Thread: 300tdi - sudden engine knocking/ticking

Caveat I ve had some lovely Clare Valey shiraz before typing this...

Dave.
But why?
It smells like big ends, it sounds like big ends, '98 have an uncanny bigend history? What ever the problem is, that sounds sickly and will need at the very very very least a sump off repair?

I be guessing TuffRR doesnt have the gear to do a leak down test but I bet he has a 10mm and 14mm socket?

S

Assuming it is big ends,what make or composition of metal on the shells is recommended.
My 98 tdi is MY vin with 240k on the clock..........just when you think etc

Geoff

we've just had a 4 pot turbo diesel genset with what everyone swore blind was big end failure noise. turned out to be a piston head seperated from the second compression ring up.

A quick test with compressed air down the glow plug hole revealed massive blow by on the pot in question.

with the glow plugs out a crank rock test will identify tight points and if hes lucky might reveal a quite knock at the bearings or a noise from the top that turns out to be sticking valve guides/crushed valve stem caps

I'm big on doing the tests that are easy and clean even if its just going to confirm that its not something we already know it isnt. And this PC's sound card is US atm so I havent heard the noise.

What about smoke during this sound?
The '98 Disco from a friend made suddently 3 explosions and a "clunk" instead 4explosions as usual, we tought it was the end, but it was a "seized when hot" injector.
An experienced mechanik recommended us to put 2T oil in diesel and it worked ok until the vehicle was properly repaired.

Regards

What Dave said, it sounds more like top end to me, big end is more of a Bonk Bonk Bonk hollow sound, usually louder on overun of the throttle, Regards Frank.

All those that picked big end bearings were on the money. Had spun out number 4 and has also worn the crank. Think one of the pistons was hitting the valve also so basically the motor is fubared.

So seems options are spend $5-6k fixing this one to end up with a car that we want to sell and will only get $5-6k for, or try and find a cheap long motor to put in. Interested if people have any other suggestions.

So whats the best way to pick up a motor on the cheap?

Depending on time and inclination I would hazard a guess that you would get close-ish to $5k if you just parted out the disco you have? Assuming gear bag, tcase, diffs n axles are reasonable...

But then again there are so many more dead/dying/wrecking discos in melbourne my idea of prices is probably out of whack for down that way?

Just to get the current engine a going concern - If you can do the grunt work yourself it shouldnt cost to much:
Pull engine
Essentially ignore piston vs valves, they hit square and as long as rods and rockers are okay the kissed pistons wont be life ending.
Pull the crank, get it linished or machined if necessary, bearings, seals then bolt it back up?

But then it depends if your comfortable onselling a poorly rebuilt engine?

I dont envy your situation...

Steve

Originally Posted by TuffRR

All those that picked big end bearings were on the money. Had spun out number 4 and has also worn the crank. Think one of the pistons was hitting the valve also so basically the motor is fubared.

So seems options are spend $5-6k fixing this one to end up with a car that we want to sell and will only get $5-6k for, or try and find a cheap long motor to put in. Interested if people have any other suggestions.

So whats the best way to pick up a motor on the cheap?

Bad news, sorry to hear. I was about to add to Daves post last night that if a big end fails to a great extent, then top end noises will occur too, as the piston can strike the head/ valves at TDC.

Hope you find a way to repair it cheaply enough.

JC