I Think I Blew My Engine

[j0rd4n]

I bought my 88 5.0 just a few months ago and just recently started putting miles on it. I didnt realize how quickly it burned oil and started to here a "knocking" sound. I immediately checked the oil and changed it with 5 quarts and changed the filter. I started it back up and the sound seems to be worse and there is major power-loss although i was afraid to get on the gas. I first noticed it yesterday and thought it was maybe the exhaust but it got progressively worse very quickly.

what should i do?

 

[1200gt]

I couldn't access the video, but a "Loud" knocking sound known to be a result of low oil pressure is not a good thing to hear.

Before you bite the bullet, give a bit more info about you 88 5.0. Miles, any add-ons to the motor etc.

One thing I can say is: when changing the oil, it is always a good thing to pour a bit of oil into the filter to limit oil pump starvation and to promote good priming. Future advice...

Most heavy knocks in a motor, down low, can be caused by crankshaft bearing wear. Too much play occurs and thus the knock...

 

[mikestang63]

The fact it is burning oil is not good. It could be a number of reasons why- valve guides. rings, bearings. bad intake, timing, head gasket, etc. Why did you change the oil? I cannot access the video but as mentioned a knocking sound sounds like your rod/main bearings.

Do you know what your oil pressure was/is? I would first run both the key on engine off and on codes and then the cylinder balance test. If the cylinder balance test comes up with a problem, run a compression/leakdown test.

 

[stykthyn]

yikes. the knock is always a bad thing. I second getting Oil pressure numbers and posting up the specifics about your engine. Mine was losing oil through the valves and I had a horrible rattle when I asked the car to run above 3k rpms.

 

[madspeed]

your problem was different @stykthyn, you asked your car to do something, rather than tell it! Whos the boss

 

[stykthyn]

youre killing me.

 

[j0rd4n]

yikes. the knock is always a bad thing. I second getting Oil pressure numbers and posting up the specifics about your engine. Mine was losing oil through the valves and I had a horrible rattle when I asked the car to run above 3k rpms.

The fact it is burning oil is not good. It could be a number of reasons why- valve guides. rings, bearings. bad intake, timing, head gasket, etc. Why did you change the oil? I cannot access the video but as mentioned a knocking sound sounds like your rod/main bearings.

Do you know what your oil pressure was/is? I would first run both the key on engine off and on codes and then the cylinder balance test. If the cylinder balance test comes up with a problem, run a compression/leakdown test.

i bought my car a few months ago it is an 88' lx 4 cylinder with a 5.0 swap. I dont know what year the engine is from exactly but the guy i bought it from claimed it had 85k miles on the engine. It is mostly stock besides bbk headers , flowmaster exhaust, AC+smog delete.

it turned out the knocking/clicking noise was from the bolts of my headers being loose. the guy i bought it from didnt use loctite when he put the bbk headers on. I just retightened them for now and the noise went away and my car was running normal again. i drove around more today thinking everything was fine then later in the night i noticed again that there was a significant power-loss although the noise was still gone and the bolts were tight. Usually when in 2nd gear around 2500 rpms i never have to give it full throttle to get going really fast. I was flooring it and noticing their wasnt nearly as much pull as usual.

the oil pressure gauge is right in the middle and stays there. Also my check engine light flashes at low rpms like 1000-1200 but goes off if you rev it higher then that, or goes off if its idling. I know the engine doesnt run top-notch to begin with but now i am definitely noticing a major power-loss.

Mikestang63 mentioned balance tests and compression tests, how can i do that and would it help me figure out where my problem is? If not what are some things i should do to try and put my finger on the problem?

 

[madspeed]

the balance test id done during a koer code check. Do a search for pulling codes, is all in there. You'll need to buy or borrow a compression tester to do a compression test. I have a $20 one from Harbor Freight that works fine

 

[KENS89LX]

Vacuum leak?!

 

[91TwighlightGT]

Pull codes.

 

[j0rd4n]

the balance test id done during a koer code check. Do a search for pulling codes, is all in there. You'll need to buy or borrow a compression tester to do a compression test. I have a $20 one from Harbor Freight that works fine

Pull codes.

can you explain in a little more detail? this is my first mustang and only the second car ive worked on lol (the other being a 99' dodge stratus).

when you say "pull codes" what do i use to do it? where does the device hook up to on my car?

After i figure out how to do them, what other tests would i want to do besides "balance" and "compression" test?

my car feels like it doesnt pick up rpms as fast as it did. before i would never have to put the pedal to the floor to pick up speed extremely fast threw 1st and 2nd gear. now it seems like it drags threw 1st and 2nd even when im flooring it. Before, if i was in 2nd gear around 2500 rpms and floored the throttle, i would feel a significant pull but now it feels way less torquey and the rpms take a lot longer to go up.

any extra information is appreciated, thanks

 

[madspeed]

here you go, this wll teach you how to pull codes

http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/threads/help-me-create-the-surging-idle-checklist.698148/