im hearing a slight knock at the botton of my engine and is their a way i an tell ifs its a normal or bad knock? its not hard knockits a soft knock but it sounds like metal hitting metal.

i found this on a website that list common problema of 3800 Engine noise: Bearing knock was common on many 3.3- and 3.8-liter engines due to too much clearance on the No. 1 main bearing. (1992-94)
could this be my problem my dad had the same thought also.

well i hate to put it this way, but you'll know if it'* a good knock or a bad one soon enough...

I dunno about common, only people I've heard of having it are ones that don't do regular maintenance and people with CRAPPY MECHANICS!!!!! haha..ok..I'm ok...

The quick and nasty way of telling if its rod knock is to take it up to about 2500rpm and do a VERY quick 1/2 throttle jump. If you hear a knock when you do it thats it. It'll sometimes also show its nasty face when driving with light throttle above 2500rpm.

If its something in the valvetrain it'll usually go away above about 1500rpm. If its only there, or loudest, when cold it may just be pistons slap which is the only "normal" knocking noise I can think of.

This happened to a friend of mine last year with a 91 Olds with the 3.8. It was ignored, and it ended up busting a rod. I would get that looked at.

Run some Marvels Magic Oil in your crank next change.

i can only hear it when im at a idel. the car isnt ignorred i ues mobil oil changed every 3000 miles it comes and goes. i know for fact i have a lifter knock but its done it since before i bought the car so i cant tell how long its been doing it.

cool..how'd ya figure it out?

Pull your accessory belt, and run the car for a few seconds (no water pump, so don't run over a minute or so). If the sound is gone, look at your harmonic balancer.

Use a stethescope to narrow it down if that test doesn't work.