[Bob Lincoln]

Could be, or a dropped valve guide. If it were bottom end, I'd suggest a spun bearing.

 

[dana44]

I would go with the follower or lifter, feel for a loose one first, check the cam lobe for damage, at least she still runs so it can't be a total catostrophic failure.

 

[ChargedDust]

Sort of, was on a long drive about 2 weeks ago with a car that has been running fine, pull into the toll booth and could hear a nice ticking from the engine echoing off the walls of the booth. Pulled over and popped the hood and did have a nice loud tick, sounded like from the top end. I know the oil pressure was fine as I was driving, I listened to it for a while and tried to see if maybe it was coming from something else, as I was doing that it went away after about 2 minutes. So, far from home, and with a good running engine I traveled on. At the next toll booth I could hear it again, so I just pushed on - if it blows it blows. Finished the trip got home and all was fine, even with the tick. Been driving the car locally ever since and tick hasn't come back and no signs of anything else wrong. I did notice one thing, when I start the car after a long period if sitting (like when I get out of work, or when it's been parked overnight) it does take a little bit longer for the oil pressure to build up, like 5 or 6 seconds. I'm wondering if maybe there is something obstructing the oil pick-up in the pan, or if maybe the pump is a hair loose. Will probably have that looked into when I get the 92 back from the shop.

 

[1991spirites]

I would check the followers. Maybe one has popped off. Many years ago when there was a ton of turbo cars in the junk yars I was buying up valve covers and seen alot of cars with the follower popped off. I doubt it would be valve guides. I had a 88 Shelby Z and the motor was very quiet, ran smooth and pulled good, but smoked on started up. I went to do a headgasket on it and 2 guides had dropped in the head.

 

[msmart86_2000]

Back home and about to go watch my 10-year-old child sing in the school play. Got the valve cover off, ran it for a bit, and listened. Also, checked for anything loose in the valve train. Result: it's in the bottom end. Maybe a wristpin or bearing that has worked loose. Will be dropping the oil pan and checking all of that tomorrow. Worst case scenario: I pull the engine and put in a 2.5 turbo that I have sitting, and getting a new computer to run that. Will take a video later tonight for all to listen to for any more suggestions. It still seems to be running okay, just sounds like h$%l.

 

[george w]

These engines can develop so many funny and odd noises it's hard to tell you where to start. It looks like you've addressed the easy one first. Rod bearings, wrist pin and piston issues would be suspect next. Is oil pressure normal ?

 

[msmart86_2000]

Yep, oil pressure is normal. Everything's normal except for the ungodly sound. Will know more tomorrow, obviously, and will still be posting a video a little later on. Intermission at the kiddos show.

 

[msmart86_2000]

Got the pan pulled today. It was not good. bunches of little silver flakes. #4 connecting rod and cap were looser than the others. Pulled the cap, bearing had spun. Lifted the rod off of the crank,and the other side of the bearing had welded onto the rod. I'm at a loss of what to do. In order to do it right is going to cost a good deal of money, but I don't want to just slap a new bearing on and have it fail either 3 miles down the road, or worse, if I'm 2 days from the house or something like that. Not really much for anyone on here to help with at this point I guess, just figured I'd update y'all.

 

[Bob Lincoln]

Well, it's a LOT more work, but you can pull the head, take the piston out the top and replace it.

 

[dana44]

Yep, rod and a crank kit, takes care of the crank problem, bearings for rods and mains, and then you only need one ring set unless you want to just replace them all, quick/fine hone job and a full set of gaskets and you have a fully rebuilt engine less valve job.

 

[msmart86_2000]

The crank okay, didn't see any bad marks on it, and no rough spots. Is there an oil jet/passage that shoots onto the crank journals/rod ends that might have plugged?? I realize the correct way to do this is to do a full rebuild, which will not only take time, but as I'm looking up part costs, quite a bit more than I had ever expected. So, I ask the above question because if I can avoid having the crank gone through/turned, then I can take that cost and the time for pulling out everything from my planning. To make matters worse, our family hauler is down and being repaired by the dealership that I just got it from 3 weeks ago, and they're covering costs. My vehicles seem to hate me right now...

 

[dana44]

I think they do that to all of us at one time or another. The thing with a spun bearing is, if the rod isn't checked and the crank isn't checked, you have a greater chance you will be paying the same money again in a very short period of time. So, you could try to find a good condition short block with good pistons, rings, bearings and crank that is assembled and swap it in and worry about ten times less, or chance putting bearings in the bottom end and possibly have the same thing happen in a very short period of time. Although you would have the cost of doing it again, it will probably come apart and go back together much quicker given it is fresh in your mind from doing it recently.

As far as an oil hole, there should be one you can locate in the middle of the journal that comes from the main journal to the rod journal, but I don't think there is one in the rod to oil the underside of the wristpin (but I may be wrong on that, but that wouldn't have damaged the bearing in the first place, going the wrong direction. Your problem may have been a loose rod bolt, or from the main journal to the rod journal, so you may wish to check a main bearing that feeds this journal, it may also have a problem.

 

[msmart86_2000]

So, end result is: yes, I could just replace the rod and bearing on #4, but, there is a very high likely that I would be doing it again shortly. Crap. When I got it, the feller wasn't sure how long it had sat. I guess no matter how good the Mobil 1 is, if it's been neglected, it will eventually show. I will post on this again probably when I get parts and all; until then, I'm planning on removing and rebuilding this particular engine. I do have a 2.5T1 common block, but that would be an even bigger job I think.

 

[dana44]

Going from a 2.2 to a 2.5 if you had the T1 computer would actually be a direct drop-in, depending what needed to be done to the engine. Given it is a common block, it could be turned into a 2.2 and still use all your other components if you know what I mean, To the best of my knowledge all the components still bolt to each other, just use the timing belt/components for the 2.5 block, 2.2 or 2.5, it is the pistons and crank that make it the size with the common block.

 

[msmart86_2000]

Except that the 2.5 has been sitting for a good while. 5-years +. It turns over, but I don't know anything about it beyond that. I do think everything is interchangeable, and I'm quite certain about the stroke length being the only difference between them.

 

[dana44]

Yes, the stroke is different, and the piston pin height is different to offset the longer stroke but same bore.If she turns over, put a compression tester on her, see if she holds good compression in all four, pull the pan and pull the rods and mains, change them, they are cheap and verifies a good bottom end, button her back up, and if you have the computer, plug and play, away you go, T1, but that's a start, right?

 

[msmart86_2000]

Fwdperformance has recals for it that would let me hook up the intercooler too. Would I need to rewire anything, and could I use the Garrett setup instead of the mitsu.

 

[dana44]

Someone else will have to answer that one, but it is good that there is a computer patch to get the 2.5 to work. Not sure about the turbo.

 

[1991spirites]

You shouldn't have to re-wire anything. Just swap your turbo over, and depending on the year the 2.5 is just make sure the fuel injector harness is the same as your Shelby Z plug in wise, 90 and up have a different plug. I'm assuming you are still using your existing wiring harness in your Shelby Z? You should also swap over your intake manifold too. I'm assuming your car is a intercooled 5-speed car so you are going to need to have the air charge temp sensor in the intake manifold. 2.5 motors didn't have that. Another question is it a complete 2.5 long block you are putting in?