Uh Oh! Big end gone???

[heathy12]

Yes....as titled....not a nice sound!

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Drove out to a mates the other day and it started kicking out smoke. Pulled over staight away and checked everything. Found nothing wrong, no idea where the oil was coming from although I did see a few bubbles coming out from the head gasket area round the spark plugs at the back of the engine. No oil in air filter or manifold.

Just sounds lumpy and knocky! and at the moment is a bit of a mistery!

Wont be using the morris this week then!

Anyone any ideas what the noise might be?? My worst case is the Big end bearings going...but thats no real pain really, just drop the sump and change em. Head gasket could be a culprit too. Hope not thought Group A head gasket sets are around 80 quid a set!

Im baffled. Oils Ok, waters Ok so no loss there. Thiniking the turbo might be a culprit.

Hmmm, the possibilities!

[heathy12]

No loss in Power or performance and no engine vibration.

No white smoke being belched out either, still rather clean. The engine was cold so I only started and revved it quickly for the photos when its warm it just ticks over fine, was only the cold start and excess of choke that killed it in the video.

[heathy12]

Compaired to this sound when it was running sweetly.

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[chickenjohn]

Could be a failed Exhaust manifold gasket or a badly sealing exhaust at the manifold clamp, or a cracked manifold. See if you can feel exhaust gasses coming from the manifold gasket area- be caseful not to burn yourself!

[Packedup]

Doesn't sound all that endy to me, and a big end going doesn't kick out smoke! What's the oil pressure (tickover and at revs)?

If there's no smoke and healthy compression, I might guess at a tappet (OK, rocker arm/ adjuster for the pedantic). Once had a rocker pedestal stud give up (on a Triumph) and though the tappets were set fine, as soon as the engine ran the rocker shaft would flex and give hellish rattling.

[Peetee]

Once had a rocker pedestal stud give up (on a Triumph) and though the tappets were set fine, as soon as the engine ran the rocker shaft would flex and give hellish rattling.

That was my first thought too. It almost sounds like the ally rocker cover is being hit.

[Kevin]

Agreed it doesnt sound like big ends but I dont have a clue about turbo`s

[heathy12]

Doesn't sound all that endy to me, and a big end going doesn't kick out smoke! What's the oil pressure (tickover and at revs)?

If there's no smoke and healthy compression, I might guess at a tappet (OK, rocker arm/ adjuster for the pedantic). Once had a rocker pedestal stud give up (on a Triumph) and though the tappets were set fine, as soon as the engine ran the rocker shaft would flex and give hellish rattling.

That sounds promising then. I havent had a chance to investigate furthur yet. Been buisy with my Campervan conversion im currently doing on my new Nissan Primastar van!

I dont think the manifold is blowing at all. Theirs only really one main gasket on the exhaust which is fine and the others are ok. Was slightly perplexed by the bubbles coming from the head join behind the plugs. I'll haul it al apart next weekend and see what I can find!

Cheers chaps.

[Packedup]

Ah, listening again and thinking haed - Could also be the start of a major head gasket failure between cylinders. Had a Mini go between 2 and 3, started with loss of power and odd noise, ended with what sounded like a bag of milk bottles being kicked around (and a dead block as the metal wore away where the gasket had gone - Or the metla had already gone which is why the previous owner had the gasket done a week before selling it...).

I still stand by it not sounding endy though

[bmcecosse]

Probably head gasket - but could be piston/rings failure.

[chickenjohn]

Either way, off with its head to investigate.