Is My Engine On Its Way Out?

**Pursell1911** · 03-10-2017

2006 Grand Prix GT - No mods
My wife was driving merging onto the interstate yesterday and had car troubles. She called me and stated she wasn't able to get above 45 MPH or so, and that the CEL kept blinking. I've seen it blink a few times then go off a few weeks prior, so I decided to change the plugs and wires yesterday. There were Iridium plugs in the car and one of the plugs was not in good shape. The ground was completely bent and touching the electrode. I figured that was the cause of the problems, so I finished installing the new Autolite Copper plugs, and took it for a test drive on the interstate and around town. All seemed well. On my morning commute to work I noticed a severe lack of power when accelerating, and my engine was misfiring. Once I got off the highway, I noticed a fast tapping sound which would increase and decrease in speed, depending on RPM's.

I know enough about cars to know that is not a good sound, and it wasn't there the day before. I'm assuming a piston slapped the plug which is why it was bent...Am I looking at a costly repair?

**Scottydoggs** · 03-10-2017

sounds like a clogged cat. that or needed a tune up bad can cause the no power and flashing cel.

clogged cat = bananas in the tail pipe, think Beverly hills cop lol

**Pursell1911** · 03-10-2017

Okay, I'm waiting to order the 3" ZZP catless downpipe and bungle for the sensor as soon as I get paid. In your experience / opinion, would this resolve the tapping issue I've noticed today? Also, what about the bent spark plug? Could all of this be caused by a clogged cat? When I changed the plugs I saw what I believe to be the front O2 sensor, it sort of got in the way of one of the plugs. Is the cat right behind that sensor?

**Scottydoggs** · 03-10-2017

cats the bulge in the dp under the car, id not get a high flow cat. your car will likely set a cat code with it.

your car na or sc? how many miles? na engines tend to clog the cat much more often.

no idea on the ticking, we would need to hear it. so take and post a vid if you can.

if there was no dents in the plug ive seen them shut the gap on their own. if it looked smashed you just might have a chipped piston.

**Pursell1911** · 03-10-2017

Ok, I'll post a video soon. My car is SC with 173,500 miles. It didn't appear to be smashed, but bent and touching the electrode.

**waupachino** · 03-10-2017

Your spark plug didn't just bend the ground strap for no reason. Something internal has let loose and got smashed between the piston and the ground strap. Your internal ticking noise that corresponds with RPM is clear evidence of the internal problem. Unfortunately without tearing down the engine it will be hard to know exactly what went.

**SaukRapids** · 03-10-2017

If the same plug is bent again after you changed it, it's probably not looking too good.

**Pursell1911** · 03-10-2017

thanks everyone. I think it's time to buy a new to me car. It was fun while it lasted. Just don't have the expertise to do any major repairs myself, and don't have the money for someone to do it for me.

**Scottydoggs** · 03-10-2017

how does one afford a new car, but not the cost of a used engine into a car you already know? cause even at a shop should it need a engine swap your not looking over a grand. your car is worth way more then that still, unless its beat up to hell and back of course.

**Pursell1911** · 03-10-2017

I just don't want to fix this problem, and something else to happen. I have already had issues with the transmission shifting hard. Although a pan drop and filter change seem to have fixed it for now. And how will I know if the used engine I buy will just take a dump after a few miles once it's in my car? And how much will it cost to have the new engine put in. So yea, let's say I get the engine for 800 bucks. How much will it cost me to have it put in...

**Scottydoggs** · 03-10-2017

most shops are about 500 to swap it, most engines are 4 to 500 and come with a 90 day warranty. you can get a older engine and swap the blower and intake easy enough to make it work.

**GTPpower** · 03-10-2017

Yeah....it's not going to be that cheap. Expect to spend $2k by the end of the day for everything if you are going to have a shop do it.

**Scottydoggs** · 03-10-2017

if they want 2 grand keep looking. when you see a shop with a pile of engines and hoist on the side of the garage, thats the place to talk to. not the one who in the end dont want to do the swap, why they charge you 2000 bucks, to chase you off.

**Pursell1911** · 03-10-2017

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjl_U90fTMY

This is the noise, which was not there after I changed the plugs. Took for test drive, all seemed well, went to sleep. Drove to work and started noticing the noise. Forgot to mention in the initial post, but noticed the Service Traction Control and ABS messages on the DIC after swapping plugs too. Not sure if this started after my wife broke down on the highway, or not.

**Scottydoggs** · 03-10-2017

is it just me, or are your belts not turning? cause they dont look like they are moving at all to me.

that ticking dont sound good. make another vid, but bring the rpms up to 2000 and then just let the throttle go back to idle. if you hear it bouncing around internally as the rpms drop its a rod knock.

**Pursell1911** · 03-10-2017

I believe they were turning, may just be the video that is making them look stationary. But I will confirm, and also take another video. So if it is rod knock, i probably don't have many more trips to work and back left huh?

**Scottydoggs** · 03-10-2017

if it is, no you dont, its only gonna get louder and harder hitting sounding, then it will break and shoot out the oil pan one day

**LEVELX** · 03-10-2017

I have to agree with Scotty, looks like that SC pulley was not turning.
If that's happening you'd think the belt would wear and break.
It would be a minor issue when compared to the engine noise.