so I was driving down the highway the other day with my stereo blasting and everything was normal. Once I pulled off and stpped at a red light, I thought I heard a clanging sound over the music. Come to find my engine acquired a very loud clanging sound and I have no idea what the problem is.

 

I heard the lifters clicking when I first fired her up after the rebuild and that's not it...much louder and more "metallic"...I would described it as if you were to bang on the engine block with a frying pan. However, I didn't notice any change in performance (what there is of it) and didn't know anything was wrong until I heard the sound. I headed straight home and made the 30+ minute drive with no problems except the noise. I thought for sure the engine was going to sieze and/or fly apart, but nothing yet. The sound increases with rpm and is pretty bad at idle up to maybe 3-4k rpm, but seems to become much less noticable at higher rpm

 

I puilled the fan belt off to see if it was coming from a pulley or something, but that had no effect. Just listening to it, the sound seems to be coming from the center of the engine (as opposed to the valvetrain area.) Pulled the plugs and checked that all pistons move as I turn the crank.

 

What could it be? Maybe the bottom "U" part of one of the conn rods has worked loose but hasn't fallen completely off? No signs of a foreign object in any cylinders either.

Take off the timing cover and check your flywheel. Put a screwdriver against it(motor off) and use a slight leverage against it and see if it is loose! Then rotate the engine (motor off) with a 22mm socket on the front pulley and do the same with a screwdriver and once again see if it is loose. If it is pull the engine out and retighten the flywheel screws.

 

That happened to me once. That is what I did. Carefull not to drive it right now until you make sure if it is the flywheel or what it is!

 

Let us know!

 

Rich