Just started driving, next thing its knocking, then its gone

[truckman72]

Six years ago during my 8th grade year I got my 69. After working on it for 5 years I get it driving May of my Senior year of high school, and then I leave for college. I get to driving it a couple of times of year when I am back home for college, and when its not snowing or raining. So when I was back in town during the week of the 4th of July I was out cruising around, the next thing I knew it was knocking and it continued to get worse and worse. At that moment I knew that it was gone. So, I drive the remaining minute home, parked it, and have yet to drive it since. Every time I go in and look at it, I remember all of the work that i put into it and it is just sitting, not moving. At this point I have decided that I am going to drop a new engine into it, but with me away at school I can't really do that. So I have made a deal with my Dad. I find it and he'll drop it in for me. So now I am starting my great search to upgrade from my old 327 carborated engine to a newer LS fuel injected engine. So my question is where do I start looking and what is the best way of locating a donor vehicle? Any suggestions or ideas would be great!

[geezer#99]

You're sure jumping to conclusions!!
Did you even try to figure out what the noise was?
Could be a simple thing!
I've had broken rockers sound like the motor was shot.

[Stocker]

.... or broken valve springs, but they don't usually get louder (or quieter, for that matter!).

[67swb72klb]

flex-plates will fool you too

[JonnyC10]

Sweet truck! What drop is that?

[truckman72]

Ya I'm almost positive that the engine is gone. It's a 2 in in the front and a 4 in in the back.

[geezer#99]

'Splain that, please!!

[truckman72]

I used 2in dropped spindles in the front and a 4in drop spring in the back

[vidman]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

'Splain that, please!!

Almost lost my beer over that one

[JonnyC10]

Originally Posted by truckman72

I used 2in dropped spindles in the front and a 4in drop spring in the back

Sweet. That's what I have coming from CPP.

[geezer#99]

Ricky Ricardo from an era gone by said that!!
An era long, long ago!!
Like 40 years ago.
Speakin' of beer, it's almost Miller time for me too!!

[El Campo]

Last time I had an engine start knocking it lasted exactly 5 seconds longer before it locked up solid as the Rock of Gibraltar. Like these guys have said pull your valve covers off and look around. And as has been said I too have had flexplate bolts that mysteriously got loose literally without me noticing and sounded like the whole engine was about to explode into 10000 pieces at any second. Your dad seems like a generous guy but have you told him you want him to install an entire FUEL INJECTED engine in the old girl? I would help someone out and put a carbureted engine in for them too free of charge but a FI engine? Whole different ball game! Good luck with it though!

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by vidman

Almost lost my beer over that one

Originally Posted by geezer#99

Ricky Ricardo from an era gone by said that!!
An era long, long ago!!
Like 40 years ago.
Speakin' of beer, it's almost Miller time for me too!!

My beer is nice and cold....mmmmmmmm

[garmar]

A bad harmonic balancer can sound like a rod knock too.

My wife called me on her way home one day and she said the car sounded funny. I asked if it was overheating or any dash lights she said no, so I said keep on coming. When she pulled into the driveway I'm like, yep that engine is toast. She said it had gone from "sounding funny" to OMG my car is F@#!D in about 5 miles. While I was diagnosing whether it was a top end or lower end knock I discovered tons of slop in the accessory belt and you could hear the HB clanging as it hit both ends of its free play.

[tcrist]

If it has the original engine it could also be the nylon covering from the tooth off of the timing gear come off and get stuck in the timing chain. It then knocks the heck out of the timing cover and sounds real bad.

[yuccales]

Good looking truck you got there! Drop that oil pan and take a look see, might not be that bad.

[Chris04]

Gone or not if my dad agreed to help me put a ls engine in mine I think I would hope it's blowed sounds like a good ending to me lol but seriously everyone is right it might not be bad as you think, regardless good luck man! Nice truck

[truckman72]

The engine is a 65 327 thy we pulled out of a truck not knowing how many miles were on it or how long it would last. At this point we really aren't wanting to fix the engine. We would rather go ahead and put something new in there and get a wiring harness in and hooked up. Right now it's all just kind of pieced together so I have lights and it starts.

[truckman72]

I guess my real question is how do I go about locating a donor vehicle? My part of the deal is that if i can find a reliable enough engine I can take this up to school. Part of this upgrade is that I plan on keeping this truck maybe for a future project to redo later on. I'm only 20. How many projects can I get into in my lifetime??

[tcrist]

You can check on Craigslist or someplace like that. Sometimes it is better to buy the whole vehicle so you are sure that you have all that you need.

In my area I found complete LS1 engine with a T5 trans and the complete harness with the computer for $1250.00. If I were to go that route, I would rebuild the engine and trans before installing. That way you would know what you have. But that does not mean it would not be good enough to drop right in though.

[Lalla666]

Mechanical fan hitting the shroud that's what was mine lol