Hey everyone!

I have a strange problem: at about 3000RPM, when the engine is under load (i.e. in gear, and the car is rolling), I hear a strange knocking noise coming from the centre/centre-left of the engine. If the car is in neutral, and I rev, the engine revs normally. If the car is in neutral and rolling, and I rev, the engine revs normally. As soon as I change into any gear, I hear the rumbling/knocking noise again.

The clutch has been changed at app. 90000km, and three days after that, I was in an accident: I got lost, took a dirt road, and slid off while going round a corner - wasn't speeding, I just completely lost traction. The undercarriage was damaged (suspension arms were bent, sump was torn open, bottom of the radiator broke), but all was "sorted out and replaced" by the mechanic my insurance company chose. Anyway, the noise only started after I got the car back from being repaired. So I'm not sure if the issue was caused by the accident, or by the work that was done. The mechanic refused to even look at it, as it wasn't covered by the insurer.

I've spoken to several mechanics (mostly amateurs), and they all mentioned something called the big-end bearings. I honestly have no idea what those are, or what they do. I do know that my local Honda dealership wants to charge me 1/10th of the current value of my car (!) just to diagnose the problem. So, I'm hoping someone here has the know-how. I'm honestly just thinking of replacing the engine, if that's what it takes.

 

take the car back to where you had it repaired. The mechanic should not have any reason to deny looking at it. If you truly feel it may have been a missed item to check, or in the repair process, was damaged, you have every right to get it checked out.

If you are told to move on out again, talk to your insurance company. Have them call the place. Many car repair businesses do not like losing a big income source like an insurance company.