Engine "click" noise-Need some help

Thanks again guys for the tips. Looks like I need to order the gaskets needed for this job and get on with it.
 
This is kind of an update to my "click" in my coupe engine.

I have replaced the timing gear (it had a part of a tooth missing) and replaced the camshaft thrust plunger & spring set. I have not had a chance to take it for a long drive yet (been raining here is dear old Portland) but the preliminary results sound promising. I ran the engine for 10 or 15 minutes and got it warmed up well and it "seemed" to not have that annoying click I have heard. Time will tell after I have had a chance to take it on a 50 or so drive.

Will keep you all posted.
 
I'm with Bruce it could be no 4 big end tipping the rear upstand of the dipper tray.
The dipper tray can be pryed back through the oil filler hole
 
Tanglfoot said:
I'm with Bruce it could be no 4 big end tipping the rear upstand of the dipper tray.
The dipper tray can be pryed back through the oil filler hole
Click to expand...

This could be. I did take the dripper tray out of the pan when I took the pan and cleaned it out. Will keep it in mind if the next test still does not show problem is solved.

Thanks
 
Well here I am back again with this old problem. I hope you all are not getting tired of me rapping on this subject.

The weather cleared today and I worked on checking out the valve lifters. I found they are the double lock lifters.

This is what I found for measurements:

Valve # 1 .017 S/B .015
Valve # 2 .013 OK
Valve # 3 .013 OK
Valve # 4 .022 S/B .015
Valve # 5 .017 S/B .015
Valve # 6 .013 OK
Valve # 7 .021 S/B .013
Valve # 8 .015 OK

So it looks like valve # 1,4,5,7 should be adjusted, especially #7. Could # 7 be the reason for my "clicking" sound?

Is there any good books or does anyone have some detail instructions on how to adjust these things? Andrews is kind of general in his instruction. Can I do it with the head and pan on and engine in the car? Do you have to hold the lifter somehow while you work the two nuts? If so does anyone have a easy way to adjust these things for a guy that does not know what he is doing? I know Pat had a link above but I am still confused.

Thanks.
 
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Not tired of this at all. It is all a learning experience for everyone. I have a click, not lifters, and have appreciated the other ideas put forth to solve my own problem.

Yes, the out of spec clearances could well cause a click. Maybe more that one click given those clearances.

The bad news is there is no easy way to adjust the so called double lock, lifters. It is a pain, and I got rid of mine in favor of the so called single lock, one nut lifter, after doing it a few of times. The good news is you can do it without removing the head or pan.

Using the Rule of Nines in Vince's Ford Garage site referenced above, you have to measure clearance when the valve (lifter) is down, and adjust it when the valve (lifter) is up. For me, I adjusted one at a time rather than follow them along as Fordgarage suggests. One at a time requires a lot of hand cranking, but better than losing track of which one of 8 lifters was up or down. I would lose track even writing it down. Up to you.

Anyway, using # 7 as an example, rotate the engine until #2 is up at the top. This will put #7 at its lowest point. (Rule of 9) Use #2 at the top to determine when #7 is down at its lowest because it is easier and more accurate to see when #2 is all the way up rather than #7 being at its lowest because #7 may be on the cam ramp and not all the way down. True bottom of the lifter travel is hard to eyeball accurately.

With #7 down, measure and record what the clearance is (say #7 .021). You now know you need to close it .008 to be at .013 (I would close it to .012).
Rotate the engine again until #7 is up at the top of its travel and the bottom nut and lifter flat are accessible.

Loosen the nut that goes against the lifter. You will need a thin wrench to get two wrenches on both the nut and the flat part of the lifter. Some grind down a wrench especially for this. Or you might find a thin wrench somewhere.

With the lower nut loose, holding the lifter with a wrench, rotate the top of the lifter with another wrench one flat (.007 per Ford garage) plus a "scooch" (technical term) to get the other .001 or .002. Then hold the flat spot on the lifter with one wrench and tighten the locking nut onto the lifter with another wrench. Watch out that the top does not rotate while you are tightening the lower nut. It always did for me, so you may have to eyeball in a small correction here. Rotate the engine again until #2 is at the top and #7 is at the bottom of travel. Measure the clearance of #7 again. If the Model A Gods love you, it will be just right. Repeat on the other valves. Its a pain, but there is the satisfaction of doing it yourself and learning about your car.

Let us know how this works out. Even if it does not eliminate the click, (not to be discouraging but it may be something else) your engine will be happier and run better. The valves will open as high as, and stay open as long as, they were intended to.

Good luck.
 
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Sorry to hijack this thread with my problem, but since valve adjustment is being discussed, I need to ask a question.
I have a ticking noise which alway goes away after the engine has warmed after 2-3 minutes of idling; the engines runs beautifully and very quietly after that.
Because I thought I may need a valve adjustment, I tried without success because all valve clearances are only .010, and I cannot get to the spec values of .013 and .015. I have single nut lifters, and the nuts are screwed all the way down and that's why I am "stuck" with .010 clearances. One friend told me not to worry about it; is he right?
Thanks.
 
