KhangKong

Hey, so I just purchased a 1997 Honda Civic EX and I believed it had a rod knock. I drove it home because of the lack of money for a tow (I live 15 minutes from where I bought it) and on my way home, every time I would come to a stop, the car would shut off. I'd turn it back on and sometimes it would take awhile but other times, it would start up and afterwards, it would drive maybe 2 miles an hour with my foot to the floor. After maybe 30 seconds or so, it'd kick back on and go faster. I was about 2 miles from home and all of the sudden, it shut off on me. I passed the light and it went slow and then when it kicked into speed, it shut off so i had to pull over and pull it the rest of the way home.

Now every time I try and start it, I just hear a *click* so I thought it might be the starter.

I was wondering if anyone might know what else could be the problem? If it's a rod knock, how would I go about repairing it?

It's just supposed to be a cheap car that got me to and from work so I'm not wanting anything crazy expensive to do with it.

x.l.r.8

it sounds like the engine seized solid. get a socket on the crank and put it in neutral and try turning the engine by hand.

mk378

The best way to deal with rod knock is to replace the whole engine with a good used one. So even when you bought it you were looking at replacing the engine.

NVturbo

OP can't even afford a tow. How on earth can he afford another engine?

Jimi Hondrix

Rebuild is more expensive than a pick and pull motor so what choice is left?
OP better grease up that bike chain and prepare for thigh burn..lol. Sorry, OP this isn't a joking matter..real crap position to be in and feel for you. Wouldn't be surprised if previous owner knew it had an oil consumption (without smoke from tail pipe) issue that may have lead to too low oil and subsequent rod knock.

DumpdEJ6

Why buy a car with rod knock if you can't afford to fix it (read: replace the engine)? That's an expensive 10 mile single-use commute.

KhangKong

Sorry this is late, I don't get notifications for this but I did try and turn the crank and nothing happened. I planned on replacing the motor or just the block but I wasn't wanting to spend an extreme amount of money doing so. I was planning on replacing just the broken rod and all of the rod bearings (which I know is not the best thing to do nor should it be done), but it was just a way to get to work and eventually sell for a different car.

KhangKong

You're right, I didn't have enough to get it towed. but even so, I wasn't going to spend a couple hundred to get the car 4 miles. I made it most of the way home and had my friend pull it another mile or so.

KhangKong

I pulled the motor and it doesn't have any holes in the block or anything. I was thinking of getting the block decked and honed and the head resurfaced, and replacing the piston, would that be viable? I'm not wanting a completely reliable car for years, but something that'd last me a few months. Also, it gives me a car to work on and learn more, so there's always a plus

x.l.r.8

Valiant effort so far however consider this, it's not the rod, and if it is the rod then has the bore been scored, was it the crank end not the piston, if the crank is seized it's probably scored and needs redrinding at best, throwing at worst. Then why did it go, does it need a new oil pump, did it overheat, what other factors are involved. If you owned the car for considerable mileage then fine you have a good idea about serviceable parts, however you have little history and the engine seized on the way home. Pull the head, check it out for valve seal. Then pull the sump and see what actually happened. You may get away with a short block and put your head and ancillaries back on. That would be the cheapest option other than buying new gaskets. So for a few dollars more you can throw an engine without rod knock and it will work fine, then pull your engine down with all the time you saved, fix what's broke and you have a good used engine to swap back over. It's the cheapest easiest route available to you right now.

KhangKong

I took the head off in the process of removing the motor, and one of the pistons was lower than it's sister piston. (i.e. cylinder 4 was about in the middle and cylinder 1 was at the top.)

x.l.r.8

That still doesn't exclude the big end which is more likely. Then you still have crank regrind, rod, bearings, did the piston kiss the valves while on its unrestrained travels? Was the bore you could see scored?

mk378

You could get a used D16Y7, put it in and make sure it runs OK then swap your VTEC head onto it.