1968 Charger 440 Motor Knocking Sound

[Chris 69]

Thank you all for the additional suggestions. Haven't looked at the car over the past week, as I've been re-doing the garage lighting. Now the garage is ready, so I'm contemplating pulling the motor.

I read the entire moparts link, where one of the lifters was toast; that was a good read.

I'm planning the following approach:

1. Compression test.
2. Remove distributor and inspect.
3. Remove rockers, pushrods, lifters and inspect.
4. Inspect timing gear/chain.
5. Pull motor if nothing is found in Items 1-4.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to work on the car this weekend.

[Chris 69]

Thank you all for the additional suggestions. Haven't looked at the car over the past week, as I've been re-doing the garage lighting. Now the garage is ready, so I'm contemplating pulling the motor.

I read the entire moparts link, where one of the lifters was toast; that was a good read.

I'm planning the following approach:

1. Compression test.
2. Remove distributor and inspect.
3. Remove rockers, pushrods, lifters and inspect.
4. Inspect timing gear/chain.
5. Pull motor if nothing is found in Items 1-4.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to work on the car this weekend.

Or maybe I'll just bite the bullet and pull the motor now. I've been in talks with a local engine shop, and his thoughts were in line with c00nhunterjoe's thoughts.

[Chris 69]

As a follow-up to all of you that provided recommendations to my knocking issues:

Finally got around to pulling the motor and took it to a shop.

The issue turned out to be failure of one of the main bearings on the crank/connecting rod, and as a result of metal being sent through the motor and damage to the crank, a full rebuild is required. I'm now having the motor built by a local shop, and I'm supposed to get it back by the end of the year.

In the meantime since the motor is out of the car, the power steering box and pump have been rebuilt by Firm Feel with their "Stage 3" rebuild. So that should make the steering better.

Thanks for all the earlier suggestions.

[Challenger340]

As a follow-up to all of you that provided recommendations to my knocking issues:

Finally got around to pulling the motor and took it to a shop.

The issue turned out to be failure of one of the main bearings on the crank/connecting rod, and as a result of metal being sent through the motor and damage to the crank, a full rebuild is required. I'm now having the motor built by a local shop, and I'm supposed to get it back by the end of the year.

In the meantime since the motor is out of the car, the power steering box and pump have been rebuilt by Firm Feel with their "Stage 3" rebuild. So that should make the steering better.

Thanks for all the earlier suggestions.

Sorry to hear of your misfortune.

You may wish to read here about the pitfalls of Piston selection when rebuilding these engines ?
just saying....
many Shops make the same mistakes highlighted...... do NOT let this happen to YOUR 440 !
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,118292.0.html

[redgum78]

As a follow-up to all of you that provided recommendations to my knocking issues:

Finally got around to pulling the motor and took it to a shop.

The issue turned out to be failure of one of the main bearings on the crank/connecting rod, and as a result of metal being sent through the motor and damage to the crank, a full rebuild is required. I'm now having the motor built by a local shop, and I'm supposed to get it back by the end of the year.

In the meantime since the motor is out of the car, the power steering box and pump have been rebuilt by Firm Feel with their "Stage 3" rebuild. So that should make the steering better.

Thanks for all the earlier suggestions.

Sorry to hear that its serious, hopefully the crank can be ground and recovered ok. When you say main bearing on the crank/connecting rod I assume its the big end on the rod and not a main bearing? It would be unusual for a main bearing to knock like that?