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Is my engine shot? loud knocking sound... video inside

('98-'00) 
25K views 17 replies 10 participants last post by  dirtroadrunner 
#1 ·
I picked up a 99 forester about 3 months ago from a friend for cheap. I fixed a few things (brakes, wheel bearing, o2 sensor) and have been driving it for about 2 months now and it now has about 200K miles on it. All of a sudden on my way home from work i heard a a loud ticking/knocking sound. Is the engine done? Is it worth swapping with a used one or just salvage the car?

 
#2 ·
No codes?
Any better idea where the noise is coming from? Sounded like middle front(?)
Does the noise increase if RPMs increase?


I had a power steering bolt back out on me shortly after I bought my SF, it was connecting with the pulley and making a terrible ticking noise. It could be something as simple as that or a bad pulley/tensioner. At 200k, it is time for the timing belt maintenance again.
 
#6 ·
I pulled the codes today and found: P0301, P0302, P0304, and P0341. I checked again today and it seems like the sound is coming from the middle of the right side of the engine bay. The knocking does increase and get faster as the RPMs increase.

If I didn't hear the noise I would say the engine is running good. There isn't any shaking or rocking and the engine idles well. No smoke. Like others have said check the visible moving parts. If you cannot find any thing externally your next step is a compression check.
The car has a very rough warm up now when you first start it up for the first time. It never used to do that. When your first start it, it idles rough and shakes a bit but after a while it calms down and then just makes the knocking sound.


Any ideas where to go from where? P0341 is the camshaft position sensor. Not sure exactly where or what that is but should it be replaced?
 
#5 ·
Seems to run fine except for the noise.

If I didn't hear the noise I would say the engine is running good. There isn't any shaking or rocking and the engine idles well. No smoke. Like others have said check the visible moving parts. If you cannot find any thing externally your next step is a compression check.
 
#7 ·
As others have pointed to, check the timing belt tensioner and the timing belt alignment.

If the belt has jumped due to a bad tensioner or a failed idler pulley that has allowed slack in the system it would explain the misfire codes and cam position sensor code.

You may also be flirting with disaster if any the above I mentioned is the case. Don't wait to check.
 
#8 ·
Sorry for the newbie questions but this is all kinda new to me. How exactly woud I check the timing belt tensioner, alignment, and for a failed idler pulley? What would I look for. Is there alot of work involved to gain access to these to visibly inspect?
 
#9 · (Edited)
Edit: I didn't notice you replied with codes.

Don't run the motor until you get those sorted out. If 301, 302 and 304 are because your timing is off you can do damage to the motor.

P0301 Code - Cylinder #1 Misfire
P0302 Code - Cylinder #2 Misfire
P0304 Code - Cylinder #4 Misfire
Symptoms may include:

the engine may be harder to start
the engine may stumble / stumble, and/or hesitate
other symptoms may also be present


I would start with this one, which can cause the others:

P0341 - Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit Range/Performance

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/re...Camshaft-Position-Sensor/_/P-0996b43f8037f312



This will probably not resolve the noise you are hearing...
 
#13 ·
If the engine didn't jump time, you will be fine. Just to be sure, you can do a leakdown test. Remind me, did the car have any CEL's? If not, you're probably GTG and one VERY luck person. Make sure you re-seal and replace the oring for the oil pump. Other than that, buy the full TB kit and get it back together. Water pump is up to you, but also a good idea at this point.
 
#14 ·
It did look like the timing was off a bit when I checked. The car had these CELs:

P0301 Code - Cylinder #1 Misfire
P0302 Code - Cylinder #2 Misfire
P0304 Code - Cylinder #4 Misfire
P0341 - Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit Range/Performance

Ideally I'd like to just buy a full TB kit and put all back together but I'm concerned that the failed gear threw the timing off a bit and might have cause a bent valve or something else. I guess a leakdown test would tell me that. I'm pretty new to all this type of work, is that something I can do or do I have to tow it to a shop for them to do the test?
 
#15 ·
As long as the timing was within a couple of teeth when you took it off you are likely to be OK. It was running before it came apart, just that the tensioner was knocking due to the extra slack in the belt.

Gates makes a nice timing belt kit(TCK304) that includes factory original idlers and tensioner and a Gates belt which can be bought for much less than just the idlers and tensioner can be picked up from the dealer.

The toothed idler is typically the one that we see fail first.
 
#17 ·
I took a chance over the weekend and installed the new timing belt, water pump, and all idlers (GATES TCKWP304). I got everything back together and the timing looked perfect but when I tried to start her up, she only cranks and cranks but wont start.

Any ideas why she wont start now??? Even though she was making that knocking sound before, she would still start.

Before I found the toothed idler problem, i had CEL code P0341 - Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit Range/Performance. I figured that this was due to the timing being off. Could this be causing it not to start?
 
#18 ·
First, check for spark using a spark tester or other suitable method. If you
don't have spark (and you probably don't if it is just cranking...), I bet you have a wire, sensor, etc disconnected, so go over all of the relevant underhood connections and make sure they are tight and properly connected.

I ran into this problem before, and it was my main engine harness not being connected all of the way (one of the plastic latches on it is broken).

If you DO have spark, check for fuel (something I haven't done on a Subaru) and then compression if you verify the car is getting fuel. You don't need a leakdown test to check if you have compression, just a normal compression test will be fine. The leakdown test is useful to find why you have poor compression (if you do indeed have it).
 
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