CHART "SOUND-DIAGNOSING" ENGINE TROUBLES

SL.
NO
1

NOISE
Dull knock or heavy
thud

PROBABLE
SOURCE
Loose main
bearings

MIKE
POSITION
Lower block near
bearings

Excessive end
ply on main
bearings
Loose piston
pins.

HOW TO CHECK
Louder on sudden acceleration or
when climbing hill.

Sharp, irregular rap.

Sharp, metallic
double- knock. (if all
are loose, a rattling
metallic sound)

Light tapping click or

sharp rattle.

Broken ring.

Light, pounding,
some times a clatter
or series of raps

Loose connecting
rod bearing

Light knock.

Bend connecting
rod

7.

Hollow, distinct click

or rattle.

piston slap

Sharp clatter or
knock, at idle, growl
at 40 to 50 kmph

Loose or worn
timing gears.

Rumble or scraping
noise

Loose timing
chain

10

Clicking sound
similar to tappet
noise.
Snapping sound
(Engine overhauled)

Worn piston ring

grooves
Rings fitted to
tightly

Flywheel housing Depressing clutch will stop noise,

near main bearings difficult to diagnose with automatic
transmission.
Top of block just
Usually loudest when idling.
below head gasket Shorting out plug may change tone
of knock, make it more severe.
Noise sharp when engine is
laboring.
Top or bottom of
Heard at idle and under
block head or pan acceleration. Cannot be eliminated
gaskets
by shorting spark plug.
Lower block at
Did case heard at all speeds.
pan gasket or on
Slightly loose rods sound like
oil pan
piston slap or loose piston pins.
Loose rod usually knocks loudest at
55 to 65 kmph
Lower pan at
Light knock at idle, increases on
gasket
acceleration, Reduces, is not
eliminated when plug is shorted.
About 75 mm
Occurs at idle, shows up under
below head gasket, load, loudest when engine s cold,
adjacent to
Can be eliminated by shorting
cylinders
spark plug.
Timing-gear cover Loudest at idle, particularly if idle
at front of engine
is rough. May disappear at low
speeds come in again as, growl at
40 to 50 kmph.
Timing cover,
Rumbling noise at idle or on
front of engine
acceleration. A dull scraping sound
if chain is striking cover.
Side of block
Click twice per crankshaft
adjacent to
revolution, Instead of every other
cylinder walls
revolution as for valves.
Top of block just
Noise cannot be eliminated by
below head gasket shorting out spark plugs.

Heavy click or light

tapping noise

New rings
striking ridge in

Side of block
adjacent to top and

11
12

Noise is regular and changes with

speed. Louder as speed increase.

worn cylinder, or
head gasket in
rebored cylinder
Worn or loose
harmonic
balancer

bottom center of
piston stroke

Can not be shorted out with plugs.

Front of block
near balancer

Bad generator
bearings

Generator housing
near bearing

Noise disappears above idle. Grasp

balancer at edge and rock back and
forth sharply. Looseness can be
detected
Check with engine idling. Move
mike to determine which bearing is
bad. (front or rear)
Noise comes and goes. Cannot be
eliminated by shorting plugs. Idle
engine, cut switch and allow engine
to run slow. Turn on ignition again.
A distinct knock will be heard each
time switch is turned on.

13

Irregular knock at
idle

14

Rattling sound

15

Irregular heavy knock Loose flywheel

Flywheel housing