If any of you read my last thread you know about the zero oil pressure problem with the new 383. It ended up being a cracked retainer on the oil pump drive. I noticed this after almost reinstalling it, it wasnt completely broke just enuff to kick it out from the cam drive. So now I have oil pressure, but the new motor started and ran a few times with zero oil pressure (the first start it did have pressure for about 15-20 seconds). I started it after replacing the oil pump drive and it sounded ok, datamaster showed zero knock and everything was good. Once the car got to about 140 degrees it started to make a squeaking noise. At first I though it was the belt b/c I was bleeding the air out of the coolant, but then realizied it was the motor! I really cant tell where it is coming from but its pretty loud and only squeaks at idle, I can rev it up or even hold a fast idle and it stops. In fact it will stop for about 30 seconds if I rev it up let it go back to idle. I know maybe it was stupid to rev it up, but oil pressure is great 60psi cold and 40-45psi at idle once its warmed up to 180+ degrees. So where do I start, lifters, bearings? The motor has ran now maybe a total of maybe 10mins so I'm hoping damaged is minimal. What do you guys think?

 

Crank bearings get the oil first,or in your case...were SUPPOSED to.

Its safe to run and drive if its holding good pressure now but your losing some power b/c of it. If it was me I would drive it until next winter to fix it or it blows up for other reasons,then fix it. Or if its in a track car than I would imagin its fairly easy to pull the motor out and get it fixed.

Thats really unfortunate that somethin like that happened...good luck on the fix!

 

This really sounds like the belt... try holding a bar of soap up to the belt as the engine is running, don't press too hard just enough to rub some soap onto the belt if the sound stops then its definitely the belt... if its not... I dont know what would make a squeeling noise in an engine.

 

Take the belt OFF and run it for 30 seconds or so..no longer, will eliminate everything on the front of the engine.


David

 

wrist pins make that noise too

 

Tell us what kind of engine you're talking about, and I'll move this to the correct forum.

 

sounds awfully similar to my LT1 when I spun the mains and a couple rods.

 

Its a LT1 383. I've already pulled the belt and the noise is still there. Actually last night I let the car idle for awhile 20+ mins and the noise comes and goes. Actually once it was warmed up the noise wasnt there at all. I'm still getting great pressure and zero knock on datamaster. I put a stethscope to it and failed to find a noise when it was present I checked the timing cover, waterpump, rocker studs, block and pan.

 

Maybe the WP drive? I'm just giving you easy idea that don't require disassembly of the engine.

 

If the stethoscope didnt pick it up than thats strange. I say drive it for a while and see if it changes at all.

 

I'm going to switch from comp 1.6 magnum rocker (not the full roller) to proform 1.6 full rollers. I just dont like the way the valvetrain looks with S/A rockers so I'm going NSA. After that I'm going to button it up and drive it. It ran this morning for 10 mins without peep!

 

I pulled the motor and took it apart today. I changed all the bearings hoping to find something wrong, but everything was fine. Then when I went to put the oil pump back on I noticed the steal shaft (its a melling shaft and pump) has some damage to it like it was rubbing. Sure enuff the ARP main bolts has the washer sticking out too far and was causing the shaft to rub and even bind. I'm guessing that what cause the 1st oil pump drive to break. I took the washer off and ground it down and put it back on and everything is great now. It kinda sucks that I tore it all apart for something that would been fine after running it for awhile. At least it got some new bearings that will have oil PSI from start one now.

 

Glad to hear that you seem to have found the problem. Let us know how it runs when you have it broken in. And don't forget, once it has a (little) run time on it, and your sure it's running right, change the oil and drive it hard to break those rings in properly. Good luck.