EA Fairmont Lumpy Idle & noise from sump

[mhoward736]

Having a small problem with our EA 3.9 MPFI. Its idling slightly roughly and when revved there is a noise coming from near the sump area. I've tried all the regular things for the idle (plugs, leads, dizz cap & rotor, injector clean etc) with no luck. The tranny was just rebuilt due to a stuffed converter and that's when we noticed the noise. Also has slow acceleration to 60k but I'm comparing it to my ED with the 4.0 engine so I'm not sure I've got a good feel for what's reasonable. The only other thing I notice is the Oil Gauge gets low at idle after its been run for a while. Any suggestions before I go to the expense of having the motor pulled?

[XRated]

Not sure, but if there is a noise coming from the sump and the oil pressure is having issues, my guess is something to do with the oil pump.

Did you clean out the ISC?

[sphell]

the noise from the sump could be a torque convertor to flywheel bolt hitting the sandwich plate. They might not have put it in straight and it could be sticking out a bit. The clearance is pretty tight in there.

I'd take it back and get it checked.....or you could just leave it and it will wear itself out over time :P

The rough idle could be a million things. Check MAP sensor hose, check for vaccum leaks etc. And I wouldn't worry about the oil gauge unless it's in the red. It WILL drop lower at idle than if you rev the motor.

[mhoward736]

Well at the end of the day a camshaft & lifter replacement (plus a few $$$) was required to fix it. The good news is the power is back and the noise has stopped. It will be interesting to see if the replacement gaskets stop the oil leaks as well.