[Roger]

I have a 2000 Honda Insight with 148,000 miles on it and it has developed a definite knocking sound from the engine. I'm thinking it is probably a rod knock but whatever it is, the engine is going to have to come out.

If it is a bad connecting rod bearing the normal fix is to have the crank shaft turned and put in over size bearings and with this much mileage one usually rebuilds the whole motor. However in my case parts for this thing are going to be expensive so I might just fix what needs fixed and leave the rest alone.

I have had some experience with rebuilding motors but this beast is a lot different. Dose anyone have any advice for me?

Roger

 

[JustinGray]

All the internals of this engine are forged and blanced! Three cylinder motors are alot more sensetive to unbalanced internals due to no symetiric inertial/rotational forces!

What exactly does the knock sound like... once a rotation kinda knock, or could it be detonation in lean burn? If you had alot of carbon build up on your valves and inside you cylinders, you would be alot more likely to see detonation! and in lean burn, that problem could be even worse as lean burn naturally increases combustion chamber temps!


Just a though, a mechanic once told me that rod knock was really rare and often over diagnosed!

 

[Roger]

The knocking sound is there when you first start the car when it is cold and it doesn't change much when it warms up. The sound of it changes a little as the load on the engine changes. I think it is a once a revolution knock but I'm not sure.

Let me back up a little, I just bought the car from the previous owner ( ok, I'm a fool ) who said he just had the valves adjusted at the dealer. Maybe the noise has something to do with the valves and maybe adjusting them made it go away temporarily. I don't know but adjusting the valves isn't something you normally have to do.

I hope the problem is something other than the rod bearings.

Roger

 

[JustinGray]

Oh the contrary... with so manymiles on yoru car, the valves could be begging for an adjustment. However that would be a very distinct tapping noise, happing consistently and at a high frequency! Each of the three cylinders would be making the noise as each has valves....


To make any kind of real diagnosis.... one would need to drive/ listen to the car! Sorry, but this seems like a job for a shop.

You may want to check your valve clerences and make sure they are up to spec anyway, but i doubt that is your problem! You might have another valve issue like a busted valve guide or broken valve seal!

 

[LoNOx 1]

The knocking sound is there when you first start the car when it is cold and it doesn't change much when it warms up. The sound of it changes a little as the load on the engine changes.

That does sound like a rod bearing. If the knock gets more pronounced as the load increases, that would be my guess.


Valve associated noises are usually clicking/ticking.

 

[Yves M.]

The knock is usually evident at low RPM as the oil pressure is lower. And it disappears at mid to high RPM as the oil pressure get high enough to lubricate (create the oil film)

But one thing I would like to point: As the knock is made because the bearing is loose, the oil pressure really drops after this part because it creates an oil leak. All the other parts receive less oil.

So you can damage much more than that one connecting rod by driving with the engine in that situation. Specially all the upper head parts (roller rockers,...)

My 2 cents, I would use higher grade oil to prevent the knock sound which is a real knock between the two parts. 10w30 or even 20w50 if it is not enough.

 

[Guest]

Hi Roger:

___Although I am stating the obvious, have you checked your oil level since the knock began?

___If it is a bearing, I have seen new Insight ICE’s in their entirety posted on E-Bay in the past. Before Thanksgiving of last year I thought I remembered one of these going out at ~ $1,000 IIRC?

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___[email:1thgc23q][email protected][/email:1thgc23q]

 

[Roger]

I did see a used engine on Ebay with 55k miles. I might need that. Anyway, thanks everyone for your thoughts. I will let you know what I find out.

 

[AZCivic]

I don't know but adjusting the valves isn't something you normally have to do.

I don't know about the Insight, but for the Civic, they suggest a valve adjustment every 30,000 miles. It's considered regular maintenance for these cars and should definitely not be ignored.

 

[Insightful Trekker]

Engine Knock Update

I had a friend who works on cars allot listen to my Insight. He said it is probably a valve lifter or wrist pin noise and definitely not a rod knock. I might have over reacted to it in my earlier post since I had just bought the car.

For all of you who are concerned about IMA battery life, this 2000 insight has 148,000 miles ( mostly highway ) on it with the original battery and it still works fine. Overall the car runs great and I'm very happy with it.

[As Moderator, or Housekeeper in this case <g>]

Hi Roger and thanks for the closure :!: Many members don't go to the trouble. It's like telling a joke without the punch line. <g>

In your case you split your closure from the original thread effectively making your information 1/2 as valuable to the group as the months pass. So I took the liberty of recombining them and deleting the "dangling" one. I hope you understand.

And I've posted this in the thread so that others reading will hopefully appreciate the need to keep their threads together too.

Thanks for your contributions and especially the less common post in closure. :!:

HTH!

 

[Mark Elvin]

The knocking sound is there when you first start the car when it is cold and it doesn't change much when it warms up. The sound of it changes a little as the load on the engine changes. I think it is a once a revolution knock but I'm not sure.

Roger

I have a similar 'knock' on my engine at the moment, it's more pronounced now the colder mornings are here, but in my case the noise dissapears once the engine is up to temperature.

 

[02insight]

mine has this sound too. I am pretty sure its something in the center cylinder/piston. If you disconnect the connector for the center spark coil while idling, you may notice the sound goes away. But if you sequentially disconnect the other cylinders, a change does not happen.

other people also commented they have the same sound, so I think its just normal for these 3 cylinder engines.

here is the thread i made on it some time ago
http://www.insightcentral.net/forum...e-my-engine-condition-noise-video-inside.html