gonna do some performance mods while its all taken apart any way and im going to port and polish my heads so the intake manifold has to come off.

i tried running it with the valve covers off and it shut down on me by the time i got to the front of the car and then it wouldnt start up again. im gonna try turning it by hand tomorrow from the crank and ill see what happens. any advice on getting the intake manifold off?

One, you said something about a crowbar. Don't ever do that again. Im surprised no one has mentioned that yet. Two, you are missing some bolts. Im thinking the three you removed that were Torx are wrong, and you are missing the two hidden ones on the rear and front left. LOOK FOR THEM on the inside of the runners I believe. But you are definitely missing bolts.

As for actually removing the lower mani, get a chunk of wood, something like a 4" piece of 2X4. Press it up against the mani, and hit the wood block with a hammer. Or if you have a rubber mallet, use that. Don't use anything METAL on METAL to remove that piece.

[slow6]

Re: blew it up

ya, i forgot to say dont pry on aluminum with a metal crowbar

and dont run the engine with the valve covers off

[AZ3.8Camaro]

Re: blew it up

ya, i forgot to say dont pry on aluminum with a metal crowbar

and dont run the engine with the valve covers off

You can run the car with the valve covers off no problem, just know that some oil is going to squirt out. Nothing major.

The lower intake manifold does have some bolts hidden inside. The coolant elbow also prevents if from coming off, you need to get it loose then pick the back up and rotate it up towards you, then remove it from the elbow.

I agree, you are missing some bolts.

[99camaroSC]

Re: blew it up

mikey mikey mikey.........i feel bad u gotta drive the cavey around now, lol o well gimi a ring tomm sometime when u get a chance but i work till 5. lata

[T-Mill]

Re: blew it up

Has anyone thought about a cracked flywheel? Could explain it not starting, and then later startng??? Just another thing to check. Could cause both problems, the tapping, and the difficult to start... probably wouldn't have caused it to die in the first place... idk just a thought

[shenanigans]

Re: blew it up

Sure there was nothing with the starter? I had a starter make some horrendous noises, then work fine for awhile just make a whirring noise at start u.


and if you want my opinion, I'd buy a used engine and just slap it in. They are pretty cheap.


good luck on your search.

[slow6]

Re: blew it up

yea, i've had starter solenoids not engageing too. It would just make a high-pitched "bzzzZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz" sound but it wouldnt turn the flywheel cause it wasnt engaging

engines are cheap like $450-$500 is what I would spend for a 2002 at 60K miles