Hi!
I'm not exactly sure I'm in the right place, so please excuse me if my post is inappropriate - but I am desperate. I own a '94 Plymouth Sundance, 2.2L, automatic, non-turbo, with 130K miles. Engine was running fine, until one day a knock (more like a very loud 'ticking') suddenly manifest from under the valve cover (or so I think).
- There is no change in engine performance - it's just very loud.
- The ticks frequency is approx. 300-350 bpm. at idle (about 5 ticks per second).
- It's loudness decreases when making right turns, such as on a highway off-ramp with a tight radius.
- The loudness is also lessened during acceleration, or when releasing the gas while traveling at highway speeds.
- While in motion, if the gas pedal is depressed just enough so that the engine is not under any substantial load, the ticks loudness increases dramatically. It is also louder while idling in park or neutral, than when idling in gear... interesting.
- Under the valve cover, the camshaft show no signs of excessive wear, or other damage. I did not remove the camshaft to check the bearing caps or journals, but noticed nothing unusual. It seems like there is plenty of lubrication there.
- After running the engine breifly without the valve cover (about 5 seconds) and sutting it off, a little smoke appeared, concentrated on the right side of the valve trail (standing in front of the car, facing it).
- When it first started, I'd have sworn that the noise was coming from the valve train, but after listening to it without the valve cover, I'm not so sure - it could be a bit lower - but just a bit.
One mechanic said I needed a new engine based on the sound alone - he didn't even pop the hood. The guy at Speedee who changes my oil said it sounds like rod knock and is not worth fixing - just run it until it dies. The guy at AutoZone said his car had a similar knock, and all he had to do was re-torque the camshaft bearing caps to solve the problem. I did not try this due to lack of a torque wrench, but is it possible?
The problem did not develop over time. It was running quiet when I parked it for the night, then the very next morning it was knocking loudly - with no change in performance - only the smptoms listed above.
I would be most grateful for any opinions you might have to offer - should I put the money into fixing this problem, or is my engine really on its last leg?
Many thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
Sincerely, Jason W.
(If you wish to e-mail me, please remove the "x" from the address)