Sickening screech

pdora

pdora

Senior Member
My 1930 Tudor has developed a sickening screeching sound.

It happens at random (although getting more frequent) while driving at highway speeds.

It sounds like metal-on-metal and lasts about two seconds -- not enough time for methodical diagnosis.

When it happens it sounds like it is coming from the clutch or transmission area, but it could be originating elsewhere -- can't swear to anything.

The car is now in the hands of an expert; I only hope it will misbehave in his presence. He suspects dizzy bushings, water pump, brakes (hydraulic and he is rebuilding them anyway) or throw out bearing.

Questions: If it is the throw out bearing what is involved in replacing it -- procedure, time, expense? If this kind of surgery is needed what else should we attend to while inside?

Thanks
 
Before you spend too much money try this ... disconnect the speedometer cable at the differential and drive it long enough for the noise to occur.

45 years ago I fought a noise problem that turned out to be the brass bushing in the speedometer that the magnet turns in.

The old timer Model A folks that I spoke to swore up and down that it was in the transmission or rear end. I removed rear end and transmission 3 times while looking for the noise. We looked at generator, dist and waterpump. Anything that turns.

Some clues that I missed several times were that noise happened more often when car was cold in the morning and as it got worse the speedometer started to jump around. But this was after the 2 or 3rd transmission removal.

Finally I looked at speedo as the noise started and saw that it jumping around.

Use a light machine oil like "3 in one" VERY small amount to lube it (too much gets on the numbers and lifts the decals) or better yet disassemble to clean and lube.
 
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Peter, Typically a noise from a worn out or unlubricated throw-out bearing only occurs when you have the clutch pedal depressed either to shift gears or at a stop when the transmission is in gear. For what it's worth I recently had a noise that could be described as a screech - metal to metal - sound and it turned out to be the small brass or bronze bushing at the front motor mount. it was a very tight fit in the frame hole. A little polishing and some lube an no more screech.
 
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If the throw out bearing is going it would make noise while you're stepping on the clutch, not while driving down the road. Could also be generator bearings.
 
I'm with Jim on this one - About 100 miles after the engine installation in our Coupe the car developed a terrible screeching sound - it felt like it was engulfed the entire car. My daughter put her hand on the speedometer and could feel the vibration. When we unscrewed the speedo cable the noise went away.

I put the entire cable in parts cleaner and after it drained, I filled it with graphite.

2000+ miles later and still no screeching.
 
Mike in NRN IN said:
I'm with Jim on this one - About 100 miles after the engine installation in our Coupe the car developed a terrible screeching sound - it felt like it was engulfed the entire car. My daughter put her hand on the speedometer and could feel the vibration. When we unscrewed the speedo cable the noise went away.

I put the entire cable in parts cleaner and after it drained, I filled it with graphite.

2000+ miles later and still no screeching.
Click to expand...

This is the best way to discover a problem with the speedo or cable. As Mike describes, you can feel the vibration.
Good luck with the search
 
Will N said:
If the throw out bearing is going it would make noise while you're stepping on the clutch, not while driving down the road. Could also be generator bearings.
Click to expand...

If the clutch isn't adjusted correct and the throw out bearing is always in contact with the fingers then yes it could be throw bearing with foot off clutch and you going down the road.
 
It's probably caused by the simplest thing you can think of. I like the speedo bushing test idea. I'd also lube the water pump and distributor and check the engine mounts. I once had a similar noise, and it turned out to be from one of the engine pans, a problem that occurred in the old days. It's in one of the original service bulletins.
 
I had a "brand new" spedo cable assy that I put in. Lubed it with graphite before installation. Then about 200 miles later I got the same growling noise described above. After tracking it down, it was the new cable. I poured another vial of graphite down the cable and ran it thru the paces with an electric drill just to make sure it was thouroughly lubricated and put it back in. 500 miles later still no noise.
 
I had a sickening screeech sound right after I put a rebuilt water pump on my car.


It turned out to be the brass bushing in the back of the water pump started turning in the water pump housing because that water pump housing was worn out. The rebuilder didn't know that, and gave me my money back.

When the screech happened, I pulled over quickly and it stopped on the side of the road. When I would rev it, using the throttle linkage, while looking at the motor, it would make the sound again (Obviously not the speedo because I wasn't moving) That is when I noticed the packing nut on the water pump turning in the same direction as the fan and water pump shaft. Had to tow it home because it was so extremely loud and embarrassing.
 
usually the speedometer acts up in cold weather ,mine did one cold morning and somebody had greased the cable with reg. grease, I removed housing and cable ,soaked it and went back with graphite, solved my problem.
 
I also had a very loud, screeching type of sound with mine....could not figure out what was causing it. Took it over to Tom Endy's house, and he quickly diagnosed it......one of the mounting ears on the engine pans had sheared, and the vibration caused it to rub againt the broken piece........made one hell of a racket. Tom helped me make a small bridge of metal to install and the problem went away. I have heard this can happen with repro pans.........give it look!
 
Peter;

I had a very similar situation about a year ago. I was sure that it was the throw out bearing. What it turned out to be was the distributor. I had failed to oil it and it went dry and the screech was the dry shaft on the dry bushings. I oiled it and the noise went away immediately. Simple fix.

Dick
 
I once had the same problem described by Dick Deegan. I oiled it and the noise went away. However, the distributor shaft was so gauled by the lack of oil it caused the car to lose time and I had to replace it.:mad:

Bob-A:D
 
My vote is the speedometer. I've had it happed twice and both times it was with the round 30-31 style speedometers. I would also lubricate the cable while you are at it
 
Finally got my oval Stewart Warner speedo freed up! Drilled two 1/16" holes into long vertical shaft area (The one that turns the drum) & injected light oil with a syringe. Also removed the oval plug, cleaned out the oooold HARD grease & re-packed it with Vaseline. Bill W. (I WONDER if 56,137 is the original miles??????, or if it was driven "FOREVER" with a broken cable????) The Dog is GRINNIN'!
 
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