Childeric

Well as I suspected, pretty sure the PO was withholding info. After cleaning the fuel tank, new gas and oil change (rig sitting for 8 years) I did some laps around the block (on about 3 cylinders) and sure enough there's an engine noise that that (tho I could be wrong) doesn't sound like lifters. It's silent at idle and even off idle a few rpms, but up (no tach) above say 1500 rmp there's a cycling rap, which comes on at just the slightest acceleration, but goes silent with increased acceleration. It mainly wants to do it when it's up above 1500 rpm but only with MINIMUM engine load. No steam or engine smoke out the pipe, and my water pump leak self healed, I guess the seal expanded. So, don't care much right now about the misfire I need to find out what's making the noise first. I've really no idea at this point... but the rap is "light" sounding not a deep knock. What's that thing having to do with the cam? Some sensor I heard about? Oh yeah, 120K miles. Thanks for any help. EDIT: Maybe broken piston skirt or flex plate?

Firestorm500

Might just be valvetrain rattle. My '87 Renix has been doing it for 45,000 miles or so. Plenty of oil getting up there.

I was told, and have decided, just to run it. It doesn't miss and has good power for what it is.

OTOH, people just don't usually park a good running vehicle for 8 years.

Childeric

OTOH, people just don't usually park a good running vehicle for 8 years.[/QUOTE]

True that. Like my grandpa used to say (who knew every part# on a D8 Cat by heart), I have a "sneakin suspicion" that it's loose torque converter bolts syndrome. Saw a couple utubes and it's the only thing that sounds like mine, where it seems to rattle only when ever so slightly loaded, cuz when lot's of force is applied they all move to one side of the slop, my theory anyway. Gee that would be so much better than a destroyed piston skirt, ill see manana.

Childeric

TQ bolts tight, pulled pan, timing chain VERY sloppy though.... ?