Loud Engine Knock at Cold

**Loser** · 03-30-2013, 01:50 PM

Just finished pulling the valve covers to make sure the rocker arms were still tight and they are.

**cammed goat** · 03-30-2013, 09:21 PM

Couldn't watch the vids, but are there any marks or scratches under the heads like a piston is contacting a valve? Also, how do the plugs look? I ask as I'm thinking you might have a leak where a spark plug threads into the head. Or a possible exhaust leak at the head/manifold area. Just a hunch.

**Loser** · 04-20-2013, 10:56 AM

New update:

- The banging noise is still present.
- After changing to shorter push rods, I now get about 220 miles per tank of gas instead of 280, but the noise is a bit quieter.
- I can feel a vibration in the gas pedal that seems to be getting worse slowly over time.
- Yesterday the car stalled while I was idling in traffic, the check gauges light came on (not the CEL), and the oil pressure went to zero. The engine would turn over fine, but would not start. Roadside assistance added a gallon of gas to the tank and it started but I'm positive it wasn't out of gas. I drove to a gas station and filled up which only took 9 gallons. While I drove the the gas station and home, the oil pressure was very unstable and was down in the 20 range on the gauge. Normally it is between 40 and 60. I checked the oil level but it was fine. Today, I went out to check into the issue and the car started fine and the oil pressure is back to normal. I let it idle until it warmed up and the oil pressure stayed normal.

**SMWS6TA** · 04-21-2013, 07:53 AM

wow talk about gremlins.....I wouldn't be driving it around much further until I could find what the problem is.

**twozs** · 04-21-2013, 01:16 PM

reading your update , it sounds like what happened to me . a loud noise coming from the motor similar to yours . it went away for about 2 weeks then i started it up after work and i heard it again . watching the oil pressure the whole way home . came down off the highway and the oil pressure dropped to 0 then 20 then 60 back to 20 then 0 then 40 and finally 0 . i have 150,000 miles also ( one owner ) . anyway you look at it the motor is hurt and to get to anything internal the motor has to come out ( through the bottom ) . i don't have a lift or the time to do anything like that . i just purchased a jasper rebuilt motor for $ 3475 . there is a 800 dollar core charge and the more complete the motor is the more of the 800 you get back . so if it goes and destroys the block you have no core . the complete motor job is going to cost me 5500 dollars ( about ) with a 450 dollar installation kit from jasper . plugs , wires , water pump , hoses, belts, mounts . while there in there i going to get a steering rack from rock auto for 200 dollars for them to install while the motor cradle is out of the car . good luck and you probably shouldn't run it too much until you make a decision on what to do

**adriesen** · 12-06-2017, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by Loser

Hi,

I bought my Blk/Blk 2001 Trans AM WS6 new. Now I am up to 150K miles and am starting to have issues. I just found this site and will be searching it shortly. My main issue is that I have a knocking sound coming from the drivers side of my engine. It happens when the motor is cold and goes away mostly after about 15-20 minutes. It is quite loud when the motor is cold though. Since it goes away, I don't think it is a thrown rod, but I'm no mechanic. Anyway, hopefully I can find some pointers here. I love the car and want to fix it and keep driving it.

Tom