91 celica gt - new engine - clacking sound

[chris007]

I need some suggestions from some experienced techs. I put a re-man engine in my 91 celica in december. In the past couple months i've been hearing a clacking noise, and its only getting worse, its a metallic clacking noise that only happens on rough take off's, and going uphill.. or, actully when accelerating on flat ground if the engine is hot enough. It only happens when gassing, if I fludder the gas pedal with a hot engine, I can almost always get it to make the sound.

I brought it to the guy who installed the engine and he said it was piston knock(i think) something knock!....He said my engine doesnt have a knock sensor that automatically changes my timing. He said put 93 gas in it and see if it fixes it. Well..I did and the problem has stopped a little, but when I drive the car for distances, the problem comes back. I havn't brought it back to change the timing but im afraid if I do my idling will be rough, and with an exhaust I can't imagine a rough idle would sound any better than the current sound (although it probably wouldn't be as damaging to the car either!)


I don't know what to do, i've put a lot of money into this car and would really hate to see ANOTHER engine die on me... Does anyone have any advise?




Currently im running non-synthetic 10w-30 oil with super+93 gas.

I'd hate to keep putting 93 in the car, since it eats gas and is so expensive, but if that's one of the fixes, then ill keep on doing it.

I don't know if I should put synthetic in the engine? The problem went away after doing an oil change for about 2 days, then came back !... Should I use different oil?

[lcarocha]

Thats engine knock or pinging adn yes, your engine does have a knock sensor located on the back of the engine. If you dont want to loose the engine then I suggest you go and get the timing checked and adjusted, I'd take the rough idle than having to get the engine overhauled because some piston/ring broke due to pinging. Your engine shouldn't ping that simple.

If after you check the timing and the engine still pings then timing belt was not correctly installed or somewhere, under heavy accelertion, it jumped a toothh... it has happened

[chris007]

Thanks, i'll bring it in tuesday to a toyota dealership, and hopefully they will fix it up.


Something I forgot to add, which I probably should have, or shouldn't have said depending on point of view.. lol


anyways.....before this problem started, i was driving along, 2 hour drive or so...and I just happend to look down @ my heat meter...oohh man, lemmy tell u I almost had a heart attack, it was reaching the red line, so I take the next exit, and try to stay off the gas. Right when I pulled into a parking lot, the pinging started. Later on I found that my radiator was the cause of the first engine blow.. Since im a poor bastard I rinsed off the condenser and radiator with a with a high pressure garden hose, and all the sludge has come off.... (Duh on my end) But I also question the techs who replaced the engine? Would have been obvious to me if I looked @ it and seen dirt covered over the condenser, making it impossible for air to get to the radiator!! anyways, the heat problem is now fixed, its been a month and i've been driving it everywhere without it heating up.

[celica kid]

you dont think maybe you spun a bearing??? that makes a nice metalic knocking noise also...just keeping you open minded.

[chris007]

spark knock ring a bell?

[lloydjv]

Sounds like detonation. Don't be fooled....I am on my 3rd rebuild in 18 months. Seems the 'good' folks who rebuilt it kept taking short cuts. A bearing would fail here, oil pump there, and then a worn crankshaft.
They finally had to replace the entire block.
Needless to say they no longer are in business.
I would try to set the base timing first and see if that alleviates your symptoms. My timing is advanced to 17* and I have no problem. Daily driver and always up around 85 MPH on the backroads home.
I wouldn't be so sure that higher octane fuel is going to help, either unless your timing is advanced, or you have other mods for performance. Could be bad for your problem.

[chris007]

oddly enough, its fixed, and I only put 93 gas in it.


Im on my 5th tank of premium gas without any weird noises. I find it kind of strange that its necessary to put 93 in when the manual calls for 87, but I wont cry. I'd rather have a working engine.

...Longest amount of time that this noise has dissapeared for. I've gone on 1-1.5 hour trips without any problems. It's been 2 weeks... Wohoo !

[Deep]

As mentioned, check your timing. The tech may have messed it up and advanced it.