As a car owner, it can be easy to put off repairs and maintenance till the last moment. Unfortunately, waiting too long can cause serious issues, and it could even ruin your car.
Recently, mechanic TE Videos (@te_videos) filmed a short video about a 2014 Honda Accord that was dropped off because it “makes a rattle sound when on and while driving.” Sadly for the owner, their Accord had a rod engine knock that had gone untreated for so long that their engine needed to be replaced. The video was viewed over 597,000 times as of publication.
What is a rod knock engine?
According to TE Videos, the 2014 Accord had 197,000 miles on it and appeared to be in relatively good condition. It even had new brakes. However, when he turned on the car, he heard a hard rattling noise emit from the engine, and he immediately knew there was a big issue.
“OK, that’s excessive. It’s not fine. It’s actually not fine,” he said. After listening again underneath the carriage and checking the oil filter, he diagnosed the solution. “She is ready for a new motor.”
In the comments section, TE Videos explained that the noise came from “crank shaft bearing damage” and the “piston rod is slipping back and forth on the crank.”
Tool website JB Tools explains that rod knock “typically manifests as a low-pitched knocking sound that fluctuates” depending on the vehicle’s speed. It occurs when one of the connecting rods, which connects the piston head to the crankshaft, “creates metal-on-metal contact.” Typically, this issue arises when protective bearings on connecting rods wear down, causing the rods and pistons to grind against each other.
Another cause is a lack of lubrication—either from a leak or infrequent oil changes—which, if left untreated, can cause serious engine damage. An easy solution to avoid this is to change your oil every 3,000-5,000 miles, depending on the automaker’s suggestion.
The severity of rod knock varies. Fixes range from replacing a bearing, the entire rod, or, in the case of the Accord, the entire engine. Depending on your financial situation and the severity, the issue can fixed, but the cost may not be worth it to some.
Minneapolis-based mechanic Quality Coaches also lists defective main crankshaft bearings, a loose or broken timing belt tensioner, a failing air conditioning compressor, a broken or cracked flywheel, and worn water pump bearings as potential causes.
@te_videos 2014 Honda Accord 2.4L Rod Knock FYB 🔧👀👌 #honda #accord #4cylinder #rodknock #pov #rodknocklifeforyou ♬ Just The Two Of Us – 钟娅妮
Do viewers think it was worth repairing?
Many viewers were shocked by the severity of the rod knock.
“That’s the loudest rod knock I’ve ever heard,” one said.
“How in the hell? did they just never change the oil??” a second asked.
“Sounds like disco party,” a third added.
“You really have to neglect oil changes or let it run low on oil in order to bring an engine to knock on the bottom end,” another observed.
Others said it was due to the model.
“I had a Honda sound like that once…only 15 days after buying..never owned another one since,” one said.
“It’s a Honda, it can take a clutch dump caused this problem,” a second said.
“What causes this? And what happened to Honda quality?” another questioned.
The Daily Dot reached out to TE Videos via TikTok Comments and Honda via email.
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