VX v6 n/a ecotec tick - I need help lads!

[Gw33dz]

Re: Exhaust manifold leak, A while ago i was idling with the A/C on a hot day, car conked and wouldn't start. I lifted the hood and it was freaking hot in there. The crap factory battery terminals had expanded and went loose and couldn't be tightened anymore (the bottom part had snapped) so i put a couple of screws in between to tighten it and got the car running. Later i replaced the terminals.

It was insanely hot under the bonnet, compared with my old VT (which didn't have A/C working though). I thought there might be an exhaust leak, but then i thought if that was the case i would be able to hear it.

I mention this because it might offer clues. Like if there was a bad battery connection maybe it wasn't firing properly and caused other issues.

It runs well, has heaps of power/torque other than the catastrophic sound LOL.

Just trying to rule out all the easy fixes before i resort to a swap. The car is in othewise great shape.

So it looks like:
We can rule out timing chain tensioner issue
Might be a lifter problem, a damaged cam, oil pump, or the balancer hitting the CAS, or *gulp* bottem end bearings.

 

[Gw33dz]

Remove all your plugs and have someone crank the engine put your thumb over the plug hole if it pushers away that's the exhaust stroke if it sucks your thumb then that's the compression stroke if it does nothing you have a broken con rod..

I'll give this a try when i can get a spare pair of hands.

 

[Trevor loves holden.]

I'll give this a try when i can get a spare pair of hands.

Just realised I have it back to front pushing air out is the compression stroke my bad.

 

[Skylarking]

^
a four stroke engine is:

Induction, compression, combustion, exhaust...
Or
Suck, squish, bank, fart...

and I wouldn’t be sticking my finger down the spark plug hole and cranking the engine... just doesn’t sound safe

 

[Trevor loves holden.]

and I wouldn’t be sticking my finger down the spark plug hole and cranking the engine... just doesn’t sound safe

Not down it, over it, and your probably better to crank it by hand from the crank, or just feel if air is coming out of the hole if you turn the key.

 

[losh1971]

See how much flex in the balancer maybe its hitting the CAS as was mentioned.

Its a new HB how could it be hitting the CAS? My balancer let go and made a hell of a racket. No damage what so ever to the CAS. If it was a Series 1 VN it might be different.

 

[losh1971]

How much driving have you done since the rattling started?

 

[Trevor loves holden.]

Its a new HB how could it be hitting the CAS? My balancer let go and made a hell of a racket. No damage what so ever to the CAS. If it was a Series 1 VN it might be different.

Oh yeah it was too, sorry dementia kicking in.

 

[losh1971]

Remove all your plugs and have someone crank the engine put your thumb over the plug hole if it pushers away that's the exhaust stroke if it sucks your thumb then that's the compression stroke if it does nothing you have a broken con rod..

Sorry I have it back to front my bad, air out is compression side..

Broken con rod really? It wouldn't last 20 mins if a rod had busted.

 

[losh1971]

I'd start by pulling off the manifold and checking the lifters. If its not a lifter problem you haven't wasted much except rocker bolts, and a couple of hours refitting the rockers and setting the preload.