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  #16  
Old 09-01-2011, 07:46 PM
gbianchi gbianchi is offline
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Re: knocking noise from the engine bottom

1. starts hard and smokes, burnt oil/water, suond like you may have head gasket issues
3. zzz zzz zzz.........no clue without hearing it???
4. mechanic freind says exhaust, how good of mechanic is he, do you trust his judgment?
why don't you guys help me? is it too complicated the problems i have? or you're just tired of me!.................wow settle down, there have been several replys to your problems, sometimes we don't know! Good luck with your SVX they are good cars with a few quirks, sounds like you got a fairly good one, be patient with it and get it figured out and ENJOY!......................G
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  #17  
Old 09-01-2011, 08:14 PM
Conn SVX's Avatar
Conn SVX Conn SVX is offline
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Re: knocking noise from the engine bottom

Some things are hard enough to diagnose when you are standing right there let a lone 3,000 miles away, The guys on here are the best. Better than you would get at your local dealer . Most dealers didn't work on enough SVX cars or the mechanic has retired or left . Be as descriptive as possible . BTW putting your foot to the floor usually won't help as this is a fuel injected car no choke. How old is the gas, are u sure it is not contaminated? Ever did a compression test? How are the plugs? All the coils in good shape and connected. Any loos or cracked vac lines?

I just re read all the posts . So how many miles on this car?
What year? your not giving them much info .Where is the video you promised ? A little help here on your end .

Last edited by Conn SVX; 09-01-2011 at 08:22 PM.
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  #18  
Old 09-01-2011, 09:52 PM
Tapani Tapani is offline
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Re: knocking noise from the engine bottom

On the zzzzz sound.... I can actually hear my high idle circuit... (can't remember its correct name). It make a slight hissing, buzzing noise, which obviously goes away when the engine fully warms up and the idle speed settles down to 575-600rpm. Fully normal, I presume.

I guess there are a million things that might cause hard starting in a 20 years old car. Is all OEM equipment in place and unmodified? All vacuum tubes etc intact? Does it run ok when fully warm?

What color is the smoke? You say oil/water.... I presume it is white/gray, eh?

Personally I would start by hooking up the ECUtuner to see what exactly is going on . I can not stress enough how important true information is in diagnostics....

Then I would check how fast the fuel pressure builds up when you turn the key first time.

Is the oil contaminated with water? You can have the gas in the radiator analysed for exhaust contamination.... a clear indication of potential head gasket problems...

There's just so many things to check and a lot of info needed.

Kind regards,

Tapani
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  #19  
Old 09-01-2011, 10:37 PM
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david_12121 david_12121 is offline
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Re: knocking noise from the engine bottom

Quote:
Originally Posted by gbianchi View Post
.wow settle down, there have been several replys to your problems, sometimes we don't know! Good luck with your SVX they are good cars with a few quirks, sounds like you got a fairly good one, be patient with it and get it figured out and ENJOY!......................G
i know there have been replys but nothing as i usually get around here
that's why i was asking if it's complicated...i trust my mechanic buddy but i trust you guys more thats why i'm asking again

Quote:
Originally Posted by Conn SVX View Post
BTW putting your foot to the floor usually won't help as this is a fuel injected car no choke. How old is the gas, are u sure it is not contaminated? Ever did a compression test? How are the plugs? All the coils in good shape and connected. Any loos or cracked vac lines?

I just re read all the posts . So how many miles on this car?
What year? your not giving them much info .Where is the video you promised ? A little help here on your end .
i know that normal mechanics know little about the car that is why i'm here asking u guys
in the manual says if it doesn't turn on push the gas...so i did that
i didn't "flush" the gas if that's what you are asking...the car had been siting for some time before i bought it
coils and vac lines seem good
~135km
vid link below:P
you ask for any details, i will provide



Quote:
Originally Posted by Tapani View Post
I guess there are a million things that might cause hard starting in a 20 years old car. Is all OEM equipment in place and unmodified? All vacuum tubes etc intact? Does it run ok when fully warm?
What color is the smoke? You say oil/water.... I presume it is white/gray, eh?
Personally I would start by hooking up the ECUtuner to see what exactly is going on . I can not stress enough how important true information is in diagnostics....
Then I would check how fast the fuel pressure builds up when you turn the key first time.
Is the oil contaminated with water? You can have the gas in the radiator analysed for exhaust contamination.... a clear indication of potential head gasket problems...
There's just so many things to check and a lot of info needed.

