Michael:
Been watching this - here is an idea that may or may not help.
Years ago, a friend's Healey had a similar problem - started making a
similar noise very suddenly for no apparent reason. Turned out it was the
ring gear - it had started to come off of the flywheel (it can only move
forward) - it had moved enough to contact the heads of a couple of the bolts
the hold the rear engine plate to the block. Made a hell of a noise - like
what you are describing.
A little test: with the engine idling, depress the clutch pedal - if there
is any play at all in the crankshaft thrust washers, the noise should
increase slightly - clutch pressure will move it ever so slightly forward,
increasing the contact - you will notice a slight change in the character of
the noise.
The reason I suggest you check this out is that before you re and re'd the
starter, you had no problem - possibly something happened in the area of the
ring gear when you did the repair. There are a couple of ways to do this -
one is to remove the trans tunnel cover, remove the starter cap cover (3
screws) and see what you can see. The other is to remove the starter
itself - again - and have a look through the hole. Either way, you will
have to have a good look all the way around the ring gear - it probably will
have moved only in one area. Best way to do this with the car jacked up
would be a wrench on the crankshaft nut. Or remove the plugs and you should
be able to move the crankshaft around little by little by tugging on the
fanbelt / pulleys.
If that is the problem, you should see 'tracks' on the front face of the
ring gear. It can probably be fixed with a suitable drift or punch through
the starter hole to re-seat the ring gear.
Since that experience, I have always staked or spot welded the ring gear
onto the flywheel when I am assembling an engine - a little paranoia never
hurts, right?
I hope it turns out to be as easy (inexpensive!) as that. Let us know.
Earl Kagna
Victoria, B.C.
BT7 tri-carb
BJ8
----- Original Message -----
From: <Awgertoo@aol.com>
To: <msalter@precisionsportscar.com>; <healeys@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2004 12:46 PM
Subject: Re: Intermittent miss--good news and bad
In a message dated 7/29/2004 11:14:34 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
msalter@precisionsportscar.com writes:
would suggest that the first thing to do is short out the plug wires one
at a time to see if there is any change in the noise when a particular
cylinder is not firing.
Mike and all--
I tried that one at a time and there was no difference at all--the noise is
the same regardless, just changed by the rpm's decreasing when I detached
the
plug lead, but not lessened by a particular cylinder's not firing.
The noise is easiest to hear at idle,and has a hollow sound which decreases
as the engine is revved. It almost seems to go away as the rpm's increase.
I
do not have a stethescope and it is difficult for me to pinpoint its
location,
but it seems loudest when I am crouching in front of the grille--what does a
timing chain sound like when it is loose and/or failing?
Best--Michael
|