The wagon is down! Oh noes!

[BGoins12]

Yup, she's done... the engine that is. She's got a rod knock, and the fan almost completely covered up the sound. I noticed it a few days ago, it was a slight sound I heard, and knew it wasn't good.... I took the belt off today, and sure as shit... knock knock knock.... who's there? Toasted rod bearing I'm assuming.

Oh yeah, here's a video.



I'm not giving up though.... my friend has a 5.0 out of a 94 GT she wants to sell me with 86k on it.

[87gtVIC]

Wait a second you bought this car from a member on here. I have the trim panels of the dash for it. Anyways the "replace engine" light proves itself yet again.

[BGoins12]

Yes I did... wagon mafia. I know he sold a few things on here, including the grille, but I have a grille coming from Detroit for free. But yeah, I guess that engine light doesn't lie!

[87gtVIC]

So what are your plans for it. HO swap and keeping it as a sleeper? Or complete de-rust and repaint?

[grandpaslincoln]

Drive it until it won't go anymore.

[1990LTD]

I don't know what rod knock is but the noise just sounds like a death knell to me. I take it that's what it is, more or less?

[sly]

sounds like valve chatter to me. piston rods knock lots louder and much deeper in tone (imagine hitting an anvil with a wooden mallet dull thump kind of knock). At least that's what the 302 in my dad's truck sounded like when it spun a rod bearing. now if you're talking the lifter rods... then maybe... put some oil additive in it and see if it shuts it up.

[GoodSamaritan]

Meh, keep driving it, if you need the transportation. I've known of 302's going 10,000+ miles with a knock. Just keep it full of oil, and don't rev it too much.

On a side note, I very nearly traded a 75k mile 89 base model to WagginMafia for that car. Kinda glad I didn't now. LOL.

On a side note, if you would rather have a sedan, I might still do some trading with you, for the wagon and some cash. I still dig those seats.

[BGoins12]

It's definitely bottom end noise. I recorded that with my Blackberry, so the quality isn't very good.

But yeah, it's getting a total HO swap now... I'm getting a HO engine (just block, heads, stock tubular manis and valve covers) from a 94 GT and I bought all the HO top end stuff off a local guy to put on the SN95 engine....as well as a ECM out of a 88 GT. I will be getting just about everything except a 2.5" dual exhaust w/h-pipe, wide ratio AOD and my 3.73s. Those will be later.

[GoodSamaritan]

I'm glad to see the wagon in good hands. But if you change your mind...

[BGoins12]

Well... I am curious... what do you have? I will most likely end up keeping this, but I am curious in case I change my mind.

[Lincolnmania]

keep driving till you get all your ho goodies ready to install

[BGoins12]

I'm hoping it lasts. The guy that I got my second opinion from said it may not last long. It could last 7 miles or 7,000 he said..... but I hope it's the latter.

[Lincolnmania]

boxman had a 88 grand marquis with no oil pressure at idle in gear......steady replace engine light.......it knocked like mad and he put about 10,000 miles on it like that......put thick oil in it and lucas and keep it full, as long as it makes some oil pressure above idle it will keep running.

[sly]

20W50 is your friend :-p

Maybe just 10W40... but still. My dad had an 84 F150 that knocked like hell (spun the rod bearing clean off the piston rod). It was still knocking and running after 10K miles and being sold to a friend and him selling it off after he was done with it (needed it to haul some stuff). The trans in it also would not engage when cold. once it would warm up and seal up it would drive fine though. Just could not kill that truck.