3SGTE rattly on low revs + when cold only ** problem found **

[RobST162]

ok, have replaced the timing belt idler pulley, absolutely no change, noise is still very loud

as for moving parts I'm left with oil pump and big ends

[jonathan yee]

in all honesty the video makes it sound like bearings to me.

the stock oil pressure guage is usless. in the st184 i had i screwed the big ends and the oil pressure light never came on, when i checked oil levels i drained less than a litre from the sump.

but yeh i dunno why the sound goes away when warm.

[RobST162]

plenty of oil in the car, recently changed, doesn't use any

but i'm running out of alternatives!

[rolleraction]

Depress the clutch pedal and is there any change to this noise?

[RobST162]

yeah.. already did that

going to take the sump off tonight I reckon

[blakeg]

ohh man , that sux,,,, i now hope its not the bearings for ya.

[-=DV=-]

i hate to say it mate..but my last 3sge went in exactly the same way..started with a knock down low when cold..then it got louder and gradually stuck around for longer and further up the revs...i continued to drive it into the ground for another 2000ks or so until it finally had enough and i put another 3s in lol

[RobST162]

hmm after I JUST had the engine out for the new clutch.

I have to drive to melby in 1 week. I wonder if I might be able to put some new big-end bearings in just with the engine in there (it's got great compression no need to rebuild) if that turns out to be the problem.

[neal]

ROB: If its a knock you will need to get crank to a machine shop man. maybe take a rental car to melbourne.

[neal]

pull you sump off and have a look at your oil for metal shavings. wiggle the big ends and feel for movements

[StuC]

Rob, if it does end up being big-ends and they haven't scored 'that badly' or are visbly ok, you can replace just that bearing in car with the sump off. im not a fan of it but i had to dono1 main bearing on a 40,000km old 320cdi benz the other day. And guess what, factory fix is this way. So if the best manufacturer of vehicles in the world says its ok, i dont see why not

[RobST162]

thanks stu that's some genuinely good news

right, well tonight's update

just had the timing belt off and feeling the oil pump and it wasn't a smooth motion at all compared to the spare one I had on the wrecked block of the white celica (sitting here in the carport)

so moved the pump pulley assembly and gear over, primed it, put all the timing back on and started it up

the consistent tapping/knocking is gone! but not completely. how crazy is that. There's some definite wear in the old one, but nothing to make me think it would have stopped.

that said, the new sound is an intermittent 'miss' if you will accompanied by a nice little 'knock' - i'll record it tomorrow and post it up

by the oil pump has a much freer feeling motion now, but that may have been the bearing/seal :?

[RobST162]

I wonder if this might have had anything to do with it

[oldcorollas]

ouch..

crank ok?

[RobST162]

i bite my fingernails so it's very hard to tell, no big evident grooves

i haven't taken any others off, but #1 (this) is usually the worst

i'm sure praying so though