Your ticking is piston skirt clearance a little over spec. It should be OK since it goes away in a couple minutes.

How long have you driven the engine with these valve clearances? If it's been some time and you don't drive the engine hard or get it hot, I'd say just keep driving and enjoying the ride.
 
Tom,
Thanks for your reply.
I've owned the car for a year, and driven it for a few thousand miles and the ticking sound has not gotten worse.
In the hot weather, my car does run hot, because the radiator is not perfectly clear of all tube obstructions, but the car has not overheated.
I do not drive the car hard, but I do have the Mitchell overdrive so that I can drive at 50 mph without hearing the engine "scream" with high rpms.
 
Fred, if you are running original valves, your S/B is correct. If you are running modern style straight stem valves, I would set the lash at .011-.012 because the expansion rates for the modern valves is less than for the original valves. I don't know what the rates are for modern mushroom valves but, they are probably the same as the modern straight stem valves. If you set them at .013 intake and .015 exhaust, you will be ok since that gives more room for expansion and is a safe bet. ,013 and .015 might tap a little but they will be consistent across and not like one or two being out of clearance.
 
I had a problem exactly like that in a recent engine rebuild. After taking home the engine, I sold it and the new owner discovered this constant ticking. It was taken back to the builder and did not receive any good news. Took it back home to another engine builder and found weak valve springs - changed to good springs and still the sound continued, then removed the front timing cover to discover a tooth missing on a used timing gear. Changed timing gear and the noise still continued.

Eventually, it was discovered that the tension spring at the timing gear was rusty and had compressed to where it was almost 1/4" too short. Put in a new spring and the noise was gone.

I am not a knowledgeable Model A motor guy, but thought that this info might be of some help.
 
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When checking valve clearance & adjusting valves with adjustable lifters, I do it this way: With plugs OUT, do ONLY 1 valve at a time. Using hand crank, turn it until that valve is WIDE open, note the crank position, turn crank EXACTLY 1 turn & you're EXACTLY in the middle of the heel of the cam lobe, then check clearance. Then turn EXACTLY 1 turn to full open to adjust that lifter. Then turn EXACTLY 1 TURN to re-check your clearance. Repeat all that on each of the valves in turn.
Remember, 1 turn of the crank = 1/2 turn of the cam lobe.
Bill W.
 
Thanks guys. I see I need to get some thin wrenches to fit the lifter (7/16 I think) and the nuts (1/2). So that will be the next step. May go off to HF to see if I can find some cheap wrenches I can grind down. I hope I can get the lifter one thin enough to catch the lifters. My first look at one of the lifters that was up looked like it would have to be very thin.
 
Mitch//pa said:
I have an old set of craftsman tappet wrenches. They are pretty long and double open end , very thin..
Click to expand...

I saw some Craftsman tappet wrenches on EBay and was woundering if they will do the job. Guess I need to take another look at them. Thanks Mitch.
 
Fred K-OR said:
I saw some Craftsman tappet wrenches on EBay and was woundering if they will do the job. Guess I need to take another look at them. Thanks Mitch.
Click to expand...
Just get them at Sears or from Snap-On, they'll replace them if they fail, as long as you use them for tappets ONLY. Bill W.
 
"THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes the "click" noise is gone!!!!! I did get the adjustable valve lifters adjusted. This is what did away with the click. And the engine sounds great. I can even see things in the rear view mirror without it shaking all over.

Maybe I can list the things I did so that others can get some idea what I went through to finally find the problem. Again, this "click" was a consistent click-not a knock.

The steps I used:
1. Took out the timing pin out, turned it around and pushed it against the timing gear with engine running. No loose timing gear.

2. Replaced the distributor with another working distributor. Still same click.

3. To double check the timing gear, took off the side timing gear cover. Did not find the timing gear loose or much play going back or forth. But did find a tooth missing the timing gear.

4. Took off front timing gear cover (and the radiator), replaced the timing gear, replaced the trust spring and plunger. Put back together, still had same click.

5. So went after the valves. After taking off the valve cover, found the following clearance in the tappets:
Valve # 1 .017
Valve # 2 .013
Valve # 3 .o13
Valve # 4 .022
Valve # 5 .017
Valve # 6 .013
Valve # 7 .021
Valve # 8 .015


So the analysis turned out that valve 1,4,5 and 7 were not within the Andrews specks of .013 for intake and .015 for exhaust.

So after getting a lot of help from you all, I figured out how to adjust these double lifter things and managed to get them all within a reasonable (for me) setting close to the specks. Put things back together and started the old engine up. NO CLICK ANYMORE!!!!!!. And does this engine sound nice based on this non Model A mechanic's idea of what an engine should sound like.

So just thought I would report on what I found to be my problem with a consistent "click". Hope it helps others and also hope I did not bore all you with this situation.

Thanks for all the help.
 
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