Can Anyone identifiy this noise my engine is making. I will give to links to youtube where I placed the recording of it. This first one is with the fan, water pump, and alternator belt on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6trjMURVHI



I originally thought that the fan clutch was rusted and making the noise (because I got it from a junk yard) So I took the belt off and here is the second video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyZWPya4Dvs

Any suggestions on where to start troubleshooting is appreciated.

 

Which sound - the low pitched rattling or the high pitched rattling?

Oh, and the first video is locked and won't play.

- Eric

 

Oopps I unlocked the first one. You can hear the squeeking better on the first one. But I am refering to all those clicks and squeeks.

 

I'm going to guess Alternator. An easy way to isolate where the noise is coming from is get a tube of some sort, cardboard or the like and put it to your ear and then just pick spots to check. Just be careful of moving parts of course.

 

Can use a length of rubber hose too

 

I think you've got a chicken in your motor!

If you haven't been finding eggs in the air cleaner, though, I'd say it sounds like a bearing for sure. Alternator is one good possibility - you should be able to feel the bearing not being right when you turn it by hand. Water pump is another.

Paper towel roller, rubber hose, length of pipe can all help you localize the sound.
If you're a big spender, get one of those "mechanics' stethoscopes" with the surface probe and listen directly to each bearing.

Alternator's probably the best-luck option - easy to remove and install, and you can change the bearing yourself in half an hour without replacing the whole unit, if you want to.

- Eric

 

No belts - not the alternator, not the water pump. What else is moving? Fuel pump, timing chain, distributor. Is the noise from the front or back?

 

distributor bushing? check under the cap for wear on the cap...wobbly shaft

 

I heard a tapping when the belts were off, but a clucking - well, a repeating squeal - when they were on. Which sound are we talking about?

- Eric

 

Didn't notice the squeaking noise still there without the belt connected at first. It's a lot louder with the belt on. Harmonic Balancer? It's late, can't think any more.

 

Is the timing bracket rubbing the HB. Looks pretty close. The squealing noise sounds like something is rubbing. I don't know about the rattling noise.

 

Are you using a stock timing chain or a double roller? If the noise is in the front which it seemd to me it was, I would pull the fuel pump and look at the pump arm to make sure the timing chain isn't rubbing against it. Can you feel an odd grinding feel on the pump when the engine is running? If not, double check to make sure the harmonic balancer isn't loose. If the balancer looks questionable, remove it and start the car without it to see if that eliminated the noise. If the noise is still there, open up the front of the motor so you can get a look at the timing chain. Not sure if the chain could be rubbing on the cover or if the oil slinger on the crank may be rubbing on the cover.

 

I dunno, but I'd be at least ripping the front cover off of that thing and looking for scrape marks. That doesn't sound good for sure.

 

Get an automotive stethoscope. You can use it to pinpoint exactly where it's coming from to tear down the right area.

http://www.amazon.com/Performance-To.../dp/B0002KO39W

It's like using the hose method mentioned above, but quite a bit easier to use if you haven't tried something like this method before, as the earpieces will block most of the external sound from coming into your ears.

Once you know how to use the stethoscope, the rubber hose method works in a pinch, but if you're kind of new to this, spend a few bucks to get the best tool you can for diagnosis.

x2 on the tearing the front cover off ASAP. If it's making noises like this, you may already be sending metal shavings into your engine oil.

Since you've ruled out anything "belt-driven" I would venture to guess it may be something to do with the fuel pump arm & eccentric "cam" off the front of the timing gear.

Looks like you replaced the water pump recently. Did the noise start just after that job? Was anything else replaced at that time? Timing chain/gears, fuel pump, etc?

If the noise didn't start until after some recent work, did it start immediately after that, or did it start up all of a sudden, or gradually start to make noise?

Detailed circumstances will help narrow down the possibilities.

-Jeff

 

Thanks for the replies. It sounds like its coming from the front to me also. I did tighten the pulley on the crank because it was slightly loose and the noise lightened up a little but was not eliminated.

I just bought the car (and got it for a pretty good price) and it was not running at all. It was missing a water pump, starter, carburetor, battery, master cylinder, power steering pump and other items. So I dont know what was going on with it before I got it. After I put the above mentioned items I cranked it.

With that being said, I dont know the answers to the other questions of what is installed on it.

The first couple cranks I dont recall hearing that noise but as I troubleshooted the carbutretor problems I let it run wide open in park for about 5 seconds. Then when i found out the secondary's were stuck open i fixed it and noticed this sound.

I cant say they were there before because I was not paying attention to that.

I will first take off the harmonic balancer. If that is not it I will go to the next recommended things listed above.

Updates to follow.

 

Ive decided to rebuild it. Thanks everyone.

 

What...that's it???? Man, this is like taking away the last chapter in a mystery novel!! I hope you post some photos of what you eventually find just so we can get to see what was going on.

 

Yeah - you can't leave us hangin'!

- Eric

 

Ooops!! My fault. I just picked up an engine stand and cherry picker and will begin to pull it apart this weekend. I havent really done anything but prep my garage. I had to build a 8'W X 2'6" D X 4'H two shelf table to hold all my parts as I take them off, put up some shop lights, and find a good reputable machine shop. So I should have something posted in the next week or so.

 

Alright it took a while but I have the answer. The number 3 rod bearing was almost gone. I mean like paper thin.

I have the whole engine apart and will take it to the machine shop tomorrow to get checked. As I took the pistons out, the top ring and the other ring on most of them were all broken. As soon as I took it out, the pistons rings were just pieces falling on the floor. I dont think this engine was tended to at all.

Olds abuse I tell ya. Lol What can I use to clean these pistons?

 

I'd replace them. And I'm betting you might not have a choice once the machine shop gets a good look at the cylinders. I bet you're looking at least a .30 over bore and maybe more. Gonna need larger pistons for the over bore.

 

Time for a stroker kit!!!!