Kind regards,

Tapani
everything OEM stock...everything in place....just like new cars when warm
smoke is white-grayish...2-3 secs of heavy smoke when turned on cold...then completely goes away
i'll try to take a vid of that as well
i will flush all fluids this weekend...hope it solves some issues


link to the zzz noise
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrjpqleMY00
at 0:07-0.12 ish


thanks you guys sooooo much...hope some day i can start helping others:P
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  #20  
Old 09-01-2011, 10:52 PM
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Unhappy Re: knocking noise from the engine bottom

Smoke at startup can be bad valve stem seals. They can get dried out and start to leak. Usually happens if the car is sitting for a long time. The oil seeps down while the car is sitting and then gets burnt when the car starts us.

A small amount of condensation is normal when the exhaust is still cold; burning hydrocarbons produces CO2 and H2O. When the exhaust warms up, the water doesn't condense, but the same amount is produced. A coolant/headgasket leak will cause an abnormally high amount of water, but this is usually evidenced by white colored, coolant smelling smoke. I don't really know how you would quantify what is normal or not, but if you're not losing coolant from the radiator, then I wouldn't think that's your problem.

Bad headgaskets are another possibility. That can cause overheating, grey/blue smoke (burning oil), white smoke (burning coolant), low compression (hard starts, and low performance maybe).

The buzzing is probably the exhaust heat shields. My black car does this and that's what it is. I wouldn't worry too much about it. If not the heat shields, then it can be the cats.

Check if your crank pulley is separating also - search on how to do this. The knocking, you just have to try and listen and see where it's coming from.

As for starting problems: check the code that the CEL is throwing... (see how-to docs section). Coolant temp sensor very often causes starting problems and what you said about the radiator I didn't quite understand, but it is worth a check. I don't think it always throws a CEL, so even if that's not the code I would still check it out. Check the code.
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  #21  
Old 09-02-2011, 12:41 AM
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david_12121 david_12121 is offline
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Re: knocking noise from the engine bottom

if oil leaks in the cylinders, it smokes. right?
but does it make difficulty starting up?
it never over heats so no head gasket problems?
didn't have a considerable amount of coolant gone...how much would it be?

and clarification for the radiator and check engine light:
when it's still a bit cold, the radiator fan starts and increases the idle(for the power obviously) and the check engine comes on while the fan is still on...the fan shuts off after few seconds and check engine goes off
then a few minutes later it all happens again
again, none of these when engine is warm
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  #22  
Old 09-02-2011, 01:02 AM
Tapani Tapani is offline
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Re: knocking noise from the engine bottom

The fan runs probably because the AC compressor kicks in. Set the AC on "economy" to prevent this.

Tapani
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  #23  
Old 09-02-2011, 03:32 AM
1986nate 1986nate is offline
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Re: knocking noise from the engine bottom

Replace the coolant temp sensor and it should solve the main issues you are having. As for the noises, there's a ton of things that can make light metallic noises you describe like the heat shields as Icingdeath stated.
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  #24  
Old 09-02-2011, 03:54 PM
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david_12121 david_12121 is offline
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Re: knocking noise from the engine bottom

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tapani View Post
The fan runs probably because the AC compressor kicks in. Set the AC on "economy" to prevent this.

