Top end Engine Knock for the beaSSt :(

[JosueLT]

....tried to trade the POS in and no one wanted it....

I'm sorry, but there's no way that's true. Dealerships will take ANYthing in on trade just to make a sale! They obviously don't give you top dollar for it, but I've seen just about everything under the sun being traded in at all the dealers the shops I've been at have done work for over the years. If it wasn't nice enough to put on the lot...off to auction it goes, case closed.

You want to give this up!?

I won't lie....a little bit just came out.


I wouldn't say I'm "pushing" my brother towards Mazda's because I own one, I just suggested the Speed3 because that's really the best/only choice that fits his criteria for a SS replacement. New/slightly used, fast, fun, and in the low low $20's. I would be cool for us to share in the Ohio Mazda scene I'm a part of, and all the guys are excited at the thought of adding my brother (he's hung out with us before), but I've enjoyed us sharing in this 360 scene as well, and would be perfectly fine continuing that bond.

I'm even trying to stay impartial in this matter...I've told him numerous times that I can't see him in anything other than his SS! But, I understand his reasoning, and hey...life's short, if you can swing it, why not mix it up a bit every now and then? A turbo/FWD/manual is in a totally different ballpark than the RAW power of a 400hp RWD auto V8 though, so there will definitely be a learning curve if he gets one. But, speed is speed, and it sounds like it wouldn't take much to be as fast, if not faster than his SS.

 

[Sparky]

If you trade in the SS on a mazda we will disown you and change your user title to "no longer with us"

 

[Boricua SS]

If you trade in the SS on a mazda we will disown you and change your user title to "no longer with us"

well played sir

 

[Short Bus]

Yeah except you will sound like a go cart

265-275 to 350 on exhaust CAI and a tune are they butt dyno-ing

Exhaust CAI and a TUNE go a lot farther on a turbo car.

 

[Boricua SS]

Well, got a second call from the dealership today... and more damage....

#8 rocker was loose as well, therefore bending the push rod.. so total damage is #4 & 8 rockers worked themselves loose, in turn bending the push rods... they said the head and bottom end was fine.. all should be fixed and I'll have her back next week..

Annnnnnnnnnd... THEY HONORED MY WARRANTY :wootwoot:

 

[Boricua SS]

Well more bad news... got another call today, and it was for the worst!!

Upon tripple checking things, they found that #6 rod was faulty as well... so all parts came in, and they reassembled my top end...

Sooooo... once it was all put back together, they took it for a test drive today, and guess what!!!!!!.. ITS STILL KNOCKING!!. Unbeliveable... so now a complete tear down is in order, rockers, push rods, lifters, valve springs, heads, everything top end to see what's going on... my guess... I'm going to need new heads on top of everything else that's been done...

Talk about a punch in the gut...

 

[jham]

Well more bad news... got another call today, and it was for the worst!!

Upon tripple checking things, they found that #6 rod was faulty as well... so all parts came in, and they reassembled my top end...

Sooooo... once it was all put back together, they took it for a test drive today, and guess what!!!!!!.. ITS STILL KNOCKING!!. Unbeliveable... so now a complete tear down is in order, rockers, push rods, lifters, valve springs, heads, everything top end to see what's going on... my guess... I'm going to need new heads on top of everything else that's been done...

Talk about a punch in the gut...

so let me get this right #6 connecting rod is faulty (rod it self or bearing?) and they put it back why?

 

[STLtrailbSS]

They have used enough time and labor that they could of just ordered a LS2 crate.

 

[Short Bus]

Why? I would feel better about them putting new heads on her. And if they ef up and give you ported and polished heads, even better!!!!

 

[blazinlow89]

Well more bad news... got another call today, and it was for the worst!!

Upon tripple checking things, they found that #6 rod was faulty as well... so all parts came in, and they reassembled my top end...

