Rod knock?

[Travis]

Ok, I owe michael and you all an apology. Well really my friend does! I told him what michael said and he told me he has been doing this for almost 30 years and bla bla bla. He was actually mad at me. So he came back from vacation and decided to put a quart of tranny fluid in with the oil when he change the oil and filter. Ran the motor for only five or ten and the knock went away. It now has not came back for several days. And he did nothing else. Never pulled the pan or covers.

Funny though cause he ran a compression check before he got it running, and it was good. Lubed all cylinders with oil too. He was not as thorough as that document you sent michael. But he did do some things to make sure it was ready for a fire up. Anyways, thanks again for your help and being adamant here. To some heat from my friend, but he will listen when I tell him now.

 

[Michael Mayben]

No apology needed travis!

And not to rub it in...but yore "friend" don't know squat about IH motors or he woulda seen/heard/known about this common issue if he's worked on crapball trucks for 30 years! But very few folks are still alive and workin' on this schnizz and there is no market for doing so except amongst us hobbyists and the few pros left doing it!

In this same forum, I've started up a new thread regarding this same issue. Since you first posted this, I've been flooded with emails and more than a few phone calls regarding the same thing!

We're gonna step through this whole process and try and address all the side effects of a non-oiling/poor-oiling engine. When we're down with that, there will be no excuse for anyone not being able to diagnose and correct I-4/sv engine lubrication issues. And...there is no magic bullet for that other than cleaning up stuff and replacing worn out parts!

We're really happy this worked out for ya without droppin' the pan and spendin' needless dinero!!!

 

[Travis]

Hey whats your take on the tranny fluid in with the oil for a bit to clean up oil flow. If the knock went away I lucked out and oil resumed flow. Or should I still take your steps and make sure.

 

[Michael Mayben]

You asked travis...here's what is happenin'!

Tranny fluid, rislone, sea foam, marvel mystery oil, etc. All act as solvents when mixed with crankcase oil. Their viscosity is very light...approximately the same as 5 wt. Motor oil on the motor oil "viscosity" scale. Same thing as using any of the so-called "motor flush" treatments (that product is actually naptha/mineral spirits mixed with a bit of lube oil). Regarding my personal engines, I always use the gunk-brand version of motor flush at each oil change, been doing that on old, unknown quality motors for the last half century! It works over time and does not break loose a buncha grunge immediately (ya do not want that to happen!).

I'd venture that your issue at this point was simply a so-called "stuck" hydraulic lifter....badly stuck as in...collapsed. After some run time, the solvent action simply attacked the varnish deposit in one lifter that was "stuck". That allowed it to kinda resume "normal" operation.

The tranny fluid deal is just an oldtimee deal. Same for pouring tha schnizz through the carb with engine runnin' at fast idle, defintely kills all the skeeters inna half-mile radius, but "might" provide just enuff solvent action to attack a partially varnish-stuck intake valve also. But in IH crap, stuck valves are caused by lack of lubrication, which all comes back to the non-oiling rocker assemblies!!! When a valve partially "sticks", then the lifter/push rod/rocker clearance is excessive, resulting in that heavy bangin' sound ya had...not just a light "tick" that goes away once the lifters pump up after the engine has been sitting a while (like overnight??).

So...are ya outta the woods right now??? No! 'cause ya still don't know if the rockers are oiling! If they are all oiling properly, then you will prolly be ok for a while, if they are not...then history will repeat itself!

Pouring schnizz outta can or bottle cannot "fix" anything. It can be used in a "preventative maintenance" manner however. Same as drinkin' three beers onna mt stomach, make ya feel better, but don't fix yore brain chemistry!

 

[Travis]

Just an update for you michael. Its been a while since I have been on this thread. I have changed the oil a few times and no more knocks except when driving down the freeway at high rpms. I did some reading and heard other people saying the same thing. I did what was sugested and put an extra quart and a half in and no more knock. So I guess its pumping out of oil like people have said. I appreciate all your help. Thanks

 

[Michael Mayben]

just an update for you michael. Its been a while since I have been on this thread. I have changed the oil a few times and no more knocks except when driving down the freeway at high rpms. I did some reading and heard other people saying the same thing. I did what was sugested and put an extra quart and a half in and no more knock. So I guess its pumping out of oil like people have said. I appreciate all your help. Thanks

Beats hail outta buildin' a fresh motor don't it????

You keep remindin' yore buddy about how tractor motors ain't chryfordrolets! He ain't too old ta lern new stuff about old crap!

Wish they wuz all this simple to fix travis! I'm still tryin' to find those "cam bearings inna can" I keep hearin' about at wallyworld, but nobody can come up with the ones for an IH tractor motor!!!

Based on the volume of email I git regarding this same subject/same thread, your posting has helped many folks to simply do the diagnosis and pull some maintenance!