Really, Really Dumb Move... Please Tell me what my options are...

[opponheimer]

I was setting my base timing. Left ratchet w/ socket on crank pulley.. totally forgot about it, started the car, knock knock knock knock, crank pulley bolt out completely.... motor still running, and i still hear knocking noises. This is the first time the motor has been started...

Did i fuck the motor up?

[fliprayzin240sx]

No, Pulley got nothing to do with the engine internally. All it does it run the belts for the auxillary equipments. Put it back on, make sure the pulley key is in place and tighet the pulley bolt to spec. Put it back to TDC and do your timing.

If its still knocking, its not because of this...

[infinitexsound]

naw.......... the chain or timing belt is still connected...... ^do what ray says

[opponheimer]

Ok, still knocking... fuk :(

[opponheimer]

Oh yes, I tried letting it run, and filling her up w/ antifreeze. Started overheating like crazy... stock clutch fan not work well on s14 chassis?? Should i wire the stock electric fan up as well?

[S14DB]

Wait, you ran it without water in it?

[Enemigo]

I was setting my base timing. Left ratchet w/ socket on crank pulley.. totally forgot about it, started the car, knock knock knock knock, crank pulley bolt out completely.... motor still running, and i still hear knocking noises. This is the first time the motor has been started...

Did i fuck the motor up?


Did you just get this motor and this is the 1st time you start it? thats what i'm seeing.. Maybe you got yourself a bad engine. Leaving a ratchet on there, and start the car isn't a great thing, but it won't make your engine knock. Especially if its the 1st time u start it. I would do a compression check and see if the engine was jacked up to begin with.

[aznpoopy]

sounds like you got a bum motor

[opponheimer]

I started the car with the intentions of putting water in it right away, as it was running. We'll see tonight. The more i listened for the noise the less i heard it. Is it normal for knock to go away after the engine warms up? I tried putting a long metal rod to the block, at different points and didnt hear any knocking on the other end. I do have open dump tube exhaust btw..

[steve shadows]

I started the car with the intentions of putting water in it right away, as it was running. We'll see tonight. The more i listened for the noise the less i heard it. Is it normal for knock to go away after the engine warms up? I tried putting a long metal rod to the block, at different points and didnt hear any knocking on the other end. I do have open dump tube exhaust btw..

not too bright.

knock doesn go away after engine warms up if its "KNOCK" like you have described.

Fill the cooling system up with distilled water and coolant, make sure your oil level and wieght is right.

then fire it up and (might as well) drive it down the block, see what happens.

Bolt your exaust up too.

I dont understand why people feel the need to fire their motors with no dp or headers or coolant etc.

Make sure the engine is properly assembled in street form, then fire it drive it etc, and go from there.

let us know so we can salivate on it.

[opponheimer]

Well im pretty sure its not knocking now, but it is however overheating right away, or getting hot right away, i'm trying to feed coolant in it, but Its kind of like the thermostats not flowing any ideas?

[Hooorahh!]

Well im pretty sure its not knocking now, but it is however overheating right away, or getting hot right away, i'm trying to feed coolant in it, but Its kind of like the thermostats not flowing any ideas?
so whats ur saying is that it was knocking and now its not correct?:hug:

and it's overheating? id check the thermostat, obiously check if ur leaking colant, and see if ur clutch fan is working properly thats if u still have ur clutch fan ..........

and how does the car run besides it overheating? or does it overheat right away?

[!Zar!]

Coolant will go in faster if you unscrew the bleeder screw above the thermostat.

[S14DB]

I started the car with the intentions of putting water in it right away, as it was running. We'll see tonight. The more i listened for the noise the less i heard it. Is it normal for knock to go away after the engine warms up? I tried putting a long metal rod to the block, at different points and didnt hear any knocking on the other end. I do have open dump tube exhaust btw..

Takes less than 60secs to warp the head with no water.

[opponheimer]

Ok... well,

Its not engine knock, its coming from the head itself, real loud tapping/knocking noise from the head..... Any ideas what this is?

