Rod knock - how to check and deal with it

Hear something knocking in your engine? Afraid it might be rod knock? Here's how to check it out.

Whether it's a knocking noise inside your engine or a clicking one or whatever else, the only truly foolproof way of checking for rod knock is taking a direct look at your rods and rod bearings. To do that you need to remove your oil pan.

Removing the oil pan is easy. In the case of my MR2 mk1 all you need to do is get the exhaust out of the way and unbolt the oil pan. After that remove the oil strainer and you can take a look at your rods and rod bearings.

Shake the rods a bit. If they feel loose that is very bad and everything needs to come out. In my case the rods were rock solid but once I removed my bearings I noticed some very alarming things and confirmed that my engine unfortunately did develop rod knock. I just got caught it pretty early. Rod 1 looked best, rod 4 worst, to me it seems like it's an oiling issue, although my oil pressure was good the needle on the manual oil pressure gauge was pretty bouncy.

So what now? Another rebuild. I'll drop this engine soon and get it fixed using a junkyard 4age engine I just got. Time to get dirty again.

Music used in the video:

Escape - Kiss
➤ Escape

#d4a rodknock #diy #4age #4age16v #aw11 #ae86 #4agebigport #mr2mk1 #mr2 #toyota #jdm #celica #corolla #starlet #ke70 #fx16

D4A (driving 4 answers) is part of the amazon associates program

[demondaniels]

You did exactly what I want to do at the end of your video. 2 weeks of hard work on the top end to hear a knock after start up. I had an oiling issue with my new oil pump. Sick is an understatement. Thank you for reminding me it isn't the end of the world, just a lesson. Painful one, but a lesson. Thanks for the video!

[beezertwelvewashingbeard]

Don't be fooled. That ax and pirate knife are professional tools from the Snap-On truck. $400 each.

[albertcanales]

You’re honest humble attitude followed by a humorous harakiri is a perfect example of the experience that goes through a drivers mind when they understand how serious/expensive/work intensive it’s going to be bring back their dream project/baby/daily driver back to reliable running condition. ( The AUTHENTIC shot where you’re pulling the oil pan and demonstrating how well the OEM GASKET functioned, was just beautiful!)

[NoNoRc]

“that hammer was to weak so I grabbed an axe” . Almost about pissed myself 😂😂😂

[BatMan-cqgq]

pro tip, tap on the bottom of the rod cap while the piston is at the top of its stroke, you'll hear which of the rods are loose.

[Garage]

Torque wrench seppuku was the best ending to any video I've ever seen. XD

[garylangley]

I had a '66 Jeep Wagoneer with an AMC 327 V8 engine. It ran quiet, but smoked some. I was going to replace the rings, but when I removed the rod bearing caps, I saw that the bearings were worn down to the copper. I checked the journals with a micrometer, and they were in surprisingly good condition. I replaced the rod and main bearings, along with the rings, and a few other things, and it ran great. All I'm saying is that I'd check the crank first. You may be able to polish the crank in the engine and use a slight oversized bearing, and get a good engine.

[asscheeseeverywhere]

I wish more videos were like this. No nonsense, right to the point

[paradoxdea]

2:46...Smelling your bolt is very important when it comes to changing oul.

[Raevenswood]

You didn't even scream at the end. Very honorable. :)

[aztecred]

Good to hear that you are using this unfortunate situation as an opportunity to improve your MR2.
I am looking forward to more videos in the future.

[timdegroot]

Actually, I would replace the crankshaft, because I saw heat damage from the friction, meaning that the crankshaft probably has lost some hardness at the journals. However, getting a junkyard engine is probably cheaper, so repearong this one, and getting a junkyard engine if this one fails is also a good option

[FairwayJack]

polish the crank and install new bearings

[mattpolitzer]

Great detective work. No BS video. Loved it. Been there on my back removing oil pans. Thanks.

[markgunther]

I spun a rod bearing and the conrod had elongated into an oval on my turbo engine. With the engine in the car and without removing the crank, I was able to sand down the main and rod journals, and change all the main and rod bearings. Obviously the damage was much worse than yours.

I debated buying a new conrod but didn't want to have to remove the entire top end to pull the pistons so I decided to shim the conrod cap with a piece of soda can (just a shim on the bottom not the top) and used standard size bearings everywhere including that one conrod. I had debated whether to use one standard and one +1 oversize bearing on that one conrod but I'm glad I used the shim now.

I checked all clearances with plastigauge. It runs great has good oil pressure (70 cold and 35 hot). I babied the car for the first couple hundred miles, changed the oil and since then have been driving it hard as normal. It's been about 6 months since the repair and runs great. All that to say, don't give up you can fix these type of problems without rebuilding the entire engine.

[CodewortSchinken]

Online diagnosis is always difficult an d more like poking in the dark, than serious problem solving. Plus, I know Volkswagen EA827s but not Toyota A-engines.

Like you said in the video, the damage can be caused by a weak oil supply, due to a worn out pump, bad/wrong filter, or dirt inside the oil galleries.
Do you flushed and brushed the galleries, when you rebiult the engine?
The rod bearings get less oil than the mains, so they die first on not enougth oil or low pressure.
Dirt inside the galleries first goes into the main bearings and grindes them before the rod bearings. Unplausible according to the footage, but i woul check them. You will have to pull the crank out anyway.

Different Idea:
Of course the crankshaft could have been already damaged or bent when you assambled the motor.
Do you checkt it for balance and messured the exact journal diameter?
And what size of bearings do you used? Maybe the journals were already grinded once before and standard sized bearings caused way to much bearing play --> more oil loss at the bearings --> less oil pressure + big bearing play damaged bearings.
Used Parts are cheap an especially on old cars the only available ones. But you never know, what happend to the stuff before.

Little tip at the end:
Put some cardbord on the floor, when you work under the car. It´s way more easy to slide around on it and less cold in winter.

[farerse]

just sand the journals and put in new rod bearings

[pyrathian]

Pirate knife and an Axe, apparently the true tools of a professional, don't forget the seppuku torque wrench, which is the step I'm current at with my 4runner.

[Garage]

Hammering a pirate knife into an oil pan with a hatchet... This is a man I would pay to work on my MR2! Hahaha. <3

[roadworthy]

I feel for you brother! That's just the nature of cars, I wish you the best on the guts transplant and would highly advise a quality oil pump over something like a turbo, keep your chin up bro!