I recently purchased a 93 tbird with a 3.8L for $150. It has a rod knock... at first it was only on startup, then startup + 3k and up, and now it'* startup and lightly at <2k and strong past 2k. I changed the oil with 10w40 and 1bottle of lucas oil stabilizer. That helped it a bit.. but it'* getting worse. Oil pressure is good.. gauge sits on the 'm' of NORM.. [stupid ford gauge]. But after it gets hot, at idle the gauge will freak out... sometimes drop into the red.. usually around 600RPM.. but at 800RPM it'll go back to the 'm' on norm. But even when the oil pressure goes that far down it doesn't knock...

I realize I bought the car for $150... which is scrap value here, btw.. but I want to know if there is anything I can do to shut it up? Or about how long it will last [i know that'* hard to say.. but estimates... because I don't have experience with knocks]?

Now I know why all my other cars are GM LOL

If it is a rod knocking, there is no saving it, or the crankshaft for that matter. There is no shutting it up either. Believe me, I tried that with not too good of a result

Well, you DID pay $150 for the car...there is bound to be some serious issue.

Either get rid of it and put in a new engine.

You actually threw the rod on your LN3 LOL


No shutting it up short of a rebuild.

But in the end, all my GM cars start, run, and go down the road... oh well.. It'* got quite a few issues... 220k on a ford 3.8L that'* the problem right there. Anyone have any real world experience with time period from now to blow? Any car for that matter.

If you take care of it before it turns into a calamity, you could put a new crank and rod in there before you trash the block'* journals, bores, etc.

I assume letting it go too long can't be good for the main bearings either.

I got eight squeeling months out of my 305 chevy. #3 conn spun.

heh sob blew today. Stupid pos, it'll still turn over, and sometimes i can maybe get it to fire up, but it doesn't sound good at all.. it'* like metal on metal grind plus knock, plus about 400RPM idle. I hate ford!