Strange noises

[steve_wood]

So I went for a ride yesterday morning. Did 60 miles with no issues. The only sounds from the engine were normal tippity-tappity valve train sounds (solid lifters).

Then after lunch, I went out again. Got about a mile from home and at a stop sign i heard a weird intermittent screaching/rattling sound. A bit like when a pressed-in bearing spins in its housing. But it was only intermittent. Made it back home and got out the stethescope. Left side bottom end sounded okay. Heads sounded okay. Definitely heard something from the cam chest.

So I started by removing and cleaning the tappets and guides. They are definitely worn and need to be replaced. The camshaft itself looks to be in good condition. End play is .005

Could the worn tappets/rollers be the source of the noise? Could they have been oscillating in some weird way since they are loose?

I'm also gonna open up the cam chest.

Anything in particular I should be looking for?

[steve_wood]

Follow-up:

Disassembled the cam chest. Everything looks good. Bushings are all solidly in place with nice even wear. All of the gears are in good shape and they fit nicely on their shafts. Can't see any smoking gun there.

[Kuda]

Got about a mile from home and at a stop sign i heard a weird intermittent screaching/rattling sound. A bit like when a pressed-in bearing spins in its housing. But it was only intermittent.

Waay outta left field, but two things spring to mind: (1) timer bushings, and (2) clutch throwout bearing. Clutch is easy to diagnose (changes with clutch in or out, duh), but when timer bushings go bad they can be a real pain in the butt to find...

-Kuda
'49 panchop

[steve_wood]

Ya know, you might be on to something. Two days ago I checked the timing by strobe and the mark was moving around. Almost like the timer bushings were worn!

I'll take a look at those bushings this afternoon.

[john HD]

lightly grease your points where the fiber rubs on the cam.

it is amazing how much noise a dry set can make!

john

[steve_wood]

John,

Any particular kind of grease?

[john HD]

i use white lubriplate.

very sparingly, just enough to leave a tiny bit rolled up on the leading edge.

john

[58flh]

Dont forget about the GENNY!-it got the little cap on the lertside that holds the needles!--(they do get dry & squeal!)-I grease mine once a year!--It never happened again!,Also check the cond. of the iron-plates look for missing or cracked ones!---Richie If running a compensating sprocket grease it! The rattling sound that you said is par for the coarse when genny starts to disintigrate!--If camchest is looking good, 2-bolts & just have a looksee, it cant hurt!--Richie

[steve_wood]

Iron plates?

[58flh]

ON the Armature that what creates the magnetic field when whiped past the coils!---They make the exact noise that you described!---To check pull genny & take gear-off & seal & clip to slide the ARMATURE out! & have a look to see if any are missing or cracked!--Sometimes they fall out when you tap the genny facing down!---If this is the source of your noise, you caught it before you got a 150miles from home!--GOOD-LUCK!--If you never rebuilt a genny --They are very simple!---Richie

[Mark]

I ran into the same problem....high pitched intermittent screaching sound. I was also having a charging issue. I pulled the generator off and the bearing was disintigrated........Rebuilt the generator....problem solved!