So after spending the last few days working on the wife's third gen, today I get in my 380 to go and get her a new distributor rotor.

Turn the key in the 380 and all hell breaks loose. It seemed hard to turn over, and once running there is a loud metallic banging and it's only running on a few cylinders. I turn it off and leave it off for a few minutes and try again. Same story, runs like a pig, won't rev - and then the check engine light flashes before I kill it once more. :roflwtf:

Now waiting for the RAA to come and have a look and hopefully tow it to my local dealer.

Bonnet hasn't been up for six months since it was last serviced at the dealer.

Apart from the annoying 380 tick tick tick that everyone seems to get, it has been faultless for 60,000km since new. Has hardly been run in. Oil level is fine, accessory belts look fine, nothing obvious under the engine cover.

Unless it's something simple like the alternator or aircon bearings are destroyed and causing this horrendous noise, I'm not looking forward to this diagnosis :tired:

Lucky I have a 10 year drivetrain warranty :facejump:

A car engine can make two sorts of noises:

Normal ones.

or

Expensive ones.

Oh, if we only had X-ray vision . . . . .

No, not funny. I hope it turns out to be simple and if not, covered by the warranty.

RAA read the codes, cylinder 4 misfire.

He said start it. Then really quickly he said stop it. "Sounds internal, like something hitting the piston. DONT START IT AGAIN."

Has been towed to the dealer. Hmmmm.

Dropped valve?

That's what I'm thinking, but haven't heard from them. If it is, i hate to think what the top of that piston looks like now. Whether it's related to the ticking sound Ive reported to them every service since new, who knows.

Ouch! Not sounding good...

Which is cylinder 4 in the 380? Rear middle?

Anyone able to help out? Is cylinder 4 the middle cylinder on the rear bank (closest to dash) or is it the middle cylinder on the front bank (closest to radiator)?

Middle, front bank.

Rear bank = odd numbers
Front bank = even numbers

Lowest numbers nearest the cam belt.

1-3-5 - rear bank
2-4-6 - front bank

Middle, front bank.

Rear bank = odd numbers
Front bank = even numbers

Lowest numbers nearest the cam belt.


1-3-5 - rear bank
2-4-6 - front bank

Wonderful how the English language allows you to convey the same information in two totally different ways!

Ta.

Word is it started and apart from some top end noise, ran fine. It's nothing like the noise it made the first time I started it. They suspect a collapsed lifter due to sludge, but now it's running fine don't think anything needs to be done?

I suspect the first noise was valve-piston contact, perhaps because of a stuck valve - eventually the piston convinced it to start moving and now the lifter is the only noise they can hear.

They are going to start it again Tuesday after it has sat for a few days and check it again.

I'd feel a lot happier if they stuck a camera down cylinder 4 plug hole and checked for damage to the piston. And changed the lifters on the front bank under warranty. Even if it is just a failed lash adjuster, a 60,000km engine with religious dealer servicing and no sludge shouldn't have these issues, surely?

Mal, what's your expert opinion? (I know it's hard to diagnose faults you haven't seen/heard).

Is a very hard one, I highly doubt there would be issues with valves hitting pistons, if this was the case you would know about it now with bad idle miss at very least plus they should comp test it as well

My money would be on a faulty lash adjuster however again would not be sludge unless the dealer has been using cheap rubbish oil given you have serviced this consistently from new

At the very least they could pull the front rocker cover off for a visual inspection of the valve gear.

Okay, thanks Mal.

Picked it up today and they said apart from a lot of lifter noise when cold, it has been fine. They reckoned a collapsed lifter which has pumped up fine now. The noise on that first start was incredible, but if them and you both think it's a lifter, then I'll have to go with that.

Unfortunately they didn't compression test it or boroscope cylinder 4 which would have been good peace of mind.

I supply the dealer with HPR10 every 12 months, and it only does about 5,000km In that time. If I do a big trip I do an intermediate oil change at six months myself. Definitely not an oil quality issue IMHO! I've also previously tried a the Wynn's treatment you recommended for lifter noise but it hasn't made any difference.

Hopefully I can talk them into changing the lifters on cylinder 4 at least on the next service.