My engine has started knocking, not sure if its the top or bottom knocking. Changed the cam, springs and stem seals last year. Its running on ofac efi managment. Do I rebuild the CVH, or do I go down the line of ZVH or ZETEC? What are your views? Don't want to spend a fortune, but don't want to rebuild it again in a year.
Thanks

 

Bottom end knocks tend to be much deeper in sound compared to top end, especially if its the big ends, little end rattles tend to dissapear after initial startup unless they are completley wanked out. Ive always gone with CVH but i would say it is all down to Ł & what power you desire.

 

This is what it sounds like at idle and a little rev, sounds alot louder when driving.

 

Sounds like top end to me.

 

sounds like something has come off or very lose

 

sounds fubar to me buddy....that aint tappets

 

The noise sounds fast to me which makes me think its bottom end related, cam related stuff tends to make a "slower" noise if that makes any sense as the cam only spins half of what the crank does.

 

hmmm tough one that, doesnt sound deep enough for big ends i'd say cam/lifters but could be wrong?!

 

If you listen closley, there is a point where you can hear a few deep knocks. COuld of blown a head off the big end cap bolt perhaps???

 

The deep knocks are what I was trying to record, under load it wont knock but sitting at a constant speed it will make that noise, then engine braking it wont.

 

Could be alot of thing's mate .. Hard to tell by the Vid Audio ..

 

I wouldnt rev it too hard, i blew the head off a std rod cap bolt (which i didnt know about back in my early days) took it somewhere for a second opinion, wankers at Hi-Tec in Cradley, they red lined it on the spot and blew No3 rod out the block and scrapped my engine. The tapping noise i had was the rod cap opening at the end of the stroke and the piston crowin hitting the inlet valve, high revs meant they met with a bit of an impact!

 

my opinion is the bottom end, sounds very familiar to me as it happened on an old rst of mine, whip the sump off and have a gander. Hopefully im wrong

ZVH, Zetec, CVH, you could spend pennies or thousands on each, jest depends on what you prefer. Here is my breakdown:

cvh - pros, nice and simple, everyone knows then, good power for not much money.....cons, bit long in the tooth, capacity is limited, can be expensive when chasing big bgp

zvh- pros, can be very cheap, can handle great power when built correctly, has a very similar layout to cvh so a pleasure to work on, loads of torque.....cons, need forged pistons for higher boost and correct cr, sometimes head gaskets can be a problem due to surface contact

Zetec turbo- pros, silly power can be had out of these (check out luke's) reliable and can produce big bhp with little engine stress, drivability....cons, can be expensive due to manifolds, management, proper pistons for cr eetc, engine bay is really crampped when installed.

These are only my opinions and im sure someone will shoot me down in flames.lol

hope this is of some help mate

 

i would decide what power you want or would like in future and go from there, i'd deffinatly not go zvh as your binning a good 16v head that can flow 350 with some of ian's springs in it for one that'll cost you 700 to flow similar power so i'd go cvh or full zetec turbo

 

1 thing u shud try mate, which my dad shoed me wen my bottem end had gone, get a piece of timper, 2 b 1 or woteva, and hold it on the bottem end, and then on the head, if its knockin u can hear it thro the timber

 

Thanks for all the help. I've bought a runabout so the Escort is now off the road for 6 months. Gives me time to find out whats wrong and rebuild. I would like to see a reliable 200 bhp when finished, as I have to drive it daily. Thanks again for the advice.

 

Mine has started to make the same noise did you find out the problem in the end cheers

 

Sure mines crankshaft or big end bearings. Cam and lifters look fine, so hopefully engine out this weekend.