clanking noise at idle?

Boostman23

Registered User
Ok here is the situation:

I finally got my car running again and decided to change the oil. I go to start it and noticed a slight clanking noise in the bottom end. I turned the car off and topped the oil off, and restarted. I started to notice that the clanking noise only seems to happen at idle, or I can not hear it above those rpm's or while driving.

I decided to drain the oil to look for anything wrong and refilled with Valvoline MaxLife and Lucas Oil stabilizer, about 20%. I noticed that the clanking went down a bit, but was still there. If the engine warms up it is there sometimes and other times it is not.

I have noticed a small puddle of antifreeze on the ground under where the trans connects with the engine. It has only done this once, and thats about it. I have not noticed a lose of antifreeze though.

Any ideas?
 
Have you noticed any other running symptoms? Loss of power, poor gas economy, discolored coolant, foamy oil, boiling over, excessive engine heat, lack of heater performance, anything?
 
Did you just rebuild it? Don't know your tranny but you might try the flywheel, clutch, torque converter bolts, depending. Long shot but they can make you think it is in the ingine if loose.
 
I have noticed no other running problems, that is why this is weird.



As for the tranny, its a 5 spd and I have not rebuilt it at all. The engine and tranny is out of my 90 35th that got wrecked and I placed it in the 93 since it had a blown engine when I bought it.


So far I am at a lost, and I am worried about driving the car much more as I do not want to destroy the bearing if I have a blown headgasket.
 
Did you just bolt the engine and tranny together is what I meant. I guess I have mainly heard of it happening with AOD when bolts or nuts on flywheel are left loose and it sounds like an engine bearing or rod, sorta. Only other thing I have seen is a crank shaft moving fore and aft, which was weird, making a slight chatter. But not on SC.
 
Harmonic balancer bolt!

On my 89 I had the same noise. I couldnt find anything wrong anywhere. one thing I didnt check was the Harmonic balancer bolt. If it works its way loose, the washer will make the noise. This has happened to me twice, leaving me stranded. Hurry and check that out!!!
 
Take off all your belts start the engine and see if it goes away, if the noise goes away you may have an idler pully going out. if it dosent you've elimated that possibility
 
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