Sad day - engine death rattle

[86mud]

Well, I have been enjoying driving my Series 3 on a daily basis since getting her registered in March this year after it had been sitting in a shed for 10 years and me spending a damn lot of time restoring her. Today, the engine developed a very unhealthy knocking sound. I was on the highway doing 90km when this happened. I immediately turn it off and looked under bonnet. I was hoping it was just a fan belt or something loose, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. So after a while, I started it again, and the rattle/knock sound coming from inside the engine was quite loud at idle.

It seems to be coming from the distributor/valve cover side of the block. Any ideas?

Next question - what to do next? rebuild, or replacement engine? If I rebuild, is it a costly exercise for the 186?

Thanks

[rangieman]

Well, I have been enjoying driving my Series 3 on a daily basis since getting her registered in March this year after it had been sitting in a shed for 10 years and me spending a damn lot of time restoring her. Today, the engine developed a very unhealthy knocking sound. I was on the highway doing 90km when this happened. I immediately turn it off and looked under bonnet. I was hoping it was just a fan belt or something loose, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. So after a while, I started it again, and the rattle/knock sound coming from inside the engine was quite loud at idle.

It seems to be coming from the distributor/valve cover side of the block. Any ideas?

Next question - what to do next? rebuild, or replacement engine? If I rebuild, is it a costly exercise for the 186?

Thanks

At 90 ks a standard holden motor is at its rev limit on standard landy gearing and constant speed will help distroy it .
Time to put a Landy donk back in it

[debruiser]

I have a spare one... unknown condition - it's for sale

OR you could buy my 109 with a 186 in it!

[Bundy]

Could it be the fibre cam gear breaking up (assuming it still has one) or do these just go quietly?

[MattyGM]

Without sounding obvious, has it got enough oil in it? It may have been burning or leaking oil without you noticing.

It could be a stuck or collapsed lifter (would be your best hope) they tend to make a racket though without hearing it I can't say (sounds pretty bad news). You can check by pulling off the side covers and idling it, just get a little oil about but not much. Holden 6 is probably still one of the cheapest engines to rebuild so I wouldn't panic.

If it were the fibre timing gear you would usually start to have massive timing issues, possibly bent valves and a non runner (they are actually quite robust unless you rev the hell out of them).

As mentioned above re the original 4.7:1 diffs, Holden 6's don't like high sustained revs for too long, they prefer the RRC 3.54:1 diffs to keep the revs below 3500 rpm. If you were doing 90km/h with the original diffs you were pushing the engine's limits.....

[The ho har's]

OH Dear...

Got your msg the other day, Harry is still thinking about. Though it seems now that the engine requires some repairs before the gearbox. We have a couple of spare 2.25 engines here

Mrs hh

[Galvanizer]

OH Dear...

Got your msg the other day, Harry is still thinking about. Though it seems now that the engine requires some repairs before the gearbox. We have a couple of spare 2.25 engines here

Mrs hh

My series 1 has a 3.3 litre blue engine with RRC 3.54:1 diffs. She's as happy as buggery at 90kph, but is starting to sound a little harsh at 100kph, but still refuses to over-heat. I believe the blue engines have 7 main bearings. Does anyone know if this makes them any more able to cope with high revs?

[MattyGM]

My series 1 has a 3.3 litre blue engine with RRC 3.54:1 diffs. She's as happy as buggery at 90kph, but is starting to sound a little harsh at 100kph, but still refuses to over-heat. I believe the blue engines have 7 main bearings. Does anyone know if this makes them any more able to cope with high revs?

All Holden 6's from the EH (1963 or so) onwards have seven main bearings. NO Holden straight 6 likes high revs for long periods, they were made to operate from around 1800-3500 RPM mainly around 2500 RPM mark (if you go through the exercise of gear ratios and tyre diameters most Holdens from the 60's to the 80's will do 60mph/100kmh at around that rev range). Screaming them at around 4000 RPM is a good way to kill them, particularly as the oil system to the head is a little excessive and the bottom end can starve for oil.

[Homestar]

Could it be the fibre cam gear breaking up (assuming it still has one) or do these just go quietly?

Never had one fail slowly. Usually just going one second, not going the next, but it would be worth checking. It's an easyish fix if that's what it is.

[86mud]

I have driven it quite a bit at 85 - 90kms per hour over the past few months and the engine doesn't seem to be revving excessively. Well, to my ear anyway.

Can I build the engine stronger to withstand high revving of should I just fit an overdrive?

Oh and yes, engine oil is full. I'll remove the cover plates on the weekend and inspection the lifters.

I suppose a faulty oil pump could starve the engine of oil. I see there are high volume oil pumps available.

I have found an engine reconditioner who is a Holden expert here in Brisbane. been quoted about $1500 for rebuild and that is with hardened valve seats to suit unleaded and ported and polished head, all new seals, rings and pistons, bottom end bearings, lifters etc....just have to wait a couple of weeks as he is busy.

As I don't know the history of the engine, and after seeing all the substantial amounts of rust flakes in the cooling chambers after changing the welsh plugs, I will be happier with a fresh engine.