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Series IIa/3 engine noise, any ideas please.

P

PD1964

In Second Gear
I have a clattering which sounds like amplified tappets. Started suddenly without any warning and fortunately just outside the gate. Engine still starts easily and runs. Plenty of oil pressure and oil to the rockers. No obvious problems with tappets when run with rocker cover off and hard to tell where its coming from as it sounds the same underneath as above. Not transmission as its still there with clutch depressed.
I'm thinking piston rings but wondered if anyone with more experience has any ideas before I start dismantling it.
 
Possibly timing chain has thrown a link. Easiest way to check is take the sump off and look at bottom of chain as you slowly rotate it. You can also check for lumps of metal in the sump while you are there, and bottom end piston condition. Chains can make a racket if the tensioner fails too.
Mine was running fine but decided to check big end shells. Found various nuts and bolts in the sump belonging to the timing chain tensioner, but when I removed the front end everything was fine. Somebody had replaced it and not bothered to fish out the debris!
 
Is the water pump good ? It may be worth slacking off the fan belt for a test run to check it's not the turbine in the water pump falling to bits ;)
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I hope to get a look at it in the next couple of days. Wasn't sure whether to start at the top or the bottom but its obviously easier to have a look at the bottom before taking the head off. Did wonder about both of these but assumed the water pump housing would be damaged if there was an internal failure and that an issue with the timing chain would stop the engine from running. Will check the pump and then move on to the sump and post back.
 
Just got back from holiday so late coming to this ... My first thought on reading your post was timing chain or tensioner failure, just like Richie. You might like to invest in a mechanics stethoscope which is perfect for pin-pointing noises and cheap too. Failing that use a long screwdriver or a steel tube against your ear and touch the business end against the various parts on the engine, (not the fan or your ear will suffer ...)
 
So I removed the sump and found a single gear tooth in the considerable depth of sludge. After a struggle (working in the drive on the west coast of Scotland with limited tools) I have finally got the timing cover off. The offending tooth is from the chain tensioner which seems a bit sticky so you are spot on. The cam gear is not brilliant either with some tips missing from the teeth but the crank gear looks Ok. Obviously best to replace as much as possible while I'm in there but what is the view on the quality of the replacement crank gear from Paddock (568333 @ £3.42) compared to what is on there (origin unknown) given that it appears better than the others. I assume the cheap one is what's in the kit they sell for £32.50 which includes gaskets, gears, chain, damper pad and tensioner. Original gear seems to be in excess of 60 quid. This a 1964 swb vehicle that does short runs amounting to about 700 gentle miles a year so I was planning to get the kit and maybe not bother changing the crank gear.
 
Not sure what happened to my last post but just an update. Removed the sump and found a single tooth in the sludge. Having eventually got the timing cover off (west highland coast driveway) the tooth has parted company with the idler gear so you were spot on. The camshaft gear is also worn and I think the tensioner was probably sticking. I was thinking of getting the full timing kit from Paddock (£32.50) but not sure whether to replace the crankshaft gear as it looks OK and maybe better quality than the replacement in the kit. Has anyone used this? Vehicle is a 1964 IIA and does about 700 miles a year.
 
I would get the kit, and just check the crankshaft gear as they tend to go sharp if worn. You may be able to re-use that if it seems ok as you say.
I didn't see any lock tabs in the kit, and you need those on the slipper pad and adjuster. This is why mine failed as a bolt came out then got chewed up, then the adjuster came loose.
 
I have found the lock washers and added them to the list already and I assume the one on the crankshaft nut is safe to reuse. How fussy are people about the correct torques? I managed to borrow a socket for the crankshaft nut but not sure where I can get a 3/4 drive torque wrench to fit it.
 
Put a tube over the socket bar or use a breaker bar and mark the lenght, then weigh yourself and calculate where to stand. Put your weight on slowly, no bouncing! It will be accurate enough. If you are too heavy for the torque use a spring balance and calculate the force/distance. With the high torques its well worth doing this as you tend to find its tighter than you would do it by feel. The hub nuts on our old VW Beetle were 400lbft which was about twice as tight as you would do them even if you thought you were doing them very tight. We used to do the wieght and stand on it method for those.
 
My neighbour has a habit of buying tools he will probably only use once so I borrow them occasionally. That includes a torque wrench which goes high enough to do crank nuts and trailer hub nuts! David
 
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