I've owned many Subarus over the years, just now found this site. Looking at a 93 Loyale 4WD 5spd 200K+ miles. I'm going to look at the car tomorrow. The owner says it has started to make a knocking type noise when accelerating. They are from Alaska and just moved down here. If it's just under load that makes me think detonation. How can I tell if it just needs to be timed or if it has a rod going? Thanks, Matt.

There's others on the board that know a lot more than me.....

 

But I think you're right - if the knock is just under load and not all the time I would guess that it is timing.

this wouldnt be the infamous engine tick? anyway you would hear that all throughout the rpm range, any load....

 

the stock timing sould be 20 deg btdc +/-2 deg

 

my experience with a rod knock, the knock would be intermittent upon startups. and also you would hear it as load changes, such as revving in neutral, you would hear it at the moment you let off the gas, and then again when it returned to idle, it would go away at load or negative load.

 

lets evaluate and eliminate anything else before we decide it has a rod knock!

My 92 Loyale had a knock under load back in Sept.about 2 weeks before I had a noticeable problem with my ignition system.Once doing a good full tune-up and cleaning my injectors the knock went way...I still have a tini- bit of the TOD but thats getting better with the use of MMO.

 

 

I used to always think the worst when mine makes a noise (Its my only car..no back-up and its my baby). But I have learned to always look into the simple things first before thinking the worst.

Thanks for the replies. My first thought was the tick as well, but the owner says it's more of a knock. Fox, thanks for the dignosis help, I'll listen for that. I'll be gone all day today, then I go to look at the car at 5:00 so I'll let you know what happens. Thanks again, Matt.

also, check the timing belt tension. a loose or slack belt on the driver side can cause the distributor to backlash as the cam passes over the vlalve springs, and this can cause a slight knocking sound on the driver side and at the distibutor.

Looked at the car today. It's in OK shape but the motor will need some work. The timing belts were changed about 100K miles back and there does seem to be a slight knock. I'm going to look into a replacement motor/rebuild and will post a thread to that affect. Thanks for all the ideas. Matt.