Thread: engine or tranny trouble

Tweet

Can someone help me figure this out? I have a '70 Cutlass suped up a little. Something is making a loud knocking noise, but the noise goes away when I put the car in gear, but gradually comes back after I start going faster but it doesn't knock as loud as when it sits in idle in park or neutral. I also have a real lack of power compared to before.

Your main bearings are hooped! When the engine is warm, is your oil pressure down from before, even just a little?

I didn't really notice a drop in oil pressure. The one thing I did notice was that it runs like there's no fluid in the tranny.

Anyway, I've got a 350 rocket in it now. What happened was, I recently bought this car. I took it out on a long straight desert road to see what she had. I got her up to about 150 or so and then it got sluggish on me (tranny fluid was leaking out through the pan). I parked it then when I got in and started it, it was hard to start and I had that knocking noise. Finally it just died on me. I towed it home and got it started again and even drove it a little, but it still knocks in park and lacks power.

Sounds like the tranny's blown, if it wasent, it is now or will be soon because you drove it with no trans fluid. No trans fluid, no lube, no lube = heat = death to a transmission. 350 rocket, the only big block but techniclly a small block that I know of.

It could be the stator lock? but they don't screw up very often. Is it sluggish off the line or sluggish when you get it up to HWY speed? The knocking noise could also be a cracked wafer plate, they can make some strange noises. Take off the inspection plate and take a good look around. If all else fails get under it and listen. if it makes a knocking noise when you put it in gear and give it a little juice while holding the brakes its probly a rod.