Print Page - Working on a friend's T-Bird

Title: Working on a friend's T-Bird - Rattling
Post by: David on August 01, 2006, 02:51:30 AM

Ok, so a friend of mine from work bought a T-bird a while back, he drove it once and it overheated. Apparently the radiator blew on it.

He replaced the radiator and so on.. but it didn't fix the overheating. I took a look and fixed the overheating problem which was a crushed heater pipe.

But the car has a knock or a rattling sound coming from it. It almost sounds like something rattling around in the engine bay like a pulley because sometimes it squeaks too.

Anyway, here's the two videos I took, can anyone identify the sound of it? I'm hoping not rod knock, but you never can tell. This car does have 220,000 miles on it.

Also, it's a 92 3.8 obviously. How do you pull the codes on this thing? It comes up once in awhile.

Two videos here ---
http://www.cougarnuts.com/MVI_0588.AVI (7.26MB)
http://www.cougarnuts.com/MVI_0589.AVI (3.70MB)

Both videos are very small, but I just took them for the sound.

Thanks for any help ahead of time.

Title: Working on a friend's T-Bird - Rattling
Post by: SLEEPER T-BIRD 87 on August 01, 2006, 03:24:40 AM

i cant view the videos cause of my poor connection.

but i had a very hi milage 3.8 once in a 85 fox mustang it made a rattling/ knocking noise and was the crank thrust bearing. check to see how far it moves for and aft.

Title: Working on a friend's T-Bird - Rattling
Post by: blu84302 on August 01, 2006, 08:19:18 AM

That sounds EXACTLY like my probe gt when it spun a rod bearing. Check with others though. I'm about 80 percent positive. Try to get information on how a thrown rod would sound as far as consistancy/repetiveness. Do an oil change and look for shavings.

Title: Working on a friend's T-Bird - Rattling
Post by: dominator on August 01, 2006, 12:42:50 PM

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo,That's a rod,sorry man but it looks like you need an engine,i hate that sound.

Title: Working on a friend's T-Bird - Rattling
Post by: SLEEPER T-BIRD 87 on August 01, 2006, 01:18:15 PM

Quote from: SLEEPER T-BIRD 87

i cant view the videos cause of my poor connection.

but i had a very hi milage 3.8 once in a 85 fox mustang it made a rattling/ knocking noise and was the crank thrust bearing. check to see how far it moves for and aft.

^ this will also sound like a rod knock

Title: Working on a friend's T-Bird - Rattling
Post by: Ifixyawata on August 01, 2006, 01:48:54 PM

Harmonic balancer coming apart?

Title: Working on a friend's T-Bird - Rattling
Post by: softtouch on August 01, 2006, 04:15:35 PM

Take the belt off and run it to eliminate all the belt driven stuff.

Title: Working on a friend's T-Bird - Rattling
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 01, 2006, 05:25:47 PM

Sounds like a rod. Valves would make more of a ticking sound. It's gotta be a rod. It's knocking like an SOB.

Title: Working on a friend's T-Bird - Rattling
Post by: V8Demon on August 01, 2006, 07:53:30 PM

You, sounds like a rod. Probably towards the back (those like to go first on 5.0's as well as 3.8's)

Title: Working on a friend's T-Bird - Rattling
Post by: David on August 02, 2006, 12:51:30 AM

Well thanks everyone, but I'm done working on it. He's looking for a different car right now. Car isn't worth as much as how much it would cost to fix it.

Thanks all.

Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

General => General Fox T-Bird/Cougar Discussion => Topic started by: David on August 01, 2006, 02:51:30 AM