1938 60 hp sound

38Tudor

38Tudor

Member
I've recently got my 1938 Tudor Standard running. I trailered it home a couple of weeks ago. I have never owned a car of this vintage before.

It sounds like a siren or a constant whine that comes from the motor. Is this what a 60 hp flathead sounds like? I don't know. I took off the fan belt and started it that way to see if it was the generator or the water pumps but no it still sounded like a siren.


Here is a link to a video that displays the siren/whine sound. its coming from the motor not the transmission.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-y...it?usp=sharing


Please advise.
 
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Whatever it is, it is not normal! These are fairly quite running engines. Does it have normal oil pressure?
 
Yes, it has good oil pressure. Maybe it's coming from the distributer. I'll rebuild another one and swap them.
 
try holding the clutch down, see if it changes anything , I bought an old truck that whined real bad and someone put the wrong cluster gear in the trans, it ran and shifted ok. but that damn whine would run you out of the cab!.nevertheless I rebuilt the gearbox and all is well after 40 plus years.
fordestes,
 
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Good to hear that, most times it's our better half. What is the operating temp of your engine and does start when you frist start it or after it gets warm?
 
Worn Alloy timing gear or very worn oil pump gears, that are marginally out of mesh, can make this sound , we have a big flat motor that does this & although its not so noticeable on the idle, but is, only when you give it the gas , some sound diagnosis has revealed that this maybe the problem.
 
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Take a long screwdriver with the handle up to your ear or a mechanics stethoscope and place the tip at different locations on the engine to see if you can tell what part of the engine is making the noise.
 
No help pushing the clutch pedal. I did the long screwdriver trick and it sounds like its coming from the timing cover. So like it has been said, I think its the cam and timing gear . I'm going to run it like it is for a while. Thanks to all for all the help!
 
golly, feed that coyote. Try the same down hill run with the clutch and again with the engine shut off.

At the speed you were driving, we should not have been able to hear the engine.
Nice looking car. Congrats.
 
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