Tech / General Engine Is your car making a strange sound or won't start? Thinking of adding power with a new combination? Need other technical information or engine specific advice? Don't see another board for your problem? Post it here!

HELP 383 Knocking

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-05-2023, 10:22 PM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
38386ta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
HELP 383 Knocking

I just rebuilt my 383 and threw it in the car. Started it up, had 90psi of oil pressure but after about 10 seconds it started knocking loudly, sounded pretty deep. I shut it off. Checked the pistons and no witness marks from my bigger cam. Pulled the rockers off found witness marks right under the trunion. I hope this is the issue, but I thought I may aswell ask and see if anyone knows. If not, im going to grind down the rockers and run it again.

Specs are, 11-1 compression 383. Aluminum 200 Dart heads. Comp cam custom grind cam. 555 lift and 262 duration. If any more info is needed just lmk.
Thanks, Sean
Old 03-06-2023, 10:29 AM
  #2  
Supreme Member
TGO - 10 Year Member
 
SbFormula's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,283
Received 172 Likes on 139 Posts
Car: '91 Firebird Formula
Engine: SP383 Deluxe FIRST® TPI Intake
Transmission: Tremec T56
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" Eaton Truetrac Motive 3.89
Re: HELP 383 Knocking

Is 90psi normal? Seems high, but what do I know?
Old 03-07-2023, 09:05 PM
  #3  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
38386ta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: HELP 383 Knocking

Originally Posted by SbFormula
Is 90psi normal? Seems high, but what do I know?
Yeah its pretty high. But the engine is fresh and I have 10w40 in it. So I think it should go down after it warms up
Old 03-07-2023, 09:06 PM
  #4  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
38386ta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: HELP 383 Knocking

Update, I grinded the rocker arms down and reinstalled them. Seemed to help the noise, but I couldnt get the engine to run long enough to be 100% sure. Tomorrow Im going to throw on a new carb, which should make it run, and see if the noise is gone.
Old 03-07-2023, 10:09 PM
  #5  
Supreme Member
 
Komet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: WA
Posts: 1,062
Received 385 Likes on 281 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC-Z
Engine: L98 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: BW 9 Bolt / 2.77 Posi
Re: HELP 383 Knocking

Does it make noise when you turn it over by hand?
Old 03-07-2023, 10:15 PM
  #6  
Moderator
TGO - 10 Year Member
 
AlkyIROC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Posts: 17,169
Likes: 0
Received 136 Likes on 114 Posts
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
Re: HELP 383 Knocking

Sounds like a slapped together engine without checking a lot of clearances. 0.555 lift is a lot of lift for a standard rocker. Not sure how well roller rockers would work but with the old stamped steel rockers, you would have needed to install long slot rockers. I'd bet your rocker arm geometry is all out of whack also.

As for knocking, rockers usually tick. Rod bearings create loud knocking. Sacrifice an oil filter. Pull off the oil filter and cut it open to see if there is any metal in the oil.
The following users liked this post:
Bills87IROC (03-13-2023)
Old 03-08-2023, 12:52 AM
  #7  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
38386ta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: HELP 383 Knocking

Originally Posted by AlkyIROC
Sounds like a slapped together engine without checking a lot of clearances. 0.555 lift is a lot of lift for a standard rocker. Not sure how well roller rockers would work but with the old stamped steel rockers, you would have needed to install long slot rockers. I'd bet your rocker arm geometry is all out of whack also.

As for knocking, rockers usually tick. Rod bearings create loud knocking. Sacrifice an oil filter. Pull off the oil filter and cut it open to see if there is any metal in the oil.
Lol you're not completely wrong about the slapped together engine. I did plastigauge the mains and rods, they were in spec. I forgot to mention its on an old set of crane 1.5 roller rockers, .555 lift is a lot, but it was the only cam I had on the shelf, couldn't afford another camshaft. College kid things. I'm pretty sure the rocker geometry is off, but I measured the pushrods and they fell right in the middle of the valve stem. I'm pretty sure it was the rockers making the noise, the grinding made the noise almost disappear. I'm also going to open the oil filter and see what it says. It could have been something else other than a bad bearing. Tomorrow will definitely tell the whole story. Thanks for your time and wisdom.
Old 03-08-2023, 12:53 AM
  #8  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
38386ta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: HELP 383 Knocking

Originally Posted by Komet
Does it make noise when you turn it over by hand?
Nope, turns over quite easily with the plugs out. Im almost ruling a bad bearing out. Pretty sure it was the valvetrain making noise
Old 03-08-2023, 12:34 PM
  #9  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
38386ta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: HELP 383 Knocking

Update again, I started it and sure enough its clanking around, but Im almost 100% sure its the cam. Time for a new cam
The following users liked this post:
SbFormula (03-08-2023)
Old 03-08-2023, 08:16 PM
  #10  
Moderator
TGO - 10 Year Member
 
AlkyIROC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Posts: 17,169
Likes: 0
Received 136 Likes on 114 Posts
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
Re: HELP 383 Knocking

Everyone needs to start somewhere to gain experience.


Old 03-08-2023, 08:40 PM
  #11  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
38386ta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: HELP 383 Knocking

Originally Posted by AlkyIROC
Everyone needs to start somewhere to gain experience.

Yessir. Eventually I will have a running motor lol
Old 03-09-2023, 08:42 PM
  #12  
Senior Member
TGO - 10 Year Member
iTrader: (1)
 
GTA matt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Zebulon, nc
Posts: 766
Received 48 Likes on 26 Posts
Car: 1990 GTA/1989 Iroc
Engine: L98/383
Transmission: 700r4/t56 magnum
Axle/Gears: 9"
Re: HELP 383 Knocking

What oil pan do you have? Depending on rods and rod bolts, they can touch the stock oil pan where in turns in slightly near the oil filter. Makes a nice little knocking sound.
The following users liked this post:
SbFormula (03-09-2023)
Old 03-12-2023, 09:33 PM
  #13  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
38386ta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: HELP 383 Knocking

Originally Posted by GTA matt
What oil pan do you have? Depending on rods and rod bolts, they can touch the stock oil pan where in turns in slightly near the oil filter. Makes a nice little knocking sound.
Stock truck pan. But Ive ran this setup before and it never had clearance problems, but Ill be sure to check when I rip open the oil pan.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
InfernalVortex
Engine Swap
16
12-22-2011 10:35 PM
91RS5speed
TPI
16
06-22-2005 09:49 PM
GMFREEK
TPI
1
11-09-2002 07:08 PM
RGS1260
TPI
5
05-26-2001 08:40 PM
406 S10 Man
Tech / General Engine
3
02-21-2001 03:50 PM



Quick Reply: HELP 383 Knocking



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:43 AM.