Random multiple error codes and noise after engine replacement.

[KidsKJ02]

Hi all,

Wasn’t sure if anyone is still working on these 1st gens and just saw that some are! So I posted a thread several months ago about swapping engines from an 04 sport into an 02 limited, took forever as I only get a couple hours a week for this project and everything that could go wrong basically did but none the less the engine is in and running however, I have some serious gremlins I can’t seem to evict.

So after splitting both engines and swapping the crankshaft reluctors, and cams shaft sprockets along with all the 2002 model sensors, I’m getting random 02 sensor heater circuit errors and some times random misfire codes but not as frequent as the 02 sensor issue. It acts like a bad ground right? I found 4 grounding points two on the block for the battery and main wiring harness and the heads are grounded to the firewall. Well I’ve since removed all ground studs and wire wheeled them and sanded down locations and connectors, coated in dialectic grease and re tightened them all with no relief? Sometimes it will give one or two O2 heater circuit faults or somethings all 6. I’ve also seen random miss fire codes in #6 as well as #2 however those clear and didn’t come back? Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

The other issue I’m having with this transplant is as soon as I fired it up, it was knocking, sounded like it was from dead center of motor or coming from the timing chain cover. Sounds too aggressive to be valve train but too high pitched and intermittent to be a rod bearing, but I pulled the valve covers and inspected, not finding anything wrong, no loose rockers or failed lifters? I then replaced the timing chains, sprockets and tensioners. And it still knocked, I pulled off the torque converter acces cover and inspected the bolts there and was all good. Finally I put in some fresh oil (the stuff in it had been contaminated with coolant several times pulling off the front engine cover) well after the oil change it stopped knocking Awseome! But… after a 20 mile road test the knock comes and goes randomly sometimes faint sometimes just as loud as day 1, but will go away if I keep the rpm’s up under load for a bit? I have to mention I test drove the 04 donor and scanned it before pulling it and it ran and sounded fine with no error codes.

Once it’s all done and right, I plan on doing a full write up in here. I know others have which was super helpful in this project however it seems everyone leaves out one or two things over looked which is understandable giving all the details to this swap. Thanks for any suggestions!

(Tried to attach video of knock but apparently we can only attach photos)

 

[KJowner]

You can link to a YouTube video if you upload them there. Very annoying faults, the intermittent electrical issues sound like a broken wire or loose contact somewhere. The mechanical rattle is odd, I'm not familiar with the v6 but it sounds like it may be a chain tensioner/guide fault, did you replace them?
And I wouldn't ever run an engine with water or antifreeze in the oil it does nasty things to the bearings.

 

[derekj]

x2 what KJ said - when you first started it up the engine would have been pumping coolant through it first as the oil sits on top of the coolant in the pan which in turn probably caused some bearing damage. How long did you run it with the bad oil in it?

 

[KidsKJ02]

ok, so I did replace the timing chains, guides and tensioners, all torqued down to factory spec. I ran the motor 3 seperate times not more than a minute a piece with the contaminated oil, however 1. The noise did persist before I contaminated it and 2. If it were infact bearing damage you would think it would be constant, not coming and going randomly?

Since my last post I unplugged b1 senor 1 blew out the pin and reconnected, I also did the same with the PCM connections, I’ve since put about another 10 miles on it with no CEL or codes however watching the live data as it runs on my scanner the o2 values along with the MAP value is just bouncing all over the place, Which leads me to believe a possible failing PCM? Could this knock be a pre detonation or secondary det knock? I do have an after market crankshaft position sensor in it which is the second one since I started, after reading many comments, I continually hear this car will not work with an after market cps has to be mopar however, I simply cannot find one as it is discontinued. Dealer can’t get it and I’ve searched to the end of the internet with no results?

 

[KJowner]

It might be a PCM fault but as it ran fine before I'd suspect the sensors, connectors and wiring that have been touched, if the MAP sensor is the same as the other engine try swapping it over.
The odd Lambda and MAP could also be an inlet air leak.

 

[derekj]

When you say your O2 values are bouncing all over which data pids are you monitoring? can you take a picture of the data on the scan tool and post it? A video of the noise would help - does it seem like the noise is timed with crank speed or cam speed?