3.8 rod knock

[rod knock]

Re: 3.8 rod knock

I kind of felt bad for the kid selling the car, he was counting on my money for christmas gifts.

[Bird_Of_Prey]

Re: 3.8 rod knock

I'm really doubting you're hearing a rod knock then. It's a rarity with these motors. You've found 2? Eh....

[Blizzard242]

Re: 3.8 rod knock

Why does it seem that cars that are driven too easily, have more problems than mine?.. which I beat the piss out of.

[Bird_Of_Prey]

Re: 3.8 rod knock

Why does it seem that cars that are driven too easily, have more problems than mine?.. which I beat the piss out of.

You probably maintain it better than the average "gas goes here" type folks.

[transamtom1]

Re: 3.8 rod knock

Why does it seem that cars that are driven too easily, have more problems than mine?.. which I beat the piss out of.

I drive the piss out of mine too,its had a lifter tick on start up since I bought it 4 years ago.

Full Synthetic with a Large Wix a V8 Rad and 180 Thermostat.

Runs cool all day and its a blast on Freeway ramps with 32/21 sways and 285/35/18 and 275/40/17 Sumihomo 2's on Vette Magnesium 5 spokes.

I had a high mileage 3.8L 95 SSE Bonneville a few years ago that had rod knock though.

[ssms5411]

Re: 3.8 rod knock

Mines far from stock but have had a supercharger, nitrous and a turbo on it with no issues.

[rod knock]

Re: 3.8 rod knock

I'm really doubting you're hearing a rod knock then. It's a rarity with these motors. You've found 2? Eh....

3!! The first guy I called about a donor motor had a son who just rebuilt his 3.8 because of a knock, It's really not a rarity at all from what my little bit of research has told me.

[rod knock]

Re: 3.8 rod knock

I drive the piss out of mine too,its had a lifter tick on start up since I bought it 4 years ago.

Full Synthetic with a Large Wix a V8 Rad and 180 Thermostat.

Runs cool all day and its a blast on Freeway ramps with 32/21 sways and 285/35/18 and 275/40/17 Sumihomo 2's on Vette Magnesium 5 spokes.

I had a high mileage 3.8L 95 SSE Bonneville a few years ago that had rod knock though.

Make that 4 ..lol

[rod knock]

Re: 3.8 rod knock

Mines far from stock but have had a supercharger, nitrous and a turbo on it with no issues.

The ''far from stock'' is probably why.:tup:

[ssms5411]

Re: 3.8 rod knock

The ''far from stock'' is probably why.:tup:

When it was rebuilt I used clev. 77 bearings where I could.

[rod knock]

Re: 3.8 rod knock

When it was rebuilt I used clev. 77 bearings where I could.

Im having a difficult time deciding whether I want to rebuild mine or go with a GM crate motor. I was going to try and find a low mileage used motor but thats not working out too well..

[ssms5411]

Re: 3.8 rod knock

Doing a rebuild lets you put quailty parts in there. But using a L32 used engine would be just as good I would assume.

[rod knock]

Re: 3.8 rod knock

Doing a rebuild lets you put quailty parts in there. But using a L32 used engine would be just as good I would assume.

That's what I went to look at the other day, I figured with 50k miles on the motor it would be a good donor.
I wasn't too crazy about having to swap the intake, exhaust manifolds, oil pan, valve covers, and accessories over but I was going to get the whole car for 500 bucks.
The scrap guys around here would give me 400 when i was done with it, I thought I had found the perfect car, but no.

[Pewter02Camaro]

Re: 3.8 rod knock

I'm really doubting you're hearing a rod knock then. It's a rarity with these motors. You've found 2? Eh....

^^^^You read my mind, Ive seen plenty of 3.8's that have been run into the ground that run just fine.

OP,I also find it very hard to belive that youve managed to find 4 motor that each have a rod knock. Either that or your one unlucky guy. :p

[rod knock]

Re: 3.8 rod knock

Not to be argumentative, but i know what a rod knock sounds like.
I got under my car with a stethoscope just to make sure it wasn't some thing simple like a cracked flex plate.
I also took the serpentine belt off to make sure it wasn't any of the moving parts, I listened around the manifolds and spark plugs, I checked the harmonic balancer, I checked it in and out of gear..