Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications General Mods rod knock confirmed

So my car died on the way to work about a month and a half ago, and this past weekend I finally had some time to look at it. I pulled off the oil pan and at first I couldnt find any loose rods. The number 3 cylinder seemed to have more side to side play than any of the other rods. I put a socket on the crank and gave it a turn, well it turns out the #1 cylinder, the one closest to the oil pump had so much play that I am surprised that it did not jump through the block. I thought I remembered reading that in the usual oil starvation issue that the rod farthest from the oil pump usually goes first, but the one closest to the oil pump went first on mine. doesnt that seem odd? anyone got any thoughts on this?

mj

my #1 was the one that went too.

Might want to post this in the troubleshooting section.

My #2 went out

On MY SHO engine!

Upon reflection, I'm not surprised that the #1 bearing is gone. The oil lubrication system is a system of controlled leaks. If you did tend to suck air at the oil sump for any reason then there would be a mixture of oil and air bubbles. I would guess that the #1 journal would be the first bearing to see a mixture of oil and air bubbles in the event that the oil source was intermittent and regained before all flow actually stops. Air being thinner than oil would flow out of the nearest available low-pressure exit...the nearest bearing or the one with the most clearance, i.e. lowest pressure from the oil supply. On the other hand, it seems that the number six bearing would be the last to get fresh oil again once the oil supply was regained though.
It also seems to me that since it is the rod bearing clearance that controls the amount of oil being lost around the bearing, any bearing with a higher clearance proportionally than the others would probably run out of oil first in the event of a supply interruption and compound the problem.

But that's just applying a little thought to the problem and of course the real world results have varied a bit. Any feedback on this?