04 GTP tapping sound and more

[LynnaeC]

Just a heads up, this was a backyard mechanic who helped me work on my car. Not ideal, but this car cost me my job when it died out on me and im a single mom, so i am not able to take it to a garage right now. Please, dont throw it in my face about him not being licensed.

 

I have an 04 grand prix gtp 3.8l v6 series 3 engine.. A few months ago it started this god awful knocking sound. I was told it was a rod knock, to park the car and dont run it until i got new main bearrings. We bought new main bearrings, a crankshaft, a crankshaft sensor, all new plugs and wires, new gaskets, new fluids etc... That was all fixed. The car started up but had a loud ticking/tapping noise. They said it was the alternator, so we went and got a used one, the car started with a jump, but died out. Found out that the battery terminals were shot. Now the car starts fine. However, there is still a really loud tapping noise coming from around the alternator area. He said there is a radiator hose suctioned close, so he checked the dex cool reservoir and it was dry so he topped it with water (yikes bc its 20 here in PA) He said the thermostat was bad and took it out but didnt replace it for now. I asked him to just bring my car back. When he did, he told me that Cyl 3 is misfiring now. Im at a loss. I can't afford a garage right now bc this car cost me my job as is..i took every penny i had to fix this car these last few weeks and now i am tapped out.. Does anyone have any advice or help for me? I dont know what is causing the tapping sound, or the sucked closed hose.

 

Theres so many things being thrown at me that i don't even know where to begin. Help!?

[Frosty]

Don't worry Lynn - we will do our best to try to help you. If you don't mind, is it possible for your to video/record and upload your engine's noise for us to hear (give it about 1-2 minutes max)? That will let us hear the exact sound it's making, show us the condition your motor is in,  and you can point out things if you'd like to, and hopefully give us a better idea of what the problem might be. 

Ringo - our web administrator - can help you with the technical details of how to upload a video file if you need help.

[Last Indian]

1 hour ago, Frosty said:

Don't worry Lynn - we will do our best to try to help you. If you don't mind, is it possible for your to video/record and upload your engine's noise for us to hear (give it about 1-2 minutes max)? That will let us hear the exact sound it's making, show us the condition your motor is in,  and you can point out things if you'd like to, and hopefully give us a better idea of what the problem might be. 

Ringo - our web administrator - can help you with the technical details of how to upload a video file if you need help.

Sorry for your trouble Lynn, but Frosty is right we will do all we can to help, no judgments here! 

The top radiator hose is most likely either the radiator cap or the run/return line from the overflow reservoir to the radiator, but the cap would be my bet. He should not have left the thermostat out, you need to get a new one back in as soon as possible in this cold weather. Not good for the motor and you will not have very good heat.

The ticking or tapping is very possibly the idler pulley bearing based on what else has been done. 

And the miss fire of #3 may be a bad spark plug wire or plug, but since they were replaced my bet would be the coil pack.

[LynnaeC]

I do not know how to upload a video. I do have one thats about 30 seconds long but it would not let me upload that. I can take another one all together. I am about to put the baby down for a nap now, once he is out I will head out and snag a video! 

Thanks so much!

[Ringo64]

1 hour ago, LynnaeC said:

I do not know how to upload a video. I do have one thats about 30 seconds long but it would not let me upload that. I can take another one all together. I am about to put the baby down for a nap now, once he is out I will head out and snag a video! 

Thanks so much!

Unfortunately, it may be too large for the current requirements for your member group. Once you get 10 posts, you’ll be promoted to a different group with a larger upload limit. In the mean time, you can potentially upload to YouTube or similar

[LynnaeC]

Im currently uploading to YouTube. I will post the link once they are done uploading. 

[LynnaeC]

Here is one video. If you need another, please let me know.

[TWO LANE BLACK TOP]

Looks like the tensioner pulley is the one making the noise..I Couldn't  really tell but at about 46 seconds there was a brief shot of one of other pulleys not turning...??? Lower right hand side...or am I just crazy .....Won't let me replay without starting completely over.....looked at again Is the pulley on the far right turning...Grooved idler pulley maybe...????? Can't really tell...

Edited January 17, 2019 by TWO LANE BLACK TOP

[Wrongway]

Wow that really sucks Lynn I'm so sorry to hear about all the problems. Like Black top said, my thoughts are the tensioner pulley. I had one go out last year and it made a loud tapping sound. It was loud enf that I could hear it over the sound of my engine. Good luck, and let us know when you finally get it figured out.

[TWO LANE BLACK TOP]

3 minutes ago, Wrongway said:

Wow that really sucks Lynn I'm so sorry to hear about all the problems. Like Black top said, my thoughts are the tensioner pulley. I had one go out last year and it made a loud tapping sound. It was loud enf that I could hear it over the sound of my engine. Good luck, and let us know when you finally get it figured out.

Wrongway

Could you tell if the idler pulley is turning..?? Or am I just old and blind..???

Edited January 17, 2019 by TWO LANE BLACK TOP

[Wrongway]

Black top, it didn't look like it to me bro but it wont let me replay the video. It keeps giving me a "error" message when I try to reply it.

Btw, when mine went bad it still spun like it should. Turned out that the bearing in the tensioner was separating.

 

[LynnaeC]

Here is one video. If you need another, please let me know.

Not sure why that posted again.

I will double check the pulleys to make sure they are all moving. Tomorrow I will try to get some help taking belts off to make sure the sound is infact the pulley and not my engine. 

As far as a thermostat goes, and the radiator hose being sucked closed..

He said the thermostat was stuck open, so he just removed it and it would be fine to run for a few weeks since its cold out. Is that true?  Today when I ran the car for a few minutes to get the video, the hose wasnt sucked closed.. did the issue resolve itself or do I need to run and drive the car to see if it happens again?

[Last Indian]

5 hours ago, LynnaeC said:

Here is one video. If you need another, please let me know.

I go back to my original statement, the idle/tensioner pulley is bad, but in this case both the supercharger idler/tensioner is gone, or at least in the video it does not appear to be turning, I.E. not rotating at all and the one for the main belt has a bad bearing which is making the noise and if you look you can see it bouncing. Which indicates a bad bearing. 

I would also check for an exhaust leak because it sounds like one as well. It could be at the donut gasket for the crossover. 

I would still think that the radiator cap is causing the collapsed up radiator hose. If you loosen the cap to the first click and drive the car and the hose doesn’t collapse it’s probably the cap. Also the fact that you said the reservoir was dry indicates the cap isn’t working, and not allowing the fluid to transfer back and forth.

Edited January 18, 2019 by Last Indian

[Wrongway]

I still cant watch the video, still giving me an "error" message, but that's not saying its not my fault lol. If they are indeed all spinning Lynn then grab each pulley and rotate them by hand. What your looking for will be a gritty/sandy feeling or a wobbling back and forth. The reason you need the thermostat is in part for your heat to work correctly and heat up the car but more importantly it controls when the antifreeze is released into your engine to cool your engine and give your antifreeze time to cool down before returning to your motor. Without a thermostat your antifreeze will just continually flow and heat up with the engine and both will be the same temp. Somebody else may be able to explain that better lol.