Big end diagnosis

[Tuscan]

My mechanic has told me my big end bearings have gone on my ae92 Trueno. This would cost a lot to fix as I'm pretty clueless about doing things mechanically myself. Anyway, I want to be sure that this is actually what is wrong.

Can someone recommend a good reliable mechanic in Auckland (I live in Royal Oak) who could be trusted to give me an honest answer on this one?

Also, what are the signs that big end is buggered? The mechanic I saw seemed to be basing his opinion entirely on a rattling noise the engine often makes. The reason I ask is that it had been making that same noise for at least 6 months during which time another mechanic at the same place had serviced the car including replacing the cambelt and hadn't mentioned anything...

[d1 mule]

i cant reccomend as im in chch but for your money id just replace the engine with a second hand job. if thats what the problem actually is

[ChaosAD]

It would need a crank grind. If you keep driving it you will spin a bearing and $&#$% it completely. Thats if it is the bigends though.

[rollaholic]

do you have reason to disbelieve your mechanic? the only way to know for sure is completely dis-assemble the engine and look, but the noise is pretty distinctive to a trained ear.

it would 100% be cheaper to replace the engine, if you want to keep the car i personally would replace the clutch and keep driving it till it stops, then replace the engine with a 2nd hand one. my previous car had a 2E in it, and it ran a big end - the noise in the last couple of days before i took it off the road was like a little man inside with a hammer trying to get out, haha. it was so loud people would be looking from like three cars away.

[Tuscan]

The only reason I wasn't 100% sure was that he was a new guy I hadn't dealt with before. The car has sounded the same for ages and the other mechanic I usually deal with at the same place had done quite a bit of work, e.g. replacing cambelt, on it and had never mentioned anything... Just want to be sure. But if its a distinctive sound then he must be right...

Ah well, its been a great car up until now so can't complain too much. Might take it to a clutch specialist and see if they can sort that out without replacing the whole thing and drive it till its completely finished...

but if anyone is after an ae92 trueno which may be in need of a new engine, let me know!

[EarthwurmJurm]

The only reason I wasn't 100% sure was that he was a new guy I hadn't dealt with before. The car has sounded the same for ages and the other mechanic I usually deal with at the same place had done quite a bit of work, e.g. replacing cambelt, on it and had never mentioned anything... Just want to be sure. But if its a distinctive sound then he must be right...

Ah well, its been a great car up until now so can't complain too much. Might take it to a clutch specialist and see if they can sort that out without replacing the whole thing and drive it till its completely finished...

but if anyone is after an ae92 trueno which may be in need of a new engine, let me know!

eh ?

[rollaholic]

the clutch is not related to big end problems - the guy was trying to do the right thing by you, by telling you its got a fatal problem BEFORE he spends $600 of your money on a car that might only drive for another 2 months.

edit - why dont you talk to the manager / guy you normally deal with?

[Tuscan]

Yeah, I'm aware of that. Sorry my last post may not have been overly clear.

What I was trying to say was:

1. It seems strange that my usual mechanic hadn't mentioned the big end thing when he had previously worked on the car. (I am going to speak to him but just haven't got round to it).

2. I'm going to take it to a clutch place but had been told that replacing the full clutch is likely to be expensive. I thought it might be able to be partially replaced rather than the whole clutch. I don't know if you can do this or not. I know it has nothing to do with the big end but if the clutch itself is going to cost me a packet it may not be worth doing considering the engine may be on its last legs.

3. In the event that I decide its not worth getting the repairs done, I'll be wanting to sell the car in order to get another one. I guess it won't be worth all that much but could be good for someone who has the ability to sort out the engine etc.

Hope that's a bit more clear

[edwagon]

Partially replacing the clutch - Not really an option unless you are doing it yourself, as the expensive part of a clutch is the labour, not the clutch itself. You can often 'get away' with only replacing the clutch plate itself (and reusing the pressure plate and bearing) but its a bit of a punt and I doubt any shop would be prepared to do it for a customer - more of a backyard sort of a trick!

As for the bearings, as someone said above, its a very distinctive noise to a trained ear, although there are other rattles and knocks which could be mistaken for big ends. It would be a little unusual for knocking big ends to go 6 months without any change in the noise - would usually last maybe a week max before either breaking a rod or becoming so heinously noisy that you just have to stop driving it! On the other hand, a noisy lifter could go for years without the noise getting worse.

Nurse it somewhere else for a second opinion to put your mind at rest.

[Tuscan]

Thanks everyone

[jondee86]

Ha !!! I had a worn out cambelt tensioner idler that "knocked" just like
bearings on the way out. If it is bearings, they will usually knock louder
when under load. Rev it at idle (blip the throttle), and just as the revs
are building, say 1500 to 2500 rpm, you will hear a rattle which will go
away as the revs go higher, and the load comes off the motor.

Or find a steepish sort of a hill and hold 2500 rpm in second. That
should get them knocking... as said, like a guy with a ballpein hammer
trying the break his way out

Cheers... jondee86

[Trls250s]

You could proberly get a second hand crank off trademe or here for cheap, then take that and some new bearings to your mechanic to do. ACL bearings cost me $120 and a silvertop crank (if thats what it is) can often come up for $100~ on trademe.