Series 1 rod bearing failures are very RARE.

Deal with the SC first and see where you are. Same coupler as yours. You need a SC gasket and two yellow o-rings (same as yours on the rings). Do the injector o-rings at the same time.

If you're comitted to repair in the worst case scenario, get a TB gasket also and clean it thoroughly. Now is the time even if the motor is toast, assuming you intend to repair or replace it.

You'll need to double-nut the stud through the accessory bracket to remove that stud, then it'* pretty much the same as your car for R&R.

Ya, it won't take very long to at least go that far.
Thanks for giving us hope Bill.
I hate to give up so soon.
No disrespect intended to you JR. You may well be right, you have direct experience and all the indicators point to a rod bearing. Sure sounds like it to me also.

I also hate to waste time on it if it'* trashed a piston & rod.

I really don't know what to do now. In the beginning I know I said I was going to wash my hands and this car was going to be Victors and anything that happened to it was all his to sort out but this does not seem to be his fault.

Option 1 - proceed on blind faith and change out the SC coupler, clean the carb and replace seals.
If it still has the noise. It'* definitely a rod bearing and the engine is junk. :(

Option 2 - accept the motor is junk and pull it and rebuild it. Huge cost and time investment.....and I'm leaving soon for 2 months away from home :(

Option 3 - right it off as an entire loss and get scrap value for the car. :(

Option 4 - Buy a bottle of Patron and drink it all.

$1,700.

I'll have a pretty sweet 95 SSEi coming up for sale soon... I'll give you $500 for the car as it sits...

I really hate to say it, but that knock really does sound terminal...while rod bearing failures ARE rare, they do happen. Trust me, I believe I hold the record. My 95 spun ALL 6 rod bearings and all four crank bearings, TWICE. No warning knock, no noise, just WHACK, seized.

Much as I hate to say it, I think you're gonna have to help Victor out on this one if you want to have him out of your hair. Look at it this way, it'll make a good bonding experience.

If the sound was still there with no belts and the HB seems fine... all that'* left are internals.

Why twice :?:
How did you rebuild it :?: ......or did you swap in donors and take a chance :?:

Is it possible to change the rod bearings with the engine in the car without popping off the heads and taking out the pistons :?:
I wonder what it would cost Victor if he just took it in to a garage and asked them to fix the noise.
Ya, right, about $3,000.

Found the leaking oil. It is coming from the transmission cooler hose connection. Hose clamps in inaccessible locations.

OMG look at where the SC oil fill plug is located on this Series 1. Geez Bill, no wonder you put in a drain plug.

Maybe it'* just the colour of this Bonne. Green is the colour of a lime which must be related to a lemon.

Paul, that'* no lemon. How far did it drive fine on the way home?

How quickly did he burn through a tank of gas?

I know exactly what happened to that motor, and you're about to pay for it.







You'll need to remove the crank as well, Paul. Not just the rod caps and bearings. The crank will need to be either replaced or turned (if it'* even possible due to the damage, assuming that'* an issue).

Well, what?!?