32 Flathead clacking noise

J

jagford

Junior Member
I have a noise in my 32 flathead and I have no idea where it’s coming from. It was noisy enough that I figured the valves needed adjusting, so I replaced the mushroom valves and split guides for the later straight stem valves, one piece guides and adjustable lifters. I adjusted the gaps and re-checked them before installing the head and intake manifold. When I ran the engine, the noise was still there. I checked it with my stethoscope and everything seemed fine, even heard the cam quietly working the valves. The only spot on the engine where I heard the clack, believe it or not, was on the top of the left water pump outlet. I removed the belt and pump, and the pump turned smoothly without any metal to metal contact. I don’t want to run that rare 32 engine until I get this problem solved. The last thing I want is to damage it.

So at this point I’m baffled and have no idea where this metallic clacking is coming from. Any ideas out there?
 
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When you determined that the noise was coming from the area of the left pump, did you remove the belt and run the engine to see if the noise went away? (you should have)
 
If it is so rare, which it is fairly so, why would you change the entire valve train except the camshaft (presumably)? All my restored '32 engines run just fine with the original '32 mushroom valves, split guides with the lip for the valve springs, big valve springs and spring retainers, and original non-adjustable lifters as they did originally.
 
RG 10 had member with a bump on his pump belt. thump-thump took forever to find it. Newc
 
Mine did too, for 30,000 miles. When the clacking noise began, I thought it was worn valves. That’s why I decided to change out the valves with adjustable lifters. When I fired it up, the clack was still there.
 
Mine did too, for 30,000 miles. When the clacking noise began, I thought it was worn valves. That’s why I decided to change out the valves with adjustable lifters. When I fired it up, the clack was still there. Still puzzled. Any more ideas?
 
Is it possible that a distributor hold bolt is too long and just touching the cam gear ? Reason I ask , I just disassembled a 21 stud that I have had since the late 70s and it was obviously rebuilt and not even broken in . It had a mark on the cam gear that Ive never seen , further investigation revealed someone used the incorrect bolt for the distributor. It was hitting the gear . I cant find anything else wrong with the motor and can only assume it was removed due to a noise .
Just a wild guess .
 
The only thing I saw amiss in the engine was a loose oil slinger on the front of the crankshaft, and I didn’t know how to fix it without dropping the pan. But I can’t imagine that little piece of sheet metal making such a loud clack
 
Recording the sound is a good suggestion. I’ll do that, but how do I post it on YouTube so everyone can find it? I don’t use YouTube. Can I post a video on this stream?
 
How does the slinger on the front of the crank get loose? That's supposed to be clamped tight when all assembled.

If the noise comes from the left front, could there be a loose #5 piston? Or the bearing/babbit is worn on #5?
 
Try pulling plug wires one at a time with the engine idling. If it’s a piston making noise, it might stop when you take away the power stroke…..Mark
 
Not sure I know just what a clack sounds like, but just a thought. Wrong location though, but you know how sound travels. See if the tube that extends out of the underside of the fuel pump stand has dropped and is bouncing up and down on the cam I like to have never located that sound wwen mine dropped off/down.
 
Sorry Lawson, in a '32 there is no tube beneath the fuel pump (assuming that he is using an original pump), just the operating push rod. The first of such a tube is the '35 V8.
 
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