John, My '78 spit has a strange rattle at idle that's intermitent, but goes
away after revs are increased. It sounds like transmission bearings, maybe
the throwout bearing, although when the clutch is depressed, it's still
there. I've been driving the car for a year without any other problems so
I'm going to keep driving it until something becomes more noticeable. Maybe
it's camshaft wear?
good luck,
ron
'78 spit
-----Original Message-----
From: Jjcousins@ra.rockwell.com <Jjcousins@ra.rockwell.com>
To: spitfires@autox.team.net <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Date: Thursday, April 08, 1999 8:03 AM
Subject: Strange Engine Noise
>
>Can anyone offer any ideas on this, please?
>
>Background: I have rebuilt my 1977 Spitfire in the last 3 years. I didn't
do
>ANYTHING to the engine as it ran well when the car was in shambles, so I
just
>went with it. I drove it all last year for ~1000 miles.
>
>First Clue of problem: All last year (and now) when car was warm, i.e.
been on
>highway or 45mph for a while, when shutting engine off and engine was
cycling
>slowly to off, it sounded like, for the last few turns of the engine, a
really
>RRR. RRR, RRR sound with each turn of the engine. Sort of sounded like
your
>teeth grinding, but more metallic of course. I put up with it and it still
does
>it.
>
>LATE last year, and now. When cold, at certain LOW RPMs (like 1000-1500) a
>rattle sound almost EXACTLY the same noise as the above described noise
happens.
>It will go away when RPMs are increased. But comes back at the same range
of
>low RPMs. The noise, also would cycle - last for 1/2 second, then off for
maybe
>3 seconds - then repeat. (Was not directly related to engine turns). When
car
>gets warm, this seems to go away (that is, after driving down a long
street, and
>then stopping, it didn't seem to do it anymore). Then, when the car shuts
down,
>I get the noise on the shutdown like above.
>
>It really sounds like metal not having lubrication somewhere and sounds
like its
>coming directly from the engine. Could there be some lubricant needed
somewhere
>- not just oil in the engine? I just changed the oil before my first drive
a
>couple of days ago. It didn't have any effect. How about the mating
between
>two surfaces somewhere? Flywheel? I don't know anything much about inside
the
>engine/tranny (obviously).
>
>I have NO clutch or shifting problems at all. I know the car is running
too
>rich and need to fix this ( I think - judging by the smell of the car).
Did I
>damage something by running too rich all last year?
>
>HELP??
>
>John (1977 Spit)
>
>
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