This started on the way home today. My oil PSI was around ~20, and it' usually ~40-45 at idle. My oil level wasn't even on the dipstick for some reason, yet I don't have an oil leak, and I don't see smoke out the exhaust.

I drained the oil, not much came out of course, and put some fresh oil in, and it's still clacking. It makes the sound of like marbles bouncing around inside the intake.

Can anyone make an educated guess as to what it is?

http://paradox.shacknet.nu/dave88lx/formula/clack2.mpg

Some people are saying to pop off the valve covers.
1. Can that be done w/o dropping the engine? It's CRAMMED! (I'm a Mustang guy at heart LOL )
2. What do I look for if I get them off?

Thanks for your help

 

Man, that doesnt sound good. Take off the valve covers by undoing the alternator and removing the brake booster hose from the intake manifold to make room. It may sound like a rocker hitting but I think your problems may lie deeper.

To tell you the truth I think you spun a bearing...

 

The driver's valve cover comes off pretty easily. You have to pull the alternator to remove the passenger's side.

Wich I could help with the sound. Fortunately, from experience I can tell you that it doesn't sound like a spun bearing. It sounds like it's coming from the top end, but the audio could be decieving.

-Chris

 

That sound is very similar to the racket my old GTA made (Main bearings)

I hope I'm mistaken - Good luck

 

Sounds like bearings to me. Together with your unusual oil pressure, I would say it is a good bet.

 

Somehow I let the oil level slip WAY below what it was supposed to be.

I drained it, the oil was black, but I didn't notice any chunks or flakes of anything. I filled it back up, it still clacks, and I still get ~18 PSI @ idle, ~40 @ 3000 RPM.

Valve covers don't look to difficult to take off, if I take them off, what am I looking for?

 

Look for any rockers off the valves and any bent pushrods...but from the sound of it its internal damage... so taking the valve covers off will most likely be pointless to help see anything

 

that sounds like a extremely spun rod bearing. I would stop running it now before you break a head or take out the block.

Sorry for your lose

 

I just got a mechanics stethescope, it sounds a lot louder on the pass side valve cover than the drivers side...

I'm waiting for it to cool down so I can yank it off

 

Yeah, that sounds a lot like a bearing. I spun a main bearing in my dad's vette last year, and that sounds just like it. I'll never forget that sound.

 

Dude its dead rods or bearings its dead dont run it. RIP good luck build a monster.

 

Yeah it's prolly a bearing, my old thunderbird did the same thing when I blew the motor, that sucks, u better get that to a shop quick like

 

SO its probably a rod bearing? or a main bearing...

What entails fixing this problem? How in the hell does the engines come out of these things anyways?

Heh, like I said, I'm Mustang Man, but picked this up on a good deal, for a daily driver. I honestly don't know much about them, except I've gotten it to go 13.9 @ 100 MPH

I know the engine comes out the bottom, how freakin' high do you have to get the car to do that?!?

I'm assuming I need a total rebuild

Any clue what that would cost? How much machine work is involved?

I've got 2 other mustang projects going on, so I want to spend the least possible and just DRIVE this car...

Thanks for any advice

 

A friend here thats pretty knowledgable about this stuff just said it sounds like lifters... good luck

 

Heh, well I hope to hell it's the lifters. I got the valve covers off, nothing looks bad in there...

http://paradox.shacknet.nu/dave88lx/formula/knock/