Car started making the Death Sound today(Main Bearings?)
Driving back from a job at about 55mph, started hearing a ticking sound that I thought was an exhaust leak, progressivly got worse and turned into a knock! Limped off the road and into the parking lot at work. Local mechanic came over to confirm what I thought.

_________________
1964 Dart GT

cheaper way is be looking in a salvage yard to get one. either that or someone selling one locally. if you make down near Austin, in the direction of going to Houston. there is one or two "you pick the parts" salvage yards.

_________________
1976 Plymouth Feather Duster
2002 Dodge Dakota 4.7l v8

anyone ever used Blaine's Engine Rebuilders? I had someone locally recommend them. $875 to Rebuild (My) Long Block. They have exchanges, but all are later model engines(75-80)mech. lifters.
My engine was/is in good condition for 180K+, other than the bearings

I have a 1964 Dart GT 225/Auto

any input on trans rebuild while I have the engine out?

_________________
1964 Dart GT

At the risk of being criticized, if you otherwise have good compression in the motor, have you considered just replacing the bearings and avoiding a full rebuild? Lots of noises can be misinterpreted to be a "rod knock" (a friend of mine once had a 63 Dart and her mechanic diagnosed faulty alternator bearings as a rod knock and told her she needed a new engine).
What other symptoms is the motor exhibiting? Why do you think it is bearings? Have you done a cold and hot oil pressure check?

If your transmission is doing fine, then I would recommend changing the fluid and filter (ATF+4), adjusting the bands, and leaving it alone.

_________________
Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

You might check to see if the torque convertor bolts are tight (if loose they will make a knocking noise).

Richard

_________________
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Mainly just noise again the noise and location where it is coming from, I will put a stethoscope on it this weekend to try and get a better idea no I have not.How and what will that tell me? doing fine?maybe. 47 years old and I don't think it has ever been serviced. Hard shifting and clunks into gear occasionally
the noise is coming from the back of the engine, and at first I thought it might be the transmission, but it seems like the #5 or 6 bearing?

_________________
1964 Dart GT

OK- it could be worn bearings, but it could be something else entirely that doesn't require a rebuild.
Again, there are many things on the motor that will mimic the sound of a rod knock but are actually something much easier and cheaper to fix.
HOW: Get an oil pressure gauge. A cheapo mechanical one can be purchased form most parts store for around $20. Install it in place of the idiot light sending unit on the oil pump. Start your motor and write down the oil pressure in PSI under four conditions: (1) cold at 2000 RPM, (2) cold at idle, (3) hot at 2000 RPM, (4) hot at idle.

WHAT IT WILL TELL YOU: Noting the true oil pressure made by your oiling system will give you a general idea of how tight the clearances are in your oiling system and if the pump is able to provide enough oil pressure. The general rule of thumb is 10 PSI for every 1000 RPM of engine speed. All motors will exhibit higher oil pressure when the motor and the oil is cold. As the motor and oil heats up the oil pressure drops since the oil is less viscous and more elastic. Oil pressure should also increase as engine RPMs increase since the oil pumps is operating faster.

If you have acceptable oil pressure when the engine is hot and cold, and at all RPM ranges, then you likely do not need to replace the main or connecting rod bearings. If the oil pressure does not increase notably from idle to a higher RPM, you might need to service the pressure relief valve on the oil pump or replace the oil pump.

Doing oil pressure checks just give you more information about the condition of your motor.

Another check you should do is a wet and dry compression check to test the condition of the piston rings and bores. If you have decent oil pressure, decent compression, and your motor isn't constantly blowing blue smoke while you drive, chances are you don't need a full rebuild.
Hard shifting and clunking into gear might just mean it is time for a tranny flush, band adjustment, and a refill with ATF+4. The torqueflite transmission is a VERY well designed transmission that will last for decades with only minimal maintenance. Just last week I finally took a 1973 904 out of service. It has been in over four vehicles and was purchased out of a junked Dart in the mid 90s. It has never been rebuilt and has not been babied. It last saw service in my brother's 83 Dodge van. My point is don't assume your transmission is dead just because it is old.
Could be the bearings, could be an exhaust leak, could be the dipstick hitting the crank, could be the torque converter bolts, could be could be could be.... It is always better to do some diagnosing and investigation before concluding that something as drastic as a full engine rebuild is necessary.

Before you start planning on a full rebuild, do a compression check and an oil pressure check and report back the results. While you are in there, check around for anything loose like a torque converter bolt.

_________________
Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

THANKS Reed! You Rock! Got me feeling better about it not being the mains. I will have to do alittle more research, but you have given me some places to look!
Not the dipstick, I pulled it out while it was running to make sure earlier.
Not the exhaust either, I went over it very closely after it started making the Noise.
I am hoping for something else, as I don't have the money for the rebuild in the budget right now.
The Torque Converter bolt sound interesting, as I can't imagine the sound that would make? Can you view them where the starter mounts? or do you have to pull the transmission? I appreciate the Help!

_________________
1964 Dart GT

Jack up the front of the car, put jack stands in place so you won't get crushed. Remove the metal cover at the front of the bell housing and you should be able to use a box end wrench to see if the 4 bolts are tight.

Richard

_________________
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Back in 09 I was towing a trailer loaded with about 3500 pounds of cold war era air raid sirens back from Ohio using my 85 C-10. Right outside of Nashville my truck started making a noise. It started off as an irregular tick that I attributed to my cheap flowtech headers. As I strolled on at 75-80 MPH the tick turned into a CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK that kept getting louder and louder. I thought great, my old 305 is about to bite the dust and I'm a long way from home. The first rest stop I got to I pulled over and decided to assess the damage. So I was sitting there at the rest stop with the truck going CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK when suddenly I heard a bang underneath the truck and the clunk stopped. Everything seemed okay on the gauges and I didn't see any puddles of fluid collecting under the truck so I jumped back in it and eased on home. When I got home I told a coworker (who happens to be a dirt track racer) about what happened to my truck and it mysteriously fixed itself. He suggested I check the torque convertor bolts. So I removed the inspection cover and had an assistant bump the engine over with the distributor powered down. What I found was a bolt missing it's head. Somehow over a 240,000 mile period this one torque convertor bolt had managed to work loose until it finally started to hit something inside the bellhousing. Apparently it backed on out until it hit something hard enough to snap the head off of it and shear the bolt off even with the flexplate.

I never was able to get that bolt out, and drove the truck until I got tired of the 305 and pulled it out.

That goes to show that a torque convertor bolt can make a LOT of racket.

It also showed that my old truck once again got me home, even if it was a chivvy.

_________________
82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

Thanks Richard! I always use Jack Stands. I just have a problem with Jacking Up the car under the oil pan The last guy that owned this car put a massive dent in the oil pan shaped like a floor jack!
I will definitely check the torque converter bolts, but the sound seems much deeper than bolts rattling(hope I'm wrong).

_________________
1964 Dart GT

I don't have any FlowTech Headers, and I haven't been driving 75 or 80mph, but the tick,tick,tick to clunk,clunk,clunk is spot on! Thanks Jeb! I'll keep y'all posted!-Dan

_________________
1964 Dart GT

This guy worked for Chrysler back in 1964 when my car was New, he's an old timer,but still a trust worthy mechanic.I hope he's wrong about my car too!

_________________
1964 Dart GT

Jack using the K frame just in front of the pan.

Richard

_________________
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

I was just making a crack about how I was told to change the motor mounts!

_________________
1964 Dart GT