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Ej22 piston slap or rod knock?


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I bought a EJ22 that came out of a  97 Impreza  in a front end collision. The impact broke the driver side cam shaft pulley (all five finger broke) but it didn't throw it out of time so I don't think I screwed up the valves. I did a compression check and all cylinders are at 180 to 185. I adjusted all the valves. The motor has 112k on it and it sure drives like it. If it wasn't for this knock this would be the best running ej22 I've ever seen. When I start it up I sometimes hear 3 or 4 rapid knocks then it quits. When I rev it up I hear it and when I am at around 3k while driving it it's almost constant. I pulled the timing cover and everything is tight in there including the tensioner pulley. I've driven it probably around 400 or 500 miles since I dropped it in my Outback and it's been the same since then.. What do y'all think? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yWM_PFqgBs

Edited by gravitate
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I can't guarantee by any means but I had similar noises in an ej251 shortly before it siezed. Do an oil change and cut open the oil filter. Take a portion of the fins out and compress them in a vise with a rag around. You then stretch the piece out and inspect for metal. If you see any metal it may be time to begin searching for another motor. There may be a tutorial of some sort on youtube.

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My 2001 obw 2.5 sohc made the exact same noise , i ignored it as long as i could stand it... finally pulled the motor out and tore it down. Rod bearings shot big time , not spun, but the worse one literally fell into pieces when opened up. The rest were badly down to copper. Had the crank checked and the rods resized, new bearings and rings and its back up and running. If you wait it will most likely throw a rod or just seize up.

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My 2001 obw 2.5 sohc made the exact same noise , i ignored it as long as i could stand it... finally pulled the motor out and tore it down. Rod bearings shot big time , not spun, but the worse one literally fell into pieces when opened up. The rest were badly down to copper. Had the crank checked and the rods resized, new bearings and rings and its back up and running. If you wait it will most likely throw a rod or just seize up.

That is an ej25, notorious for that, an ej22 is a totaly different animal they are diehards.

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I can't guarantee by any means but I had similar noises in an ej251 shortly before it siezed. Do an oil change and cut open the oil filter. Take a portion of the fins out and compress them in a vise with a rag around. You then stretch the piece out and inspect for metal. If you see any metal it may be time to begin searching for another motor. There may be a tutorial of some sort on youtube.

This makes the most sense, take a pic with flash of the paper elemint the flash makes the metal shavings stand out. There is always some metal, but it should be obvious if it's a rod knock.

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Did the oil filter and found nothing in the filter itself but I did find a few flakes at the bottom of the filter housing. I don't know whats considered a normal amount of metal particles but I assume that these flakes were to big for normal. Ugh thats the 3rd used engine in a row that I got screwed on.

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Did the oil filter and found nothing in the filter itself but I did find a few flakes at the bottom of the filter housing. I don't know whats considered a normal amount of metal particles but I assume that these flakes were to big for normal. Ugh thats the 3rd used engine in a row that I got screwed on.

If your not seeing glitter in your paper eliment your probably looking at piston slap. I would drive it and see of it gets worse or not.

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Pulled the engine today and popped off the oil pan and there was a ton of huge shavings. Not sure if it was rod or main bearings but something took a crap. I can't believe it was still running

What kind of metal where they, does it look like copper or steel

Or is it aluminum.

Piston slap can cause large flakes of aluminum to come loose.

Still shouldn't be seeing a ton of flakes.

Grab ahold of the crank and see if you have any back and forth play.

Grab each rod and see if you get play out of any of them.

Edited by mikaleda
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No play in anything I can see or get my hands on but I'm also doing this thru the oil pan so I can't get ahold of the number 1 rod. I'm assuming it's my number one rod bearing. Lots of shiny metal flakes

That's bad, sounds like its a good thing you pulled it.

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