This could turn out to be an expensive oops! I'll spare all of details, but I messed up the firing order on my truck and when it tried to start, it must have done some internal damage. She is tapping pretty bad now. Am I going to have to do a complete valve job, or is it possible that I'll just get off with a bend push rod? It looks like a lot of parts need to come off in order to pull the head. I also found out that the Chiltons manual does not match up with the way my lay out of my distributor cap actually was. I can't figure out why they are not the same, but that's the least of my problem right now. . Almost forgot, to add it's a 300 CID (4.9). Anyone ever have a similar problem?

 

Were you replacing a timing chain or what?

 

u might have bent the push rods the valves and maybe left a indent in the top of the piston head badddd news.

 

Maybe I'm still groggy, but how do you smash valves by wiring up the plugs wrong?

 

Getting the firing order wrong will not cause any damage to the engine at all, it just won't run right. Does it have oil? What kind of oil filter?

 

Well, actually I was going to replace the distributor because on an intermitant no start issue. While trying to mark the dist at TDC, nothing was making any sense. Timing mark at TDC, rotor was pointing to #4 plug wire. Chilton's showed that spot as #1, so I shifted all the wires 1 position, thinking that someone screwed up when replacing the cap. NOT a good idea

I don't see how anything could collide internallly, I did not the change timing chain so everthing is still in sync. Is it possible that I colasped a lifter or something weird like that?

 

Yes oil, is good and good filter. I always use Amsoil and their EA filter No problems or noises at all before this happened.

 

Well, just going on th is conversation, it seems most likely something is still wired up wrong, is it possible thats the source of your new noise?

 

I believe it is back the way before I started, doesn't seem to miss, but I am just running at idle speed, not on the road. I'll give that a check to make sure I got it right.

 

I have no idea what transpired, but the fireing order was correct, so I tried it again. Still tapping on start up, but I let it run for a bit to see what would happen. After a few minutes, it started to sound better and by 5, it was back to normal. Must have been the hydraulic lifter Never had any issue like that with my truck... A bit puzzling. Now on to the distributor replacement.

Thanks for steering me in the right direction.

 

Just so everyone's aware, the OP's engine does not have a timing chain.

Unibody: Good luck, sounds like it was just a lifter. Not by my choice, but my 300 has been run with NO oil in the pan for a combined total of probably 20 miles now. Sounded like a freight train in-between that and the addition of oil, due to the lifters collapsing, but they pumped right back up and it runs like a top. 290,000 miles and still kickin' (hard).

Keep us posted!

 

Never gave it any thought, but I should have known it was gears and not a timing chain!. Distributor has been replaced and still sounds like the tapping has been healed!

I plan on a new thread about my timing question.

 

Well....here's my 2 cents.....

I discovered on my '96 300I6, that the timing mark on the harmonic balancer doesn't actually get me to TDC. No freaking idea why. Even when I replaced the balancer, the mark on the new one didn't line up. Had to set the engine at TDC by pulling the plug on #1 and visually verifying that both valves were closed and the rotor was pointing to #1. Made it a royal PITA to get there.

 

Two things... One, the 300 for some reason has timing marks on both sides of the engine. Only one is correct, I believe it's the passenger side.

Two, the harmonic balancer is not a good way to get you to TDC because for every one revolution of the crank, the camshaft makes two. That means 50% of the time when the balancer is pointing to TDC you're actually 180* out.