trop-a-cal
Jan 11, 2014Explorer
454 Head back on engine started #7 piston noise
Now with full compression on both heads the 43,000 mile 1997 454 vortec has the same noise that it had prior to it shutting down completely. The noise was checked by removing spark plug wire and hearing the noise change. So off comes the pan and a check of the bushing on the piston for signs of it spun or a piece of the distribution worm gear stuck in the oil intake at the bottom center of the rod cap. This noise occurred after a slight ticking started back in New Jersey in September. It progressed to a knock South Carolina. It was preceded by a pinging in New Jersey, just after a 55 gallon fill up. That pinging we think was the antifreeze in the 3 and 5 cylinders just in front of the 7 on the right bank. It caused the distributor gear to grind on one side and perhaps drop some metal down to the pan where it got hung up in the #7 bushing as it was dropping down the oil throat of the rear mounted distributor which is just above the # 7 piston. We are going to check all piston bushings and torque on the piston caps when pan is off. All metal and other particles will be cleaned from the pan and the oil pump intake will be checked for metal stuck in the screen, which pumps to the upper end of the engine. So far with two tows, parts, and labor we are at $2,300. Not close to the opinion of replacing the entire engine at $8,500. No problem with down time as it is a mostly summer driven RV.