Opinions on a g8 or g9

[plk1222]

a guy offered one for help roofing his house. it runs but has a knocking noise when it idles down from wide open he said the people that he has looked at it says it sounds like the clutch or the rear end. would be a great parts cart for mine. suggestions

[plk1222]

sounds like a crank or rod bearing to me. is there a way to make sure it isnt one of those? whole cart is in great shape just concerned about the motor.

[Mike Mac]

Can't help you on the knock, could be any of those things. There is a alot of difference in a G8 and a G9. 8 is longer and wider than a 9. Front suspension and motor and transmission is about the only things that are the same on those 2 cars. Ignitions are different there too.

Put it in neutral, then push it and listen for noise, that may help. Take the belt off, and run the motor, that may isolate the noise for you. If you have time with the car, take the clutch can off. Look at the weights, see if one is warn or out of place.

If its a clean car, I would think long and hard about passing it up! Make it run some how!!

[plk1222]

its very clean! im considering it but dont want it to be a money pit.

[sho305]

Can be piston slap, cam shaft in case, clutch. Take a set of ears for a car, or at least a wood rod and listen to it. A huge screwdriver can also work. You might tell if its in the case or not. The clutch noise might be louder at the crank rather than the side case or head.

A clone is under 300 if you want to swap, but it is some fab work for sure. And lot more power. But that would not help if it were the clutch. Most broken clutch will not shift right, but could be loose arm/etc. G9 its not that hard to get the clutch cover off, use a $10 impact if it has phillips screws they come right out some have allen head in them that I've seen. If you grab the clutch and it is loose on the shaft and tilts, then sure it will make noise. They are not really tight on there, but once they move enough to rattle they do. A shot of grease might quiet it if center bushing is loose.

[Mike Mac]

Sho is right about this but, I would say, the rear end on this era of car could be the hardest thing to find, and expensive! That would be my concern.

If you got a good motor, you still got nothin, You got a good car without a motor, you still got something. Motor is the easy part in my opinion.

[plk1222]

if all else fails i can use it for parts. clutch is supposed to be new!

thinking of using the frame since someone did a crappy job on my current one. welded lift into the frame and didnt line nothing up. great body on it. will post some pics when i get it.

[sho305]

Most common is the case gets worn where the cam rides, its alum with no bearing. It knocks then. Piston slap is not that common, however I have heard rebuilts that do knock all the time not real loud but not like stock. Typically piston knocks will come and go if you run it at fast idle and ease on/off the gas, while other knocks may not, because the fuel is loading the piston.

If cheap I would grab it for parts, then decide what to do with it.

[Mike Mac]

did you ever find out if it is an 8 or a 9?

[plk1222]

a g9