93 geo prizm 1.6 93000 mi. Its making a loud knocking sound and runs badly. Before I chuck it in the trash, what should I check to see if it is repairable?
Can the oil pan be easily removed to check the rod bearings, if bad can they just be replaced? Can the crank come out with the engine in the car? Should I take the head off and look for dropped valves or something? I have about 20 spare hours to devote to this but only 300 dollars for parts. It only has to run a few more thousand miles. What are the chances of a scored cylnder wall, cracked piston, all valves bent etc? What would you guys check first before you condem the vehicle?
Pull the pan and yank a couple of rod caps. If the rod and crank are in OK shape you might be able to get away with a repair. If their not your $300 will go to bus fare or another car.
-SP
The Following User Says Thank You to speedy25 For This Useful Post:
honestly you should not have let the car ran out of oil in the first place.. not sure how much a 1 gallon bottle of oil would cost but that would have saved you alot, but like speedy 25 said in the above post that $300 can go to another car or bus fair, a knocked engine is not to be taken lightly.
Its not my car (womans car). Im going to order a set of .75mm under bearings. They are only $25. I have to put it back together anyway so I will take a shot. Who wants to guess how long it will run?
Root cause of problem: The oil drain plug was only in finger tight. Its a shame, the car was in good shape.
I dont have space to store it to part out. I live in DC, space is at a premium here. Rod bearings wont be in till next week, then we will have a answer to the age old question "How long will it run like that?"
I would get a set of STD bearings instead of undersize. Even if the crank is scored pretty bad, I doubt it's gotten small enough to accommodate the thicker bearings. I would also put some loctite on the bearing so it doesn't spin again.
Ok, I'm going to go with the STD bearings on ya'lls recommendation, besides I can get them locally friday so I can find out sooner if there is any play.
post a photo of the crank, I can give you an idea of if its even worth putting the oil pan back on the thing with bearings or if you should just think about pulling the crank to get it machined...or another crank.
Well, I put the rod bearing in and put it back together. I started it up. I was a little surprised (and disappointed) to still hear a loud knocking sound! I listened carefully and there are two knocks, one from the bottom and one from the top and it runs badly. I think there is more bottom end damage and top end damage as well. I think I was used to repairing random failures where one part fails, you replace it and youre good to go. I see if they run out of oil though, multiple parts can fail at the same time. Im done. I am officially declaring this car Dead.
I think I am going to check the oil in My cars now! BTW, thank you guys for your help. I really really appreciate you.
High mileage vehicles get enough wear on them that they dont ruin internals right away. They can run a lot longer than we think on no or next to no oil, and end up a LOT worse than a low mileage engine.
I think you're smart for declaring that engine dead.
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
ToyotaNation.com is an independent Toyota/Lexus enthusiast website. ToyotaNation.com is not sponsored by or in any way affiliated with Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. The Toyota, Lexus and Scion names and logos are trademarks owned by Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.
honestly you should not have let the car ran out of oil in the first place.. not sure how much a 1 gallon bottle of oil would cost but that would have saved you alot, but like speedy 25 said in the above post that $300 can go to another car or bus fair, a knocked engine is not to be taken lightly.
Linear Mode
