Noise in engine on start up

[offshore]

In past post I mentioned that the motor was rebuilt in my 1971 fiat spider and then it sat for a couple of years. I have slowly been bringing the car back to running order. For the last three days I have taken the car out for a slow spin around the block and everything is fine...water temp and oil pressure and no strange noises. Yesterday, I took the car out and drove it for about 30 minutes with no problems. Later that afternoon (after the car had sat for about 5 hours) I went out to crank it up and the motor sounded badly on start up...clanking/clicking/taping noise and then after it started the noise went away. I turned it off and started a few more time and no noise. I took the car out and drove it for about 15 minutes and then parked it. This morning I went out to start it and the noise is back. I did not let the car start fearful of doing damage to the motor.

I need help. If anyone has any ideas as to what is happen I would be very grateful.

[mdrburchette]

I guess the first thing we need to do is determine where the noise is coming from. Can you determine if it's a top end noise, say in the valvetrain area or do you think it's coming from the bottom end of the engine? Could it be coming from the front like in the water pump area or could it actually be coming from the tranny area? Does the noise go away or change in pitch when you give it gas or depress the clutch pedal? One thing I would also do is change the oil and see if you find any metal shavings coming from the pan.

[So Cal Mark]

I'd remove the spark plugs and look for a foreign object in one of the cylinders

[offshore]

OK...I am going out right now to pull the plugs and change the oil. I will turn her over and see if I can determine where the noise is coming from. I will let you know what I fine. Thanks for the help.

[offshore]

I pulled the plugs and found foreign objects. I drained the oil and found no metal shavings. Yesterday when I started the car up the noise was present and the car was a hard to get started...like it was not getting gas. I had to push the gas pedal to the floor to get it started. After the car started and ran for about a minute the noise went away and the car started fine the rest of the night. Today, the noise is back when I try and start the car and the car would not stay running...like it was not getting fuel. The engine noise (I am no expert) sounds like it is coming from the bottom near or around the mech fuel pump. It is a loud clicking noise. What do you think?

[mdrburchette]

Can you describe the foreign objects you found when pulling the plugs?

[offshore]

Sorry...It should read I pulled the plugs and found NO foreign objects.

[offshore]

After thinking a while (I know… I need to be careful that I don't hurt myself) I went out and check all the plug wires and dist cap. Over the last couple of days we have been adjusting the carb and timing, just maybe something was not tight. Everything was good.

Last night before we shut the car down it was running pretty good. I decided to go out and tinker with the car a little more tonight. I got the car started after about 10 seconds of giving it gas and the noise went away about 15 seconds later. I did notice tonight that when I stepped on the gas the car bogged down and the carb made a whishing sound and a strong smell of gas in the exhaust. I don't know... it is almost like the timing is off.

[mdrburchette]

The ignition timing is easy enough to check. You may also want to make sure the belt didn't jump time too. I don't know what the noise can be coming from.

[offshore]

Probably a dumb question but, how do I check if the belt jumped time?

[MNspiderman]

Just another thought. you might have a piece of debris in your bell housing floping around at certain times bouncing off of the flywheel teeth, clutch, etc. that would give you the now and then noise

[wengr]

Probably a dumb question but, how do I check if the belt jumped time?

check that all the timing marks line up at the same time. with the crank pully mark at tdc, both cam timing marks should be pretty close to the marks\holes.

[Daniel]

Hi offshore


Sorry to hear of your troubles, by what you discribed i would bet it's coming from something outside the engine
like the Altenator, water pump bearing or starter not an internal source . I would have someone start the car
while you listen under the hood keep all fingers and body parts away from moving belts of course

So far the sound has only been there at start up right ?


Daniel

[wengr]

why not try a mechanics stethescope?

[htchevyii]

If you think it may be an accessory, start it without the v belt.