Engine Clanking LA 360 Motor

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wwwfora

wwwfora

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My engine makes a very loud clanking or pounding sound. It's more pronounced when you get your head near the oil pan which leads me to think it may be a thrown rod. The car idles fine and seems , it's a little sluggish when your easing into acceleration...sputters.

If the piston isn't moving up and down anymore, wouldn't there be black smoke coming from the exhaust since the cylinder is not compressing?

Anyway, does anybody have any idea the cost of repairing a connecting rod? If a new engine is in order, what is a reputable site for a 360 build and the cost of dropping it in. 1973 Dodge Dart Sport.

Update - Ran the car again today paying attention to the oil pressure guage.I only went up the street for about 5 minutes and the idle got really low and the pressure started dropping. Idle again was sporatic, something just isn't smooth about acceleration it sputters...

Thank you
 
Whats your oil pressure? Did it come on suddenly? Either way....you need to drop the pan IMHO and see whats going on......
 
Take a compression reading on it. Look at the plugs as you pull them. One should be low on pressure. Pull the dipstick. If it has spun a bearing the oil will have metal in it (looks llike metal flake in paint). If it is a rod, you can tear into it and totally fix it, or buy another one and drop it in. As far as crate rebuilders, there are none I trust.
 
I say either way pull the motor and go in and see what's up. I agree with moper, wouldn't trust a motor I didn't do or know anything about.
 
Check the bolts in the torque converter, flex plate, flywheel, pressure plate, first. Engines rattle or knock. "Clank" doesn't suit an engine noise for me.

Good luck
 
Good point redfish. Clank knock & rattle are all pretty subjective, but this is worth a try. Either way, dont drive it anymore till he figures out where the noise is coming from. If it IS a rod knock, he is doing damage he is gonna have to fix later.
 
yup, stop driving it asap. mine was knocking (still running really smooth and normal), i noticed it about a block away from home. pulled the motor and this is what i found.. :)


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If it is torque converter bolts, etc.., you can pull the coli wire and use the starter to hear the clank. Often an extra clank is heard when you release the key.
 
I remember years ago, a friends cuda sheared ALL the converter bolts off on the starting line. Probably once the first one went, the others followed PDQ!
 
I thought it might be the crank, bearings or connecting rods, but after I took the slop out of the rocker arms (which was unbelievably loose) I could definately tell the noise is coming from under the pedals, I'm guessing as some suggested that it's the torque convertor or something in that area. I don't have the time to tool around, so I'll see what the shop tells me tomorrow and post back.
 
Silvery looking oil, not looking good. More to come...taking engine to a professional machine shop. Stay tuned. I see lots of $$$ being spent here.
 
You should hope that it's the converter bolts...

I had a "clank" once, it turned out to be some major damage:

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Could any of you please help me? I'm trying to prepare myself for the worst. I'm wondering what questions the mechanic will have for me? If I can't use some of my old parts, what type of cam, crank, pistons, push rods? I just really have no idea. I've read around and see people mentioning KB107 pistons and such. I just want a nice sounding reliable car, never expected to make all these decisions so fast. i guess this ould be a good time to have the engine painted and clean the engine bay? Any ideas on what to expect would be great.

Thank you
 
Well, whoever reads this thread, I might as well finish the story. Shop tore it down to the ground. There were all kinds of things wrong, most notably it was slapped together, with the connecting rods being installed backwards and the valves smacking the top of the piston head. All in all the entire engine is in a machine shop being rebuild. Core was bored .60 over, which rendered it useless. Some of the parts were reuseable like the connecting rods, valves, springs, rockers and arm. head w2 econo, intake. replacement needed on Crank, pistons, valve covers, oil pump, and timing cover. Ofcourse, all the usual grinding, nurrling and honing, planing will be performed by the shop. Let's just say this cost under $6000. Good luck if you hear a clank in the future :)
 
I was hoping it was convertor bolts. Nasty, but $6000? Sure could build a lot of motor for that!
 
6K is a lot of scratch to redo an engine.

Got a list of what they are doing and charging for services?

I know you are in the Bay area, there is a really good guy down here that builds engines in the Palm Springs area. He's got W2 engine for sale that would knock you out.
 
Here's the list, let me know what you think! Also $1100 dollars to pull the engine and put it back in...Only new parts are stock crank, comp cam, timing cover, oil pump, timing gear, pistons and Block. Other than that new seals and all the machine work for the block plus painting the engine.

Thanks for anything you can offer.

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500 for a core block is about 300 too high and why new timing cover also too high
 
Your really getting hosed!!!!! How in the hell could a core block even be half of that?? And over $800.00 to partially put it back together? If you pay for that I would have to say that is very unwise.
 
OK all, enough of the ouch comments :)
Seriously, the Timing cover is only 150, and it was ruined because the crank rubbed the inside of the metal and wore it down and the guy who built the engine used a screw to long that damaged the crank metal seal. The block for $500? Yea, I don't know, it looks so rusted it could have come from the titanic 100 years ago, sitting outside for 15 years. 1978 year coded. So, not really sure about that deal. Also, 810 for a rebuild? i mean labor is 2300 dollars of which 810 is part of that. 65 barracuda dude, could you be more specific about what you feel is unwise? Parts are ok, I looked them all up, and they are fairly priced. I suppose we're only talking about the Block price and labor here.

Thanks all!
 
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