I had a tick, now it's a knock

[osue077]

From what I have read, it is most likely piston slap but it sure sounds horrible. Im just under 210k and Im curious what is the right answer... Should I look into a rebuild or should I drive it till it stops running?
At an idle, it doesn't even sound bad but as the rpms increase, the knock gets louder and louder (it is not an exhaust leak). I used my stethascope and the #5 and 6 piston sound the loudest. I put in a new oil pump about 40k miles ago and the gauge shows 40 -50 all the time. This tick only developed about 5k miles ago but my wife doesn't want to even go anywhere in it now with out a bicycle in the back.
Any advice would be great, thank you.

Trav

 

[cruiser54]

Auto or manual trans?

 

[osue077]

Auto

 

[osue077]

I have checked the 4 bolts to the t-converter, none were loose.

 

[robsjeepxj]

Are you 100% sure it's not the flex plate? The cracks can be hard to see, I'd say clean it really good and slide you hand around crankshaft hub and see if you can feel anything as well. That's how I found mine.

 

[osue077]

I will feel around on it, I didn't really look closely at the flex plate.

 

[osue077]

So I figured, how hard is it to pull off the valve cover to look at the valve train? Well the sound was much more pronounced with the cover off so I knew that the oil pan had to come off to inspect the bottom. Needless to say the entire side of the #5 piston is gone, luckily it does not appear to have any wall damage.
So, now the question is do I just hone and stuff 1 hole or pull the motor and start over?

 

[jk_surgeonfish]

I just went through the same thing. Was number 4 piston for me. The block was still good and it almost done getting rebuilt. Bored block, new pistons, new oil pump, new timing gear, new bearings, all new seals, block hot tanked.... valves done, head done... and more.

 

[osue077]

That's what Im lookin at doing, just gotta figure out who to have the machine work done at.