Rod Knock, Motor Replacement, Spun a rod bearing Options

[Special_Edy]

Okay so I drove my beat up 94 GT to Florida for Minecon and all went well. 2800 miles total in less than a week and got just over 30mpg which I was very impressed with. The engine and car only have 131,000 miles but it was in rough shape when I bought the car for $300 two years ago. It had two flooded cylinders and a warped head which I repaired and then drove several thousand miles till an exhaust valve burnt up. I replaced the valve two months ago but I knew the rotating assembly was a ticking time bomb.

The ticking noise started when I got back from Florida and it got steadily worse until last week when I was driving on the highway and it started banging really loud. I slowed down to 50 and the noise went away completely, but then I suddenly lost power and the car was only able to muster 40mph to the next exit where it died when I pressed in the clutch to downshift. It was seized until it cooled off and then I was able to turn it over but it made a loud clunking noise. I called a buddy with a pickup truck to come tow me and then the huge ice storm blew in. So today (4 days later) the roads thawed out enough for me to tow the car to a buddies shop where I threw it up on a lift.

The number 3 rod bearing spun and melted. It scored the crank journal slightly so I'm going to find a salvaged engine to replace it.


http://youtu.be/76tpZdc4S_w Part 1

http://youtu.be/d7Nyb3_Zy10 Part 2

[Smaay]

I have the engine that came out of Amy's car.

Good job on spinning that bearing that good! I cant tell you how many engines i have rebuilt from the same thing. usually from oil starvation. The engine is salvageable, I suggest a new crank, i personally have never had luck turning the journal and using undersized bearings. Its more cost effective to replace the crank then have to do it all over again. Also replace that rod, its junk. Clean the block really good and put it back together.

[Special_Edy]

I have the engine that came out of Amy's car.

Good job on spinning that bearing that good! I cant tell you how many engines i have rebuilt from the same thing. usually from oil starvation. The engine is salvageable, I suggest a new crank, i personally have never had luck turning the journal and using undersized bearings. Its more cost effective to replace the crank then have to do it all over again. Also replace that rod, its junk. Clean the block really good and put it back together.

The cylinder bores are in rough shape and when the shop changed the valve they didnt change the valve seat so I had to sandpaper a shim thinner than the thinnest lifter shim available. So Im just going to replace the motor as a whole until I can afford the odds and ends for a 1mz swap.

A question- Is there enough room to pull the engine without pulling the transmission? Im not sure I can get the clutch clear of the tranny.