Sooooo... once it was all put back together, they took it for a test drive today, and guess what!!!!!!.. ITS STILL KNOCKING!!. Unbeliveable... so now a complete tear down is in order, rockers, push rods, lifters, valve springs, heads, everything top end to see what's going on... my guess... I'm going to need new heads on top of everything else that's been done...

Talk about a punch in the gut...

Damn dude this would annoy the hell out of me. Is everything covered so far? Have they said if an entire tear down would cost you anything out of pocket? Sounds like more than just some bent push rods. I would assume camshaft problems or something bad might have happened to one of the pistons. I mean at this point are they positive it is the top end and not something on the crank? Not trying to project an oh sh!t scenario, just thinking what might have been missed.

 

[Boricua SS]

so let me get this right #6 connecting rod is faulty (rod it self or bearing?) and they put it back why?

No lol... they found that #6 push rod was clogged/gunked up, in which I never knew that push rods are hollow inside??, so they cleaned it out and put it back in.. at least that's what was told to me

They have used enough time and labor that they could of just ordered a LS2 crate.

My thoughts exactly, and now with the new time to tear down again... I would take a new crate motor

Why? I would feel better about them putting new heads on her. And if they ef up and give you ported and polished heads, even better!!!!

Or some nice L92 heads

Damn dude this would annoy the hell out of me. Is everything covered so far? Have they said if an entire tear down would cost you anything out of pocket? Sounds like more than just some bent push rods. I would assume camshaft problems or something bad might have happened to one of the pistons. I mean at this point are they positive it is the top end and not something on the crank? Not trying to project an oh sh!t scenario, just thinking what might have been missed.

Yes everything is still covered... my guess is, since they still haven't found the issue, and its going to involve more tear down, that a GM rep/adjuster will come out now to check things out , and from my understanding, they still thing its top end since the knock ONLY happens at the top of the power band and not through all the rpm's or at idle...

I guess a way to look at things is this.. the top half has been torn down to the heads already, I have new push rods and rockers and new gaskets... and now if the heads are getting replaced.. just means I should have an even stronger engine, or at least a nice half brand new one

But what bothers me or makes me think otherwise is this... they've had it torn down for over a week and a half, and after double checking and triple checking, they've always found something else wrong.. which makes me think, why are they checking their work so much and/or if they are even putting things back to spec's I just really don't want to think about it.. but its kinda hard not to.. buti am still thankful for my service guy and this dealership, because I can assure you, I do not have the money to fix this if it was left to me to fork over the costs... I do have faith in them, and trust my truck is in good hands and the service guy will not stop at digging to find out what's wrong... he's been a family friend for quite some time, so I do trust him... but I am a little annoyed right now..

 

[JosueLT]

Well, it's really not on Jason's shoulders, he just pushes paperwork and deals with customers. lol

It's on the mechanic to get things squared away, so hopefully his head isn't up his ass much longer so this can get straightened out!!!

 

[Sparky]

Hang in there man.

On my old car I had rod knock. I replaced the engine (granted with a junkyard pull) and had a "mechanic" do the work who screwed it up. Rod knock again not quite a year later (he caused numerous problems with it). The engine was covered under warranty that paid for the engine and half the labor.
Got the car back, 1 week and 150 miles later, rod knock again - they gave me a defective engine AND they wanted me to pay for half the labor, again. I told them to shove it and they reluctantly agreed to pay the whole bill.

So, engine #4 that one ran very strong for the rest of the time I had it. 40k miles in 1 year, and only had a coil go bad. That engine is still going last I knew.

All this is to say just to stick with it. Frustrating now but hey if they replace the heads entirely you'll be getting some nice new parts, and who doesn't like new parts?

BTW, that stupidity with the engine was from the same place that gave me trouble with my rear axle on my Trailblazer. I'm never going back there (Milliron near Mansfield, OH).

 

[JosueLT]

Haha....we use Milliron at work sometimes. Definitely a low budget operation.

 

[Short Bus]

Haha....we use Milliron at work sometimes. Definitely a low budget operation.

...But without the low price. (we use to have a Milliron in Marion)