Tapani
what about the ckeck engine light when the fan kicks in?!
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1986nate View Post
Replace the coolant temp sensor and it should solve the main issues you are having. As for the noises, there's a ton of things that can make light metallic noises you describe like the heat shields as Icingdeath stated.
for the main issue you mean the not starting or the fan kicking in and the check engine?
it seems more like a heatshield issue
thank you man
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-Rebuilt Tranny @135k
-Regasketed Engine @140k
-Enkei Raijin 18x8.5, with 255/35/18's @140k
-BC racing Coilovers (From STI's) @142k
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  #25  
Old 09-02-2011, 03:58 PM
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icingdeath88 icingdeath88 is offline
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Re: knocking noise from the engine bottom

There is really nothing else that can be done until you check the code. Look in the how-to docs. It is very, very easy, and free.
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'97 Ebony LSi ~137k #036.......Power mode mod, JDM clear corners, BBS wheels. AUX/pocket mod

Now a mod "over there" ............Photo album
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  #26  
Old 09-03-2011, 12:05 PM
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david_12121 david_12121 is offline
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Re: knocking noise from the engine bottom

i looked up the how-to docs for check engine
cannot locate the wires
i'll attach the pic of that area and maybe one of you can tell me which one it is
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 2011-09-02 17.27.44.jpg (580.4 KB, 165 views)
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DIY FTW!
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-Rebuilt Tranny @135k
-Regasketed Engine @140k
-Enkei Raijin 18x8.5, with 255/35/18's @140k
-BC racing Coilovers (From STI's) @142k
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  #27  
Old 09-03-2011, 04:35 PM
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icingdeath88 icingdeath88 is offline
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Re: knocking noise from the engine bottom

Slide one of the two blue wires out of the electrical tape, and stick it into the plug's top pin, second from the left with the notch facing up. Then turn the key to, on, but not cranking. Then count the CEL blinks - long blinks count as 10 each, short blinks count as 1 each.

For example, 1 long blink followed by 2 short, then a short pause, then 3 long blinks followed by 3 short blinks, would be a code 12, followed by a code 33.

Attached Images
File Type: jpg 2011-09-02 17.27.44.jpg (593.2 KB, 332 views)
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'94 Laguna Blue LSi ~159k.......JDM ultra short-geared 3.900 STi Version 7 6-speed w/ Cobb shortshifter, ECUtune 244,8.1mm/256,9.1mm i/e cams, group N motor mounts, '97 grille, JDM clear corners, Momo JDM Legacy GT steering wheel, apkarian's LED tails, silver STi BBS wheels, PWR radiator, redstuff pads f/r, drilled/slotted rotors, bontragerworks rsb #18, Koni/GC 450f/375r coilovers, Megan Racing adjustable lateral links, KMac c/c plates, Stebro exhaust, ECUtune 1v5, Optima battery in the trunk where it belongs. Turbo project

'97 Ebony LSi ~137k #036.......Power mode mod, JDM clear corners, BBS wheels. AUX/pocket mod

Now a mod "over there" ............Photo album
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  #28  
Old 09-03-2011, 05:20 PM
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david_12121 david_12121 is offline
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Re: knocking noise from the engine bottom

dude you are fantastic
21 & 56
meaning coolant temp and "EGR system"

the coolant i realized this morning...it turned on while i was driving so i pulled over and held it at ~3000rpm for 10 seconds n sure enough it worked

but the EGR i don't know

btw today she started like a dream...no smoke or anything!!! she's playing with me!
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-Rebuilt Tranny @135k
-Regasketed Engine @140k
-Enkei Raijin 18x8.5, with 255/35/18's @140k
-BC racing Coilovers (From STI's) @142k
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  #29  
Old 09-03-2011, 05:51 PM
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Sean486 Sean486 is offline
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Re: knocking noise from the engine bottom

The Coolant Temp Sensor can cause hard starts. It is very easy to replace and only costs about $25.
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  #30  
Old 09-03-2011, 06:25 PM
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Re: knocking noise from the engine bottom

What is that orange plug , looks empty, for. and is the arrow pointing at the end were you push the wire in or the other end . I don't see the notch
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