Knock questions

[chevyman1968]

okay, so last week I thought that I spun a bearing in my car. It knocks and the locks up when you start it. Well, I pull my engine this past weekend and tore it down to the long block today. I check timing and it was good, but my timing belt guide. The little thing that gets bolted on above the crank sprocket. It is broken as in it snapped on one side and was literally tearing the timing belt to shreds. My question is could that have been the knocking I was hearing? The guide bouncing against the timing cover? I have not removed the heads yet. Tomorrow morning I will take off the oil pan and see if I can move any of the rods around. This is just puzzling to me, because the engine turns over fine and makes no noise as all when I turn it over by hand. Any insight would be greatly appreciated because I am a little stumped.

[86bratman]

It's not uncommon for that newer style tensioner to fail like that, I much prefer the old style for reliability. If your timing belt was still lined up right you may have escaped valve damage, if not check all the valves because you could have bent them.

[chevyman1968]

hmmm see thats the thing. It wasn't the tensioner that failed. It was the belt guide that is bolted above the crank sprocket. I'll go out to the garage and see if I can get a picture of it.

[86bratman]

Got ya, misread that. It's possible that was your noise, if it was bouncing into the oil pump. Does it look like it could have gotten in between the crank sprocket and sensor, I could see that causing it to die. I've never had one with that guard installed, but my manual cars were made before they started using them.

[chevyman1968]

Yeah, it looks like it could get stuck in there. Unfortunately I can't find my camera cord anywhere.... otherwise I would post some pics up.

[chevyman1968]

Alright, well I went ahead and just tore the block down all the way to the short block. Unfortuantly, yet fortuantly, it is the #3 rod bearing. I can literally lift the rod up and down. Now I need to go buy some flat iron and make a tool to pull the wristpins out so I can split the block. It really is bummer because the cross hatch in the cylinders is still great.

[r3v_v3ng3]

That sucks, I was hoping it was just the timing belt guide that was doing that to you. Do you know if your machine shop is able to fix the crank from a spun bearing? The machine shop I go to says they can't since its small and compact

[chevyman1968]

Idk if my machine shop will or not. He mostly focus's on domestic muscle. He decked my heads and pressure tested them for me last time I did engine work. I'll have to drop by and see if he does.

Right now, I am just looking for an engine to drop in and run for now. As I have time I am looking at rebuilding my current short block to do a turbo build. My buddy spun a bearing on his WRX and he is selling me his TD-04 and top mount. He is going to upgrade to a VF39 and STi top mount. So, I am in the market for STi rods and possibly a crank. If anyone has a set that they want to sell shoot me a PM. I am gonna start gathering parts now so I can start the build this summer.