After feeding the engine plenty of coolant it still overheats. Is there any way to test the thermostat?

And finally the oil light indicator on the gauge cluster is on.. I'm assuming that plug is part of the tranny harness.. The harness was an auto, so I dont really have anything plugged in.


And the knock sensor is throwing a code... Will it throw a code only if the knock sensor is bad? or if it detects knock?

[opponheimer]

I think http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=108924&highlight=sr20det+thermostat
Covers my overheating issue.

Now for the knocking/harsh tapping in the head and oil pressure indicator. (PS I have taken valve cover off and everything is as clean as can be.

[opponheimer]

Can air in the lifters cause loud tapping/knocking noises in the head? All cam bearing surfaces and cam lobes are clean as a whistle in the motor.


If my oil pressure light comes on right away, at idle, and every time, could that be due to wiring issues? I don't have anything plugged in from the auto tranny harness to the chassis.. Which contain governs the oil pressure sensor signal? Or does this really just mean I have low oil pressure?


Edit: sorry for reposting so many times.

[the head]

if it is plugged in it would be indicating below 5 psi oil pressure when it comes on...did you check your oil pan? it could be bashed into the pickup and the engine is starving for oil...as for the knock in the head it sounds like a stuck lifter or something

[opponheimer]

Ok guys, this post here wraps up this thread, the problem was the oil pan was dented to the oil pickup, totally blocking off flow. Luckily I had not driven the car, and only let it idle for short periods of time under no load. There was a few Specs of metal in the oil pan, but I've seen worse in other Sr20's. Everything seems to be running great now. Overheating issue solved by using the proper temp sensor for the s14.

[jkgaddis]

so, ive seen manny an engine from osaka and they all were fantastic. maybe it got screwed in shipping. either way, this is why you should check the engine out before you put it in your car. and those little metal shavings in your pan could very well be part of your bearings, sorry friend. my point is though, dont blame osaka for your lack of attention to detail and your inability to check the oil pickup before you ran the engine.

not trying to be a dick, just suggesting that you blame yourself before you go ruining the name of a good shop.

[opponheimer]

First off I never blamed Osaka, atleast i hope i didnt. They get the engines, their told their "okay" then they sell them, thats it. It is my fault for not checking for that. I saw a little dent in the oil pan, but the oil pickup sits reallllly low... I have two sr20s right now (the two in my sig) from osaka, both run exceptional!

And it was My fault.. +1 for learning experience

[jkgaddis]

well i apoligize for going a little overboard there it was just the Man I got screwed, stay away from osaka comment. again i apoligize for getting so upset about it.

[Enjin]

I'll blame osaka! they shipped me a motor that ran for 6 months when I had everything professionally replaced (new gaskets and all). the mechanic was even somewhat of a specialist on sr20det motors.

also. the customer service was HORRIBLE. the motor they sent me was automatic. when I requested an manual tps, they told me I was shit outta luck and to look around for one.

and the problem with the motor was oil starvation in the journal bearing. I kept up with the motor meticulously. lame.

[opponheimer]

well i apoligize for going a little overboard there it was just the comment. again i apoligize for getting so upset about it.

I forgot I wrote that, woops. Took it out.

[flipdrifter]

Takes less than 60secs to warp the head with no water.


Not true. I've blown up a fair share of partially blown motors in my time. I've ran a DOHC KA for about 3-5 mins with no oil or coolant, on and off the rev limiter with bad crank bearings and with adding oil and coolant back in it, it ran the exact same as before.

I've also started and ran perfectly good motors with no coolant on test start ups and they run just fine after adding the coolant.

Steve Shadows - it doesn't make much sense adding coolant and bolting on the exhaust if it might just have to come right back off/out. You fire it up that way to test and make sure the motor you bought runs the way it should. I've never started a motor without an exhaust manifold but many times without exhaust and a bunch of times without coolant. Quite a few times it's paid off, saved myself about an hours worth of work.