Saturn Relay Rod Knocking Diagnosis

A rod knock is a very serious problem.  If your Saturn Relay has a knocking rod, it’s almost always going to be caused by a failure of the rod bearing or the rod caps (leading to a spun bearing) or lack of oil.  

If you do have a rod knock, don’t ignore it for too long.  Your Relay’s engine will not survive long with it.  Once it starts, the bearing surface only wears down faster and eventually it will throw a rod.  The rod can eject itself from the engine, ruining it and leaving you in need of a new engine

 

Rod Knocking Saturn Relay

 

Rod Knock Symptoms:  Saturn Relay

The most obvious sign of a rod knock is the knocking noise itself.  If it is the rod that’s making the sound, it must directly correspond with the engine RPM.  If the knocking sound changes with the vehicle speed, you may have a bad axle shaft or suspension problem.  

The knocking will sound very metal on metal.  Almost like someone is beating your Relay’s engine with a hammer.  The knocking sound is usually the worst at idle, or when backing down off of the gas.

With a rod knock, if you drain your oil you should notice metal shavings.  Those shavings are tiny pieces of the rod bearings that have disintegrated.

If the noise only seems to occur when your engine is cold, it’s probably piston slap or an exhaust leak.

 

Rod Knock Causes:  Saturn Relay

There are only a few issues that can cause a rod to start knocking.  The most common cause is a spun bearing.  The rod bearing basically floats on a cushion of oil between it and the crankshaft.  If the rod bearing wears enough, it’ll be too much for this cushion and you’ll hear a rod knock sound.

 

1. Spun Bearing

The bearing that sits between the rod and the crankshaft can spin in place.  When this happens it can move out of position and your Relay will develop knocking rods.

 

2. Rod Cap Stretch

This rod caps score the rods to the crankshaft.  It is not uncommon for them to stretch in harsh conditions.  Once this happens the bearing will spin and your Relay will get a rod knock.

 

3. No Oil

The fastest way to destroy an engine is to run it with no or low oil.  Even a moment without any oil is enough to spin a rod and get a knock.  See:  Relay Oil Leak Diagnosis

 

Rod Knock Fix:  Saturn Relay

The only way to fix a rod knock is to replace the rod bearing in question.  There’s almost always much more to it than that.  Doing this job properly means a whole engine rebuild is in order.  

At the very least, you’re going to want to replace all of the rod bearings, piston rings, crank bearings, oil pump (you’re right there anyway) and get back on the road.  A good rebuild kit is essential.  It may very well be that you’ll need to have to get new rods and a new crank too.  It’s tough to know without taking a look in there first and seeing how much damage was done.

Another option might be to just get a remanufactured engine.  They are more than a rebuild kit, but you don’t have to worry about the quality of the job once you’re done.

 

Rod Knock Diagnosis

Making sure that it’s actually your Relay’s rod that is knocking is critical.  Really, there are very few things that sound like it.  It should sound so bad that you are afraid to drive the vehicle.  

One of the best ways to tell if you have a rod knock is to use a socket extension and push on the piston when it’s on the downward stroke.  It’s very faint, but you will feel some play if you push down on the bad rod.  You will also hear some metal on metal.  This method works as long as you have clear access to all of the cylinders.  There’s a great video on how to do this directly above. 

 

Saturn Relay Rod Knock Diagnosis
A good rebuild kit will have everything that you need to get your Relay’s engine running good again (assuming it doesn’t need machine work)

 

Conclusion:  Relay Rod Knocking

The repair cost of a rod knock in your Relay is going to depend largely on how long the engine has been running like this.  You may get away with a simple rebuild, or a new engine may be in order.  Good luck!