03 Engine knock recording, take a listen

[dragnet]

Finally recorded my 03 engine knock. Actually took two recordings. One when the engine is stone cold and one when it has been warm for 15 minutes or so. Took same route at same speed both times. My drive way is slightly up hill. In the audio you'll hear the knocking more prominently when I'm driving up hill.

I've had the truck to numerous mechanics and had the bottom end open and inspected. Replaced front cover, oil pump, timing chain/gears, water pump and serp belt. Also did plugs and all filters. Checked all exhaust gaskets. They don't seem to leak. Tried every oil imaginable from Castrol 5W40 Syn to Rotella 15W40. Sound is definitely not coming from the cats as far as I can tell with a scope. Knock is only really evident when the motor is cold and under load. I've been told that it is just piston slap, but sounds too loud for piston slap to me.

Any ideas would be welcome. It does not seem to be from the top end at all and everything internal looked fine when inspected.

Thanks.

Disco cold and knockn'

Disco warm and not so Knockn'

 

[adriatic04]

call me crazy, or maybe I dont know any different, but I don't really hear anything out of the ordinary. Maybe I missed it, or couldnt really hear.

 

[sven]

Yeah I dont hear it either.

 

[Dan B]

errm. call me crazy, but that is "just" the sound of a normal disco. mine sounds exactly like that, and I'm not worried a bit.

 

[MUSKYMAN]

I can...that sounds like a leaked down lifter in the first then its pumped up in the second.

I think these are pretty common rover sounds and dont point to iminent doom at all.

My rrc had the same sound going then it went away after a oil flush and oil change.

My disco 1's first engine had that sound after 100K unless you ran some lucas in it then it was fine.

I just did a engine swap on a RRC and the new engine had that sound at first then a bit of lucas oil stabilizer and it went away.

I am really getting convinced its just crappy lifters that tend to not to hold oil and stay fully pumped up.

 

[JohnB]

I agree don't worry about it. Sounds just like my lifter that after about a year finally ground itself and cam to submission.

Getting any misfire codes yet?

 

[rcshauger]

Yeah, mine really knocked too, but your engine sounds good. Did you tighten the exhaust manifold bolts? If you use a thinner oil it should be less when you start up.

 

[singingcamel]

Let it go , and enjoy the ride.

 

[Dan B]

Kinda sucks to have all these people saying "don't worry about it" after you had all that work done

 

[jeffro0502]

Runs some MMO through it and see if that helps...but other than that like everyone else says it's a normal sound.

 

[Jupiter Rover]

Birds sound real nice.

Sounds like my engine.

 

[dragnet]

Thanks guys, but I guess the audio doesn't do it justice. It's definitely not normal. I have a Rover V8 stuffed into my 69 MGB and it makes no noise at all. I can actually feel a shock through the whole truck with each ping/knock.

 

[adriatic04]

maybe take some audio from when the truck is off, leave the camera out and fire it up. I honestly think it is normal, I know the sound you are talking about but I believe it is just how these things sound, they arent quiet.

 

[JohnB]

I know you've done lots of work. Did you actually inspect the cam and lifters?

 

[smelly pirelli]

Birds sound real nice.

Ditto ,had to turn it off to make sure they where not out side my window, i think the birds are in good shape , i recommend regular bird food and a possible bird bath, that's just me!

 

[Dave Legacy]

Runs some MMO through it and see if that helps...but other than that like everyone else says it's a normal sound.

Seriously I took this advice and it solved all my noise issues. It sounds pretty normal to me though; Rovers just sound like hell... unlike anything I've ever owned in the past. I got nervous when I came up for smog, but it runs really clean.

I've come to terms with the fact that there will be unusual noises.

 

[robertofollia]

It's just the same knocking noise mine does (well, did). From cold to warm there it was, but when stone cold or hot the sound vanished.

I recently did a HG job and one ignition coil (bank B) was found to be faulty. My reader had never found any codes.
Sound is gone, and that's the first thing I looked for when I picked the rig at the stealership.
99D2 4.0, by the way.

Lifters have not been changed and sumps has not been dropped, only HG job, plain and simple. Maybe the knock was caused by the faulty coil. I had to trash the thing to get rid of the knocking noise.

Hope yours is nothing serious
Cheers from Spain
Robert

 

[landy_andy]

Seriously I took this advice and it solved all my noise issues. It sounds pretty normal to me though; Rovers just sound like hell... unlike anything I've ever owned in the past. I got nervous when I came up for smog, but it runs really clean.

I've come to terms with the fact that there will be unusual noises.

Yup... just sounds like my '99. What's this MMO stuff ?

Cheers,
Andy

 

[dragnet]

A friend of mine mentioned a similar issue/sound when he had a coil pack go on a car he owned. Perhaps I'll test the coils and see what's up.

MMO = Marvel Mystery Oil, can't find it here in Canada, but I've heard great things about it.

By the way I keep the birds as pets. May be overkill but would hate to fall victim to a gas leak. Figure if one of the birds keel over in the cabin it's time to get out!

 

[tweaked]

What was the outcome of this? My 04 has developed a similar knock and it's still under warranty.